Since the Dallas Cowboys’ game against the Green Bay Packers, a lot of controversy has stirred in regards to Gene Steratore and the Dez Bryant catch. Well, it seems that the accusations are getting to Steratore. Or are they?
On January 15, 2014, from what looks to be Gene Steratore ‘s Twitter account, he makes an uncanny statement towards the Cowboys’ fans regarding the “hate” from the Dez-Bryant-catch ruling.
#CowboysNation better stop the hate. I’m Italian and own a sanitation company. That’s all you need to know. #Woodchipper #LandfillCemetary
— Gene Steratore (@Gene_Steratore) January 14, 2015
Why on this planet would Steratore make a public statement like that after having asked to apologize to Dez Bryant about the catch’s ruling just a day prior?
@Rachel__Nichols @HannahStormESPN I would like to request a sit down interview to explain myself and publicly apologize to @DezBryant
— Gene Steratore (@Gene_Steratore) January 14, 2015
Well, long story short, this referee hasn’t made any of these statements regarding the Dez Bryant catch or the Cowboys’ fans. This is a fake Twitter account and was created shortly after the game. If you look at the date of the first tweet, it was made on January 11, immediately after the game.
I would like to apologize for my call today #GBvsDAL . @DezBryant caught the ball, took 3 steps, and made a football play reaching for goal
— Gene Steratore (@Gene_Steratore) January 11, 2015
This tweet about the Dez Bryant catch sparked a bit of misguided controversy within social media. Some people could spot the fake account at first glance. However, many people took the tweet and ran with it.
According to a real post-game interview with Steratore about the Dez Bryant catch, Dallas Morning News reports that he states the following.
“Although the receiver is possessing the football, he must maintain possession of that football throughout the entire process of the catch. In our judgement he maintained possession but continued to fall and never had another act common to the game.”
“We deemed that by our judgement to be the full process of the catch, and at the time he lands and the ball hits the ground, it comes loose as it hits the ground, which would make that incomplete; although he re-possesses it, it does contact the ground when he reaches so the repossession is irrelevant because it was ruled an incomplete pass when we had the ball hit the ground.”
“When you’re still going through the process of the catch, elbows or knees are irrelevant, he must complete that entire process with the football, maintain possession throughout.”
So, in essence, the Dez Bryant-catch ruling was never about whether or not his elbow or knee touched the ground but rather was about secured ball-possession. Because of this ruling and the fake tweets thereafter, Steratore has been the recipient of an onslaught of backlash from Cowboys’ fans.
However, “upon further review” of the Twitter account, it’s deemed a fake. It seems that someone who may be upset about the Dez Bryant catch is implementing a bit of character assassination.
What are your thoughts on the Dez Bryant catch? Did he have possession? Should the Dallas Cowboys still be in the playoffs? Was Steratore’s call bogus?
[Feature Image via USA Today Sports , Video via Vine ]