Comments on: NFLRA release hints at $30 million in dispute

By: jamiebuf12

jamiebuf12 — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 14:20:19 +0000

how do i become a ref???? i work full time for 50 k a year with only a 401k for a retirement and i have to pay weekly my health care……………..for 250k you can plan a nice retirement on your own…………go bills !!!

By: capitaloffense

capitaloffense — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 14:17:16 +0000

Fans give absolutely no credit to the locked out refs and the difficulty of their job. There is an obvious lack of understanding here. While it is true that mistakes are pointed out because these refs are scabs, it also true that the mistakes have never been so visible because we couldn’t see the difference before.

The article below does a great job of breaking down the differences between the lockouts and the scabs (who by the way aren’t even Division 1 level).

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1300872-nfl-officials-lockout-how-the-league-and-replacements-will-suffer

By: hail74

hail74 — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 12:31:43 +0000

Every fan who has ever watched a game can point to a series of blown calls by the locked out refs that effected their team. The mistakes of the replacements are only pointed out because they’re replacements. The safety of the players talk is nothing more than hyperbole.

By: billh1947

billh1947 — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 12:15:05 +0000

Dont the striking referees have real jobs besides reffing,I know they once did,jobs like teaching school etc. or do they now make so much money they dont need a regular job anymore.if they do have real jobs then they can stay out forever and let the scab refs work games the whole season.

By: tylerdurden187

tylerdurden187 — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 08:56:12 +0000

Each contract is negotiated individually. 1/3 of 1% means nothing. Next thing we will have the parking lot attendants striking only asking for 1/16 of 3.2%. The refs will fold, the replacements will get better and the games will be played.

By: astrosfan75956

astrosfan75956 — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 08:37:25 +0000

The replacement guys are terrible it’s only a matter of time before they blow up big time. These officials could cost Vegas more than 30 million in one weekend with a blown call or two.

By: cjh034

cjh034 — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 05:36:56 +0000

NFLRA – you guys ought to talk to the air traffic controllers from 1981. They thought they couldn’t be replaced either and found out they were wrong the hard way.

By: autumnritual

autumnritual — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 05:23:36 +0000

A student of the game realizes that the locked out officials have stunk for decades and get progressively worse each season. I would argue that their absence will only enhance the game! It’s mystifying how several have spoken of the game now being tainted and viewers fleeing from the game because the quality will suffer. Each week of each season in every game, NFL officials have made a mockery of the subjective call. It’s disgraceful and it needs to change. That begins by bringing in new and full time officials and expanding instant replay to include reviews of holding and pass interference calls that are made on the field. Easily the two most manipulated and game changing calls that are so flagrantly abused by officials with entrenched poor judgment skills and part time work habits.

By: realitypolice

realitypolice — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 04:21:39 +0000

The pre-season was a clown show. These idiots couldn’t spot a ball, do a replay review correctly, or even know whether or not a half or game could end on a defensive penalty.

It’s like the music from Bennie Hill (or for those of you too young to remember Bennie Hill, just imagine circus music) was playing in the back ground.

I could care less if they ever settle this dispute- I only watch to be entertained, I actually understand that NFL football is not life or death- but anyone who thinks that these goof balls are 1/10th as competent as the regular refs simply doesn’t understand football.

By: sampulls

sampulls — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 03:30:12 +0000

Goodbye to locked out refs forever!

By: trevor123698

trevor123698 — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 02:26:52 +0000

they have leverage. the nfl is controlled and therefore they know exactly in what way it is controlled

By: bobzilla1001

bobzilla1001 — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 02:18:11 +0000

I’d be a lot more concerned about getting the regular refs back to work pronto if the regular refs weren’t so, you know, awful…
ESPN has shown replacement refs stuttering and stammering when annoucing a penalty. Big deal. All they need to do is brush up on their microphone skills. Problem solved.

By: psdaleno

psdaleno — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 02:16:29 +0000

These refs are crazy cause they are gambling everything on one day. At the end of Sunday, if no huge mistakes were made by the replacement refs, then the refs on strike will be forgotten instantly.

