Officiating: what I learned today

[Redball Express]

We all are aware of the problem with officiating in the NFL.

I had an interesting experience today.

Some of you will find this interesting
.
if you knew already about this..

please pass this thread by.

Ok..

I own estate sales companies in the San Antonio area.

Met with a client today on their sale and after my presentation..

we all chatted.

I asked them their backgrounds and the husband tells me he is a college and HS umpire for 27 years.

He pulls out his active member card to prove it.

Yep.

So I immediately mention I am a fan of the Cowboys and that officiating is often effecting NFL games with bad calls, missed calls, etc.

So he looks at me and he says..

Nobody really understands how it works and don't really care..

they just root for their team.

He says they are not allowed to root for or or make decisions with prejudice.

That before every summer..they all have to take and pass classes with any new rules changes and to reinforce the existing rules.

So you have to be pretty intelligent to do it.

He also said the way the field is divided amongst the refs is into forths.

Offensive backfield, defensive backfield, left quadriant, right quadrient.

Three refs in each quadrient.

This is why the meetings on calls have 3 refs with the umpire having final say if there is no clarity.

And additionally..you are only responsible for your area..

if somebody is holding or whatever..

and it's behind you or away from you you do not call it.

You didn't see it..no foul.

He also told me NFL refs get $6000 per game to ref games plus travel expenses.

I was really interested in this.

Never heard this before.

When I do theor sale next month..I will pump him for more.

If you guys want any questions answered, I will ask him.

Make your questions clear and no rants.

I will post answers when he grants me time to ask him

Dude is 67.

Says he can still outrun the youngster refs.

He goes out with knee braces on both legs and a right elbow support because he whistles so much.

Enjoy

 

[Maxmadden]

So you are saying that if I have the 1/4 of the field that gets to call offensive holding, then I get to decide the game?

 

[MarcusRock]

Ask him if all the NFL refs know MarcusRock has their back.

 

[Jipper]

the calls are still bad and getting worse. I don't care if the pass a "class", they cant get it right at full speed. What's worse is that they have the technology to correct a lot by having NY reviewing them real time and they dont...additionally, they could simplify the rule book...but they don't.

Yeah they have tough job in get paid crap but they are also pretty bad the way its setup....not all their fault, like i said there is technology that could make it better and its very hard to officiate accuratly in real time....

 

[percyhoward]

Ask him if all the NFL refs know MarcusRock has their back.

Until instant replay overturns their call on the field anyway.

 

[camelboy]

I love the game and enjoy it a lot. But, if a federal competition committee really wants to investigate the NFL, they will shut it down right away.

It is a contact violent sport where people are hitting and holding all the time. To establish such rules and guidelines for the refs and keep using the term "Judgmental Call" opens the door wide open for the refs themselves and the office in NY to impact the progress of a game and ultimately the result. I think they care more about the progress of the game in order to keep it interesting to the last moment if possible (they cannot do much when one team is inept). Result on the other hand? That's a deeper issue, esp with legalizing of sports bidding iykwim

 

[Klingo3034]

We need a Minority Report.

 

[nobody]

Simplify the rules, utilize technology more, and add a couple of refs on the field. done.

 

[Beast_from_East]

We all are aware of the problem with officiating in the NFL.

I had an interesting experience today.

Some of you will find this interesting
.
if you knew already about this..

please pass this thread by.

Ok..

I own estate sales companies in the San Antonio area.

Met with a client today on their sale and after my presentation..

we all chatted.

I asked them their backgrounds and the husband tells me he is a college and HS umpire for 27 years.

He pulls out his active member card to prove it.

Yep.

So I immediately mention I am a fan of the Cowboys and that officiating is often effecting NFL games with bad calls, missed calls, etc.

So he looks at me and he says..

Nobody really understands how it works and don't really care..

they just root for their team.

He says they are not allowed to root for or or make decisions with prejudice.

That before every summer..they all have to take and pass classes with any new rules changes and to reinforce the existing rules.

