SI.com article on the replacement referees (1 Viewer)

[Raider Nation]

For those with a short attention span, another example tonight of this sideshow. Make sure to watch his second call as well.

If you missed the news, these clowns are now officially working week 1 of the regular season. I guess saving a few bucks is more important than the integrity of the game. Lord knows, the NFL is cash-strapped right now! And please save me the argument of "Well, the regular refs make mistakes too." They absolutely do. They are human. But these guys are a DISASTER! If you've seen a few preseason games, you can come to no other conclusion. I urge you to read the article below. It's eye-opening.

By Pablo Torre, SI.com

Ed Hochuli suffers from what he calls the sickness. In a typical year, around mid-May, the NFL heralds its upcoming season by mailing to game officials an arcane, hundred-question rules test, including such queries as: On an onside kick from the A35, A1 is the first to touch the kick at the A42, and A2 then recovers the kick at the A46. During the kick, B1 blocks A3 below the waist at the A44. What's the call and why?

But this year, well before the NFL Referees Association's collective bargaining agreement was set to expire on May 31, the zebras learned that no exam would be forthcoming. And so Hochuli, the NFLRA's famously mesomorphic elder statesman, preempted his union's impending—and now ongoing—lockout in the nerdiest way imaginable. For three months now, the 22-year veteran has been e-mailing his 120 fellow officials his own weekly test, replete with video clips.

What's more, on each of the past eight Mondays, always at 9:30 p.m. EDT, the 61-year-old has moderated a voluntary hour-long conference call in which participants dissect the test's thorniest questions. On Aug. 13, for example, 95 officials devoted 30 minutes to discussing the fouls that require a 10-second clock runoff.

"The sickness," says Hochuli, proudly, "is that some of us actually enjoy these things."

Which helps illuminate the larger nausea plaguing his cohort in the midst of the second-biggest labor dispute that the NFL has endured in as many seasons. At bottom is the locked-out officials' feeling of disrespect, wrapped up in pay (in 2011, the average salary for NFL officials was $149,000, lowest of the four major American sports) and pension issues, echoing the protests of the league's players amid their own lockout a year ago. As before, the terms of this debate are in public dispute. To review:

1. The NFL is proposing compensation increases of 5% to 11% per year over a proposed seven-year term for each official. The NFLRA, which sets its own pay scale but relies on the league to provide the aggregate pie to slice (last year it was $11.93 million), wants an aggregate increase of $2.2 million in 2012, and a $16.5 million boost over five years.

2. The NFL wants to transition officials, whom it deems part-time workers, from their "defined benefit" retirement plans to "defined contribution" 401(k) programs. The NFLRA wants to preserve the existing plan, shielding pensions from the stock market, but is willing to settle on grandfathering in current officials.

3. The NFL proposes hiring three additional crews (21 new officials) and introducing full-time referees, which it says will improve officiating. The NFLRA calls this an "attempt to divert attention" from the two previous issues. The union is not opposed to the notion of more crews and full-time officials, it says—if the two sides can agree on compensation.

Both sides met for federal mediation three times in July, followed by a short meeting earlier this month. As Scott Green, the NFLRA president and an official himself, sums it up, "We didn't make any progress." Asked for an educated guess on when this all might be resolved, another official speculated, "Two or three weeks into the season—but I have never seen our union so tight as they are now." (NFL execs said last week that they were prepared to open the season with replacements.)

In the meantime America's preferred on-field product is stalling. During the last referee lockout, which lasted two weeks in 2001, including the opening games of the regular season, replacements generally consisted of high-level college officials. Not the cream of the crop—those are the NFL-identified and formally scouted "finalists" who sit on a waiting list for league duty. But those '01 replacement refs at least could claim they were close.

This summer, however, on the mandate of the NCAA's officiating supervisors—of whom those from the five top conferences are all NFL officials—not a single current Football Bowl Subdivision official can be found among the 136 replacements signed and prepped by the NFL. Instead, the league staffed up by drawing from the high school ranks and lower divisions, including some officials who had retired or been dismissed. (At least the situation has offered one breakthrough: Line judge Shannon Eastin, of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, became the first female NFL official to work a game.)

The NFL has asked coaches and players not to speak to the media about the replacement officials. In case they do, the league supplied talking points on the subject. Among them: "No, we don't agree that coaches and players will play fast and loose with the rules if the regular officials are not working."

Then, on Aug. 5, as if on cue, replacement referee Craig Ochoa, formerly of the Lingerie Football League, went out before the preseason-opening Hall of Fame Game between the Cardinals and the Saints and misidentified the winner of the coin flip.

A comedy of errors continued apace, ranging from an inexplicable holding penalty against Giants punt returner Jayron Hosley, to a touchback called after Bills special-teamer Ruvell Martin downed a punt at the four-yard line.

So bad was the first weekend of preseason that the NFLRA, which had circulated a list of 10 meaningful errors observed in the Aug. 9 Patriots-Saints tune-up, including a missed touchdown and an unflagged helmet-to-helmet hit, suddenly declined to do the same in Week 2. (Players get flagged for rubbing it in; refs, it seems, are above it.) Had they chimed in, they would have had plenty of material to work with. Before halftime of the Cowboys-Chargers warmup last Saturday, for instance, the replacements failed to return the ball to Dallas after a flagged helmet-to-helmet hit by San Diego safety Eric Weddle resulted in an interception by his teammate, Donald Butler. And this was after officials met for a lengthy pow-wow—a common sight lately—and subsequent booth replay.

