Ravens fall to Patriots, Refs, and Ravens

      I have very mixed feelings about last night's Monday Night Football game, in which the Patriots continued their march to a perfect season and high TV ratings thanks to some key Ravens blunders, some typical Brady magic, and a sprinkling of pixie dust from their Fairy God-Referees. Part of me very badly wanted the Ravens to win, just to see the twisted snarl of bitter hatred on Belichick's sourpuss, and to see how badly he would snub Billick at the post-game handshake. The Steelers fan in me thought, "If the Patriots lose this thing tonight, they're going to want to take it out on the Steelers." Ultimately, although I've never said or even thought this before, I felt bad for the Ravens.
      However, the Ravens players pointed a lot of fingers after the game, and not at themselves. Boller's terrible interception throw kept them from scoring again. On the first key 4th down play, they did call time out, and then the Patriots clearly had a false start (which can't be declined). But...
      I'm not generally a conspiracy theorist, but the defensive holding call on the 4th down at the goal line was definitely a ticky-tack call at best, and at worst had the distinct whiff of officially-sanctioned favoritism towards the league's Chosen Ones. A great game like that just should not turn on a yellow flag.
      By the way, what was with all the camera cuts to Belichick on the sidelines during the game--he was on camera as often as Tom Brady. And whenever they showed him smoldering away over there in his grey hoodie, I kept imagining what he was saying into the microphone, "Release your anger, young Brady. Feel the power of the dark side!"