A Fall from Grace: The Ed Hochuli Story

Post #1 » by **Da Schwab** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 10:18 pm

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3589407

NEW YORK -- Ed Hochuli's acknowledgement that he erred on a call late in Sunday's San Diego Chargers-Denver Broncos game will mean lower grades for one of the NFL's highest-profile referees.

"Officials are held accountable for their calls. They are graded on every play of every game," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Monday. "Ed has been an outstanding official for many years, but he will be marked down for this call. Under our evaluation system, an official's grades impact his status for potentially working the playoffs and ultimately whether or not he is retained."

The play occurred with the Broncos at the Chargers' 1-yard line in the final minute. Denver quarterback Jay Cutler dropped back to pass, and the ball slipped out of his hands, bounced off the grass and into the arms of San Diego linebacker Tim Dobbins.

I love Ed, as I think every serious fan does. I also think that ref's all mistakes (this one a tad more serious than some others), but this may have really hit Ed hard, being as competitive as he is.

Its a shame we may not get to see him ref in the postseason just because of this gaffe.

Here's a parting gift for all his trouble:

He can sure fill out them stripes.

Post #2 » by **Icness** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 10:44 pm

Even the greats make mistakes. I would actually be more upset about the Chambers fumble and review if I were a SD fan than Hochuli's gaffe. They had a chance to right the wrong and the guys in booth knew it was wrong, but it couldn't get changed because Hochuli couldn't access the replay. Human error sucks but having the ability to correct it and not doing so is inexcusable.

I read a piece awhile back about refs grading criteria and team feedback on the refs, and Hochuli's unit is consistently in the top 3. They call more offensive pass interference and defensive holding calls than any other group.

Post #3 » by **studcrackers** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 10:46 pm

"This was the best crew that we have had in the last 20 crews I have graded," Shanahan said. "They did a heck of a job. Every game that you see that is within a point or a field goal over the last couple years, it may be a call or a non-call that wasn't right, but that is the nature of this game. You have to find a way to win.

gee i wonder why rat face

Post #4 » by **Da Schwab** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 10:51 pm

Icness wrote:Hochuli's unit is consistently in the top 3

Heh heh heh....

... sorry, it jumped out at me when I read it.

ChargerMan · Post #5 » by **ChargerMan** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 12:22 am

I really just didn't understand the first INT, refs make bad calls all the times our defense had two chances to step it up and couldn't do it I place the blame on Ted Cottrell's and our defensive personnel.

Our ILBs are pathetic, I'd rather have Waters and Dobbins in and get burned in coverage then play like Derek "Half-tard" Smith, and Matt "ankle biter" Wilhelm. Ted Cottrell is the most vanilla play caller in the history of the NFL, I said WTF when we hired him and during the first half of last year I screamed at the fat bastard to call a blitz, get out of his weak cover 2 zones, and actually press cover some receivers, he made adjustments during the 2nd half of the year but the more I look at tape the more I see talent overcoming his soft playcalling. Cromartie looks like a rook and is imitatiing his adopt o father meon sanders.

Bright spots, our offense is explosive, Rivers is a top 5 qb in the league, performing at an A+ level with a hobbled Gates and LT, with plugins on the O Line, Tolbert looks like natrone means meets michael turner, Chambers is showing why he lead the AFC in receptions with horrible MIami QB play, and Norv is finally letting the reigns off the O. Sproles was inconsistent in Special Teams(Couple big plays, TD, couple boneheaded plays) but great out of the backfield.

High 5 · Post #6 » by **High 5** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 12:30 am

He still has the best bod on the field.

casey · Post #7 » by **casey** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 1:06 am

Da Schwab wrote:Its a shame we may not get to see him ref in the postseason just because of this gaffe.

How do ya figure? Like they said, every play of every game is graded. So even the worst screw up possible on one play out of the thousands isn't going to make much of a difference.

HarlemHeat37 · Post #8 » by **HarlemHeat37** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 8:21 am

I love Hochuli..I'll take the win, even though we deserved to lose..

if anybody deserves to lose, it's the Chargers..biggest whiners in sports..best defensive player is a roided up cheater..