Funny now, sure. In August. In the preseason. Even Patriots coach Bill Belichick mustered a chuckle when asked about the situation. Be certain, however: There will be no chuckling in September or, heaven forbid, January, if it gets that far.

One obvious explanation for so many missteps: NFL speed. "It's mind-blowing," says locked-out side judge Keith Parham, 44, a former Big East official who was a rookie last season. "And I officiated [Cardinals receiver] Larry Fitzgerald and [Jets cornerback] Darrelle Revis in college. Even linemen are moving at a fast pace. It's a blur."

That reality has sparked questions about how to prevent comedy (say, missed holds) from metastasizing into tragedy (head injuries). The NFL, through a spokesman, maintains that there is "more medical infrastructure in place than ever to protect players," pointing to the certified trainers watching from upstairs booths, the replacements' three months of training, and sidelines stacked with video monitors and officiating supervisors.

But it has struck the NFLPA and retired players alike as incongruous to rely on officials with no NFL experience, given commissioner Roger Goodell's strict safety regime, which included a memo last November calling on officials to serve as first responders by helping identify concussions.

Asked earlier this month by SI whether he was nervous about using replacements in the regular season, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith stressed that safety was a prime worry. He graded his concern as a 12—on a scale of 1 to 10.

"If you want the game to be as safe as possible, you need the people who live the rules to police it," says former Giants wideout Amani Toomer, who played during the 2001 lockout. "Players are already figuring out what they can get away with. It's going to get very ugly."

In nonlockout years, the NFL's officiating ladder mirrors that of a classic apprenticeship. "You start at peewee," says Green, "then work junior high, jayvee, high school, small college, then D-I," usually over an average of 15 years. Once in the league, the dues-paying persists. A first-year official is virtually never given the head referee's white hat or assigned to a crew alongside another rookie. The burden of acclimating to the regular season is just too heavy.

"The difference in intensity from the preseason, when players are trying not to get hurt, to playing in a stadium full of 85,000 fans is astronomical," says Parham. "Those seven refs that are going to work Giants-Cowboys [in the Sept. 5 season opener] will be scared to death."

Not sold on the scariness? Consider the complexity of the pro rules and the seemingly infinite permutations that compel weekly conference calls to understand them. The official NFL rule book is 75,934 words long. The NFL case book, full of practice scenarios and rulings, is 77,260. The NFL instant-replay case book is 25,617. And the Penalty Enforcement Hopper book (hopper being ref-slang for play), the widely accepted manual that Hochuli wrote to help officials categorize infractions and determine their enforcements, is 11,519. Together, that's 190,330 words—almost 10,000 more than the New Testament. (The Bible doesn't even have diagrams.)

Invariably, during lunch at his day job—student accounts manager at Johns Hopkins's School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C.—Parham finds himself heading to the library, NFL case book in tow. Hochuli, a partner at the Phoenix law firm of Jones, Skelton & Hochuli, still spends 10 hours per week, minimum, reviewing the rules.

Such workloads are typical. The NFLRA estimates that for 85% of its membership, officiating is their second job. That list includes Green, a partner at The Lafayette Group, a government contracting firm, who points out, "We've had guys lose their [non-NFL] jobs because of the time commitment."

Sunday-specific though the gig may appear, that commitment includes a post-game crew breakdown on Monday; the NFL's grading of each official's last game, which arrives on Tuesday; challenges for that grade on Wednesday; a test on Thursday—usually 25 multipart questions; travel and a pregame crew meeting on Saturday; and then the big, public exam on Sunday, followed by return travel.

Added up, it can be grueling. But at his desk in D.C., where a scrap of loose-leaf with a mnemonic device for under-two-minute rules hangs on the wall, Parham longs for those days. It's funny, he says: When he made his first NFL crew last year, his boss at Johns Hopkins gushed up and down the hallway. His Facebook account exploded with congratulations whenever he was spotted on television.

And now? Like Hochuli, he can't help but feel the sickness. Parham misses being tested, he admits. He even misses being booed.

 

[Raider Nation]

Chris Mortensen ‏@mortreportIt's not referee's fault for the embarrassing gaffe in Giants-Pats game. It's on the NFL. That was awkward to watch. Felt bad for the guy.

Yep.

 

[joffer]

Chris Mortensen ‏@mortreportIt's not referee's fault for the embarrassing gaffe in Giants-Pats game. It's on the NFL. That was awkward to watch. Felt bad for the guy.

Yep.

What happened?

 

[Raider Nation]

The movement is gaining steam!

Scott Van Pelt ‏@notthefakeSVPUnless the refs are asking to be paid in unobtainium, sort this out. Billion dollar league, doesn't need million dollar headache

It's too bad that ref is now getting mocked from coast to coast, but if that's what it takes to embarrass the league into getting something done, then it was worth it. Incidentally, one of the replacement referees is named Don King. I kid you not. A more appropriate name, he could not have. This whole thing is a sham.

 

[BassNBrew]

So how many of you have guaranteed pay raises of 5%-11% over the next 7 years?

