Replacement Refs [merged x2]

[Fins4ever]

HE IS A SAINTS FAN!!!! The NFL found a couple of picks of him in full Saints garb on his Facebook page. Did he come forward and say, "hey I can't officiate this game because I am a fan of one of the teams". Nope!! He should be fired.

Ditto for the Stealers ref who screwed us out of a fumble recovery 2 yrs. ago.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8386973/nfl-pulls-replacement-ref-new-orleans-saints-game

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

I don't see this as a "replacement" issue.

It is unreasonable to think that either the replacement or regular refs would not be fans of NFL teams. 

What is reasonable is to inquire as part of the hiring/training process if the ref has any biases that would limit their abaility to fairly call a game and then not assign the ref to games that they have a fan interest in. 

For me that would mean not only avoiding games the Pats are in but all of the AFCE. 

Keep in mind nobody applies for the job of NFL ref unless they have a strong interest in football and the NFL.  Some of the refs are former players that may still have a strong affinity to the team that drafted them.

[MikeO]

I don't see this as a "replacement" issue.

It is unreasonable to think that either the replacement or regular refs would not be fans of NFL teams. 

What is reasonable is to inquire as part of the hiring/training process if the ref has any biases that would limit their abaility to fairly call a game and then not assign the ref to games that they have a fan interest in. 

For me that would mean not only avoiding games the Pats are in but all of the AFCE. 

Keep in mind nobody applies for the job of NFL ref unless they have a strong interest in football and the NFL.  Some of the refs are former players that may still have a strong affinity to the team that drafted them.

Its a total replacement ref issue. The league is putting guys on the field and they got no friggin clue who these people really are.

NFL regular refs have gone through total background checks and they have years and years of tape on them doing games. You know what you got. Picking up guys off the street and making them refs the league is playing with fire.

[Spider-Dan]

The fumble call (on Vick's pass) at the end of the BAL-PHI game was atrocious... one of the worst calls I've ever seen.  Luckily, due to the past mistakes of the regular refs, the NFL already has mechanisms in place to fix this kind of error, so it was immediately overturned.

That being said, if you're John Harbaugh, you should be pissed; the incorrect call of fumble on the field means that they couldn't have called Vick for intentional grounding.  The ball did not make it anywhere near the line of scrimmage (which was the BAL 1) and should have been flagged.  As far as I could see, there was no eligible receiver anywhere near, either.

[mecadonzilla]

I'm just tired of these folks blowing call after call.  Just watched them botch 4 calls in 5 minutes between the Chargers/Titans and Skins/Rams.  This is getting ridiculous.

[Landshark]

Yeah.  How could you not call grounding on Michael Vick??  That cost the Ravens the game

[mecadonzilla]

I can only think the non-grounding call was due to him being hit as he threw...but with these "refs" who knows what's going on.  I'm sure they don't.

[Landshark]

I can only think the non-grounding call was due to him being hit as he threw...but with these "refs" who knows what's going on.  I'm sure they don't.

I'm sorry, he threw the ball into the ground as he was going down.  That's spot on grounding.  Once the officials determined it was an incomplete pass, they should've thrown the flag.  You can do that.

[BigDaddyFin]

I must be the one person on the planet who hasn't noticed (other than being told they're replacement refs repeatedly) and to be honest I couldn't give a shit.  Let them stay on strike.  If anything I like the replacement refs better.

[Cathal]

^^^ How do you like them better? Do you think they're doing a much better job or do they have better personality? 

[Phishfan]

That being said, if you're John Harbaugh, you should be pissed; the incorrect call of fumble on the field means that they couldn't have called Vick for intentional grounding.  The ball did not make it anywhere near the line of scrimmage (which was the BAL 1) and should have been flagged.  As far as I could see, there was no eligible receiver anywhere near, either.

I thought the same thing at first until I viewd some more of the replays. The ball was actually headed into the direction of a receiver and given the hit Vick took, I think an argument can be made against the grounding call.

[mecadonzilla]

Anyone notice the NFL brought in teal shirted officials to help the on field guys get the rules right?  I first noticed it during the Fin/Raider game yesterday when I was confused for a bit as to why a Dolphin coach was talking to the refs for soooo long.   

I'm all for whatever it takes to get these folks up to speed, but so far, I think it's pretty apparent that it's not working out so well for the replacements.

[Fins4ever]

Its a total replacement ref issue. The league is putting guys on the field and they got no friggin clue who these people really are.

NFL regular refs have gone through total background checks and they have years and years of tape on them doing games. You know what you got. Picking up guys off the street and making them refs the league is playing with fire.

Agree, but ultimately I blame the ref for not speaking up and saying, "hey, this is a conflict of interest for me". Even the replacements have to meet certain criteria and that issue is one of them. He should be terminated.

[Fins4ever]

Anyone notice the NFL brought in teal shirted officials to help the on field guys get the rules right?  I first noticed it during the Fin/Raider game yesterday when I was confused for a bit as to why a Dolphin coach was talking to the refs for soooo long.   

I'm all for whatever it takes to get these folks up to speed, but so far, I think it's pretty apparent that it's not working out so well for the replacements.

I saw that too. Was wondering why a Fin coach was wearing black & white stripped pants. lol

I was all for the replacement refs as I think the refs are generously compensated. I also thought the replacements would have a rough start, but get better. THEY ARE GETTING WORSE!!!!! Yesterday was atrocious!!!

[MaineDolFan]

Agree, but ultimately I blame the ref for not speaking up and saying, "hey, this is a conflict of interest for me". Even the replacements have to meet certain criteria and that issue is one of them. He should be terminated.

Unless he really thought it wouldn't be?  My only point of comparison - I have buddies who are hockey officials.  I know guys who ref as high as AHL. A good friend of mine played four years at UNH and has been a linesman for many UNH games.  He's been flat out asked the question.  He would never allow anything to get in the way of doing his professional job.

Devil's adovcate, anyway.  Maybe this guy thought he could handle it and didn't want to ruin the chance he had.  When you think about it, they all could be making an audition for future openings.