An unexpected controversy has arisen regarding the selection of referee Jerome Boger to wear the white hat for Super Bowl XLVII. Some think that he didn’t earn it, the league says he did.
Regardless, the NFL Referees Association has congratulated him and the other men who will officiate the game.
Tim Millis, the NFLRA Executive Director, said in a release, “The Super Bowl XLVII crew, led by referee and crew chief Jerome Boger, all had an excellent 2012 season. This is a well-deserved honor for each member of the crew. Every NFLRA member wishes them the best of luck officiating an outstanding Super Bowl game.”
The release, issued initially by the NFL Referees Association, also has been released by the NFL, which surely is hoping to turn the page on any talk that Boger didn’t earn the assignment. In our view, the NFL shouldn’t care; if the league is comfortable entrusting its marquee annual event to Boger or anyone else, it’s the NFL’s business.
For the 2012 season, Boger is best known for not ejecting Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, who had bumped Boger after Boger failed to throw a flag for roughing the passer.
Ultimately, the blame for this entire incident should fall to Ed Hochuli. The minute he tightened his shirts and extended his explanations, we noticed officials like never before. We shouldn’t. Though part of the NFL’s infrastructure, they also should be part of the background.
On Sunday, if Boger’s crew makes any bad calls, they’ll be front and center for the scorn of the fans of the team against which the bad calls go.