How many of you have to show up for work less than 30 days a year?

Seriously, give most of us here four years to train and we could do this job just as well as most of these guys. Heck, how many of us would pay $20k a year to train to become an NFL ref if we we're going to get paid $149k a year once we finished the training.

The NFL needs to can these guys and offer the best refs in the college ranks the same gig, only make it a year round job. In one year you wouldn't notice the difference and in two years you would have better officiating.

The players usually bring natural talent that can't be replicated. These refs don't have a talent that's special enough to weild huge leverage.

 

[renesauz]

So how many of you have guaranteed pay raises of 5%-11% over the next 7 years? How many of you have to show up for work less than 30 days a year?Seriously, give most of us here four years to train and we could do this job just as well as most of these guys. Heck, how many of us would pay $20k a year to train to become an NFL ref if we we're going to get paid $149k a year once we finished the training.The NFL needs to can these guys and offer the best refs in the college ranks the same gig, only make it a year round job. In one year you wouldn't notice the difference and in two years you would have better officiating. The players usually bring natural talent that can't be replicated. These refs don't have a talent that's special enough to weild huge leverage.

Seriously, this article is misleading. The refs are balking at the requirement to become full time employees. It sucks, but I don't want the NFL to cave on that specific issue. Give the refs an 80% pay raise and make them full timers.

 

[DoubleG]

There are two seperate issues here - and that's part of the problem for the NFL and the fans.

On the one hand, there is the issue of the current refs and their dispute with the NFL. Not having them officiate this year is a disaster waiting (and WILL) happen. As soon as importnat game is swayed by one bad call (and there have been MANY each week in pre-season), fans, coaches and players will go balistic. Coaches and players within the limits undoubtedly doled out from on high.

Second, the issues which are for the long-term good of officiating in the NFL (retirement plans, full-time officials - and salaries to make such a move viable, etc).

The problem is what solves issue #2, will not necessarily solve issue #1. While the NFL might want to address situation #2, if they screw #1 the entire season might turn into number two - which could hurt the NFL in the long run as well.

 

[Shutout]

So how many of you have guaranteed pay raises of 5%-11% over the next 7 years?

How many of you have to show up for work less than 30 days a year?

Seriously, give most of us here four years to train and we could do this job just as well as most of these guys. Heck, how many of us would pay $20k a year to train to become an NFL ref if we we're going to get paid $149k a year once we finished the training.

The NFL needs to can these guys and offer the best refs in the college ranks the same gig, only make it a year round job. In one year you wouldn't notice the difference and in two years you would have better officiating.

The players usually bring natural talent that can't be replicated. These refs don't have a talent that's special enough to weild huge leverage.

Seriously, this article is misleading. The refs are balking at the requirement to become full time employees. It sucks, but I don't want the NFL to cave on that specific issue. Give the refs an 80% pay raise and make them full timers.

The refs will get a standing ovation when they return and it will be warranted. The disagreement in this is not about making all refs full-time employees. There are only a set amount being considered for that, for a specific reason (see this article for explanation). Article on issues

The meat of the matter is the NFL wanting to do away with defined benefits that have been phased out of the NFL in all its other areas. The NFLRA wants this and the set retirement plan and that is hard to justify with a group that only works about 50 days a year.

Both sides believe they have the leverage and it will be more evident after this first week of games. Personally, I think there is something to be said for the real refs based on the strong emphasis of “safety”, but outside that, I don’t see much leverage.

Yes, it will likely be as embarrassing as last night. There will be blown calls and the talk shows (and Fantasy forums) will probably be flush with angry fans calling in next Monday as they gripe about it. But, in the end, unless people stop coming to watch the inferior product or turn off the TVS (and let’s face it, that isn’t going to happen), then the NFL will eventually get what they want and there will be some fans clamoring later this year how that “blown call” cost their team a shot at the playoffs.

 

[Rick James]

I'm with the NFL on this one. Refs are complaining about a 5%-11% pay raise for the next 7 years while making $149,000 for ~25-30 weeks of work.

 

[Jayrok]

So how many of you have guaranteed pay raises of 5%-11% over the next 7 years? How many of you have to show up for work less than 30 days a year?Seriously, give most of us here four years to train and we could do this job just as well as most of these guys. Heck, how many of us would pay $20k a year to train to become an NFL ref if we we're going to get paid $149k a year once we finished the training.The NFL needs to can these guys and offer the best refs in the college ranks the same gig, only make it a year round job. In one year you wouldn't notice the difference and in two years you would have better officiating. The players usually bring natural talent that can't be replicated. These refs don't have a talent that's special enough to weild huge leverage.

I agree with this. If they aren't going to bring the regulars back, then the NFL needs to screen and hire top level college refs who can adapt to the NFL rules/speed more quickly than tier 3 college and high school refs. The article mentions Ed Hochuli sending tests to his crews to keep sharp. Why can't replacement refs go through something similar? It seems the danger of the current situation is the players figuring out what they will be able to get away with and someone will get seriously hurt. The NFL has stated that safety is job one. So one way or another, they need to address the current product on the field. If these guys don't work out as is, and they don't want to cave to the NFLRA... then they need to offer the jobs to veteran college officials and train them accordingly. What drug deal does the NFL have with the NCAA that they aren't allowed to approach their referees?

