[AtlPirateFan]

I watched some online and recorded the replay. I just revisited the play in question. If Dixon is the player I am seeing, there was contact made in the defensive backfield that resulted in both Dixon and the Central receiver ending up on the ground. What I also see is that the ball is in mid-air when this happens and the contact is 25-30 yards away from where the ball was caught. Dixon may be a very fast player, but there is no human being on this planet that would have been able to go from where Dixon was when the contact (incidental or intentional, unable to tell from any angle) was made in terms of where the ball was and where it ended up. He had absolutely no chance of making a play on the ball and to say he did is simply untrue. He fell at the 6 yard line about 3-4 yards to the right of the right hash at the same time as the ball was passing him 20 yards in the air. The ball ended up in the back right corner of the end zone. No possible way Dixon makes a play on it, so it is irrelevant.

I do not know what play you are referencing with Messer. But to say that two calls that did not go Belfry's way in some way determined the outcome, was horrible officiating, or was cheating is just absurd. It sucks to be so close and you want to find things to say well if this hadn't happened etc... etc... A lot of guys from the PHS 2010 Final Four Baseball team point towards a missed strike 3 call that would have ended the inning before Butler doubled in 2 runs to take the lead and ultimately win the game. But the fact is that is did not cost of the game. It is part of the game and you just need to accept the fact that Belfry played valiantly and was very close to a State Title. It will make this game so much easier to live with for the nest 40 years when you try to sleep on those nights and it is all you cant think about. Take pride in the successes of this team instead of trying to place blame on the official and trying to say that Belfry was robbed. The Pirates played a great game and that is how it should be remembered.

I am a Pirate fan and I agree with this. Gary Runyon blocked the punt and setup a chance to win. Messer caught a pass that put the team in good position. If you want to come down to a single play that cost Belfry a true final shot at winning it was Tyler Williams scrambling into the backfield and taking a sack instead of chucking it out of bounds or to what appeared to be an open man in the flat. Tyler ran this offense like a machine. However he made one bad decision on a crucial play and lost valuable yards with Belfry very close to being in Filed Goal range.

Don't dwell on the TD pass. That thinking only breeds an atmosphere of "we should have won" and causes players not to think they need to work harder in the off season. Look at it for what it was; "We had a chance and didn't execute when we needed it most" and now is the time to get back at it hard and be ready for 2012. Make sure your ready to execute when your in that situation again.