Comments on: Replacement refs have become America’s punch line

By: applecool1981

applecool1981 — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 02:45:31 +0000

By: ghouchens

ghouchens — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 03:50:48 +0000

Fans, the media, owners, even me … have been complaining about refs and their calls for as long as I can remember.
Just like the Raiders fan, I have been watching the Lions get called excessively for the past decade. Why? A lot of it is referee bias.

By: stevenfbrackett

stevenfbrackett — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:25:07 +0000

Replacement refs have become America’s punch line

It’s not just America. I read newspapers from the UK, Canada and Australia online and have seen quips in all of them this week.

By: maddbearfan

maddbearfan — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 17:20:54 +0000

I always thought that in order for a catch to be completed the player has to have complete control of the ball with both feet on the ground inbounds in which Jennings had the most control but only his right foot on the ground as Tate was reaching back in with his right hand and had already had both feet on the ground . At least that’s what it looked like to me.
Plus I wonder if the ref who gave the touchdown signal did that on purpose because he couldn’t determine it since it occurred so fast the by doing that he knew it would get reviewed and they could slow it down to get a better look. just a thought

By: vikingfan1971

vikingfan1971 — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 16:56:58 +0000

even the regular refs made bad calls get over it on to the next game what is everyone going to say when they lose its all because of the replacement refs

By: bluebongzilla

bluebongzilla — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 15:48:59 +0000

First: “Ref runs up and indicates Interception”

Then: “if you keep telling the same lie, it bcomes a FACTOID, not the truth.”

Nobody signaled “interception”. There is no signal for “interception” unless you want to count the general change of possession signal (official points the other direction) or touchback (one arm swung up and down at the side). The ref you’re talking about was not in position to make a call either way, and he didn’t. He had to run over to the pile in the corner from his spot almost under the goal posts. When he got there he looked directly at the ref that had the superior positioning and waited for his call. When he got the TD call, he crossed his arms over his head signaling dead ball and play over.Or maybe he was signaling game over. Either way, he didn’t signal INT. Stop repeating that lie.

By: bluebongzilla

bluebongzilla — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 15:35:59 +0000

Control? What do you want them to do? The lack of player respect for these guys isn’t the officials’ problems. They’re team problems. Want to know why the Cowboys aren’t griping about the refs and creating clusterfudges even though they’ve gotten some of the worst calls and non-calls? Because Jerry Jones is the boss and he told them all to cool it. The wishy-washy owner of YOUR favorite team is letting Goodell take the heat, trying to play both sides of the fence on the issue and doing a horrible job on both sides of it. They need to stay the hell out of league business and let the real heavy lifters of the NFL do work.

By: thraiderskin

thraiderskin — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 15:14:35 +0000

why the heck are people defending the replacements? They don’t know their job! They don’t understand the rules! When a HC wants to know “what’s up?” These guys can’t answer them. How can you do a job and not know it? Two guys simultaneously signaling two different calls? Only one person was responsible for making the packers-seahawks call in the endzone, why are two guys doing it? When is a penalty worth 11 yards? Why don’t most of these guys understand the difference between pass interference and illegal contact? None of us are asking for perfection, but demanding a grasp of the basics should be expected. These guys are not just messing up obscure NFL rules, they are messing up things that would be called in highschool.

By: pilonflats

pilonflats — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 15:14:19 +0000

I know this is not the popular opinion, but 2 of the three raiders games this season were officiated better and more fairly than any of their 16 games last season. the officials let them play. last week the raiders had zero penalties in the first half. the old refs, hochuli, coleman, etc, bring too many of their own biases to the game. their calls depend on what teams they like, what players they like, and how their ego feels that day. its like some of the old baseball umpires like eric gregg…and for the record, as a raiders fan, i dont like ANY refs!

By: steeelfann

steeelfann — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 14:58:55 +0000

“simultaneous” means “At the same time” – This ALONE makes this one of the biggest travesties of all time in NFL history.

DB catches ball. DB tucks ball into body. WR engulfs DB Body. WR reaches twice around body (twice with right hand before gaining access to part of ball).

Ref runs up and indicates Interception. Second ref runs up, looks down, and indicates TD.

There is no simultaneous, it is the big lie.