 

[Ilov80s]

So how many of you have guaranteed pay raises of 5%-11% over the next 7 years? many of you have to show up for work less than 30 days a year?Seriously, give most of us here four years to train and we could do this job just as well as most of these guys. Heck, how many of us would pay $20k a year to train to become an NFL ref if we we're going to get paid $149k a year once we finished the training.The NFL needs to can these guys and offer the best refs in the college ranks the same gig, only make it a year round job. In one year you wouldn't notice the difference and in two years you would have better officiating. The players usually bring natural talent that can't be replicated. These refs don't have a talent that's special enough to weild huge leverage.

I agree with this. If they aren't going to bring the regulars back, then the NFL needs to screen and hire top level college refs who can adapt to the NFL rules/speed more quickly than tier 3 college and high school refs. The article mentions Ed Hochuli sending tests to his crews to keep sharp. Why can't replacement refs go through something similar? It seems the danger of the current situation is the players figuring out what they will be able to get away with and someone will get seriously hurt. The NFL has stated that safety is job one. So one way or another, they need to address the current product on the field. If these guys don't work out as is, and they don't want to cave to the NFLRA... then they need to offer the jobs to veteran college officials and train them accordingly. What drug deal does the NFL have with the NCAA that they aren't allowed to approach their referees?

The NCAA and the NFL have always had an unspoken agreement with each other. That is why neither side schedules games that conflict with the other league.

 

[GroveDiesel]

All this talk about safety is a canard. How many guys have gotten injured in the preseason because of replacement refs? Furthermore, this talk by De Smith of players using the situation to "see what they can get away with" in order to injure other players is certainly going to backfire when the league starts handing out huge fines and suspensions to players when those injury causing plays are reviewed.

The NFLPA will try to argue that the player wasn't trying to hurt his opponent and Goodell can just trot out Smith's own quote saying that players WILL try to get away with stuff that will cause injuries. Boom. Go sit on the bench for another 2 weeks James Harrison.

I do think that there will be more bad calls than normal, but the replacement refs will also get better as the year goes on as well. I don't believe that NFL officiating takes much special talent, it just takes experience and practice.

And, IMO, what the NFL is offering is pretty fair. It's a joke that the first point in the article is that NFL refs make less than officials in the other major sports. Duh, the other officials officiate at least 4 times as many games a year. Some are officiating close to 10 times as many games. And they're all full time. You don't see any MLB umpires also holding down lucrative time consuming jobs like law firm partners.

And the only people in the world that seem to think they're entitled to a DB pension plan are union workers. Even more laughable when they're only working maybe 200-300 hours a year. Add in the fairly high average age of an NFL ref and the costs of a DB plan in this case are much higher than your typical DB plan for even other unions. These aren't blue collar workers who need the extra compensation of a DB plan added onto a moderatw or low salary to adequately retire, these are part time employees making $150k milking a system.

The product will suffer initially, but by the end of the year, nobody would hardly notice.

(I also find it hilarious that Hochuli is upheld as a paragon of reffing in this article and used as a gold standard example. He's responsible for some of the worst gaffes I've seen and had to essentially go into hiding a few years ago after blowing a call badly and basically directly costing a team the game.)

 

[DiStefano]

Screw the refs. Yes, the replacement ones will get more calls wrong. But it's not like the regular ones always get it right. It's not like the regular ones never make a difference in the results of games. So maybe we go from getting it right 97% of the time to getting it right 94% of the time. Big deal. There is always uncertainty when you deal with something which is a judgment call. I get so tired of unions threatening to strike over their working conditions and salary when the people they represent make more money than 90% of Americans.

 

[Warrior]

Funny how the article implies referees are getting paid too little based on the fact that they make less than the other major sports.

Really? Seriously? You're going to compare the salaries of someone who officiates 16 NFL games at max, vs one that officiates the ENTIRE baseball or basketball season?

Grasping at straws...$149k over 16 games is the equivalent of a MLB umpire making $1 million + per year. The NFL refs need to get over it.

 

[Raider Nation]

Personally, I think there is something to be said for the real refs based on the strong emphasis of “safety”, but outside that, I don’t see much leverage.

Just hypothetically... do you think it would be easier for a big gambler to convince a veteran NFL referee to make a bad call or two in a critical situation to swing the game in their favor, or to do the same with a former Lingerie league referee who knows he may be without a paycheck again as soon as next week?Also, I respect everyone's view, but frankly I'm stunned at the reaction over this. Wait until you're playing against Calvin Johnson, and he hauls in a 60-yard TD pass to beat you in your fantasy game. Then on the replay, you see that the left tackle MUGGED the defensive end, and the referee blew an easy holding call.Maybe then you'll be pissed. Or if the same thing happens and it cost you money on a bet.People tend to not care about things until they impact you personally. There will be a HUGE controversy (or four) in week 1. I guarantee it.

 

[Raider Nation]

Funny how the article implies referees are getting paid too little based on the fact that they make less than the other major sports.Really? Seriously? You're going to compare the salaries of someone who officiates 16 NFL games at max, vs one that officiates the ENTIRE baseball or basketball season?Grasping at straws...$149k over 16 games is the equivalent of a MLB umpire making $1 million + per year. The NFL refs need to get over it.