By: eaglesgreen7

eaglesgreen7 — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 02:14:24 +0000

thelastpieceofcheese says:
Sep 2, 2012 9:43 PM
NFL referees are greedy. The NFL should fire all of them!

——————————

How can you fire someone who doesn’t have a contract. Whenever my contract runs out with my company I no longer have a job and no longer work for that company. The contract is up. These guys do not work for NFL anymore. They might in the future but they have no rights at this time.

By: threespeedfan

threespeedfan — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 01:59:07 +0000

zackattack006 says:
Sep 2, 2012 8:51 PM
I have an idea! Since we can only change things that we can control and we’re totally against the replacemt referees; let’s boycott the 1st regular season game on Wednesday and night and trully hurt the league, so they can listen to us, the real owners of the teams.
A paying customer.
***
There are only going to be about 60,000 paying customers at the game, plus another 10,000 or so guests of the higher paying corporate customers. The largest paying customer will be NBC who in turn will “sell” the TV viewers to their advertisers.
NBC, and the luxury box owners at MetLife will not be boycotting anymore than the fans who paid $150 a ticket will be – and as the Sunday night game will be the highest rated show of the week, and the Wednesday opener will be the second highest, and Monday’s first game will be the most watched cable show of the week, I think the NFL will hold up just fine against that boycott.

By: thelastpieceofcheese

thelastpieceofcheese — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 01:43:54 +0000

NFL referees are greedy. The NFL should fire all of them!

By: bamboozle99

bamboozle99 — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 01:43:29 +0000

HDTV and seamless super slow-motion makes officiating off the couch quite easy. Heck even with that, how often do we watch a replay from 2 different angles and see 2 different things? This game is above and beyond all sports, do not ruin it, hire real professionals.

By: randymachomansavage

randymachomansavage — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 01:42:11 +0000

What’s wrong with a group of people working together to get as much as they can for limited goods and services? Very few people can do what these men do–they should be paid for THAT. Not how much they work. That’s how a free market works, isn’t it? The consumers (owners) have more income and a desire for a good. The suppliers (refs) have a limited number. The price goes up. The consumer has the right to buy a different supplier’s goods…but it might not work as well.
Or maybe you guys want the government to step in and force workers back on the job (communism).

By: wewantmoretebowandfavrearticles

wewantmoretebowandfavrearticles — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 01:38:04 +0000

I’m fine with the replacement officials messing up calls as long as they do so in my team’s favor. But the minute the officials screw over my team, I’m going to erupt.

By: dontgooffwondering

dontgooffwondering — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 01:27:33 +0000

So, if I’ve got the basics of this down, then the Ref’s want the same financial benefits (pensions, increased share of profits, etc.) that the players get, but without the accountability? And they have the nerve to call out the NFL’s integrity?

For a start, people don’t pay money to see the referees referee, they pay to see the players play. The players are the ones generating this income, so of course they are entitled to a much larger portion of the profits.

Secondly, the players are subject to injury, their jobs are physically and athletically demanding and they have to dedicate themselves to the game and their team every day of the week during the season. The refs very rarely get injured (if ever), they are only required to have minimal athleticism and referees only work for the NFL one day a week (and most of them have regular jobs that they attend to during the week).

Thirdly, the locked-officials act as though the replacement refs have never seen a football before in their life, whereas the reality is that the replacement refs have been elevated from the same humble beginnings that the locked-out referees endured themselves. College football, High-school football, whatever – the replacements referee for the same reasons the locked-out refs do – because they love the game.

These guys make more money in 17 weeks (plus a few for playoffs) than I do for a whole year’s worth of work, and they work ONE day a week where most people work five (at least) and they think they deserve more?

If we’re going to have an integrity questioning session, then first up on the chopping blocks is the referees.

By: ytownjoe

ytownjoe — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 01:22:48 +0000

We’ll see which side has leverage after the first game is played.
Since the Browns OL can’t pass protect and the replacement refs are reluctant to call holding, Cleveland has a chance to upset the Eagles.
But the fans in Philly are going to be really upset.
Take the Browns with the points.

