There were a few bad calls in the Detroit/Minnesota game regarding contact with the QB. I can't believe there has been no outrage against the totally phantom call for the Forearm to the Head of Tom Brady. I think the forearm was placed in Tom Brady's chest and it was a clean hit. The league should fine these officials for these horrible calls. Secondly I think the league rules committee should quit protecting the QB and if you run with the ball you are now a RB. If you line up as a WR you are now a WR. Specific example. Mendenhall on 2nd and Goal on the Browns 2 was met with a vicious Helmet to Helmet hit by the Browns MLB and the NFL Network commentators mentioned how RB's can be hit helmet to helmet unlike a defenseless receiver or a QB. I think once you tuck the ball and run you are now classified as a RB and can be drilled like a RB. It is ridiculous that McCoy tucked the ball in essence and became a RB and at the last minute flicks the ball out to another player and Harrison already committed to making the tackle got a roughing the QB call and is going to have a discussion with RG. I am not a Steelers homer in any sense but you can't have multiple sets of rules for a QB when running the ball and a RB who runs the ball.
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Shouldn't refs be fined.... (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter uconnalum
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CalBear
Footballguy
Refs get evaluated on their performance, and the ones who do better are more likely to get big games and playoff games.Harrison's hit was dirty, plain and simple. He's looking right at McCoy who's running straight at him, he sees him throw the ball, and after it's already gone, Harrison lowers his helmet and goes headhunting. Harrison is 2 yards away from McCoy when the ball is released.For that matter, it looks like he came off his assignment and allowed a first down completion in the fourth quarter of a 4-point game to do it. Bad play even if he didn't get flagged.
Addai's Adidas
Footballguy
The defeneder is supposed to remember who lined up at which position on each play?
Fensalk
Footballguy
Sports leagues go out of their way to make sure the refs/umpires look credible. To that end, criticism of officiating is HEAVILY frowned upon, let alone fining them. Its why arguing balls and strikes with an umpire is an automatic ejection. Events like the Black Sox scandal motivates all leagues to make sure refs are viewed as above criticism as possible.
mad sweeney
Footballguy
I know that many years ago, before Goodell, the refs made an "administrative error" in a game between Seattle and Baltimore. Seattle was running the clock out, play ended and the Ravens called a TO. Clock stopped, flag was waived off, Ravens given their TO back, but the clock wasn't started again which essentially gave the Ravens an extra TO. That ref was fined half his game pay ($2500 fine) for that play. I've never heard of refs being fined before or since though. But I do know it has happened. Though that's obviously not a subjective error nor a matter of judgment.
In the past I'd say no. But now the pure volume of calls are completely changing games. Not only that, they are getting very inconsistent. Certain flagship players and teams get away with a lot.
They don't make enough money to fine them. I'd say more of a heavy culling of the obvious bad or lopsided ones throughout the year. Want to ignore holding calls on a certain team? Fine, enjoy job hunting next week.
They don't make enough money to fine them. I'd say more of a heavy culling of the obvious bad or lopsided ones throughout the year. Want to ignore holding calls on a certain team? Fine, enjoy job hunting next week.
Refs should be fined if they stomp on someone's arm after the play.
They should not be fined for getting a call wrong any more than a WR should be fined for dropping a pass.
They should not be fined for getting a call wrong any more than a WR should be fined for dropping a pass.
sports_fan
Footballguy
Jerome Boger is worse
GregR
Footballguy
That isn't how it works. It has little to do with what position someone plays. "Running backs" are protected, and not, to the same degree as every other position. The only difference is that running backs are less likely to be in situations where they are defenseless.It is about the situation the player is in when you hit them (i.e. defenseless). If they are unlikely to be aware of the hit coming, and/or unable to defend themselves, you're not supposed to hit them in the head.Anyone throwing a pass. Anyone in the act of catching a pass, because their attention is away from the hit and they can't really move to avoid it. Any player who is being stood up or restrained and unable to protect himself. A defensive back who is unaware of a WR coming in to blindside block him can't be hit in the head any more than a receiver in the act of catching a ball can be. A DB trying to intercept a ball can't be hit helmet to helmet by a WR (or RB or anyone for that matter) trying to break up the interception.The NFL set things up to limit the rules so they are applied only to the situations most likely to result in serious head injuries. There really isn't anything wrong with the rules as written. The problem is the refs are making a lot of bad calls, calling penalties where the blow wasn't delivered to the head. They seem to be calling the penalty when in doubt instead of only calling it when they are sure it was to the head.
renesauz
IBL Representative
the differance is the RB leads with his own helmet when he bends fwd and squeezes through the hole. Often...his helmet is the ONLY place he CAN be hit. It's a much differant story with a QB or WR running upright in open space. It's not so much s differant rule as it is common sense....you stop what can be stopped.
GregR
Footballguy
I'd say more than that, it's that a running back is spending his time trying to avoid contact. You don't normally get a full sprint at a running back and get to launch yourself. If you try, he's going to make you miss. A WR making a catch though, you can hit full sprint and launch yourself and he can't do anything. So there isn't as much need to protect a ball carrier since that isn't a situation you tend to get those kind of head-injury causing hits.
GregR
Footballguy
And on the subject of refs being fined...