So you think these guys just show up on Sundays and do their thing with no prep time at all the other 349 days?

 

[GeauxTigers]

So how many of you have guaranteed pay raises of 5%-11% over the next 7 years? How many of you have to show up for work less than 30 days a year?Seriously, give most of us here four years to train and we could do this job just as well as most of these guys. Heck, how many of us would pay $20k a year to train to become an NFL ref if we we're going to get paid $149k a year once we finished the training.The NFL needs to can these guys and offer the best refs in the college ranks the same gig, only make it a year round job. In one year you wouldn't notice the difference and in two years you would have better officiating. The players usually bring natural talent that can't be replicated. These refs don't have a talent that's special enough to weild huge leverage.

I'm so sick of these refs and players #####ing/holding out when they make tons and tons of money by just playing or refereeing a game just a few times per year. Count your blessings and stop complaining!!!!

 

[GeauxTigers]

All this talk about safety is a canard. How many guys have gotten injured in the preseason because of replacement refs?

This is the biggest BS arguement I've heard in a long time. WTF do refs have to do with injuries??? The ref isn't going to prevent an injury from happening.

 

[GeauxTigers]

Also, I respect everyone's view, but frankly I'm stunned at the reaction over this. Wait until you're playing against Calvin Johnson, and he hauls in a 60-yard TD pass to beat you in your fantasy game. Then on the replay, you see that the left tackle MUGGED the defensive end, and the referee blew an easy holding call.

Happens all the time with regular refs.

 

[Raider Nation]

All this talk about safety is a canard. How many guys have gotten injured in the preseason because of replacement refs?

This is the biggest BS arguement I've heard in a long time. WTF do refs have to do with injuries??? The ref isn't going to prevent an injury from happening.

Lomas Brown disagrees with you. He just said on First Take that this is a huge issue which will result in more injurues, because the guys in the trenches get away with all sorts of dirty shots as it is. Now, Brown says, they will keep pushing the limits further and further to see what they can get away with.

 

[GeauxTigers]

All this talk about safety is a canard. How many guys have gotten injured in the preseason because of replacement refs?

This is the biggest BS arguement I've heard in a long time. WTF do refs have to do with injuries??? The ref isn't going to prevent an injury from happening.

Lomas Brown disagrees with you. He just said on First Take that this is a huge issue which will result in more injurues, because the guys in the trenches get away with all sorts of dirty shots as it is. Now, Brown says, they will keep pushing the limits further and further to see what they can get away with.

Well, that's too bad. Maybe they should quit football until the old refs come back if they don't want to risk being injured.

 

[GeauxTigers]

Also, I respect everyone's view, but frankly I'm stunned at the reaction over this. Wait until you're playing against Calvin Johnson, and he hauls in a 60-yard TD pass to beat you in your fantasy game. Then on the replay, you see that the left tackle MUGGED the defensive end, and the referee blew an easy holding call.

Happens all the time with regular refs.

Because of a pay off?

No, because they accidently miss a call. If you are arguing about a replacement ref being payed off, you are seriously

 

[Raider Nation]

Also, I respect everyone's view, but frankly I'm stunned at the reaction over this. Wait until you're playing against Calvin Johnson, and he hauls in a 60-yard TD pass to beat you in your fantasy game. Then on the replay, you see that the left tackle MUGGED the defensive end, and the referee blew an easy holding call.

Happens all the time with regular refs.

Because of a pay off?

No, because they accidently miss a call. If you are arguing about a replacement ref being payed off, you are seriously

Yes, a referee accepting money to influence the outcome is an impossibility.

 

[Raider Nation]

All this talk about safety is a canard. How many guys have gotten injured in the preseason because of replacement refs?

This is the biggest BS arguement I've heard in a long time. WTF do refs have to do with injuries??? The ref isn't going to prevent an injury from happening.

Lomas Brown disagrees with you. He just said on First Take that this is a huge issue which will result in more injurues, because the guys in the trenches get away with all sorts of dirty shots as it is. Now, Brown says, they will keep pushing the limits further and further to see what they can get away with.

Well, that's too bad. Maybe they should quit football until the old refs come back if they don't want to risk being injured.

Does your keyboard have the letters "I was wrong"...?

 

[GeauxTigers]

Also, I respect everyone's view, but frankly I'm stunned at the reaction over this. Wait until you're playing against Calvin Johnson, and he hauls in a 60-yard TD pass to beat you in your fantasy game. Then on the replay, you see that the left tackle MUGGED the defensive end, and the referee blew an easy holding call.

Happens all the time with regular refs.

Because of a pay off?

No, because they accidently miss a call. If you are arguing about a replacement ref being payed off, you are seriously

Yes, a referee accepting money to influence the outcome is an impossibility.

Your argument will not win if the basis is that replacement refs are more apt to taking money to throw the game than the original refs.

 

[GeauxTigers]

All this talk about safety is a canard. How many guys have gotten injured in the preseason because of replacement refs?

This is the biggest BS arguement I've heard in a long time. WTF do refs have to do with injuries??? The ref isn't going to prevent an injury from happening.

