So, your thoughts on the replacement refs so far

Regarding the MNF game. The game ended at approxiamately 12:20 am EST which is ridiculous if you have to work the next day and you were at the game in ATL.
The refs really looked amateurish to say the least. There was a 6 yard penalty difference in the first half on the spot which was in the Bronco's favor. Denver scored a TD on the drive which may or may not have helped them but we will never know for sure of coarse.
I know refereeing in the NFL has got to be one tough job and all considering the multitudes of technology and social media out there but it really looks like Roger picked up these guys from your local walmart.
Even John Grudens sidekick stated that it makes you appreciate all the more the locked out referee's job that they did in the past. That in itself should tell Roger how bad these replacement refs are. I do feel bad for them though. The coaches are making them look silly.
It's time we get full time and well compensated NFL officials. The sooner the better!
It's a Billion dollar business with a blue light special.

 

Im scheduled to be the HL this week in Oakland. SSHHHH (I have no face book page).

Bet the over on how many times the Raiders will line up in the neutral zone.

 

Since I am a sports official, i.e. ref for some odd 25 years, naturally I have a lot to say about this matter.

Firstly, the replacements are doing just fine, really. What do people think they would be like? You see, they were not NFL referees, and have not done an NFL game, yet were thrown into the fire and expected to not miss a beat compared to the real NFL referees. Consider your own full time job and the task these people were asked to do and after 2 weeks, all is well.

Missed calls? Yep, but when does that not happen with the regular referees? Let's see, over the years, the Steelers in particular have had their share of Monday or Tuesday letters from the league office stating that the (real) referees blew a call in their game on Sunday. Have people forgot the famous photo that Cower stuffed in the ref's pocket before halftime? Excuse me, but they blow calls every week and a LOT of NFL teams get letters from the league office. You just don't hear about it because it is kept quiet.

So, really, what makes them so great? They are mistake prone too. Yes, they do have more experience, but what did you expect from replacement officials? They will get better as time moves on.

Now, many have called for an end to all this since the integrity of the game and the safety of the players is at risk. O.K. let's look at these two myths.

The integrity of the game? If the real referees cared one iota about the integrity of the game, they would forego this stupidy until season end and get back to work. After all, it is the integrity of the game.

Injuries? If the real referees cared about injuries and the NFL players, they would, again, forego this and get back to work. Afterall, someone could get hurt and do they really want that on them? Secondly, there is not one, not ONE penalty a referee can call that would prevent one player from hurting another player with an illegal hit. NOT ONE! No referee can ever prevent one player from doing something stupid that would injure another player, so let's put this myth to bed. If player A wants to hurt player B, no ref can stop it.

How much of this is on the coaches and the networks? Case in point to last nights game. Fox for the Broncos goes ape crap at a 12th man on the field penalty and calls out not only the side judge but the referee. I can read lips pretty good as well as many in here could too. Break for commercial and ESPN comes back with the camera shot showing 12 Denver players on the field in formation. Simple. Penalty. The refs WERE right. So, what does ESPN do? Those partison hacks say nothing. They should have congratulated the refs for getting it right. Gruden was to busy stroking himself over Peytons orgasmic presence, but this douche should have spoken up. But hey, he is a coach who does NOT know the rules and would never say a word against a fellow coach.

But still, the networks are trying their best to drive home the idea that the replacement refs are ruining the game when in fact it is the players that are ruining the game. They are the ones trying to get away with murder and are simply testing their limits with the new guys. Anyone that saw the Philly Raven game could surely see the Ravens hit Vick about 10 times way to late, yet there was only one call. Yes, the refs should have thrown some of those flags, but this is a damned if you do and damned if you don't. Call it and they are accused of having a hair trigger. Not call it and they are blamed for letting the game get out of hand.

It is pathetic. I hope, and I hope the NFL does not buckle to this form of union thuggery where they are not using clubs, but are intead using the airwaves to incite the crowds into a frenzy.

Meanwhile, the real refs sit at home licking their chops becasue the louder the cries get, the more money they are gonna make. And let's be clear, this is about money. 5500 a game is not enough for part time work that includes free airfare, meals and lodging. We should all be so underpaid.

I say fire them all, break the stupid union up and then rehire them on a game by game basis. If they don't want to work, then let them sit at home. There are plenty of officials that can and would work in the NFL, and don't be fooled into believing that they are the only ones capable. There are plenty of capable officials out there. What folks don't realize is that politics is also present in the officiating world just as it is in everyday life.

With each week, they will get better, but I am not sure how long they will last with all the media calling for their heads.

rutan

 

Awesome! #14 is my favorite. Worst call I have seen in my lifetime of watching sports.

http://deadspin.com/5944976/theyre-gett ... socialflow

 

That article and video are good summaries of what's been happening. When I first started this thread, I commented that the officiating was better than I had expected it to be and that I hadn't noticed the officials much, which I thought was a good thing. After week 2, my opinion swung 180 degrees from what I thought after the early games from week 1.

