Raiders coach Art Shell fined $12,500

Team Infidel

Forum Spin Doctor


JOSH DUBOW

Associated Press

ALAMEDA, Calif. - Oakland Raiders coach Art Shell was fined $12,500 for criticizing the officials following last weekend's 17-13 loss to the Denver Broncos. Shell said Monday the Raiders got "screwed" when the officials called a personal foul on Chris Carr for running out of bounds on a punt late in the third quarter.
"After I said it, I knew it," Shell said Thursday. "It dawned on me what was happening. But hey, I'll take it. Because I felt strongly about what I said, and I have not changed in that."
The call turned the momentum in the game, negating a fumbled punt return by Denver's David Kircus that would have given Oakland the ball on the Broncos 20 with a 13-7 lead. Denver ended up scoring the go-ahead touchdown on the drive.
The officials ruled Carr was blocked out of bounds but did not make an immediate effort to get back in, leading to the personal foul. Shell complained to Mike Pereira, the NFL's vice president of officiating, that the Broncos never gave Carr a chance to get back inbounds.
"But looking at it, it didn't seem like he tried to get back inbounds in, what they call it, good faith time," Shell said he was told.
Shell, who previously worked in the league office, said he had not been fined since his rookie year in the NFL when he didn't get a wakeup call and was a few minutes late to a meeting.
"I was like two or three minutes late, and $50 - and that's a lot of money back in 1968," Shell said. "I mean, I about cried. 'Fifty dollars, oh.' Me and about two other guys that were rookies didn't get our wakeup call. I tell you what, from then on, we made sure we had a clock with us."
Shell also disputed a call on an apparent interception by Fabian Washington near the sideline in the fourth quarter. The play was called incomplete on the field and the officials did not overrule the call because Denver receiver Javon Walker's foot blocked the view of where Washington's heel landed.
Earlier this week, Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher, co-chairman of the league's influential competition committee, also was fined $12,500 for criticizing the officiating.
 
Back
Top