NFL might see replacement officials if contract dispute goes unresolved

[Denver Native (Carol)]

In the course of any typical Broncos game, my Twitter feed and mentions are flooded with comments from fans ranting about calls — penalties, non-calls, personal fouls. All of it.

Pretty soon, NFL fans might be wishing for those good old days.

The NFL is embroiled in another contract dispute, this time with the NFL Referee Association. When contract talks broke down last spring, the NFL employed the same tactic it did with the players in 2011: Lockout.


rest - http://www.denverpost.com/lunchspecial/ci_21111462/nfl-might-see-replacement-officials-if-contract-dispute

[OrangeHoof]

Will anyone notice the difference?

[spikerman]

I think people who understand how hard officiating is would notice the difference. Those guys are actually VERY good at what they do.

[SR]

I surely don't want a bunch of non-NFL
referees running around NFL fields officiating games. Hopefully the NFL and the referee association can get things worked out sooner than later

[CrazyHorse]

I nominate myself to officiate all Broncos games.;)

[FanInAZ]

I remember when the NBA faced this same situation in '95. They brought in a number of collage refs for the 1st few preseason games that didn't understand that they were to have a double standard when it came to the superstars. They actually had the audacity to call fouls on players with Nike & Gatorade contracts. Charles Barkly was furious when they called him for traveling. The superstars demanded that the NBA rectify the situation, and they immediately settled their dispute with the regular refs.

[CrazyHorse]

The sounds like like a good thing.

[Denver Native (Carol)]

from article:


ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky called the officials at a Jacksonville Jaguars' practice "pitiful."

Veteran Chicago Bears offensive lineman Roberto Garza hopes he can hold more.

"They've been around the game," Garza said. "They know what they're doing. But we might be able to get away with more. That would be good for us."

full article - http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82b04942/article/roberto-garza-more-leeway-with-replacement-refs-?module=HP11_headline_stack

[Ravage!!!]

The problem is, the replacments that have been talked about using, are not even top or big game college refs. They are a step below that. These guys that would be coming in would be as lost with the speed of the game as rookies are when playing in the NFL.

I think the refs do a FINE damn job, and I personally believe they get wayyyyy too much shit considering we now live in a life where the TV viewer has the advantage of seeing 6 HD angles in super-slow-motion to tell them if the right call was made.

[Fullback32]

At least we won't have to see Ron Winter's crew. Hands down the worst in the NFL.

[Dzone]

Nothing ruins the flow of a game more than flag happy refs calling penalties on every play. That will suck if that happens.

[Denver Native (Carol)]

The replacement referees can not come from the major college conferences also.

[Canmore]

The problem is, the replacments that have been talked about using, are not even top or big game college refs. They are a step below that. These guys that would be coming in would be as lost with the speed of the game as rookies are when playing in the NFL.

I think the refs do a FINE damn job, and I personally believe they get wayyyyy too much shit considering we now live in a life where the TV viewer has the advantage of seeing 6 HD angles in super-slow-motion to tell them if the right call was made.

Yes, the refs do a pretty decent job in my book. The speed of the game is so fast and now we are going to put rookie refs on the big stage. Personally, I'll pass. The game is hard enough to referee and now we are going to put Moe, Larry and Curly out there. This is a really well thought out plan. Hopefully, it is a big to do over nothing and the regular referees will be out there soon enough.

[Pudge]

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2012/08/05/brees-sharp-saints-beat-cardinals-17-10344542/

Thought this deserved to be here. Sorry if it's been posted.

[OrangeHoof]

I suspect what is going to happen if we have replacement refs during the season is that more helmet-to-helmet calls and defenseless receiver calls are going to be overlooked because these refs won't be sensitized to it. I'm down with that. Just play football instead of these "he hit the guy too hard" fouls.

[Denver Native (Carol)]

Thursday night's preseason action in San Diego will make a little league history. As first reported by Sam Farmer of the Los Angles Times, replacement official Shannon Eastin will work Thursday's game between the San Diego Chargers and Green Bay Packers.

rest - http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000046199/article/first-female-nfl-official-debuts-thursday-in-san-diego?module=HP11_headline_stack

[Dzone]

OK, so One replacement is a female. So get ready to see full time female officials in the NFL. You know its going to happen. I think they should make female officials wear skirts:eek:

[Denver Native (Carol)]

CANTON, Ohio -- Sunday's Hall of Fame Gamewasn't just a dress rehearsal for the New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals. It also was a trial run for a crew of replacement officials standing in for the NFL's regular referees, who currently are engaged in a struggle with the league for a revised labor contract.

Things didn't start well. Before anyone threw a pass or shed a tackle, our zebra-striped friends managed to botch the coin toss.

An official announced to the crowd that the Saints, after winning the toss, had chosen to defer and kick to the Cardinals.

rest - http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000046386/article/replacement-refs-botch-hall-of-fame-game-coin-toss

[Denver Native (Carol)]

League executives said Monday they now foresee starting the 2012 regular season with replacement officials.

At a time when players are openly criticizing replacement officials and coaches are privately grumbling about them, the NFL and NFL Referees Association are not making any progress towards a new deal, according to sources familiar with the talks.

Economics play a part in the stalemate, but league brass said there are two other issues hanging over and hanging up negotiations.

For starters, the NFL wants to make a group of officials, who work only part time for the NFL, work full time. But more than 90 percent of those officials already have full-time jobs and they are unwilling to leave them and the revenue they provide.

The other issue is that the NFL wants to add three additional crews to give officials more rest and the league more officiating options, but the locked-out officials oppose this. In an ideal world, the NFL would like a bigger pool of officials to choose from, especially with some of the top officials aging. The league believes if it could bring in more officials now, it could groom more for the future.

The league also has discussed the option of rotating some of the proposed new officials into established crews if the league determines there is a substandard performance by an official that merits a change.

rest - http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8266445/nfl-executives-foresee-opening-2012-regular-season-replacement-refs

[EMB6903]

NFL won't budge. Why would they?

As much as its going to effect the quality of the games next year it most definitely won't effect the ratings. Not anytime soon.

[Canmore]

NFL won't budge. Why would they?

As much as its going to effect the quality of the games next year it most definitely won't effect the ratings. Not anytime soon.


You hit that nail on the head. I certainly believe it will effect the games.

[ShaneFalco]

NFL really being selfish, i dont get it, they make so much $

[Chef Zambini]

thew NFL needs to cave in to the existing refs for the emmediate future, but begin a schoo; to develop their own full time refs so that they cannot be hand-cuffed by a group of aging ,self centered elitisyts who want to have their cake and not let anyone else eat !

[ShaneFalco]

OK, so One replacement is a female. So get ready to see full time female officials in the NFL. You know its going to happen. I think they should make female officials wear skirts:eek:

cheerleader refs.

[NightTerror218]

thew NFL needs to cave in to the existing refs for the emmediate future, but begin a schoo; to develop their own full time refs so that they cannot be hand-cuffed by a group of aging ,self centered elitisyts who want to have their cake and not let anyone else eat !

I say screw them. If they want to work then hire them individually. If not hire individuals who will at their price. Dip into college and other avenues of football for refs.