Officiating in the NFL IS HORRIBLE!

[IHOPSkins]

The call that kills me is Pass Interferance, when the WR runs right into the Defender.

I saw two of these in the Skins/Hawks game (one each way)

Should'nt it be like a charge in Basketball (defender has a right to the spot he is on)? Is it? It apears not.

I also think there was a PI on Farris....it would have been huge

Oh Well

[riggo44forlife]

Full time refs is the key. I have always thought of the NFL as having the most nuetral refs in the world of sports. The nba and mlb show favortisim to stars but in the nfl things are kept for the most part equal. Minus Randy Moss's and Irvins push-offs. But if you have a guy that is a high school principal during the week you can't expect him to be the best he can on sunday. If the skins can pay an assistant coach a kazillion dollars a year the nfl should be able pay refs full time. But that's just me and yes we did get hosed last night with walter jones holding on every pass play and at time making better takles then Pac-Man Jones.

[bbuzz1962]

There needs to be a complete overhaul of the entire group. Most of them are old enough to be grandfathers. They need to make it a full time job, and have training camps and any other training they can get. They are absolutely pitifull. I don't know how many times I have seen offensive lineman with jerseys in their hands right in front of the umpire not get called. I see defensive pass interference with receivers getting mauled before the ball gets caught go uncalled. Its out of control. The replay system sucks, as we have seen in Tampa, with clear evidence of the ball not breaking the plane go unturned. I mean how freakin hard can it be when the picture is in front of you?? It is a hard job, I agree, but with challenges and reviews, there should not be so many mistakes.

[Gibbit]

How do the officials miss the Bears' delay of game penalty which should have blown the play dead...instead becomes an Int.....Bears lose.

Arent these supposed to be the best of the best?

[hercules]

How does the NFL not have full time officials????????

Can't they afford them??

Does Paul Tagliabue need to start a charity to accept donations to pay for competent officiating?

In the Steeler-Colt game the Colts jumped offsides and blamed the Steelers for a false start. The idiots in the black and white called the play dead and then didn't penalize either team.

Yeah, OK. Is this Vince McMahon's XFL? His WWE? The officiating in professional wrestling now has more credibility than in the NFL.

How about the Bears snapping the ball 2.5 seconds after the play clock expires? Is it really that hard to be competent at your job for THREE hours per week?

My question is why does the NFL not strive for credibility? Why not hire full time trained professionals to officiate their games?

I know it's not an easy job but we're talking about THREE hours of wakeful conciousness per week! 3!!!

Can't they at least officiate the play clock??

If it's too much for the old geezers, then by all means let them take a nap between plays.

[ChrisCaddyClayton]

down by contact was the difference

No...Roddy White in a game against Tampa had the ball in the endzone...2 feet down, untouched and when he hit the ground the ball came out and it was ruled incomplete.

The rule sucks and it has to be changed

[ZoEd]

Personally I think this is the worst officiating I've ever seen. Like I've said in other threads what infuriates me is how the officiating seems to be oblivious to infractions on one side of the ball but have eagle eyes when it comes to the other side.

Let me give an example. You know why Mile High is a hard place to go and win, besides the crappy weather and crowd. The officiating, I have never seen more calls go in a teams favor than Denver at home. Game after game they get calls for them and when they hold, kick players when their on the ground, PI, fumble into the end zone it goes their way. Terrible! Now look at Washington, outside of our great fans we have no home field advantage. If anything we always get screwed by the officials at home.

After hearing the comments the Head Ref made last week after ejecting ST I'm convinced some of these Refs have an agenda. Not necessarily rigging a game or being biased but making BS calls on players they see as trouble makers or letting veterans get away with murder because they've been in the league a while (Roy Williams). Kind of reminds you of basketball where they let certain players get away with stuff and hammer not so well known players for doing the same thing.

[36SeanTaylor]

I'm not referring to yesterday's game. Although there were a ton of holding calls yesterday that were never called, and the "offensive PI" was bogus too. But that is NOT why we lost yesterday. The Hawks played the better game and we lost. Period.

My reason for starting this thread is because I just watched what could possibly be THE most horribly wrong instant replay review in the Steelers/Colts game and the evidence on MY TV -- and I don't have high-res, high-def, super slo-mo, freeze frame equipment -- was that Troy Polamalu CLEARLY made an interception and the zebra came back and ruled it incomplete. This call could very well change the course of this game! The officiating across the NFL this year has been close to abysmal! Instead of the "quality control" program that Mike Pereira always raves about improving the officiating, it just gets worse. In addition, this is a playoff game and I thought these were supposed to be the best crews available.

