Could your coverage of this *be* any more biased?

I disagree with this statement on principle. Pro Football is no more or less important than a new Rolling Stones LP … meaning it’s really not that important. It’s entertainment.

I love watching NFL football, and I love rooting for my Lions, but when I make a list of the most important things in my life, football ain’t on the list.

The only thing I’ve seen is people taking every little mistake and making it seem like the previous crop of officials never did anything like that.

I only see upside to the current officials. They seem to me making the same amount of mistakes as last years officials made during important/playoff games. As they gain experience and more knowledge of the game at this level and the rule book, I would expect them to only get better.

What would really have been awesome is if all the people (Mike P, announcers, media in general, etc) who are slamming the current ref’s for every little mistake they make, had been as vocal last year and the years before that and held the old officials to the same high standard.
At the very least it would have given their current position some credibility.

If/when the old ref’s work things out with the NFL, it will be interesting to see how tolerant these same people will be when the “Pro’s” continue to make the same mistakes.

The replacement refs do not bother me at this time. The preseason is the time to make mistakes and improve. Rookies usually improve. Vets not so much. We know the veteren refs screw up plenty of games. Maybe the rookies, once they become veterens, will be better than the current veterans. Experience is only gained on the job.

If, as the article suggests, the veterens want to maintain their jobs, not through being the best, but by making sure noone else can join their exclusive club and making it difficult to hold them accountable for their mistakes, are they really the best? or are they just killing time till retirement and their pensions kick in?

was this mentioned in the CBA with the players association? maybe the NFL and the players can split the bill to get the refs back. something tells me if it were to come out of the players pockets, we would be looking at our new permanent (replacement) officiating crew right now.

Goodell & the owners want ref’s to be full time. The current ref’s want nothing to do with it, they like having this cushy-way-cool side job that pockets them a ton of coin.

The NFL will be better off when they finally get their way and have full time ref’s.

One of the funniest posts in a while!!!

@ the NFL

Fix this fast!!! I am tired of hearing about this already, just wait until the season starts.

Now the refs are doing it too. Here’s the deal: the job pays $xx and if that’s not enough adios amigos. 98% of workers in America would get fired on the spot if they walked in to the boss and said, “I’m holding out unless I get a raise and I’m deciding what that raise should be.”

The NFL will go on without ED Hochuli and Alberto Riberon strutting around the field on Sundays.

Want me to take your view seriously? Well, make an honest statement. This leaking business is like a 6th grader purposely talking a little too loudly in the lunch room so her rival will hear themselves being trashtalked with some amount of deniability on the part of the trashtalker.