News: BTB: Dez Catch villain, index card savior, referee Gene Steratore is officially retiring

[NewsBot]

So long, old friend.

Part of the magic of being an NFL fan is all of the details that occur throughout games.

The meat and potatoes are the teams, touchdowns, and all of that in between, but there’s so much more. There are stadiums, broadcasts, announcers, and yes, even referees.

Many of us have experienced many a football game through the “objective” lenses of various officials. One of the referees that’s been part of some more recognizable Cowboys moments in recent history hung up the zebra stripes on Friday. Gene Steratore is officially retiring.

Gene Steratore, 15-year veteran official, informed me today that he is retiring from the @NFL. Steratore entered the league in 2003, was promoted to referee in 2006, & worked 12 playoff games, ending his career at Super Bowl LII. We wish Gene all the best! pic.twitter.com/MO7Ul8fik9

— Al Riveron (@alriveron) June 22, 2018​

There are literally every single one many Cowboys fans who are still upset with Steratore for his actions against the team back in January of 2015. It was Gene who overturned the call that would come to simply be known as the Dez Catch. You know the one.

Steratore immediately became the least-liked referee perhaps in the history of officiating with Cowboys fans. He denied us. He robbed us. It could be argued he altered NFL history.

Every call that Steratore made was at its root him doing his job. He acted in accordance with the NFL rules as he knew them, and there were definitely times where the Cowboys benefitted from his just cause.

Speaking of true and just cause (not at all anything we’ve never seen before), Gene made up a little bit of ground with all of us last December when the Cowboys visited the Raiders. After a critical fourth down attempt, the Cowboys looked to be a little short. Officials brought out the chains, but it was still impossible to discern whether or not they’d moved the sticks.

Gene did what any self-respecting NFL official would do in a situation like this. He pulled out an index card to measure whether or not the ball broke the invisible plane that the yardage marker represents. That’s totally normal.

Thank you for your service Gene Steratore. Just know that #cowboyszone appreciates you. Enjoy retirement. pic.twitter.com/r3r0YnzXv5

— Josh Berry (@_joshberry) June 22, 2018​

It was a moment we’ll never forget. Gene likely feels the same considering his sly smirk at the tail end of the measurement. You did good, Gene. You did good.

Steratore will still stay in our lives to a degree. He’s reportedly joining CBS as a rules analyst. Tony Romo is definitely going to throw him some Dez Catch shade, right?

Enjoy retirement, old friend. Thanks for the good times.

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[Hoofbite]

I always thought he was a good ref. If I remember correctly, the NFL had already started making the call from headquarters at the time this play happened. Blandino should get whatever blame there is to be had.