For the record .. I couldn't care less who wins this game, but it's a shame when horrible officiating almost dictates the outcome of games! It just gets worse every year. I even think that the instant replay needs to be scrapped altogether because these idiots can't even watch the aforementioned state of the art video equipment replays and get it right!

omg every1 in the house was going hectic over this call, half my family is colts fans, the other half is steelers, i guess im the odd ball

bottom line, that was a bad call, could have cost the steelers the game

[aussieskin]

I have officiated american football here in Australia, it is not easy, there is so much going on, that all the official can do is call what is there provided that the act or non act as the case maybe affects the play, ie, all personal fouls must be paid therefore the non call on pitts man was terrible, to be an NFL official all you really have to do is run a mile and know the rules, In australia we use the NCAA laws, but, the method is still the same.

The NFL needs to start an acadamy for officials if it hasnt already, get them young, train them properly using the best ex officials available. There is too much money involved in the NFL for the NFL to continue officiating in the half hearted manner that it has this year, another point, redskin drops on dropped ball and three officials indicate Buccs ball, this is simply a case of not paying attention, and concentration.

I think most of the officials do a good job, however, a lot of defencive players appeared to line up offsides this year, that is where the hand or head is line with the ball, most of the officials do appear to be getting on in age, and this is where the acadamy will provide officials at a much younger age, therefore an experienced referee could be in his late 20s not 30s or 40s, you gettem young and keep them a long time.

This can only make the game better, for the players, spectators and officials.

[redskins55]

We are a bogus 2 point conversion call from having an

11-5 record and home field advantage in at least the first round.

In this playoff game we got flagged fro holding yet the seahawks got flagged for nothing!

This league can really make you upset..

[redskins55]

No...Roddy White in a game against Tampa had the ball in the endzone...2 feet down, untouched and when he hit the ground the ball came out and it was ruled incomplete.

The rule sucks and it has to be changed

The rule is accurate because it eliminates issues about a catch. If you catch the ball then the ball should not hit the ground in the process of the catch. THe Atlanta Falcons caught that TD against Tampa Bay in week16 but the call was incomplete. Whats the difference?

[jrocrb96]

I agree half-way. He clearly had possession of the ball, HAND-WISE

However, listen to the ref's explanation.

His reasoning was that he was still rolling on the ground when the ball came loose. It all depends on what the NFL rulebook says. According to the ref, you have to have 2 FEET on the ground, not 2 KNEES, WHILE you have "hand possession"

That explanation was some b/s! That was a ref trying to save a teams season. What about the obvious pass interference call that should have been called against the Colts in plain view of the referee. That could possibly had put the game out of reach long before that.

[Hail Gibbs]

That explanation was some b/s! That was a ref trying to save a teams season. What about the obvious pass interference call that should have been called against the Colts in plain view of the referee. That could possibly had put the game out of reach long before that.

I couldn't agree more. Not to mention the false start/encroachment non call fiasco. It had to be one or the other. Or what about when Dungy sent the punt team out and Peyton sent them back off the field. The playclock should have expired long before the Colts got that play off. They sorted and resorted their personnel admist mass confusion and still had a full playclock once the desired offensive unit was finally on the field. The ball had already been spotted.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

The rulebook has become like the federal statutes. It's become so nuanced that you need an advanced degree to understand what is going on.

I've played, watched, and been involved with football for 25 years now. And everything I know about football says that Troy P had an interception. Yet, there is some bizarre rule that says it is not.

This is the weird part: If he stays on the ground, it's clearly an interception. By getting up and fumbling, it becomes an incompletion. How is that logical?

[desertfox59]

He didn't take a step, he fell and didn't maintain possession.

The ref said the ball came loose before he got up. Had he stood up with possession it would've been a fumble as getting up is a football move. Falling on the ground is not a football move.

Very strict interpretation of the rule.

does reality exist ....????? I guess to some people 2+2 will always be something other than 4

[Mr. Nostril]

I bet that ref will get in trouble by the NFL. They'll say, "we all want the Colts to be in the Super Bowl, but you do it with phantom holds and missing pass interference. This is too obvious. You're making us look bad. We are bad, but we don't want to look like it."

I think the medias reaction is ridiculous. Everyone in America who watched football is talking about one of the most BS calls in NFL History. But every highlight show barely mentions it(many don't mention it at all), and they all come down in favor of the officials rulling. The focus of the game is the huge fumble return and the missed field goal(which of course isn't a bad story itself). However, I think focus should be that the Colts should never have been in that situation. People in the media should accusing the refs of taking bribes for this one, I should be reading articles about how the NFL needs checks and balances to keep the officiating staffs honest. Ways to fix the problems. However, all you really hear is almost no discussion followed by support.

This type of thing is going to make the NFL just as bad as basketball and baseball over the years, and I'll quit watching this too. Please NFL fix this problem before it turns into an epidemic.

