NFL needs full time dedicated officials

[GoCowboysGo]

It all starts at the top. Blandino is an idiot.

He has never been a referee in an NFL game...never. That's the problem. He's the problem.

 

[Tusan_Homichi]

Making them full time is a start. Simplified rules, making all calls reviewable, and younger officials overall would make a big difference as well.

 

[DogFace]

The NFL clearly needs full time refs. Like Dandydon said refs have bias. It's part of it as many of us have been able to clearly see with the late hits on Romo among other things. Maybe full time refs would help with bad judgement and bias. The NFL fans deserve better than what we've gotten this year in particular its been laughably bad league wide with not just judgement but flat out knowledge of the rules.

The Nba has the best officials by far and they are full time. Major league umpires also are full time and I think also much better than NCAA basketball and football refs who are also part time.

 

[big dog cowboy]

He has never been a referee in an NFL game...never. That's the problem. He's the problem.

No experience and he's an idiot? And we wonder why the officiating sucks so bad?

 

[cowboyblue22]

the nfl is a multi-billion dollar a year business they have the rules and the officials just like they want them. they can change results to get what they want. They wanted packers and pats in last year super bowl and it was going that way until a goofy special teams play came up they want to be able to influence the outcomes of games and now with legal gambling that owners are making a fortune on things will not change

 

[WoodysGirl]

As a former Division I college basketball official, I have a few insights on the profession in general I can share with you.

1. It's hard as hell - I mean really unbelievably hard. Things happen so fast, there's a tremendous amount of pressure and responsibility that you put on yourself to get it right and there are so many things going on that you have to process and make a decision on. Unless you've officiated at any organized level, even high school - it's hard to explain.

2. Just like players you have good games and bad ones. There are games where you see everything, you've got a great rapport with players and coaches and you are in a zone where you're on top of everything and you know nothing is going to mess you up no matter what happens and when you're done it's like winning a game. Then there are games where you are constantly fighting it. You can't see through players, there's no flow to the game, coaches and players are constantly on you, it gets very acrimonious ad you're just hanging on to the end. Everybody's gonna say you sucked and you probably did.

3. You absolutely know when you've blown a call. Obviously college basketball is different than college football or the NFL but if it gives you any solace at all, after a bad call I've run down the court and cursed myself for being an idiot.

4. Against all odds - there are things that will come up that you cannot believe happened. I mean the most unbelievable crazy circumstances that led to a perfect storm that wins or loses a game that you will never forget. I could write a book.

5. A bad call in a big game makes the rounds pretty fast. Again the NFL is the big dog and there is nowhere to hide. Those guys can get killed in the media with a hundred replays a week and while if I'm a back judge you might not know my name, rest assured other refs, players and coaches in the league do and you will get a rep.

5. If this upsets you and if you think that all integrity is lost with this statement then you haven't been there and are being naive but I will tell you this and please know that every coach and official knows it happens. It's part of the game within the game. If you've been on our *** all game - I mean really giving it to us as a crew, even after we've explained things and tried to communicate calls to you that we know are right you are going to lose some calls. I'm not talking about a game changing end of the game play but to make a comparison - if there's a marginal 3 second call on you that could be let go - you are getting it. I would guess in football it would be a hold in the middle of the line someplace. I personally never let that happen because I was usually the youngest guy on my crews but I've worked with guys, senior guys who've been around for 20 years and they use it to send a message that - enough is enough and eventually the coaches get it. You know what - it works.

I tried to make these comments as general as possible and things that are relatable to the NFL in broad terms. I will say that I believe the human element definitely comes into play. Just like you, I wonder if a guy has it out for Dez or the team. From experience, I'll wonder if a player and ref have been going at it all game and the ref is going to get him. I do think like that.

Officials are imperfect beings created by imperfect beings and you try your best and you are just going to get it wrong from time to time. I've had television games with 17,000 people and to me it pales in comparison to one NFL game. I cannot imagine the microscope they are under.

Last thing - I'm out of it now but ever since the last time I ever officiated kids game I vowed I would never, ever do it again. I've been in arena's with drink fraternity kids screaming the most vile things you can possibly imagine and loved it. I was never intimidated or afraid and thought the atmosphere and passion was awesome, but I've walked out of a junior high school gym on a summer's day after doing a 14 year old girls game and been scared to death trying to get to my car because of the parents.

Never - ever - again.

Excellent post! I'm a HS b-ball official and all of this is gold. Right down to bring scared of parents after a junior high game.

 

[jimmy40]

fans can't agree on controversial calls after weeks of watching/debating high def videos but making refs full time will get calls right during live action? Only thing this will change is fans screaming at full time refs for blowing calls instead of part timers. Refs are going to blow calls just like qbs will make terrible passes, runners will fumble, receivers will drop passes, defenders will miss tackles, etc. etc, etc. just part of the game

 

[DandyDon1722]

Excellent post! I'm a HS b-ball official and all of this is gold. Right down to bring scared of parents after a junior high game.

Hey WG - I did not know that! Well, you have all the stories and you know what it's like. Once I got on top of it I really enjoyed high school ball but I remember when I first started out I had some JV coaches just tear me up and it was hard to keep my confidence but after the learning curve it was great.