By: footballer4ever

footballer4ever — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 01:12:44 +0000

I am in neither’s side, but how greedy and cheap for a league who boasts to be grandiose, yet are so blatantly cheap in not paying the refs. Oh! And on top of that they want to make it a”global game”. Give me a break!

By: theauger

theauger — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 01:04:50 +0000

Davo
“It was the NFL that locked out the refs, and then scheduled last minute negotiations thinking the refs would just jump at the first offer they gave them?”

Before you comment, you should know why they where locked out:
-NLFRA was going to strike.
-NFLRA was planning on striking after the final preseason game.
-If the NFLRA had gone on strike at that time, it would have left the NFL in the worse position possible.
-The NFL had to lock them out or risk not being able to train or give game experience to replacement officials while negotiations were on going.
-If the NFL hadn’t locked them out, reached no deal, & then the NFLRA went on strike on August 31st, there definitely would have been a delay to the start of the season.
___________________________________
sammyias
“Did you just say “$252,100 per official.?” … If I understand, that is not only in addition to their previous pay, but above the current NFL offer?”

I’m pretty sure that is $ amount over the lifetime the labor contract. $252k divided by 5-6 years.

By: ssh991

ssh991 — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 01:04:20 +0000

Ok, here’s the thing. If the NFLRA refuses to sign for much longer the NFL will completely stop trying to come to an agreement with them, keep the replacement officials, and at season-end lure the NCAA division I referees to come work in the NFL (unless of course there is some sort of “No Compete” clause in their contracts. Assuming there’s not, I say to heck with the NFLRA, bite the bullet this season and hire Division I refs to come ref in the NFL. The NCAA could not punish or fore them for crossing the proverbial picket line because the NFK would hire them permanently. Well, yes the NCAA could, but it wouldn’t matter. And yes they would most likely gladly leave the NCAA for the NFL. Also I should point out that Ed Hochuli’s son is a Division I ref, who called the USC game yesterday.

By: geauxjay

geauxjay — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 00:55:36 +0000

I see that the NFL is paying people to vote thumbs-down again. Or creating bogus accounts and doing it themselves. Sad.

By: 1rockyracoon

1rockyracoon — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 00:53:16 +0000

1) If I am not mistaken most of the refs have careers besides being NFL refs, so I doubt they will be working at Foot Locker.
2) “Let them sit. I don’t notice a difference with the replacement refs.” I call bs on that opinion. The regular refs may not be perfect, however, they are highly trained and have years of experience. The replacement refs are not even good enough to do Divisio II college games. it’s like giving the keys to a racecar to a 12 year old. Sure for a little bit they will drive straight but soon enough they will crash and burn.

By: zackattack006

zackattack006 — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 00:51:44 +0000

I have an idea! Since we can only change things that we can control and we’re totally against the replacemt referees; let’s boycott the 1st regular season game on Wednesday and night and trully hurt the league, so they can listen to us, the real owners of the teams.

A paying customer.

By: jimmyhaffa

jimmyhaffa — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 00:46:49 +0000

With how dumb the new guys have looked, they obviously aren’t easy to replace. Ok, so they have a specialist job that few can do at a high level. You do usually make a lot more for that no matter what sector you’re in. The rules that they are fighting to hold them accountable? Get em NFL.

Pretty much anyone who sucks at their job will lose it. Why not these guys?

By: sactogary

sactogary — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 00:42:42 +0000

Organize the replacements, sign a contract with them. The NFLRA would no longer be able to block NCAA Division I officials, which would open a vastly superior talent pool.

The union has a lot of nerve to use the word “integrity.”

By: bmoreb

bmoreb — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 00:39:53 +0000

The NFLRA took a calculated risk and lost. They want the public on their side and it’s not going to happen. Sure, some people out there say “pay the refs” but bottom line we pay to see the players, not the refs. The NFL did not break much less bend with the players, what makes anyone think there will be a different outcome here.

More control needs to go to an official in the booth w/review anyway. This may change how officiating is performed in the future and for the better.

P.S. Go Ravens !!!