 

The first week I thought they were passable, but the second week not so much. The two most egregious issues I saw (and I didn't get to see the whole MNF game):

1. The fact that they pretty much refused to take any kind of control in the Ravens/Eagles game when punches were being thrown multiple times. The announcers were practically begging them to do something, and it's becoming pretty obvious that these refs can be bullied into submission or inaction.
2. The "extra time out" incident. Not only was this one weird to start with (is it really that hard to count to three?), but the fact that it took ten time outs worth of time to figure it out?

Hoping they are better this week or Goodell makes something happen to get the old ones back. It's really only a matter of time until this really starts to affect game outcomes (not that the old refs didn't do that once and awhile). And as Peter King pointed out, yes, these guys are replacements and not expected to know as much as the regulars, but the NFL still could've hired better replacements.

 

I agree with you. I was actually enjoying them in the preseason. They seemed like they were actually letting defensive backs play football and weren't throwing flags every time anyone came near the qb.

Week 1 they did an adequate job.

Week 2 was a disaster. The problems: this is almost laughable to say, but these guys clearly don't know the rules of the game. I mean, THEY'RE the refs(!) and they don't know the rules! Another problem is that they seem to be, in my opinion, very bad at spotting the ball after a player is tackled. Little things like this we take for granted but the scab officials suck at this. Also, they have no control of the players out there. They are like substitute teachers in a room full of bullys. They're closer to being 'fans' than they are being 'officials.' I think they are a bit starry-eyed out there ("Hey, LeSean, I need you for fantasy!") and overwhelmed.

The upside: former players, media, fans, aliens, fish, bacteria living on dust particles, and every other sign of life on this planet (and others) is calling out Roger Goodell for being a hypocrite about player safety and compromising the integrity of the game by trying to save a few bucks with replacement officials. Any damage done to that jackal's reputation is good in my book.

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap10...land-finnegan-refs-just-let-you-play-football

 

This was the same guy who was a Saints fan and then was fired. Now, does anyone really think the real ref's are not fans of a team. Nice try. They just don't let it be known, but I guarantee you they are fans.

Steratore is from Uniontown Pa, and now lives in Washington Pa just 30 miles south of Pittsburgh. He is my age and in fact, his father and my father were good friends, so do you think he is a Steeler fan? Let's see, having grown up in Western Pa during the late 60's and early 70's, and your father just happens to be a very good D-1 college football and basketball official. Ahh, I'm sure he is a Steeler fan, he just keeps his mouth shut.

As for one the job training. Where do you think the rookie officials that enter into the NFL each and every year get their training? It is OJT for them. The referees, or white hats are the most experienced, but there are many crews that contain first year NFL officials, so your point is moot.

All of the replacements have a lot of football experience. If you notice, it is procedural items that are unique to the NFL and not so much penalties. Yes, they have blown some calls, but do a search on the Post Gazettte and you will find more than one column written about a blown call apology letter from the NFL.

Remember, Reagan fired ALL the air traffic controllers back in the 80's and yet, planes did not fall from the sky. In fact there wasn't one crash, so replacements did the job just as they will do here.

Now, the regular guys have got to be a bit nervous. Talks break down and the replacements are still here. If it goes beyond week 8-9 without any major screwup, will anyone care about the real refs?

rutan

 

Reagan was justified in getting rid of all those Air Traffic Controllers that were adament about shutting down the entire air traveling industry thinking that nobody else could look at blips on a radar.

Gooddell thinks he can do the same thing but in all reality he is only kidding himself while believing he can laugh all the way to the bank. I honestly think Fantasy Football is saving his butt because many will shun the game sooner or later with such poor performance by the officiating.

Comparing the two is Apples and Oranges.

 

I think it is interesting the number of retire players that are praising them for above all else letting football players play.

 

Now how do you like the scabs? The totally sucked balls today. I hope the Raiders send these clowns Christmas cards. What a joke.

 

The refs were awful today, but it did go both ways.

 

The raiders didnt have a penalty until the 4 quarter???? Brown's fumble was because they grabbed his facemask

 

That friggin illegal chop block against Ziggy was straight up BS with a no call. That would have put the FG attempt further back maybe out of range. Isnt that a 15 yd penalty. And absolutely no mention by Fouts. Other way around and Fouts would be foaming at the mouth if not called on the Steelers. Makes me ill. FIRE THESE SCABS IMMEDIATELY!!!

I just hope Ziggy is ok. That sh!t is illegal for a reason because that is how you get knees tore up. #*#*&%*!!! SCABS!

 

I caught that too. The missed calls didn't help but this defense didn't even show up today.

 

i think

i think im going to just watch beaver bobcats footbal until the normal refs come back goodevil doesnt care because we still watch and they still make money at least in hs you excpect the refs to blow

 

Re: i think

lol too funny

 

Oh yeah... There is that!

 

I cant stand these jag offs ruining the game. Its the simple things like its first andn10 from the 25 ten yard penalty lets spot the ball at 12 and huddle up about it for 20 mins

 

Watching the GB / SEA MNF game is brutal. You would think that they were have some officials that are better than this for a Nationally televised game. Gooddell is really hurting his product but I guess his pocketbook is still full.

 

WOW - GB GOT HOSED BAD!