The Replacement Refs

[Anonymous]

From around the boards . . .

4-man wedge on NY Jets kickoff returns. I bet the replacements realized it was against the rules. It seems that most trending/recent calls is what these guys miss. Ike would never have been able to go off on Santonio for that length of time after the whistle if this was last year.
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Come see how bad the Refs are! Aren't they terrible? What a spectacle, text in your favorite blown call.

Another marketing ploy for the casual fan . . .
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After watching the abuse Vick took v the Ravens I am concerned big time about these replacement refs. Yes they will miss holding calls, spots, DPIs but they cannot allow a player to take the beating Vick did by simply ignoring late hits. The Ravens got away with murder all damn game. Don't get me wrong Vick took some perfectly legit hits but he also took a boatload of hits so late and some so obviously low it was like watching a slow motion horror movie. I am all about letting them play but when Courtney Upshaw is diving with his helmet aimed right at Vick's knees, Ngata the same, Kemo the same x 2, that is flat out filthy BS football. Then the f***s call a penalty on Iggles DE for barely grazing Flacco's legs? F**king worrying.
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When these refs started, most people worried that they would affect the outcome of a game, but that's clearly not the only concern now. The real problem is that these refs have virtually no authority on the field. Because what have they done to deserve it? In just one game yesterday, the Niners got whistled for two phantom secondary calls, one a pass-interference call against Chris Culliver that led directly to a Detroit field goal, the other a holding call on Carlos Rogers that resulted in a first down. Later on, Lions linebacker Stephen Tulloch mugged a 49ers receiver without anyone blowing a whistle. That's one game, and I didn't even touch on every sh*tty call involved. Steelers-Jets was even worse.

There's obviously no guarantee that regular refs would have gotten those calls right, but there at least would have been a sense among players and coaches that a standard was being enforced. Right now, that isn't true at all. Right now, players and coaches feel like the league is f**king them over for the sake of winning a piddly-sh*t labor war. Joe Flacco said as much after losing on Sunday.

If the real refs don't come back soon, there's gonna be a brawl. A serious brawl, with punches thrown and guys openly grabbing nutsacks and serious Skip Bayless discussions the next day about HAVE FOOTBALL PLAYERS GOTTEN OUT ON CONTROL?! That's where this is heading. Players are frustrated because the refs are failing to look out for cheap shots, and because they feel like blown calls are costing them a chance to win. That frustration, at some point, will break.

And the worst part is that I already know Goodell will try to pin this on the players. It will be THEIR fault for not respecting refs who don't deserve to be respected.

And this is all Roger Goodell's doing, no matter how hard Peter King and his colleagues might try to obfuscate the issue. (Today, King wrote of union leader Scott Green: "I sense Green is the hard-liner here." Right, Peter. Green is the hard-liner, not the guy who locked him out.) Goodell has spent the bulk of his tenure paying lip service to player safety in an inherently unsafe game, and in a matter of weeks he has undermined everything he has ever said about the issue by installing ****** game managers to officiate real, important games. Everything he has said about player safety has been complete bullsh*t. He doesn't give a f**k. He only cares about LOOKING like he gives a f**k. He doesn't really want to be held accountable. He's not a leader. He's a caretaker. His vision for the future of NFL has nothing to do with innovation but with protection, with cosseting his league from any legal liability and shifting the blame onto the players, with making sure the NFL's reputation remains blissfully intact even when it's actively fu**ing itself. There's only one thing that sucks worse than these scab refs, and that's Goodell. F**k him. He's the worst.

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Take a look at Ziggy on that scoring play. The Donk's LG has a hand full of jersey right at ZIggy's collar and yanks him down........if that ain't a hold I dont know what is....but they never seem to call it....

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Roethlisberger took a hit right to the facemask at some point in the second quarter right as they went to break, no call. What else is new . . .
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There are so many little things that took place Sunday that they are all starting to add up to big things.

From not penalizing a coach for challenging a play that couldn't be challenged (Washington-St. Louis) to allowing the clock to run after an incomplete pass (Cleveland-Cincinnati) to calling a chop block that wasn't a chop block (Dallas-Seattle) to calling an incomplete pass that should have been ruled intentional grounding (Oakland-Miami).

Unfortunately, this list goes on and on …

:face:

 

[Doc Manhattan]

There's only one thing that sucks worse than these scab refs, and that's Goodell. F**k him. He's the worst.

