- Messages
- 79,281
- Reaction score
- 45,652
Carl Johnson speaks.
Mike Pereira's successor as the NFL vice president of officiating, Carl Johnson, is sometimes so overwhelmed by the subway in Manhattan that he just walks 20 minutes to work. Johnson's lived in Thibodaux, La., (pop.: 14,000) all his life; actually he lived in a suburb of Thibodaux growing up, then moved to the big city and stayed, even after becoming an NFL official nine years ago. So the move to New York for Johnson and his family (they may eventually settle in New Jersey) will be as daunting as the high-pressure job he's about to take over. Johnson hopes his former full-time job -- he managed teams of people in the field for a soft-drink company in Louisiana -- has prepared him for some of the heat he'll feel from coaches angry at bad calls when they call to complain Monday mornings.
"I've had years of customers calling and screaming if their product is not there on time,'' Johnson, a fit, eager former line judge, said in an interview at the league meetings Sunday afternoon. "If we kick a call and get one wrong, we've got to admit we're wrong, move on and do better the next time. This is a fast game, and we have to understand every call isn't going to be perfect. But if you're open and honest and upfront with the kind of transparency that Commissioner Goodell wants, I think that's what's important in the job. I just want to build on the job Mike did for the last 10 years and just strive to make it better.''
Pereira was so good at the media part of his job -- he was affable and easily understood on his regular segment on NFL Network explaining the tough calls of the week -- that I wouldn't be surprised to see him transition to ESPN as an officiating czar or stay at the Network to be a full-time rulesmeister there. That's probably not the role Johnson's going to serve at first. The public won't see as much of him on the air explaining calls until he gets comfortable in the media eye.
I asked him how he'd feel critiquing his peers -- whether on his former crew with referee Don Carey, or with men who have officiated the game longer and at a higher level as referees than he reached on the field. Of course, that's exactly the transition Pereira had to make when he went from side judge to the NFL office. But the transition from peer to boss isn't easy in any job.
"We're all professionals,'' Johnson said. "We all expect excellence. If you don't get it right, you've got to get better. I'm going to hold the men accountable, just like I'll be held accountable.''
Johnson's an impressive, earnest guy. But Goodell won't know how good he is until he takes his first few Monday blisterings from Sean Payton or Andy Reid or Mike Shanahan.
***
Speaking of Pereira, he's interested in coaching, believe it or not.
Not the traditional kind of coaching job that we'd think of. He said Sunday he's interested in a job "that would redefine what your idea of an assistant coach is.'' Pereira, who turns 60 in April, hopes to find a team interested in taking him on when he leaves office in May. He believes he could train the team year-round in penalty prevention, working with the coaching staff on what makes officials reach for the flag on touchy calls like pass-interference, and then be in the coaches booth on Sunday upstairs telling the head coach when to throw the challenge flag.
"Say the average team gets 10 penalties for 75 yards,'' he said on a couch at the meetings here. "That doesn't count the calls that weren't accepted. I believe penalties have a bigger impact on the game than anyone realizes. I'm fascinated by the coaching aspect of it, of trying to cut down the penalties. Obviously it's never been done before, and I realize not every team would be interested in something like this. I think it's a matter of who's progressive enough to think about it. Who would take the chance?''
At first glance, I wonder if there'd be enough for an officiating assistant to do. But as Pereira said, a hallmark of so many good teams are those that minimize mistakes. Would it be more valuable for a team to have an assistant special teams coach, or to have a coach who could eliminate 300-400 negative yards from penalties in the course of 16 games?
There's on X-factor for Pereira. Part of the reason he left his job in New York was to be more of a caretaker for his ailing parents in central California. So he'd probably limit himself geographically, needing to be near his folks. Strikes me as something Denver or Seattle or San Diego might consider.
Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/peter_king/03/21/meetings/1.html#ixzz0ivu5nQs7
Get a free NFL Team Jacket and Tee with SI Subscription
Mike Pereira's successor as the NFL vice president of officiating, Carl Johnson, is sometimes so overwhelmed by the subway in Manhattan that he just walks 20 minutes to work. Johnson's lived in Thibodaux, La., (pop.: 14,000) all his life; actually he lived in a suburb of Thibodaux growing up, then moved to the big city and stayed, even after becoming an NFL official nine years ago. So the move to New York for Johnson and his family (they may eventually settle in New Jersey) will be as daunting as the high-pressure job he's about to take over. Johnson hopes his former full-time job -- he managed teams of people in the field for a soft-drink company in Louisiana -- has prepared him for some of the heat he'll feel from coaches angry at bad calls when they call to complain Monday mornings.
"I've had years of customers calling and screaming if their product is not there on time,'' Johnson, a fit, eager former line judge, said in an interview at the league meetings Sunday afternoon. "If we kick a call and get one wrong, we've got to admit we're wrong, move on and do better the next time. This is a fast game, and we have to understand every call isn't going to be perfect. But if you're open and honest and upfront with the kind of transparency that Commissioner Goodell wants, I think that's what's important in the job. I just want to build on the job Mike did for the last 10 years and just strive to make it better.''
Pereira was so good at the media part of his job -- he was affable and easily understood on his regular segment on NFL Network explaining the tough calls of the week -- that I wouldn't be surprised to see him transition to ESPN as an officiating czar or stay at the Network to be a full-time rulesmeister there. That's probably not the role Johnson's going to serve at first. The public won't see as much of him on the air explaining calls until he gets comfortable in the media eye.
I asked him how he'd feel critiquing his peers -- whether on his former crew with referee Don Carey, or with men who have officiated the game longer and at a higher level as referees than he reached on the field. Of course, that's exactly the transition Pereira had to make when he went from side judge to the NFL office. But the transition from peer to boss isn't easy in any job.
"We're all professionals,'' Johnson said. "We all expect excellence. If you don't get it right, you've got to get better. I'm going to hold the men accountable, just like I'll be held accountable.''
Johnson's an impressive, earnest guy. But Goodell won't know how good he is until he takes his first few Monday blisterings from Sean Payton or Andy Reid or Mike Shanahan.
***
Speaking of Pereira, he's interested in coaching, believe it or not.
Not the traditional kind of coaching job that we'd think of. He said Sunday he's interested in a job "that would redefine what your idea of an assistant coach is.'' Pereira, who turns 60 in April, hopes to find a team interested in taking him on when he leaves office in May. He believes he could train the team year-round in penalty prevention, working with the coaching staff on what makes officials reach for the flag on touchy calls like pass-interference, and then be in the coaches booth on Sunday upstairs telling the head coach when to throw the challenge flag.
"Say the average team gets 10 penalties for 75 yards,'' he said on a couch at the meetings here. "That doesn't count the calls that weren't accepted. I believe penalties have a bigger impact on the game than anyone realizes. I'm fascinated by the coaching aspect of it, of trying to cut down the penalties. Obviously it's never been done before, and I realize not every team would be interested in something like this. I think it's a matter of who's progressive enough to think about it. Who would take the chance?''
At first glance, I wonder if there'd be enough for an officiating assistant to do. But as Pereira said, a hallmark of so many good teams are those that minimize mistakes. Would it be more valuable for a team to have an assistant special teams coach, or to have a coach who could eliminate 300-400 negative yards from penalties in the course of 16 games?
There's on X-factor for Pereira. Part of the reason he left his job in New York was to be more of a caretaker for his ailing parents in central California. So he'd probably limit himself geographically, needing to be near his folks. Strikes me as something Denver or Seattle or San Diego might consider.
Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/peter_king/03/21/meetings/1.html#ixzz0ivu5nQs7
Get a free NFL Team Jacket and Tee with SI Subscription
