NFL Replacement Refs

[..fanatic]

All the negative comments by announcers are getting out of hand and putting those guys at additional risk. I must have heard 50 critical comments on Sunday watching NFL games. Then Al Michaels and Chris Collinsworth went on incessantly Sunday night. They were extremely disrespectful and then tried to say they weren't being disrespectful. Someone needs to shut those idiots up. I want to watch the game without being reminded on every penalty flag that these are replacement refs - most of their calls don't beg for a distinction. The NFL has a history of being second only to the NBA for crappy officiating and the long-tenured refs have an over-inflated evaluation of their worth to the league. The new guys are at least trying to get calls right.

[warrriorsfan808]

The thing that would be nice would be to have the Head Official come out and put the heat back on the announcers and say look if you think you can do a better job, then put on the uniform, come out here and call the game, then you will really see how easy it is! My Jr. and Sr. year in high school I umpired Little League.
Usually I called the bases and a more senior umpire called the plate. One game the plate umpire did not show up and they got a coach from the 6-8 y/o division to umpire the bases and I was asked to call the plate. The managers and coaches from both teams had seen me umpire before and they were ok with me calling the plate, in the 1st inning two women started riding me in the 3rd inning I had enough from them. I called time out walked to the back stop in front of them and started taking off my shin guards then I looked at them and said since you two ladies think you can call this game better I invite you to come out here and me and my partner will sit in the stands and razz you. They both declined and I said good now you have a choice sit here and watch the game or if I hear another comment I'll have to ask you to leave the ball park. I had so many people come up and tell that was a great way to handle that situation. Of course Little League is a lot different from the NFL.

[Spence]

All the negative comments by announcers are getting out of hand and putting those guys at additional risk. I must have heard 50 critical comments on Sunday watching NFL games. Then Al Michaels and Chris Collinsworth went on incessantly Sunday night. They were extremely disrespectful and then tried to say they weren't being disrespectful. Someone needs to shut those idiots up. I want to watch the game without being reminded on every penalty flag that these are replacement refs - most of their calls don't beg for a distinction. The NFL has a history of being second only to the NBA for crappy officiating and the long-tenured refs have an over-inflated evaluation of their worth to the league. The new guys are at least trying to get calls right.

Collinsworth is a former player's union rep. He isn't going to be neutral in this. I think the refs need to be full time. They need to develop their craft. Sorry, but I just don't feel sorry for a big time lawyer who supplements his income on Sundays doing football games. There are plenty of people who would like to have that gig.

[donovan]

Like so many situations. This is NOT the replacement referee's fault. It is the greed of the league. Professional sports officiating is part of the entertainment package. They know what to call and what not to call. (The is why professional wrestling is one of the more honest professional entertainment packages...they don't try to hide it.) Pro sports entertain. When was the last time traveling was called in the NBA. If it takes a few steps to do the dipsy doodle and slam dunk the ball, so what, the crowd cheers and we want more. If in football the penalty is away from the play, nothing is called. Pass interference is arbitrary. If it destroys the entertainment value...then it is not going to be called. Nobody, save Spence, watches the game for finesse. So, how do you expect replacement refs, who are not familiar with all of the innuendos to make the call. It's like blaming John L. Smith for Arkansas problems. You need pummel the cause, not the effect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eslz06J9hFw

[Eric]

I think a lot of it has to do with the unpolished nature of the refs rather than their complete ineptitude. If the referee says the wrong thing on the mic or is pointing the wrong way or makes the wrong signal, everybody hates on them. They're complete newbies to the NFL so they are going to mix things up and they're also under so much pressure, probably due to the things that Fanatic points out. Even so, and even with recognizing that even professional NFL crews are going to mess up, the replacements are absolutely worse than the regulars. Anybody who saw the Denver / Atlanta Monday Night Football game can attest to that. They don't have the respect of the players on the field and can't stop brawls, they're spotting the ball 10 yards from where it should be, etc. That stuff is inexcusable.

I think the NFL needs its refs back, but I can't pretend to know the details of the situation.

[..fanatic]

There I go and stick my neck out about laying off the replacement refs and last night's game happens (Green Bay-Seattle). Horrible officiating at any level. Prior to that game, I was all for firing the "real" refs and have the NFL work at training and hiring new crews. Now, I just don't know what to think but something has to give.

[Eric]

Ha! I was thinking the same thing. I wasn't a fan of the refs in my previous post, but I wasn't completely blaming them for some of the mistakes. After tonight, I think the NFL doesn't have much of a choice. I'd be shocked if they kept this thing going on with the PR issues.

[billybud]

The NFL ref's union must be rubbing their hands together in anticipation....the outcry grows louder as the pitchforks and torches are being passed out.

[Eric]

The question is, what will it take for the NFL to budge? Surely fans are lambasting their decision, but if they still pay to see the games and watch it on TV, the NFL can wait as long as it wants. I don't know what the negative-PR-threshold is going to be for them.

[Dossenator]

Donovan I understand your view point. However, to say these replacements refs are not part of the problem or John L Smith is without blame in regards to the Arkansas situation does not hold water with me. They have to have some culpability in both cases.

Were these replacement refs put into a bad situation? Yes
Are they in over their heads? It appears they are
By making terrible calls and affecting the outcomes of games are they not to be held accountable for their mistakes? According to you no...but I say they should be.

Same with John L Smith. He is not the only one to blame. The blame must first be directed at Bobby Petrino. If he does not hire his mistress then he is on the sideline at Arkansas and they are at worst 3-1 right now. But he screwed up. The blame should also be placed on AD Jeff Long for hiring John L Smith as interim coach. But to say that John L is without blame is just silly. Is it all his fault? No But he is certainly not without blame.

[Dossenator]

[Dossenator]

This is a good one too:

[Grayghost]

The question is, what will it take for the NFL to budge? Surely fans are lambasting their decision, but if they still pay to see the games and watch it on TV, the NFL can wait as long as it wants. I don't know what the negative-PR-threshold is going to be for them.

Eric has hit the nail on the head. It all comes down to revenue. As long as the stadiums sell out and the TV ratings are high, the NFL doesn't need to do, nor will they do anything. The fans can complain all they want, but if you want to make it hurt, stop showing up and stop watching. The players and coaches can complain all they want, they still have to play. What I don't understand is the owners. Although they usually back the commish as he reps the owners, I can't believe that the owners would find this to be in the best interest of their individual organizations. Does it hurt the NFL as a whole...only from a PR standpoint, but certainly not from a monetary standpoint. But, does it hurt the individual organizations, the teams themselves, and by doing so, possibly having playoff impacting implications, the owners, as individual reps of their respective franchises would seem to be doing themselves a disservice. How long it takes the owners to realize this and put pressure on Goodell will be the only thing that ends this sooner than later....unless, of course, as I said, we as fans stop paying the league in one way or another for crap. Not enough fans will boycott the sport for this strategy to work. They will continue to go to the games, and watch on TV, if for no other reason than to watch the continuing trainwreck, or simply to give them something to jerk about until next weekend.

As a Seattle fan, I like the outcome, but as an objective observer...it was a crap win. Ah, the duality of man.

[Brian Roastbeef]

Beyond just the fan disappointment and frustration at a crappy call, or series thereof - that MNF call reportedly shifted between $150-250 million in betting cash. When it comes to a quarter-billion of Vegas/overseas money on the line something is going to be made to budge somewhere.

[Spence]

Beyond just the fan disappointment and frustration at a crappy call, or series thereof - that MNF call reportedly shifted between $150-250 million in betting cash. When it comes to a quarter-billion of Vegas/overseas money on the line something is going to be made to budge somewhere.

You have that exactly right.