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Pete Carroll is in an awkward spot. His team benefited greatly from a very, very controversial call Monday night against Green Bay, as the replacement officials appeared to severely botch a call on what was seemingly a game-winning interception for the Packers. And thus, Carroll continues to recite a party line in regard to what went down.
However, he does at least admit that he believe it’s time the NFL gets the regular officials back on the field. Pete Carroll joined Brock and Salk on 710 ESPN in Seattle to discuss Monday night’s controversial finish, the replacement officials and the ongoing lockout of the league’s regular officials. He also addressed a report that quarterback Russell Wilson called the wrong play prior to the final touchdown.
On the notion that they stole a victory:
“I don’t care. I couldn’t care less about all that stuff. Game’s played, they called it. We played with the officials that they sent out there; we played with the team that they put out there. And at the end of it, we throw the ball up and Golden makes an extraordinary effort. It’s a great protection, it’s a great throw, it’s a great attempt at the ball, and he wins the battle. They were right on the point, looking right at it, standing right over the thing. And they reviewed it. Whether they missed the push or not, obviously they missed the push in there in the battle for the ball, but that stuff goes on all the time and they see it, they don’t see it. That happens with the official officials.”
On his belief that it was indeed a simultaneous catch:
“It was simultaneous when they got to the ground. There was a little bit of an edge for the DB up in the air, but it’s not over there. You’ve got to get to the ground and finish the catch. And when we finished the catch, we had the ball. And they had the ball, too. And so it’s simultaneous.”
On those who say the Seahawks shouldn’t accept the victory:
“They’re just hurting today. … It’s a great topic for you guys. You might see it as the day of your life here on talk radio, but it is what it is. And this is a statement of what the situation is on the field. This is not just a one-play deal, this has been weeks of it already. And so we’re at a point where hopefully something will be adjusted here.”
More on the why it was a simultaneous catch in his opinion:
“You have to complete the catch on the ground. It’s not over yet. This stuff happens. And by the time they got to the ground, the ball landed right in Golden’s chest, he’s got both arms on the football. … So that’s why they said simultaneous. Now, people don’t want to hear that but that’s what happened. The guy had the best shot at it up in the air, but they gotta finish it off. They hit the ground, the ball gets on the ground, it’s an incomplete pass. It’s not completed until they secure it on the ground, and we were in great shape for it. I don’t care if they don’t like it. … It’s hard for everybody to accept but that’s the way it is and I don’t care. We win.”
On his belief that the lockout of the officials has to end:
“That’s it. It’s done. And there’s enough evidence out there. These guys have done everything they could to do the best job they possibly can. These guys are great guys; they’re working their tails off. … But it’s time to get it right, and so let’s just hope that’s what happens here.”
On if Russell Wilson called the wrong play before the game-winning touchdown:
“No, he didn’t call the wrong play, he called the wrong direction. The play was called correctly — he said right and we needed left called in the huddle. And fortunately it worked out where he was supposed to waggle out to the left with a couple other guys helping him, but he got out clean anyway. So we did make a mistake there.”
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