There it is in a nutshell. The game is the rules is the game. You could staff every team with scabs, and with quality refs you would still have NFL Football (albeit poorly played.) With scab refs, you have... something else, in a dozen different unpredictable varieties across the nation on Sunday (and Thursday... gosh, I hate that too.) Goodell has not delivered the product that he's supposed to be steward and ambassador and evangelist of. To heck with him.

 

[puros_bran]

Big Poppa G is alright with me.

The only people crying about it are the loosers and the Steelers. Of course the Steelers always cry so it's hard to tell if there's anything to it... "We are always number 1 or 2 in peripheral sales, and we have won the majority of our game's including more super bowls than anyone... Its clear everyone hates us and the league is rigged against us". - every Steelers fan.

 

[riff raff]

An interesting comment by an Eagles fan. Joe Flacco already told us the poor job by the ref's pretty much cost the Ravens the game. (note to Joe: shut up, complete more passes and oh yeah, don't fumble).

On a serious note, a few Ravens/Eagles should have been tossed from that game for fighting. The ref's were definitely not in control of that mess of a game.

I listened to that game on the NFL phone app. I switched back and forth between the Eagles and Ravens broadcasts (very cool!) It was interesting to hear from each side how the ref's were ignoring penalties by the other team........

 

[Anonymous]

The only people crying about it are the loosers and the Steelers.

Not.

All-in-all, everything that happened in the Jets game was a wash. New York didn't benefit too much from the egregious pass interference calls on Ike, and the Steelers probably wouldn't have lost the game even if the referee made the right call on the Ryan challenge.
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There appears to be a bigger concern.
These replacement refs are letting the game get out of hand. Players are seeing just how far they can push the definition of a legal hit. Alex Smith with a bloody nose from a forearm blow to his head is a good example. There may be some calls that cost a team a game, but losing control of a game may cost a player his future.
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I realize we won the game vs. the Jets, but when re-watching the game it amazes me the number/type of calls that are made, vs. the number/type of calls that aren’t. Brown was spun around, mid-stride, chasing a target down the sideline. This happens directly in front of an official, yet no call. If there is an iconic portrayal of PI, that was it, and they missed it.

On Redman’s 8 yard loss at the beginning of the game, there were Jet hands locked on to his facemask for a football eternity. No wonder he couldn’t break free; getting pulled backwards that far. Holding calls? I realize there is holding on every play, every week; but I run out of appendages to count, trying to keep track of all the uncalled, blatant holds. Yet, I’ve seen more 12 men in the huddle calls, than I ever remember.

Same goes for illegal formation (and they are still missing half of those. Offensive tackles are almost 2 yards off the ball anymore. Defensive lineman are lining up in the neutral zone; while receivers are improperly capping the line.
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I’ve seen defensive linemen, set with their ground hand closer to the quarterback than the football.

:face:

 

[Anonymous]

I really can't go along with the idea that the league finds this amusing. If they do it's hubris on a level I didn't think existed with them. I haven't spent a single red cent in the nfl in nearly 3 years. My viewing time is probably down at least 90% since the beginning of last season. I can't be the only one. Eventually people WILL stop watching........the old school guys anyway. The new school TMZ generation probably doesn't know any better as they have no frame of reference.
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Think about this. If the regular refs were reffing the games, would anyone be interested in what happened in Bills/Chiefs games unless they had some FF interest? Probably not. Players and coaches are all focused on the officiating and saying how bad it is and the fans are soaking that up and tuning in and asking what's next? How could that not be in the leagues best interests? The NFL is not about the integrity of the game or player safety- its interested in viewers. Plain and simple. Why do you think Roger is trying to go to Europe so bad even though its a horrible idea. Eyes on TVs.

They haven't fined anyone for speaking up or tried to rein it in. A coach is allowed to jaw at the officials but if Fox would have pulled that outburst he did on Monday night against a real ref- would have been fined 30 grand and maybe suspended. So why wasn't he? Because they want more and they will get more as the momentum builds. And when it has reached a fever pitch, they will step in announce a deal and showing the fans how benevolent they are by fixing the problem they themselves have created. And we'll all breathe a collective sigh of relief that the game is back to normal.
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there is no doubt that Roger is a big believer in reality TV, alternative marketing and gossip column fun. it has always been my opinion that this is why he was really hired -- a new day of marketing and revenue streams. this ******** rule changes, public punishment and humiliation, and constant court and drama is all part of this overall marketing scheme.

:face:

 

[puros_bran]

Nah.. Big Poppa G workin that thang to get people that will buy jerseys and watch the game. Ain't no shame in it. You can't be a kazillionaire without kazillions. You just said you don't buy the stuff or watch the ads.... That doesn't make kazillions.

