Bad call on MNF

[madzillagd]

Well as a Vikings fan, I had the 'real' officials not call an obvious illegal hit on my QB a few years ago that cost me a trip to the Super Bowl and the 'replacement' officials steal a game from the Packers.  So my vote is to keep the 'replacement' officials.   

[wally_wabash]

Here's what an SI writer found about the background of the crew that worked the MNF game.  It doesn't look like any of the guys on that crew are "D3 officials".  The more I dig into in this, the more I'm finding that an awful lot of the guys on these replacement assignments are primarily high school officials.  The blanket "D3 official" statement is actually giving the replacements more professional credit than a lot of them deserve.

In researching the officials last night right after the game,  I actually came across a Referees Association Website in Texas, this site listed the name of the Official that "went under the replay hood" on the field.  It also listed his cell phone number....  I obviously didn't post or publish it anywhere, but I have a feeling that this was a busy cell phone today.   The site also listed that he had collegiate and high school experience.   

You cannot put a high school official on the field with professional athletes and expect them to succeed.  I do believe that these guys are doing the best they can, in impossible circumstances.   It is up to the league to fix this.

I also believe the NCAA Div. 3 office should contact the major networks and tell them to get their story straight...... (if it is not true) on where these refs are coming from.   It does not look good for the Division as a whole.

What a mess.

I'm less concerned with whether or not those guys are making bad calls...they're over their skis and it's been obvious from the jump, even in the preseason.  What bugs me is the talking heads on ESPN, and NBCSN, and NFLN, and anywhere else that they talk about football labelling all of the replacement officials as "D3 officials".  There's some seriously negative connotation that is now associated with that phrase which I wouldn't have a problem with if they actually were D3 officials.  Just wish the dialogue was a little more fair that way.

[Ron Boerger]

The lead official rapidly had his cell and email removed from that web site.   

[K-Mack]

I just set out on a research project to find out where the NFL's replacement officials came from because I'm getting as annoyed as the rest of you that "D-III Official" has turned into a synonym for incompetence.  As it turns out, most of these dudes are next to anonymous.  I thought this would be a quick project, but it's going to take time. 

Mainly what I'm after is to get a percentage of the NFL's current officials that came from Division III.  I don't think anybody has done the arithmetic on that just yet and it probably needs to be done.  If the WWL (and everybody else really) is going to smear these officials, they should at least be force fed some demographics about the NFL's replacement officials.

Agree. I called the ECAC, which handles officiating for many East Coast conferences in several divisions, last week to try to determine how many D-III guys if any were out there. I didn't get a response.

I felt the same thing, that at least someone should find out who these guys actually are. The first few times I heard "D-III" as pejorative I let it slide, but I'm glad we're speaking out.

As an aside, I did a story on D3 officials a few years back for the Stagg Bowl game program though, and those guys put in a lot of work for not a lot of money. I'll try to find the story ... fairly certain it did not go online, but it might be saved on a drive somewhere.

[Pat Coleman]

Here's what an SI writer found about the background of the crew that worked the MNF game.  It doesn't look like any of the guys on that crew are "D3 officials".  The more I dig into in this, the more I'm finding that an awful lot of the guys on these replacement assignments are primarily high school officials.  The blanket "D3 official" statement is actually giving the replacements more professional credit than a lot of them deserve.

Validates the research I posted on Twitter last night.

I found out today that the NFL listed these guys as having D3 experience on their handout to ESPN. I believe it's fairly possible the NFL has no idea what experience these guys have.

[Ron Boerger]

Here's what an SI writer found about the background of the crew that worked the MNF game.  It doesn't look like any of the guys on that crew are "D3 officials".  The more I dig into in this, the more I'm finding that an awful lot of the guys on these replacement assignments are primarily high school officials.  The blanket "D3 official" statement is actually giving the replacements more professional credit than a lot of them deserve.

Validates the research I posted on Twitter last night.

I found out today that the NFL listed these guys as having D3 experience on their handout to ESPN. I believe it's fairly possible the NFL has no idea what experience these guys have.

The NFL, clueless about their replacement refs?  Why does that not come as a surprise.  I don't understand why they're trying to prove that calling pro games is so easy that even a caveman can do it.

[02 Warhawk]

It's being tweeted that the NFL and the officials reached a deal "In principal." and could be back on the field as early as Sunday (but not this Thursday's game).

[crufootball]

It's being tweeted that the NFL and the officials reached a deal "In principal." and could be back on the field as early as Sunday (but not this Thursday's game).

One point I heard somewhere that I thought was valid was that even when we get the normal refs back, it most likely will take them a week or two to get back into the swing of things as they didn't have the pre-season to work out things themselves. Obviously that is better than never having them but I thought it was smart to point out it won't be like flipping a switch.

