Replacement Refs [merged x2]

[Pappy13]

^^But it's no where near as bad as the refs and the players wanted you to believe it was. Back to work boys or that cushy job you had will be peformed by someone cheaper and more appreciative...you know like the REST of us working stiffs. No offense to unions, but....YOU SUCK!

That's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

[AZ Fins Fan 55]

They botched another big call in the Arizona game when Wilson was sacked for a 10 yard loss and they moved the ball 5 yards. When Wiz challeged they told him he could not.....Yes the regular refs make mistakes too but the basic fundamentals these guys lack, though no fault of their own, is majorly frustrating. It took what seemed like 45 minutes to still make a horrible call at the end of the AZ/Sea with the timeout thing.....everyone in the stands was going apeshit, myself included lol!!!!!!

[Phishfan]

I don't even think that they're worse...they're just a little more disorganized.  The calls themselves don't seem to be any worse, but there seem to be more "near debacles" about managing the game, rather than just blown calls.

While I cannot argue the first week was pretty uneventful, are you seriously suggesteing the replacement refs were not significantly worse during the preseason? The called a touchback on a ball that was downed at the five, they spotted two balls on the field and they was a ten yard difference between them, etc. Those are horrific mistakes the likes of which I have never seen the regular officials make. The messing up of a coin flip, I guess no one here has ever heard something incorrectly. Does that make it excusable, no. But that does not make it as blatantly wrong as some of the other mistakes I saw.
I wonder how many replacement refs the league has replaced going into the season? interesting to know

[Dave Gray]

Preseason was preseason.  I'm only judging by week 1.

[tubba marxxx]

Am I the only one that things this ref thing is not a big deal?

It's my understanding that the an NFL referee gets paid in the six figures.  $100,000 a year is GREAT for any salary, let alone for 60 hours of work during that year.  What part time job can you think of that pays six figures?  These ref's have some balls.  They're just a spoke on the wheel, the wheel is gonna keep on turning.  Referees blow calls ALL THE TIME, nothing new here.  If the biggest blown call is giving Seattle an extra time out or "not knowing when the 2 minute warning is,"  I'll take it.  Ed Hochuli and the boys have zero leverage IMO

[mecadonzilla]

I would have thought the real refs learned their lesson after failing so miserably last time they had labor issues with the NFL.  I'm surprised they're being so entrenched on their position now.  I think they underestimated Kim Jong Goodell's resolve.

[Landshark]

I think they underestimated Kim Jong Goodell's resolve.

Addictive aint it?

[mecadonzilla]

LOL, I can't think of him in any other way now.

[Spider-Dan]

It's my understanding that the an NFL referee gets paid in the six figures.  $100,000 a year is GREAT for any salary, let alone for 60 hours of work during that year.  What part time job can you think of that pays six figures?

How many part-time jobs involve employees at the very peak of their profession directly supervising a billion-dollar business?

Your statement is not much different than pointing out that players get paid eight figures to play a game for a living.  When said game generates many billions of dollars, you had better believe that the employees are going to try to leverage their (perceived) value towards creating the final product.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Preseason was preseason.  I'm only judging by week 1.

What a novel idea.  Do you feel the same way about players?  I mean let say you had a rookie PR that fumbled two punts during preseason, but during week 1 he ran 2 for an  avg 40 yards of return you would feel the punter was a great draft pick dispite the two preseason fumbles? 

[MikeO]

Did see one interesting stat today. That more Pass interference Calls this past weekend than in Week 1 of 2010 and 2011 combined.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Did see one interesting stat today. That more Pass interference Calls this past weekend than in Week 1 of 2010 and 2011 combined.

A meaningless stat.

Could mean that the replacement refs are calling it when they shouldn't.

But it could also mean:

a) the regulars were missing alot of PI calls.

b) the players were testing the rookie refs thinking they would be chicken to call it, and the refs stepped up.

Here is what I have noticed, more complaining about really minor mistakes, but NO major bitching that, "but for this significant blown call, the game would have gone the other way"  and this is the FIRST week in a long time for that across 16 games. 

[tubba marxxx]

A meaningless stat.

Could mean that the replacement refs are calling it when they shouldn't.

But it could also mean:

a) the regulars were missing alot of PI calls.

b) the players were testing the rookie refs thinking they would be chicken to call it, and the refs stepped up.

Here is what I have noticed, more complaining about really minor mistakes, but NO major bitching that, "but for this significant blown call, the game would have gone the other way"  and this is the FIRST week in a long time for that across 16 games. 

Exactly.  Here's how I see it:  Week 1 was going to be the hardest week of these Ref's careers..and they got through it without a "game costing blown call."  If they just keep doing what they're doing, they'll be fine.  Ref's blow calls ALL THE TIME, these guys are just under the microscope.  Let me put it to this way, if the news never broke about replacement refs..nobody would notice.  Sure we would see the familiar faces from being avid football fans, but the failure rate of refs (for lack of a better explanation) wouldn't get a second glace. 

[MikeO]

I didn't say the stat was meaningful or meaningless. I just said it was interesting 

[MikeO]

One of the side judge ref's working the Saints game today, is a huge Saints fan. His facebook page is pictures of him at Saints tailgate party's, in Saints hats and shirts, and his facebook page is covered with all Saints stuff. Friends of him were putting up comments saying..."throw flags on the Panthers this week" and stuff.

The league just found out late Saturday/early Sunday morning about all of this and had to pull the guy from the game this morning.

The league has to end this and get the real refs back.