Lomas Brown disagrees with you. He just said on First Take that this is a huge issue which will result in more injurues, because the guys in the trenches get away with all sorts of dirty shots as it is. Now, Brown says, they will keep pushing the limits further and further to see what they can get away with.

Well, that's too bad. Maybe they should quit football until the old refs come back if they don't want to risk being injured.

Does your keyboard have the letters "I was wrong"...?

What's your point?

 

[pollardsvision]

Also, I respect everyone's view, but frankly I'm stunned at the reaction over this. Wait until you're playing against Calvin Johnson, and he hauls in a 60-yard TD pass to beat you in your fantasy game. Then on the replay, you see that the left tackle MUGGED the defensive end, and the referee blew an easy holding call.

Happens all the time with regular refs.

Because of a pay off?

No, because they accidently miss a call. If you are arguing about a replacement ref being payed off, you are seriously

Yes, a referee accepting money to influence the outcome is an impossibility.

I'm not sure where I stand on this issue (though my initial reaction is that the the NFLRA folk need to be thankful about such a nice part-time gig and get back to work), but I don't see the payoffs as a huge concern.Obviously, it could happen.But I don't think the chances of it dramatically increase.These guys now have a real opportunity to advance their career and they will be scrutinized very heavily. I also assume they are getting a nice pay bump over their old job (though I'm sure not as much as the current/former refs).Plus, if these guys were looking for some gambling payouts, why wouldn't they stay under the radar in DIII? Doesn't that make more sense than running their game in the NFL, which has far more eyeballs?I think you could certainly argue that it's the refs with more professional security and union protection that would be the bigger concern. We certainly know these guys aren't satisfied with their current compensation.I have no idea what's going on with these guys, but you could make the case both ways, I think.If I'm looking to flip a dirty ref, I'm not looking for the wet behind the ears kid trying to impress his bosses, probably doesn't know how to do it without getting caught, and might see his career ended over some bad calls.I'm looking for the old vet that knows how things work, is beyond reproach, and isn't satisfied his current pay status. There's a decent chance that there's already a well-respected NFL ref that's been dirty for years.

 

[GroveDiesel]

All this talk about safety is a canard. How many guys have gotten injured in the preseason because of replacement refs?

This is the biggest BS arguement I've heard in a long time. WTF do refs have to do with injuries??? The ref isn't going to prevent an injury from happening.

Lomas Brown disagrees with you. He just said on First Take that this is a huge issue which will result in more injurues, because the guys in the trenches get away with all sorts of dirty shots as it is. Now, Brown says, they will keep pushing the limits further and further to see what they can get away with.

And again, if they go beyond what they already do, it will be apparent on video replay and the suspensions will start rolling in.And I see you totally glossed over the question of whether there has been an uptick in injuries this preseason. Hint: there hasn't been.I'll repeat myself, this argument is one of the worst arguments I've ever seen coming from the players. It not only is nonsensical, but it could actually totally undermine their current legal claims against the NFL regarding player safety. The NFL can now go to court and say "look, former players as well as the NFLPA head have both admitted that it doesn't matter what rules the league has in place. They are going to do whatever they think they can get away with in order to cause injury to other players. The problem isn't what the NFL is or is not doing, it's the dirty players who willfully ignore the rules that are responsible for player injuries, not us."

 

[Raider Nation]

Fine, don't listen to me. I'm a message board goon just like the rest of you.

Listen to the guys who play/played the game. Lomas Brown's quote is above, and now Boomer Esiason:

NEW YORK (WFAN) – With negotiations at a standstill, the NFL told its 32 teams in a memo Wednesday that the locked out officials won’t be on the field for Week 1. Replacement referees will instead open the regular season.

And then the replacements, right on cue, provided plenty of ammunition Wednesday night for their shaky performance during the Giants’ preseason finale against New England.

It could get interesting, football fans.

“I’ll tell you what you want to take out of it — that the referees are going to be brutal,” former Jets quarterback and WFAN co-host Boomer Esiason said Thursday morning.

The officials, led by crew chief Don King, had more than a couple head-scratching moments on Wednesday. The lowlight may have come after a punt by Steve Weatherford, which featured three announcements by King and a lengthy interruption in play.

The eventual call? A pair of penalties against the Giants.

“The replacement referees are going to be an unmitigated disaster,” said Esiason. “I don’t care what anybody says. Whether they get the calls right or they get the calls wrong, the games are going to be long. There’s going to be a lot of discussion. Guys have got to make sure they’ve got certain things right. Timing is going to be off.

“And I thought, if that were a regular-season game last night, Bill Belichick and Tom Coughlin would have exploded on the sidelines.”

That could have been a taste of things to come at MetLife Stadium. Esiason’s morning show co-host, Craig Carton, said the NFL will have “a major problem on its hands,” especially if the replacement refs negatively affect the outcome of the Giants-Cowboys season opener on Sept. 5.

Several Big Blue players have already weighed in on the replacement officials. After the preseason opener, wide receiver Victor Cruz called one holding penalty “mind-boggling.” On ROME, Mathias Kiwanuka wondered about player safety “if you have guys out there who are taking liberties with the lack of calls.”

Even former Giants quarterback Phil Simms recently told Boomer and Carton that it’s a “no-win” situation.

