I still blame the Refs (especially NFL Replacement Refs)

by bigcajunman on September 27, 2012

After watching the debacle in the NFL Monday Night Game, one might think I still agree with I blame the refs and this instance I think I do, but in general the job done by most officials is just fine.

The NFL replacement ref catastrophe is about the same as if you were to use my blog as your investing authority. I get some things right, but I am certainly no authority, and if you asked me a direct question (and could actually get me to answer) you most likely would get some less than stellar advice. On Monday night we saw what happens when Management assumes that all workers are interchangeable, where the NFL is assuming that their officials (who are incredibly closely scrutinized) can be replaced by High School

Officials (since the University and College officials refused to act as scabs for the games).

A Call that will live in Infamy

Making the assumption in life that: I don’t need an expert’s advice on this, I’ll just ask Big Cajun Man or my Uncle Fred for advice, is very dangerous. Yes, you might get good free advice, but it is not very likely. Deal with a trusted professional if you are building a house, or in any other instance like that. Are all experts always correct? Nope, that is why you need to find someone who others trust (i.e. people who are trusted by people who you trust) to get expert advice.

What might happen if you don’t? You might have an Interception called a Touchdown, causing $250M worth of bets to change on one very badly officiated play.

Oh and Roger Goodell and Gary Bettman are both ruining their businesses for the sake of wanting to be right (IMHO). You are helping Conan O’Brien get some good material mind you:

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Michael James September 27, 2012 at 7:54 am edit
The only obvious mistake on this play was not calling offensive pass interference on the shove. However, “real” refs routinely fail to call similarly egregious shoves on Hail Mary plays. Football experts disagree on whether simultaneous possession applied on this play. The only thing we can be reasonably sure that “real” refs would have done differently is that they likely would have talked so that they both gave the same signal. But they could easily have decided it was a touchdown.

The most serious problem the replacement refs had was that everyone expected them to fail and they blamed every call they didn’t like on the refs.

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- bigcajunman September 27, 2012 at 9:17 am edit
  I agree somewhat, and that there are just as heinous calls made in previous years, but the fact that the “Replay Ref” from the NFL agreed suggests if there is blame it is spread much wider than just the replacement refs.
  
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William @ Drop Dead Money September 27, 2012 at 7:43 am edit
That video is hilarious. As you probably know, it didn’t take but 48 hours for the NFL to reach an agreement in principle with the old refs.

Lost in the brouhaha are some salient points:

1. One of the reasons for the lockout was the refs’ union’s insistence that an incompetent referee cannot be fired or replaced. That’s good?

2. Goodell is the fall guy. It’s not his lockout, it’s the owners (his bosses) who insisted on it.

3. Many seem to be forgetting: the old refs are not perfect either. That’s why they got replay, and that’s why replay continues to expand its scope.

4. In the game, Green Bay’s vaunted offense didn’t score a touchdown, controversial or otherwise. Did they deserve to win the game? I’m not so sure.

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- bigcajunman September 27, 2012 at 9:19 am edit
  Agreed, your points are on target. Goodell is definitely the fall guy here, the old refs have made AS HORRENDOUS calls in their time, but the NFL did get their Taxi Squad wish too.
  
  I keep hearing about the refs losing their pensions in 4 years, but the deal is for 8 years, so I must look into that more.
  
  You are asking a Vikings fan (from the days of Bud Grant and Joe Capp) to comment on the Packers offense? They could have used the Golden Boy in that game!!!
  
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