Replacement Refs [merged x2]

[EKnight]

IMO, the real problem is a pissing contest. I agree the NFL should have had a better plan, but the refs are paid on average $47,500 for about 16 days worth of work. They have nothing to complain about. -EK

[Fins4ever]

Who had the ball on the last play of the Packers game wouldn't be an issue if the SJ would have done his job and called a push off before the ball even got there.

[Fins4ever]

IMO, the real problem is a pissing contest. I agree the NFL should have had a better plan, but the refs are paid on average $47,500 for about 16 days worth of work. They have nothing to complain about. -EK

From what I have read, the salary is closer to 150,000. and I think it is more than 16 days. I think you need to account all the travel time, training, meetings, pre-season, playoffs.....

But I agree, it is a good gig.

[CF DolFan]

They over see the health and welfare of a $30 billion dollar organization. They want an 8% raise which will keep most referees below $100,000 a year and to also keep the retirement benefit given to them in 2003. It should really be a non issue.

Drew Brees just signed a new contract that will pay him $40 million in 2012. Players' salaries are paid per game during the regular season. That is 16 paychecks. For Brees, that comes out to him earning $2.5 million per game.

Gene Steratore, an official we hired in 2003 who is generally regarded as one of the better referees in the NFL, is the official in charge of protecting Brees and his $2.5 million per game.

Steratore made $5,606 per game during the 2011 season and would like a raise to about $6,000 per game this season. The NFL is offering him $5,746.

To sum this up, the NFL is offering its crew of well-trained officials a compensation increase of 2.5 percent. The officials are asking for 8 percent.

OK, using Brees as an example of the value we should place on protecting players on the field may not be fair since his new contract is so front-loaded. Maybe Sam Bradford is a better example. The Rams quarterback is scheduled to earn $12 million this season. That is $750,000 per game.

Again, Steratore, one of the NFL’s top referees, wants to make about $6,000 each game.

Steratore also wants to keep his defined retirement benefit we promised when we hired him in ‘03. He and other officials are willing to accommodate some change to their pension, which the NFL wants to convert to a 401K contribution fund for officials hired from this point forward

[EKnight]

I disagree. Most of these guys make six figures in their "real" jobs to begin with. Only in this screwed up country and economy, could we possibly be having a conversation in which the guys hired to "protect" the athletes in the stadium are making $5,000 per game, while there are people outside of the stadiums digging through dumpsters for a peach pit to eat. You've got to be kidding me. Based on the number of missed calls the REGULAR refs make they're over-paid and should be happy with what they get. -EK

[CF DolFan]

I disagree. Most of these guys make six figures in their "real" jobs to begin with. Only in this screwed up country and economy, could we possibly be having a conversation in which the guys hired to "protect" the athletes in the stadium are making $5,000 per game, while there are people outside of the stadiums digging through dumpsters for a peach pit to eat. You've got to be kidding me. Based on the number of missed calls the REGULAR refs make they're over-paid and should be happy with what they get. -EK

Oh and the commish would agree with you. We see how that is working out. 

[EKnight]

Bet Calvin Johnson would after he was robbed of that TD last year, too. As would Bettis when his coin flip was somehow not heard correctly. For less than a month's work of work, these guys are severly overpaid to start with, and so bad at their jobs, instant replay became a standard. -EK

[suck for luck]

Following Monday Night Football’s fiasco, the Lingerie Football League (LFL) released a statement, first reported by Deadspin, that revealed the league was actually forced to fire some of the refs that are now serving in the National Football League due to incompetence. Here‘s the LFL’s statement:

    Because of the LFL’s perception it is that much more critical for us to hire officiating crews that are competent, not only for the credibility of our game but to keep our athletes safer. Due to several on-field incompetent officiating we chose to part ways with with a couple crews which apparently are now officiating in the NFL. We have a lot of respect for our officials but we felt the officiating was not in line with our expectations.

    We have not made public comment to date because we felt it was not our place to do so. However in light of tonight’s event, we felt it was only fair that NFL fans knew the truth as to who are officiating these games.

LMAO

[suck for luck]

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

There is no need for three threads on one topic.

NFL admits refs screwed up last night game. 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/09/25/nfl-statement-result-final-tate-should-have-been-flagged/

Until the labor dispute is ended the NFL should do the following:

1. Make all calls reviewable.  Including pentalites, both called and not called.

2. Increase the number of red flags each coach gets per game from 2 to 6+.  Anytime a coach has a TO they can throw a red flag.    In essence each coach can lose at max 3 challenges per half (as they will be charged a time out) and if successful in the challenge an infinite number as they won't be charged a TO.

[Pappy13]

It was not a tie.  Not even close.  Joint possession has to occur at the same time,

That's not true, they only both have to have possession of the ball at the completion of the play, they don't both have to possess the ball at the same time.

...and Tate only had one arm around Jennings's neck, not even on the ball. How do you have possession of a ball when there's someone's body between you and the ball?

This is didn't see. Maybe there's a better angle of it that I haven't seen, but from the angle I've seen it looks like both guys have their arms around the ball at the same time, but you can't actually see Tates arms. 2 refs were standing right there however looking at it when they both signaled TD, so it would be a very bad call if one of Tate's arms is truly wrapped around Jennings neck and not around the ball. Now Jennings did look to try to pull the ball away from Tate which maybe what you are referring to, but that was after the refs had already looked at them and called it a TD.

You'd think that "someone" would have "more possession."

The "someone" is the offensive player by default. That's the rule.

[Spider-Dan]

[Pappy13]

^^ This is WELL after the play had already been ruled a TD and this picture is a bit misleading because Tate's arm is NOT around Jennings neck, his left arm is actually under Jennings arm and his right arm is over Jennings arm, both hands are on the ball at this point, so Jennings body is not between Tate and the ball, his arm and shoulder is, it just doesn't look like that from the picture. If the defensive player rips the ball out of the offensive players hand AFTER the play is over, that doesn't make it an INT.

NFL admits refs screwed up last night game. 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/09/25/nfl-statement-result-final-tate-should-have-been-flagged/

Ok, but they stated that pass interference should have been the correct call, not that it was not a simultaneous catch. I was not reviewing the play for a pass interference call and honestly, I think this is a way to save face by the NFL, because I didn't see anything on the replay that made me immediately think it was offensive pass interference. There's always a lot of pushing and shoving on those types of plays and to expect an offensive pass interference call on that is stretching it in my opinion. I don't believe the real refs would have called that and most likely THEY would have called a TD as well.

That's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

[EKnight]

-EK

[suck for luck]

That's not true, they only both have to have possession of the ball at the completion of the play, they don't both have to possess the ball at the same time.

Pappy you are flat out wrong.

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