Replacement Refs

[Anybodyhome]

As incredibly horrible as the officiating was last Saturday night in BOA, I can't believe this isn't getting more air time here or anywhere else.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/eye-on-football/19790737/report-nfl-referees-could-remain-locked-out-into-regular-season

[Anybodyhome]

...and were again horrible in Charlotte Friday night on both sides of the ball.

[MadHatter]

Regular refs want:

1. Full time Pay for a part time gig

2. No additional refs as it cuts into their pay

3. NO performance evaluation that may relate to fines or games off

In general, they want their cake and to eat it too.

[JawnyBlaze]

Ref'ing has been below average, but it hasn't been nearly as bad as many are making it out to be. The worst of it is the part that doesn't even matter, the not announcing numbers with penalties, verbal mess-ups (calling Atlanta Arizona), etc. In terms of the actual calls, that part hasn't been that much worse than the usual refs. There's been a couple glaring extremes, like in that one game (I forget which) where they tried to say it was a touchback when someone clearly downed it around the 5 and the ball never came close to the endzone, but those mess-ups have been corrected for the most part, with little or no impact on the game. Other than that, it's been the same ol' same ol' with some refs only calling the most obvious penalties (our first game) and some calling every little possible thing (our second game). I watched part of the Bears-Skins game today and that ref looked to be just as sharp as a regular ref, comfortable making the calls, called the calls the right way, etc. I only watched about a quarter though, so I dunno if there were any bad calls or not, I'm just talking about his demeanor, which is what most of the refs I've seen have been deficient in.

[mav1234]

JawnyBlaze, I watched the same game and saw 3-4 really bad calls in the first half (but most were in the 2nd quarter), almost all of them on pass interferences, both on calls and no calls being really bad. I mean there was the one call where a receiver was angled out of bounds by a DB and it was called pass interference. He didn't shove him out or anything, the receiver just ran out of bounds.

I know this is a process but they are making some bad missteps. Best they get them out of the way now I guess...

[JawnyBlaze]

If you're talking about the Bears-Skins, like I said, I didn't watch most of the game. I'm also not saying they're doing as good a job as regular refs, but I really don't see a huge difference other than a few really bad calls. I think they're doing about as good a job as anyone could being thrown into it with such little time to prepare for it.

On a related note, I find it hilarious the overt smear campaign Florio is holding at PFT. With plenty of topics to discuss, almost every article of his is trying to point out how horribly the replacement refs are. If anything, he is making me more sympathetic to the guys.

Yes, there's been some laughably bad calls that wouldn't have happened with the regular refs, but no I don't think it's not going to get any better. Just like with anything, with practice will come as close to perfect as the usual refs. One of Florio's favorite points is "these guys aren't acceptable because if they were they'd be striking right now" but it seems the referee corps is just like a lot of things in the NFL, a good ol' boys club where you'd REALLY have to F up to get fired. Nothing I've seen so far is as bad as the Tuck Rule call, or Hochuli's call in the Denver-Chargers game a couple years ago or any number of hilariously bad calls over the past few years and yet those guys are still refs. At least the new guys have an excuse.

[Darth Biscuit]

Here's another example of the replacment refs screwing up badly again..

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/08/18/major-blunder-by-replacement-officials-in-san-diego/

Missing a few holding calls is one thing, possession changing errors are something else entirely.

[Falcons1stPanthers2nd]

Change was needed. Referee'ing was gonna get worst. Read Hatters post #3 in the thread. You really want refs with that power? Like in the NBA? No spank you. No performance evaluation? Billions of dollars depend on them making right calls. Should they be paid more? YES. Should they be held accountable when they fug up? YES.