After all, the NFL has many rules and nuances. Some of these officials aren’t exactly used to speaking in front of 75,000 rabid football fans, never mind a national television audience.

“It’s ridiculous,” said Esiason. “It is ridiculous that the NFL is going to allow replacement officials on the field (in the regular season).”

 

[Raider Nation]

And I see you totally glossed over the question of whether there has been an uptick in injuries this preseason. Hint: there hasn't been.

Starters play 1Q on average in the preseason games. Let's see how this goes once the real games begin.

 

[joffer]

i agree with RN. this is going to be bad, and the injury risk absolutely goes up. players will try to get away with more.

 

[GroveDiesel]

Boomer Esiason is now being treated as someone to listen to? Come on man...

 

[Raider Nation]

Boomer Esiason is now being treated as someone to listen to? Come on man...

Of course not, since he disagrees with your viewpoint.ETA: And I see you totally glossed over Kiwanuka's quote.

 

[Bo Skiboski]

The fact that they're going into the regular season with these "refs" just proves the nfl only cares about one thing, the almighty dollar. What they inexplicably fail to see is that this lockout and insistence on lowballing their real refs does not and will not help them financially. I blame a handful of the super greedy owners who gauge anyone they can for a buck but mostly I blame Goodell. The worst commissioner in all of sports and that's saying something. Greed is going to kill this league.

 

[Raider Nation]

The fact that they're going into the regular season with these "refs" just proves the nfl only cares about one thing, the almighty dollar. What they inexplicably fail to see is that this lockout and insistence on lowballing their real refs does not and will not help them financially. I blame a handful of the super greedy owners who gauge anyone they can for a buck but mostly I blame Goodell. The worst commissioner in all of sports and that's saying something. Greed is going to kill this league.

I hope all 16 games in week 1 end in controversy.

 

[Godsbrother]

I'm with the NFL on this one. Refs are complaining about a 5%-11% pay raise for the next 7 years while making $149,000 for ~25-30 weeks of work.

Just like in player negotiations I am not taking sides. I really don't care if they get 5% or 50% -- it doesn't affect my life one way or the other.But as long as there are replacement refs officiating games then we are getting an inferior product and that pisses me off, especially when I am paying $4,000 a season for tickets.The two sides should have settled this long ago.

 

[Bo Skiboski]

Somebody close to the game needs to have the courage to really step up and say something. We've heard comments here and there but mostly these writers and announcers are too scared of losing their jobs and some of them (Peter King) worship the league and it's players and wouldn't dream of upsetting the league in any way. NBC should spend the entire pregame show next wednesday with Costas blasting the league for this. Then during the game, Al and Chris need to hammer the point home every time a call is botched. My prediction is that something major will be blown in the opener, talk radio and the internet will explode with anger and something gets done before that Sunday. Then the replacements will work one time for that week 1 Sunday and the real guys will be back by week 2. This is an absolute joke.

 

[Raider Nation]

Victor Cruz admits he has a lot of concern for the safety and integrity of the game if the replacement referees end up working games in the NFL regular season.

The New York Giants wide receiver had a close up look at the newbies during Friday night's 32-31 loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars and walked away with doubts they distinguished themselves.

Cruz said he was "a little bit concerned" especially since he heard one ref "had only reffed glorified high school games— which I don't even know what that means."

"Sometimes you could see them being a little flustered at times, " Cruz said. "It's just tricky. It's obviously tough for them because they have to get adjusted on the fly to refereeing NFL games. It's by far a tough job for them. But we just want to make sure that, as players, we're protected as well."

The Giants have lots of reasons to be concerned about the new referees if their last game was any indication. There was a few awkward moments on Friday night including a missed TV timeout and some obvious muffed calls.

"Like when they called a holding call on the returner when he was returning the punt. That was probably the most mind-boggling one to me," said Cruz. "We just want to make sure we get the refs back out there making the right calls."

Still, will Cruz be happy to see the regular NFL officials return to the field?

"I think it's the first time that I'll be happy to see a ref that I've seen last year," joked Cruz. "I'm going to shake his hand and say 'Thank you for coming back,' we appreciate it."

Need any more quotes about the players' concern for their safety? I'm great with the Google machine.

 

[DexterDew]

thanks for sharing! It is not shocking that this piece has drawn the usual divide (owners/league vs players/refs).

When the product on the field becomes inferior, the brand suffers. We are vested (or invested) in the outcome of every single regular and post season game, I would want that outcome to be determined by the rules set in place and enforced with competent officials. We all remember the storm over Megatron's non-touchdown vs CHI, imagine a few instances like that every week.

Week 1 will be very telling. The NFL will try to muzzle their partners, but the (lack of) quality to the end product with replacement refs will be had to ignore.

 

[glumpy]

The movement is gaining steam!

Scott Van Pelt ‏@notthefakeSVP

Unless the refs are asking to be paid in unobtainium, sort this out. Billion dollar league, doesn't need million dollar headache

It's too bad that ref is now getting mocked from coast to coast, but if that's what it takes to embarrass the league into getting something done, then it was worth it. Incidentally, one of the replacement referees is named Don King. I kid you not. A more appropriate name, he could not have. This whole thing is a sham.

Straight up.

 

[pollardsvision]

Victor Cruz admits he has a lot of concern for the safety and integrity of the game if the replacement referees end up working games in the NFL regular season.

