Scott Green, not a favorite of Giants, named SBXLIV ref

(Neil Best here and at your service, guest blogging this item for Glauber, who is in Florida covering the big game and a tad busy.)

Scott Green has been named referee for Super Bowl XLIV, his first such assignment.

That name might sound familiar to Giants fans, as Mr. Green was the back judge for the notorious Giants-49ers wild-card playoff game of January, 2003.

Green neglected to call pass interference on the 49ers' Chike Okeafor for dragging down Giants guard Rich Seubert - who had checked in as an eligible receiver on the play - when holder Matt Allen attempted a desperation pass after a botched field goal snap by Trey Junkin.

The 49ers won, 39-38, after trailing 38-14 late in the third quarter.

Considering the takedown of Seubert and other circumstances surrounding that ill-fated final play, Paul Tagliabue called it the worst officiating failure of his term as commissioner of the NFL.

Photo: Frame grab from WB11 (That's the ball about to be snapped by Junkin, when we all were younger and more innocent than we would be a few seconds later.)