Just like propaganda; if you keep telling the same lie, it bcomes a FACTOID, not the truth. And you hope people start to finally believe it.

By: JSpicoli

JSpicoli — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 14:31:38 +0000

I got to this stage in 2001. The refs that were replaced were jokes much of the time also. Thank you,

Raider fan

By: RUAHORNH8R

RUAHORNH8R — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 14:28:47 +0000

How is Chris Johnson a bigger punch line?

By: trollhammer20

trollhammer20 — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 14:23:36 +0000

Here’s a joke that takes the form of a syllogism.

1) The owners are at least partially responsible for replacement officiating, since they are the ones who have been reluctant to meet ref union demands, and approved hiring replacements.

2) The Green Bay Packers are owned by community shareholders – that is, they are owned by Packer fans.

3) Therefore, Packer fans are partially responsible for the poor officiating on Monday night.

By: bumbler19

bumbler19 — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 14:18:41 +0000

Oh come on. Chris Johnson is a way bigger punch line.

By: dkrause71

dkrause71 — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 14:18:14 +0000

Now this is just getting to the point where the media is just muckraking on these replacement refs. They’ve found a story that’ll stir the pot and they’re running with it. The “fail mary” wasn’t even that bad of a call (you heard the official rules from the NFL) and the Packers had already gotten 9 points off bad calls. So take out ALL the bad calls and it’s 7-3 Seahawks. Now the “tuck rule” and how the Seahawks got robbed in the superbowl, those were bad calls, and they were in the playoffs, not week 3! And those were the “real” refs.
——————————————————–
While i don’t agree with you on the Packers getting 9 free points. I will agree i don’t think the final play was the worse call against GB in the game (even if i think they blew that one too). That last pass interference against Shields and/or the roughing the passer against Walden (where the Packers picked off Wilson) i think were worse calls. I don’t even know what the guy saw to even think Shields almost pass interfered since Rice was all over him.

By: drillbit19k

drillbit19k — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 14:09:13 +0000

Stop blaming the bad call on the final play as being the one that cost the game for the packers. I saw ONE call that aided the packers and resulted in 3 PT’s (the findley PI). The Seahawks were given two calls that set up the final play. Exhibit 1: the roughing call on walden. BIGGER than the final play IMO because without it the packers run another two minutes off and kick a FG in all probability. 2: 1st and 30 and Sam Shields gets a DPI when he was in position to intercept and he was pushed/pulled. ALMOST as big as the last play because it flipped field position, again setting up the finale. Oh and using the k ball on the 2pt. I’m tired of everyone overlooking the gaffes that set up the play.

By: filthymcnasty1

filthymcnasty1 — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 13:53:10 +0000

Yeah it’s funny, but I think the NY Post will be seeing a hefty fine from the Commissioners office over this.

By: vendictar

vendictar — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 13:51:40 +0000

“The only reason this is an issue is because the media has decided to make it one. When the dispute is settled you’ll go back to griping about the “real” officials on a weekly basis, just like last season and the season before that etc. Only difference being THOSE blind refs come at a much higher price than the current ones.”

__________________________________

No, the main difference is CONTROL. Yeah the normal refs make bad calls, but they have control over the game. The one thing you never see the normal refs do is have everyone stand around looking confused. The call was bad, but the game was also a complete mess. No one knew what was happening.

By: bluebongzilla

bluebongzilla — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 13:45:18 +0000

The only reason this is an issue is because the media has decided to make it one. When the dispute is settled you’ll go back to griping about the “real” officials on a weekly basis, just like last season and the season before that etc. Only difference being THOSE blind refs come at a much higher price than the current ones.

By: bick54

bick54 — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 13:43:10 +0000

As long as ratings are high, there’s not going to be much incentive for the owners to cave in to the officials’ demands. In fact, it looks like the replacement refs have actually ADDED to the ratings.

Steve Young said it best about the inelastic demand for the NFL. Basically, they could put out whatever they want, and we’d still watch.

The fans just got introduced to the business side of the NFL that the players always talk about.

By: sdffa11

sdffa11 — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 13:42:45 +0000

the 32 owners are ruining pro football…not the replacement refs.

By: bathroomben7

bathroomben7 — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 13:33:09 +0000