Duane Sampson
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NFL Could Fine Ravens Wed Dec 5, 2007 The Boston Globe reports the Baltimore Ravens could be fined by the NFL for criticizing officials after the Patriots game. After Monday night's 27-24 loss to the Patriots, several Ravens players ripped Walt Anderson's officiating crew. League policy states that "criticism of game officials must be made only to the league office in a written report. The officiating department will respond candidly to club questions about officiating. Public criticism of the integrity of the officiating serves no meaningful purpose. It raises credibility issues where none should exist and can have destructive and corrosive effects." An NFL spokesman said yesterday the league is reviewing all comments made by the Ravens, including claims from CB Samari Rolle that one official called him "boy" as Baltimore players contested penalties late in the fourth quarter. Rolle identified head linesman Phil McKinnely by his jersey number, 110, after the game. "The refs called me a boy. Number 110 called me a boy," Rolle said. "I will be calling my agent in the morning and sending my complaint. I have a wife and three kids, don't call me a boy on the field during a game because I said, 'You've never played football before.'" Both Rolle and McKinnely, who played in the NFL as an offensive tackle from 1976-82, are black. McKinnely is known as one of the league's more soft-spoken officials. Tensions rose with 44 seconds remaining, when the Patriots scored the go-ahead touchdown. After the score, Ravens LB Bart Scott was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct when he argued with an official. Scott, a six-year veteran, then was penalized a second time for unsportsmanlike conduct for picking up a penalty flag and firing it into the stands. After the extra-point kick that gave the Patriots a 27-24 lead, Scott and Rolle were seen exchanging words with McKinnely as they retreated to the bench. Scott was restrained by teammate OLB Terrell Suggs. "The referee told me to have some class," Scott said. "OK, have some integrity. Then, you have a referee calling someone a boy. That sounds like a personal vendetta to me." The Ravens felt they were targeted by the officials. Baltimore was called for 13 penalties for 100 yards, while New England was flagged four times for 30 yards, yet WR Derrick Mason believed that was only part of the story. "You should have heard some of the verbal bashing we were taking from the refs," he said. "It was despicable." Mason, now in his 11th season, was among a number of Ravens who openly criticized the officiating. Some of the most pointed comments came from CB Chris McAlister and Rolle.
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