[wally_wabash]

It's being tweeted that the NFL and the officials reached a deal "In principal." and could be back on the field as early as Sunday (but not this Thursday's game).

One point I heard somewhere that I thought was valid was that even when we get the normal refs back, it most likely will take them a week or two to get back into the swing of things as they didn't have the pre-season to work out things themselves. Obviously that is better than never having them but I thought it was smart to point out it won't be like flipping a switch.

I think the thing that will be immediately different is how coaches and players behave when the veteran NFL officials return.  I'm sure you've heard the substitute teacher analogy that's been thrown around and it is very apt I think.  The coaches and players have had little to no respect for the replacement officials and those officials have been pretty blatantly intimidated by the players, coaches, and probably just the sheer magnitude of the stage that they've been on.   Bad calls aside, the thing that has been the most souring for me has been just how out of control the games have been. 

[AO]

The call and review was correct.  Simultaneous Possession.

[crufootball]

It's being tweeted that the NFL and the officials reached a deal "In principal." and could be back on the field as early as Sunday (but not this Thursday's game).

One point I heard somewhere that I thought was valid was that even when we get the normal refs back, it most likely will take them a week or two to get back into the swing of things as they didn't have the pre-season to work out things themselves. Obviously that is better than never having them but I thought it was smart to point out it won't be like flipping a switch.

I think the thing that will be immediately different is how coaches and players behave when the veteran NFL officials return.  I'm sure you've heard the substitute teacher analogy that's been thrown around and it is very apt I think.  The coaches and players have had little to no respect for the replacement officials and those officials have been pretty blatantly intimidated by the players, coaches, and probably just the sheer magnitude of the stage that they've been on.   Bad calls aside, the thing that has been the most souring for me has been just how out of control the games have been.

I have heard the analogy and believe it to be a true statement. Only thing about that I would say is that some of the players are saying the integrity of the game is at stake due to the the replace refs. Well isn't it hard to talk about integrity when you clearly have pushed the lines and disrespected the replacement officials?

[Ralph Turner]

Here's what an SI writer found about the background of the crew that worked the MNF game.  It doesn't look like any of the guys on that crew are "D3 officials".  The more I dig into in this, the more I'm finding that an awful lot of the guys on these replacement assignments are primarily high school officials.  The blanket "D3 official" statement is actually giving the replacements more professional credit than a lot of them deserve.

Validates the research I posted on Twitter last night.

I found out today that the NFL listed these guys as having D3 experience on their handout to ESPN. I believe it's fairly possible the NFL has no idea what experience these guys have.

The NFL, clueless about their replacement refs?  Why does that not come as a surprise.  I don't understand why they're trying to prove that calling pro games is so easy that even a caveman can do it.

Is GEICO a sponsor for the NFL games?

[jknezek]

I have heard the analogy and believe it to be a true statement. Only thing about that I would say is that some of the players are saying the integrity of the game is at stake due to the the replace refs. Well isn't it hard to talk about integrity when you clearly have pushed the lines and disrespected the replacement officials?

That's actually a point I made this morning on a talk show. The players and coaches are talking about how it is unsafe and they are allowing teams to break the rules, while at the same time I heard the announcers all saying last weekend that teams were being coached up in how to take advantage of the refs. The talk show hosts jumped all over me about how "players and coaches are playing for their jobs and need to do anything to win" so it wasn't their fault they were taking advantage.

Personally I just find that a really sad excuse. Integrity of the game? Then the players aught to get out of the refs faces and the coaches shouldn't be fined 50K (Belichek) they should be sideline banned for a week or two for attempted intimidation.

As for the NFL, I have no doubt they could pay what the refs want. But really, who gets a pension anymore? It's just ridiculous that they are holding out on 150K+ part time jobs for a pension. Part timers don't even get 401Ks or healthcare most of the time, these refs are asking for an awful lot.

I know we say the owners are billionaires and they can afford it, but it's real easy to spend someone else's money..

Overall, just a sad situation that hopefully is coming to an end.

[Ron Boerger]

The call and review was correct.  Simultaneous Possession.

Unfortunately, what this photo does NOT show is that Tate didn't get both hands on the ball until AFTER the GB receiver had brought it in.  In that case, it is NOT simultaneous possession. 

[AO]

The call and review was correct.  Simultaneous Possession.

Unfortunately, what this photo does NOT show is that Tate didn't get both hands on the ball until AFTER the GB receiver had brought it in.  In that case, it is NOT simultaneous possession.

You don't need both hands on the ball, he had his left hand on the ball throughout the process of the catch.