Refs are evaluated for all the calls they make, as well as all the calls they miss. The best crews officiate the playoffs. And obviously get paid for it. So a ref who is bad is going to feel it in his wallet come playoff time. And if he's consistently bad, they will eventually be let go.
Refs are evaluated for all the calls they make, as well as all the calls they miss. The best crews officiate the playoffs. And obviously get paid for it. So a ref who is bad is going to feel it in his wallet come playoff time. And if he's consistently bad, they will eventually be let go.
roadkill1292
Footballguy
I think it's unmanly to complain about the officiating.
Ignoratio Elenchi
Footballguy
So tired of people making this point. If you've watched the first three weeks of this season and don't think there's a very meaningful difference between the product on the field now and the product on the field when the "regular" refs are in, then you're crazy.
belljr
Footballguy
I don't disagree with the pace of play and the basics of games being managed is horrible and is embarrassing. But overall the scabs refs I don't think are missing anymore "normal" calls than the regulars. The players and coaches are definitely taking advantage also.
Sarnoff
Footballguy
Wait, are you praising your own post?
Anyway, it was good in the sense that I agree with the sentiment, but not in terms of accuracy, since you wrote it two years ago and Triplette is still employed as a professional screwer-up of games. I haven't seen a mistake like that since the Colorado "Fifth Down" play 20 years ago. And really, this was worse. Colorado was an oversight that didn't get corrected. This was a ref who couldn't get his own crew on the same page. All he had to do was stop the game and get it sorted out. Inexcusable.
There was that San Fran/Minnesota game 2 or 3 years ago where Harbaugh got 5 timeouts in one half somehow.Wait, are you praising your own post?
Anyway, it was good in the sense that I agree with the sentiment, but not in terms of accuracy, since you wrote it two years ago and Triplette is still employed as a professional screwer-up of games. I haven't seen a mistake like that since the Colorado "Fifth Down" play 20 years ago. And really, this was worse. Colorado was an oversight that didn't get corrected. This was a ref who couldn't get his own crew on the same page. All he had to do was stop the game and get it sorted out. Inexcusable.
SengerCJ
Footballguy
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap1000000065186/Was-Jim-Harbaugh-given-an-extra-timeout
wow, what a disaster that was, surprised that I don't remember it.
Phenix
Footballguy
If the NFL is not careful, officiating and its mistakes can cost them a lot.
It is only a matter of time before it comes out someone is on the take.
The worst thing about the NFL is how much the refs want to have an impact. Rule of thumb for officials (I only am a linesman in HS ball) you do not want to be noticed. Some of them go out of their way to make calls I believe. The amount of PI calls are so confusing to me.
Instead of saying lets make sure everything runs smooth on this play, they say, I need to look for a call on this play. Refs are people too, they want someone to notice them. In HS you do not work with the same crew, but there is always that official who wants to be a hero in every group. I can only assume guys in college and NFL are no different. Suspensions should come far more often for these guys, holding refs accountable is not what the NFL does.
If it wasnt a race issue, that ref would never have been suspended.
It is only a matter of time before it comes out someone is on the take.
The worst thing about the NFL is how much the refs want to have an impact. Rule of thumb for officials (I only am a linesman in HS ball) you do not want to be noticed. Some of them go out of their way to make calls I believe. The amount of PI calls are so confusing to me.
Instead of saying lets make sure everything runs smooth on this play, they say, I need to look for a call on this play. Refs are people too, they want someone to notice them. In HS you do not work with the same crew, but there is always that official who wants to be a hero in every group. I can only assume guys in college and NFL are no different. Suspensions should come far more often for these guys, holding refs accountable is not what the NFL does.
If it wasnt a race issue, that ref would never have been suspended.
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Max Power
Footballguy
I was thinking about this exact thing this weekend. I'm more surprised to see a WR not asking for a flag on a close play than actually getting back to the huddle. Even after the play, we are all just waiting for the flag. Its crap. Anyone that looks hard enough can find PI on most plays. And the offense is getting away with Murder, their subtle push-offs have become an accepted part of the game.Phenix said:
GregR
Footballguy
If I had to choose between the current level of enforcement of pass interference calls versus the kind of mugging that the Patriots put on the Colts in the 2003 playoffs that went uncalled and was the tipping point that led to the renewed emphasis in 2004, I'll take the current situation without hesitation.
I think a better solution is leave the enforcement the way it is, and make PI at most a 15 yard penalty like in college. If they do lighten up on anything, I'd want it to be actual PI calls and not defensive holding/illegal contact. I'd also be in for stricter offensive pass interference calls, particularly when it comes to setting a pick on a defender.
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ShamrockPride
Footballguy
Vegas. Someone should lose a job over a call blown that badly. Or at least let players and coaches critcize the crew with no fines for screwing up that bad.
ShamrockPride
Footballguy
Worse than the BGE TD screwup. Only because it directly impacted the outcome of the game and wasn't a blatantly obvious call.
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mad sweeney
Footballguy
That has happened. Holmgren said some disparaging remarks about the refs in XL and wasn't fined. Tagliabue said he wrote the fine letter 3 times and threw them all away, saying he couldn't do that to his old friend. Considering a number of Steelers had been fined in the playoffs for their comments, on top of a season full of fines, it was a pretty bold non-fine.ShamrockPride said:
Class Dismissed
Footballguy
It seems to me that the NFL needs and desires a certain amount of incompetence from it's officials........for some rea$on