So you have to be pretty intelligent to do it.

He also said the way the field is divided amongst the refs is into forths.

Offensive backfield, defensive backfield, left quadriant, right quadrient.

Three refs in each quadrient.

This is why the meetings on calls have 3 refs with the umpire having final say if there is no clarity.

And additionally..you are only responsible for your area..

if somebody is holding or whatever..

and it's behind you or away from you you do not call it.

You didn't see it..no foul.

He also told me NFL refs get $6000 per game to ref games plus travel expenses.

I was really interested in this.

Never heard this before.

When I do theor sale next month..I will pump him for more.

If you guys want any questions answered, I will ask him.

Make your questions clear and no rants.

I will post answers when he grants me time to ask him

Dude is 67.

Says he can still outrun the youngster refs.

He goes out with knee braces on both legs and a right elbow support because he whistles so much.

Enjoy

Thanks for the info.

If you see him again, ask him how they do performance reports. Do they get graded for each game? Do these reviews affect their pay in the future?

Thanks again.

 

[conner01]

Simplify the rules, utilize technology more, and add a couple of refs on the field. done.

The rules themselves are a big part of the problem
What was a catch was never so complicated till they started messing with it

 

[Corso]

Thanks for the info.

If you see him again, ask him how they do performance reports. Do they get graded for each game? Do these reviews affect their pay in the future?

Thanks again.

Lol.
And would you do a sit down, wide-ranging interview and upload the video @Redball Express ?
Thanks.

 

[Beast_from_East]

Lol.
And would you do a sit down, wide-ranging interview and upload the video @Redball Express ?
Thanks.

 

[cowboy_ron]

We all are aware of the problem with officiating in the NFL.

I had an interesting experience today.

Some of you will find this interesting
.
if you knew already about this..

please pass this thread by.

Ok..

I own estate sales companies in the San Antonio area.

Met with a client today on their sale and after my presentation..

we all chatted.

I asked them their backgrounds and the husband tells me he is a college and HS umpire for 27 years.

He pulls out his active member card to prove it.

Yep.

So I immediately mention I am a fan of the Cowboys and that officiating is often effecting NFL games with bad calls, missed calls, etc.

So he looks at me and he says..

Nobody really understands how it works and don't really care..

they just root for their team.

He says they are not allowed to root for or or make decisions with prejudice.

That before every summer..they all have to take and pass classes with any new rules changes and to reinforce the existing rules.

So you have to be pretty intelligent to do it.

He also said the way the field is divided amongst the refs is into forths.

Offensive backfield, defensive backfield, left quadriant, right quadrient.

Three refs in each quadrient.

This is why the meetings on calls have 3 refs with the umpire having final say if there is no clarity.

And additionally..you are only responsible for your area..

if somebody is holding or whatever..

and it's behind you or away from you you do not call it.

You didn't see it..no foul.

He also told me NFL refs get $6000 per game to ref games plus travel expenses.

I was really interested in this.

Never heard this before.

When I do theor sale next month..I will pump him for more.

If you guys want any questions answered, I will ask him.

Make your questions clear and no rants.

I will post answers when he grants me time to ask him

Dude is 67.

Says he can still outrun the youngster refs.

He goes out with knee braces on both legs and a right elbow support because he whistles so much.

Enjoy

Interesting, thanks for posting.

 

[MarcusRock]

Until instant replay overturns their call on the field anyway.

Then I'll defend the NYC ref who overturned it if he was right, lol.

 

[superonyx]

We all are aware of the problem with officiating in the NFL.

I had an interesting experience today.

Some of you will find this interesting
.
if you knew already about this..

please pass this thread by.

Ok..

I own estate sales companies in the San Antonio area.

Met with a client today on their sale and after my presentation..

we all chatted.

I asked them their backgrounds and the husband tells me he is a college and HS umpire for 27 years.

He pulls out his active member card to prove it.

Yep.

So I immediately mention I am a fan of the Cowboys and that officiating is often effecting NFL games with bad calls, missed calls, etc.