I been watching some of that Lingerie League. News Flash.... They are all tough. And it works.. just last week I bought a new bra cause of an Amber Barrick commercial.

 

[Anonymous]

Peeb . . . those are all just cut-&-pastes from Steeler boards I haunt (secret addiction).

:face:

 

[idbowman]

If the real refs don't come back soon, there's gonna be a brawl. A serious brawl, with punches thrown and guys openly grabbing nutsacks and serious Skip Bayless discussions the next day about HAVE FOOTBALL PLAYERS GOTTEN OUT ON CONTROL?! That's where this is heading. Players are frustrated because the refs are failing to look out for cheap shots, and because they feel like blown calls are costing them a chance to win. That frustration, at some point, will break.

This. I was hopping around the usual sports outlets this morning, and I found an article that showed there wasn't much difference between the real refs and the replacements, statistically speaking (penalties called, calls overturned by replay, etc.). But I don't think there's any denying that the current refs have absolutely no control over what's going on on the field. This extends beyond not catching dirty play or cheap shots too...the whole game feels cheapened when the refs have to huddle over and over to come to a consensus on simple in-game issues like the play clock, positioning of the officials, how to assess penalties/when penalties do and don't offset, blah. It's godawful.

Fortunately for me, I've always leaned away from the NFL in favor of the NCAA (yes, of course the NCAA has it's own giant bag of demons off the field, but the on-field product and game day atmosphere still makes for a good time).

 

[puros_bran]

The browns would be 2-0 under the real refs.

 

[idbowman]

Let's not get carried away, PB.

 

[riff raff]

The browns would be 2-0 under the real refs.

Congratulations, I heard the Browns were accepted into the ACC.





.......<kidding!>

 

[puros_bran]

What Arthur Modelle did to The Browns is still disgusting...The Browns won the first four championships in the AAFC. They also were the first professional football team to have an undefeated season, which they did multiple times.. oh and just for the clowns. The Browns won the NFL championship the first year they were in the league.. you know back before it was glorified with a bowl name.. the browns history runs long and deep and had Arthur the decency to kill over 16 years earlier they would have won some more and been as fierce as ever. As it stands they are doomed.. ownership that doesn't care, staff that doesn't care, and players that don't care.

 

[puros_bran]

And before you think I'm going to far in the past .. look at the kosar and testaverde eras.. look where schottenhiemer and belichick learned to win.. look who was Bradshaw and Elways biggest headache and often heartache.

Arthur screwed Cleveland.. and the douche bags in Baltimore some how think it's ok because of what happened to them in 83. Sorry Baltimore fans, 'your' team can win every super bowl from now on and you ate still gonna be tainted by a bs shady deal and no right to the history Baltimore and Arthur Modell tried to steal.

 

[Anonymous]

All undisputed, Peeb.

:face:

 

[riff raff]

Lets move the hating to Indy, they're the ones that stole a team and legacy. At least have the decency to change the name. (The NFL did learn their lesson there)

 

[Anonymous]

Any time you structure things so that wealthy asshiles who think they're bigger than the tradition they've bought their way into can run it to suit themselves instead of being custodians of it, you can expect the perversion you see in the NFL & MLB.

:face:

 

[Puff Daddy]

Money and credibility usually don't go hand in hand. Why people expect it should is beyond me, given history and the way society is set up to blind your eyes and steal your dreams. The NFL is no different, it's a big business with the sole purpose of making money. Their proclamations of protecting the integrity of the game are nothing more than spin, i.e. lies to take your eyes off the real purpose. Like anything else presented for your leisuretime consumption, it's a groomed item for sale, for profit. Re the refs, the league is most interested in maintaining their desired business model, period. Everything else regarding this situation is secondary.

Turn it off, watch college ball on saturday. This is the only thing that will motivate the league to want to change their direction. Since they know you won't do this, ......... :bball:

 

[Anonymous]

Lets move the hating to Indy, they're the ones that stole a team and legacy.

That's like identifying one individual in an orgy as "immoral."

The whole affair was a clusterf*ck.

:face:

 

[riff raff]

I'm just yanking your chains guys, I love talking the trash with Browns and Steeler fans.

Puff Daddy nailed it:

Turn it off, watch college ball on saturday. This is the only thing that will motivate the league to want to change their direction. Since they know you won't do this, .........

Like Yak, I haven't spent a dime on NFL football this season and probably won't.