The New York Giants wide receiver had a close up look at the newbies during Friday night's 32-31 loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars and walked away with doubts they distinguished themselves.

Cruz said he was "a little bit concerned" especially since he heard one ref "had only reffed glorified high school games— which I don't even know what that means."

"Sometimes you could see them being a little flustered at times, " Cruz said. "It's just tricky. It's obviously tough for them because they have to get adjusted on the fly to refereeing NFL games. It's by far a tough job for them. But we just want to make sure that, as players, we're protected as well."

The Giants have lots of reasons to be concerned about the new referees if their last game was any indication. There was a few awkward moments on Friday night including a missed TV timeout and some obvious muffed calls.

"Like when they called a holding call on the returner when he was returning the punt. That was probably the most mind-boggling one to me," said Cruz. "We just want to make sure we get the refs back out there making the right calls."

Still, will Cruz be happy to see the regular NFL officials return to the field?

"I think it's the first time that I'll be happy to see a ref that I've seen last year," joked Cruz. "I'm going to shake his hand and say 'Thank you for coming back,' we appreciate it."

Need any more quotes about the players' concern for their safety? I'm great with the Google machine.

This is funny from Cruz.Last year, I heard the Giants were going to roll out a WR that had only played in glorified HS games at UMass. I'm glad they didn't give that guy a shot. The jump from the CAA to the NFL certainly would've been too great.

Sure, if you have more quotes from NFL players that are worried because they heard from a buddy that the one guy had only reffed glorified HS games, keep them coming.

I know I can't get enough stories of fear based on hearsay from ignorant, unnamed sources.

 

[BassNBrew]

thanks for sharing! It is not shocking that this piece has drawn the usual divide (owners/league vs players/refs).When the product on the field becomes inferior, the brand suffers. We are vested (or invested) in the outcome of every single regular and post season game, I would want that outcome to be determined by the rules set in place and enforced with competent officials. We all remember the storm over Megatron's non-touchdown vs CHI, imagine a few instances like that every week.Week 1 will be very telling. The NFL will try to muzzle their partners, but the (lack of) quality to the end product with replacement refs will be had to ignore.

1. The refs aren't the product, the players are.2. Imagine the storm when the same thing that happens every week with the regular happens happens with the replacement refs?

 

[Ilov80s]

The players are obviously going to take the refs side since it another labor union. As a fan, I don't think I really care who refs it. I have been extremely critical of the NFL refs the past couple years. If they had done a better job, I might be more concerned about it.

 

[GregR]

I don't think the refs are underpaid. I'm a fan of labor unions as a way of working class people fighting unfair or unsafe treatment by employers. Not a big fan of unions being used by people who already have a good work environment and fair compensation to carve every cent out of a company that they can.

What the NFL refs do is very replaceable compared to most other fields. Yes it'll take some time, but not really all that much of it comparatively. Criticism of the previous refs was frequent before, it isn't like they always got it right. And they had just as dumb of gaffs as the replacements have, just not as frequently.

I'm fine if the NFL has made their final offer and just tells the refs, that's it, take it or leave it, but we're done negotiating. If there are game-changing calls week 1... there would have been with the regular refs too. It's going to have to be a consistent level of total ineptitude to make me think the old refs have anything special that they hold the leverage they seem to think they do.

 

[BassNBrew]

For those defending the refs, do you realize you're defending inferior officiating on the long term basis? This should be a full time job for them. When they are not working the other 300+ days a year, they should be prepping to work like the players do, not running a law firm or business. The NFL is on the right side of the issue here.

Secondly, no one has disputed my argument that the refs posess no special skills outside of experience. The don't see 2/10's of a second faster, their brains aren't bigger, they don't have more dexterity. Matter of fact, one could argue that after a certain age the refs lose the physical tools necessary to be in the right position to make a call.

 

[BassNBrew]

The players are obviously going to take the refs side since it another labor union. As a fan, I don't think I really care who refs it. I have been extremely critical of the NFL refs the past couple years. If they had done a better job, I might be more concerned about it.

Since the owners and players basically share the revenue pie, maybe the players should antee up the difference if it's that importnant of an issue to them.

 

[Sam Quentin]

Confirmation bias at work.

The last time the NFL used replacement refs, the reffing of the games was superior to the "real" refs.

 

[pollardsvision]

My prediction.

Replacements are there for 4 games. They make some mistakes. There's some outrage, but also some, "give these guys a break they are learning" sentiment. No harm done to the NFL product.

Regulars come back. They blow a few games immediately, like they always do, and then you have the "why were you guys demanding so much money when you stink as bad as the replacements" outrage.

 

[Raider Nation]

Confirmation bias at work.The last time the NFL used replacement refs, the reffing of the games was superior to the "real" refs.

You know how I know you didn't read the article?

 

[Raider Nation]

My prediction. Replacements are there for 4 games. They make some mistakes. There's some outrage, but also some, "give these guys a break they are learning" sentiment. No harm done to the NFL product.Regulars come back. They blow a few games immediately, like they always do, and then you have the "why were you guys demanding so much money when you stink as bad as the replacements" outrage.

Nobody is saying the veteran referees are perfect. They will make mistakes. These guys will make WAY more.