Union criticizes NFL inconsistency

[Denver Native (Carol)]

NEW YORK -- The union representing NFL on-the-field officials criticized the league Thursday for inconsistencies in grading calls, including two high-profile penalties from recent games.

In a release, the NFL Referees' Association says the NFL has "caused confusion for NFL officials as to what the league does and doesn't want called."

The union referred to penalties on Washington's Chris Baker for a hit on Eagles quarterback Nick Foles on Sept. 21, and to Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah on Monday night for going to his knees to celebrate an interception return for a touchdown. Abdullah actually had gone to his knees to pray -- an act exempted from celebration penalties.

The union says both calls were graded as correct even after NFL executives announced that they were incorrect. Baker got a 15-yard penalty and was ejected from the game at Philadelphia. Abdullah also received a 15-yard penalty.

rest - http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11629768/referees-union-criticizes-nfl-inconsistency-calls

[BroncoJoe]

MO will be in full agreement with the union.

[Joel]

The League Office has become a real train wreck; it started going downhill when Tagliabue succeeded Rozelle, but his protege Goodell's kicked in the nitrous. It's not just one major crisis, but MANY threatening to deal football itself—at ALL levels—a slow agonizing death of a thousand gut shots. I WISH this absurdity with Abdullah were the worst of it.

As far as that particular incident, the NFLs rationalization that going to the ground risks injury because other players could run into or trip over someone they don't see is either valid in all cases or none; it's not like players engaged in prayer gain a divinely granted safety bubble around them. As I recall, the refs eventually insisted He Who Must Not Be Named move to the sideline before each ostentatious signature prayer, and the same should apply to everyone equally. The end zone is no mans pulpit, nor is it any mans minbar.

[MOtorboat]

Shocking.

[LawDog]

So the refs are blaming the league for being inconsistent in "what they want called" for the refs being inconsistent in what they are actually calling on the field. Oh, that's rich. And hypocritical.