So he looks at me and he says..

Nobody really understands how it works and don't really care..

they just root for their team.

He says they are not allowed to root for or or make decisions with prejudice.

That before every summer..they all have to take and pass classes with any new rules changes and to reinforce the existing rules.

So you have to be pretty intelligent to do it.

He also said the way the field is divided amongst the refs is into forths.

Offensive backfield, defensive backfield, left quadriant, right quadrient.

Three refs in each quadrient.

This is why the meetings on calls have 3 refs with the umpire having final say if there is no clarity.

And additionally..you are only responsible for your area..

if somebody is holding or whatever..

and it's behind you or away from you you do not call it.

You didn't see it..no foul.

He also told me NFL refs get $6000 per game to ref games plus travel expenses.

I was really interested in this.

Never heard this before.

When I do theor sale next month..I will pump him for more.

If you guys want any questions answered, I will ask him.

Make your questions clear and no rants.

I will post answers when he grants me time to ask him

Dude is 67.

Says he can still outrun the youngster refs.

He goes out with knee braces on both legs and a right elbow support because he whistles so much.

Enjoy

Screw the zebra. I’m more interested in what you do for a living. That sounds pretty awesome.

 

[Corso]

Well, I'm not an NFL ref, but I'm a baseball umpire for community and private high school games.
And I can attest to the non-bias.
You don't have time to be bias. There are so many things going on and you're hyper focused that you aren't thinking, "Let me make this call because I like this team and this player."
I've made calls against coaches and players I know.
Your mind doesn't work that way when you're having to make split-second decisions.
I also have a friend who is an SEC ref. He's likely going to make the transition to NFL at some point. He can vouch also on the non-bias perspective.
Now, what umpires and refs ARE taught is that you never negate another umpire's/ref's call unless you consult with him first, especially if it's his "zone" or call to make. Even if it's a bad call.
I've done this before, I'll have to admit. My partners have clearly mad bad calls. But because it's THEIR call, unless they grant an appeal to a coach, then I can't or won't overrule them.
If they grant the appeal, then they'll come to me, and we'll discuss and then if I had a better view, I'll overturn the call.
But refs/umpires should never "show up" their partners or crew mates.

They all have to and do consider that when you get to the NFL, or NBA, or any professional level sport that hits national TV- your calls are going to be scrutinized.
And if you're calling a Cowboys game? You have millions and millions of eyeballs on you and they WILL go back and review every call that's even remotely controversial.

Food for thought.

 

[Corso]

Screw the zebra. I’m more interested in what you do for a living. That sounds pretty awesome.

Lol... I can see you being a demonstrative Ump like Leslie Nielsen.

 

[superonyx]

What amazes me is these guys can tell that a guy moving so fast and jumping caught a ball and got both feet down....yet they can’t see Zeke get his helmet turned around on a facemask.


I once refed a kids flag football game when I was 16. When the brother of a guy who beat the worlds middleweight boxing champion got so mad at me for “missing” a call on his son I realized right away that I’m not doing that crap anymore. I thought this angry dad dude was going to box me over a flag football game. Crazy people.

 

[Corso]

They all have to and do consider that when you get to the NFL, or NBA, or any professional level sport that hits national TV- your calls are going to be scrutinized.
And if you're calling a Cowboys game? You have millions and millions of eyeballs on you and they WILL go back and review every call that's even remotely controversial.

Food for thought.

That's probably why my acquaintance of an NBA ref said it's not about the calls, it's about what's not called.

 

[Corso]

What amazes me is these guys can tell that a guy moving so fast and jumping caught a ball and got both feet down....yet they can’t see Zeke get his helmet turned around on a facemask.


I once refed a kids flag football game when I was 16. When the brother of a guy who beat the worlds middleweight boxing champion got so mad at me for “missing” a call on his son I realized right away that I’m not doing that crap anymore. I thought this angry dad dude was going to box me over a flag football game. Crazy people.

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