Updated: Feb 6, 2006, 11:41 AM

Vote: Did the officials steal the Super Bowl?


	Will this be the game's lasting image?

The Super Bowl is supposed to be the final showdown between the league's two best teams. But the teams aren't the only folks on the field, and it was the performance of that third group, the officials, dominating much of the morning-after analysis of Super Bowl XL.

It's never good for an official to be a household name the day after a big game, but that's the position referee Bill Leavy is in after his crew was involved in numerous contentious decisions. From Ben Roethlisberger's disputed touchdown run to Darrell Jackson's pass interference penalty, close calls were directly responsible for points going on -- and coming off -- the scoreboard.

So what's your take, SportsNation? Did the officials decide Super Bowl XL, or is this much ado about nothing? And coming on the heels of other officiating controversies in the postseason, does the NFL have a bigger problem on its hands?

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ESPN

Vote: Did the officials steal the Super Bowl?

1) What grade would you give referee Bill Leavy's officiating crew for Super Bowl XL?

2) How do you rate the overall state of officiating in the NFL?

3) Did the officiating in Sunday's game unfairly favor one team?

4) Which played the biggest role in determining the outcome of the game?

5) Do you think the official made the right call on Darrell Jackson's offensive pass interference in the endzone, negating a Seattle touchdown in the first quarter?

6) Do you think the football broke the plane of the goal line on Ben Roethlisberger's touchdown run in the second quarter?

7) Do you think the official made the right call on Sean Locklear's holding penalty in the fourth quarter, negating an 18-yard reception to the one-yard line by Jerramy Stevens?

8) Do you feel that you understand what constitutes a ''football move'' on plays involving potential fumbles?

9) How much would creating full-time officiating positions, instead of the current part-time positions, help improve the quality of NFL officiating?

10) Which major sport has the best officials?

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ESPN

Vote: Did the officials steal the Super Bowl?

1) What grade would you give referee Bill Leavy's officiating crew for Super Bowl XL?

2) How do you rate the overall state of officiating in the NFL?

3) Did the officiating in Sunday's game unfairly favor one team?

4) Which played the biggest role in determining the outcome of the game?

5) Do you think the official made the right call on Darrell Jackson's offensive pass interference in the endzone, negating a Seattle touchdown in the first quarter?

6) Do you think the football broke the plane of the goal line on Ben Roethlisberger's touchdown run in the second quarter?

7) Do you think the official made the right call on Sean Locklear's holding penalty in the fourth quarter, negating an 18-yard reception to the one-yard line by Jerramy Stevens?

8) Do you feel that you understand what constitutes a ''football move'' on plays involving potential fumbles?

9) How much would creating full-time officiating positions, instead of the current part-time positions, help improve the quality of NFL officiating?

10) Which major sport has the best officials?

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THIS WEEK'S CHATS