Post #9 » by **Basketball Jesus** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 2:20 pm

I thought Jerry Jones’ comments were a bit strange, calling Hochuli’s crew one of most criticized in the league. I always thought his was the most well-regarded; sure, they call a hell of a lot more offensive line penalties* (holding + false starts) than any other crew, but they’re generally not met with much criticism.

*via Football Outsiders' officiating data

Post #10 » by **Geddy** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 4:53 pm

Ed is going to do non stop curls from now til the next game to show how sorry he is.

Post #11 » by **studcrackers** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 6:42 pm

Basketball Jesus wrote:I thought Jerry Jones’ comments were a bit strange, calling Hochuli’s crew one of most criticized in the league. I always thought his was the most well-regarded; sure, they call a hell of a lot more offensive line penalties* (holding + false starts) than any other crew, but they’re generally not met with much criticism.

*via Football Outsiders' officiating data

seeing how they call more offensive line penalties then anyone, id guess that'd be jerry's beef

Post #12 » by **LLcoleJ** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 9:48 pm

Not in favor of Ed losing his job over this. However, both calls ( Cutler and Chambers) were blown and cost us the games. Blowing games in the NFL can really hurt a teams season.. oh well.. on to week 3.

best defensive player is a roided up cheater..

lol says the Bronco fan....

HarlemHeat37 · Post #13 » by **HarlemHeat37** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 12:25 am

the Bailey call shouldn't be complained about by Chargers fans..at least it was close..unlike the week before, where a play was REVIEWED, where Rivers passed the line of scrimmage by a few feet and got the 1st down..the refs counted it, even though the review clearly showed they were wrong, and it led to a SD touchdown on the next play, when it would have been a punt on 4th down..that was the only reason they were even in the Panthers game..

of course the media didn't talk about that though, and of course Chargers fans didn't mention that..biggest whiners in sports, only rivaled by the Phoenix Suns..the media loves the Chargers, love the baby Tomlinson..just like the media completely ignored Merriman's steroid use when he came back from injury..

same old Chargers..whine, whine, whine..they'll bounce back, the media will pick them to win something, as usual..then they'll choke in the playoffs..I just can't wait until we beat them again later on in the season, just to shut them up..

Post #14 » by **LLcoleJ** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 1:24 am

Nothing is better then hearing about a call from a Charger hater from a week before to justify 2 blown calls in a different week.... whine whine whine...

Also, love the roid' rants from the Bronco-owski fan... lol

You had a gift of a game handed to you. You should relish it, dont whine about it.

Yes, we will see you at Qualcom, hopefully, the refs wont make any more mistakes.

HarlemHeat37 · Post #15 » by **HarlemHeat37** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 1:29 am

one day, we'll find a team we both like Phil..one day..

Post #16 » by **LLcoleJ** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 1:31 am

Dodgers? La Kings ? My sons tee-ball team ?

Post #17 » by **NO-KG-AI** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 2:00 am

I don't wanna hear about the Chargers having two chances or what not, that's total BS, they handled their end of the deal, they recovered the fumble and won the game, Ed Hochuli cost them the game. **** happens, but the Chargers got ****, no ifs, ands, or buts.

Post #18 » by **LLcoleJ** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 5:36 pm

More to the story...

I'm getting hundreds of emails – hate mail – but I'm responding to it all. People deserve a response.

You can rest assured that nothing anyone can say can make me feel worse than I already feel about my mistake on the fumble play. You have no idea ...

Affecting the outcome of a game is a devastating feeling. Officials strive for perfection – I failed miserably. Although it does no good to say it, I am very, very sorry.

Ed Hochuli

link

Post #19 » by **Basketball Jesus** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 5:59 pm

Eddie Guns is clearly a better man than all.

Mr Awesome · Post #20 » by **Mr Awesome** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 8:05 pm

People need to lay off Hochuli a little. I've been hearing people say all this stuff about how he should be suspended for the rest of the season or fired, and that's a little excessive. Yea, he made a really, really bad call and it cost the Chargers the game, but he's only human. He made a mistake. Don't get me wrong, I think he should be punished some how for it, but some are being a little harsh.