Hope your season is going great!!!

 

[jimmy40]

The NFL clearly needs full time refs. Like Dandydon said refs have bias. It's part of it as many of us have been able to clearly see with the late hits on Romo among other things. Maybe full time refs would help with bad judgement and bias. The NFL fans deserve better than what we've gotten this year in particular its been laughably bad league wide with not just judgement but flat out knowledge of the rules.

The Nba has the best officials by far and they are full time. Major league umpires also are full time and I think also much better than NCAA basketball and football refs who are also part time.

thank goodness NBA refs have no bias, it would suck to see the superstars get special treatment or something. and what is traveling in the NBA, is it 3 steps? 5? 6? Does it matter who's doing the traveling?

 

[WoodysGirl]

Hey WG - I did not know that! Well, you have all the stories and you know what it's like. Once I got on top of it I really enjoyed high school ball but I remember when I first started out I had some JV coaches just tear me up and it was hard to keep my confidence but after the learning curve it was great.

Hope your season is going great!!!

It took me two years to feel like I had a handle on things and then I started doing more boys high school. Yeah, I wasn't ready. 15 years later and I'm still running. Lol

My season just started, so I'm a touch rusty, but so far so good. I'm only doing Junior high this season for personal reasons, but I hope to be back in it full time next season.

 

[KB1122]

The first thing they need to do is take a hard look at the rules and eliminate half of them.

 

[percyhoward]

Looking at some of these responses, there's a surprising percentage of people who aren't aware of just how big a problem the officiating has been this season.

The league needs to focus more on teaching the officials when they make a mistake, instead of "punishing" them by switching their assignment to a game they know will be seen by a smaller audience. That's not even a punishment, since they'll make just as much money anyway. It's just the league trying to hide them while the story's still hot. There's honestly less concern about getting it right than there is about PR now.

 

[KB1122]

Ca anyone here recite from memory the new overtime rules? They're like something from a law class. Why don't they just make it "first to six?"

 

[Don Corleone]

I concur with others that Blandino is the real problem. Having such authority in one person's hands isn't a good thing. He brought replay technology to the NFL and that is how he landed his gig. With the replay technology comes a lot of cloudy rules. With cloudy rules comes the ability to shape outcomes. The NFL absolutely loves what they have now. They can easily change it but why would they?

 

[Nightman]

The NFL clearly needs full time refs. Like Dandydon said refs have bias. It's part of it as many of us have been able to clearly see with the late hits on Romo among other things. Maybe full time refs would help with bad judgement and bias. The NFL fans deserve better than what we've gotten this year in particular its been laughably bad league wide with not just judgement but flat out knowledge of the rules.

The Nba has the best officials by far and they are full time. Major league umpires also are full time and I think also much better than NCAA basketball and football refs who are also part time.

The NBA and MLB play 4-7 games a week. That is why the refs are full-time.

I have never understood this criticism. What are they supposed to do all week?

The rules might seem complicated at first blush but once you sit and read them it isn't brain surgery. Once it is learned it is learned.

 

[DogFace]

thank goodness NBA refs have no bias, it would suck to see the superstars get special treatment or something. and what is traveling in the NBA, is it 3 steps? 5? 6? Does it matter who's doing the traveling?

It is a subjective judgement by me. For now on I'll make sure to state imo so no one gets confused and think I'm making a binding acree all zone members must follow.

Nba refs aren't perfect but compared to ncaa refs or NFL officials when it comes to judegement calls like charge/block etc. It isn't close... In my opinion.

 

[DogFace]

The NBA and MLB play 4-7 games a week. That is why the refs are full-time.

I have never understood this criticism. What are they supposed to do all week?

The rules might seem complicated at first blush but once you sit and read them it isn't brain surgery. Once it is learned it is learned.

Pay them a couple hundred grand and they can work out and get in shape or play PlayStation for all I care.

Maybe it would attract some younger refs and less stupid ones. Like many professions higher salary/ benefits attracts smart people. Rather than people who, I guess, don't have time and or brains to learn the rules. Not to mention the mental processing it takes to judge face paces action.

 

[jimmy40]

It is a subjective judgement by me. For now on I'll make sure to state imo so no one gets confused and think I'm making a binding acree all zone members must follow.

Nba refs aren't perfect but compared to ncaa refs or NFL officials when it comes to judegement calls like charge/block etc. It isn't close... In my opinion.

definitely a difference of opinion, to me NBA refs are by far the worst and it's not close

 

[jimmy40]

Pay them a couple hundred grand and they can work out and get in shape or play PlayStation for all I care.

Maybe it would attract some younger refs and less stupid ones. Like many professions higher salary/ benefits attracts smart people. Rather than people who, I guess, don't have time and or brains to learn the rules. Not to mention the mental processing it takes to judge face paces action.

doesn't matter, refs are still going to start in high school, then college before they would even be considered by the NFL. The NFL is not going to hire people off the street and teach them to be refs.

 

[RoboQB]

6.Hot refs

If they look like that, I don't care what a catch or no-catch is...