[desertfox59]

Here is my take on the officiating - I wanted to start a thread on this exact same issue too.

I was rooting for the Steelers coz I hate the Colts and like an underdog. When that interception was made I said - they will review this and 100% rule it an incomplete pass. Now how did I forsee such a bad piece of officiating? Well, all year long I have seen calls like this happen. The refs are not against the Skins. Hell, the refs do a pretty good job most of the time. The one time there is no excuse for making such a bad mistake is with video replay!

Anyway, how did I know they would overturn the call? Well, the refs ALWAYS try to prolong the excitement of the game when they can. They always try to give big swings in advantage to losing teams and whenever they get the chance to make a big momentum change they take it as if to keep the viewers on the edge of their seats (it worked didn't it) and also to benefit the home team.

Examples: P.I. Call on Assante Samuel last night. Troy Polamalu's INT overturned.

I remember them doing the same thing to the Giants in order to push them out of field goal range against the Seahawks on a ridiculous call that Shockey didn't have possession. They also called penalties to ensure they were pushed 10 yards from field goal range. I didn't care at the time coz I hate the Giants but these injustices simply cannot continue.

It is blatant cheating and had the Colts won the game I would have felt sick about the NFL and the entire sport.

Anyone agree with my points?

I do! there is another professional sports league that does this sort of thing....it's an armpit of a league....it's called the NBA....and WOW...IT SUCKS.

I hope the NFL doesn't turn into that crap of a sports orginazation....but sadly it is.

[ExecCAC]

What the heck does a guy have to do show possession. You have to hold the ball for 10 minutes anymore for it to be called a catch. The NFL needs to lookat it's rules for this.

You guys are hilarious! Pot meet Mr. Black!

I only wish the call was made in the Seattle game, now that would have be poetic justice! You guys had NO business even playing in the Divisional Playoffs.

You all were the beneficiary of four blown calls!

Arrington clearly fumbled his interception back to the Bucs before the first score, a blind man could see that on the replay

Simeon Rice clearly caused Brunell to fumble when he sacked him and then scored.

Deadskin player was down by contact on Cadillac's fumble returned for a touchdown

And the Edell Shepherd catch!

Refs-21 Bucs-10 Deadskins-3

[Phixius]

The Refs needs training camp in the offseason as well

[Carlito Sway]

They've got to do something. I know that the strike zone stabilized a lot once the MLB introduced the Questec system in certain ballparks. Accountability is part of just about any job, and being a referee shouldn't be an exception.

My suggestion is that each crew should be graded for ever game. They can keep the numbers secret, if they have to, but they should give 'em a point for a correct call, take two away for a bad call, and add them up as the season goes on. Once the playoffs start, the crews with the highest marks keep working, and the ones that keep screwing up go home until next year.

Simple, and the transparency would ease the minds of fans countrywide. I mean, wouldn't you feel better if Phil Luckett had someone watching him?

[amitchellskinsfan]

I thought the defender clearly made a "football move" after catching the ball. He then fumbled and then recovered his own fumble. The refs are jokers and I think they do make it up as they go along!

[Mooka]

does reality exist ....????? I guess to some people 2+2 will always be something other than 4

I'm not saying it wasn't an int, just explaining why the ref reversed the call.

If you noticed the ref's explanation had nothing to do with Troy establishing possession as he caught it, he simply said that the ball came out before his knee left the ground.

Intercepting the ball wth 2 feet on the ground and falling is not ruled an interception unless you make a football move with possession.

Obviously the rules need to be tweaked a bit.

I thought the defender clearly made a "football move" after catching the ball. He then fumbled and then recovered his own fumble. The refs are jokers and I think they do make it up as they go along!

Falling and rolling on the ground is not a football move.

[slm2856]

You guys are hilarious! Pot meet Mr. Black!

I only wish the call was made in the Seattle game, now that would have be poetic justice! You guys had NO business even playing in the Divisional Playoffs.

You all were the beneficiary of four blown calls!

Arrington clearly fumbled his interception back to the Bucs before the first score, a blind man could see that on the replay

Simeon Rice clearly caused Brunell to fumble when he sacked him and then scored.

Deadskin player was down by contact on Cadillac's fumble returned for a touchdown

And the Edell Shepherd catch!

Refs-21 Bucs-10 Deadskins-3

Wow, still sore about this game, huh? I think the Bucs have benefited from some BS calls (alscott 2pt conv.). Karma is a b****.

[fishmon]

Is it just me or don't the refs relax on some things at the playoff level and just let the guys play ball? In the Skins/Hawks game, I saw a lot of holding...by both teams that just weren't being called. A little more "incidental" contact downfield... maybe a little more pushing off by receivers. On key plays, I wonder if the refs doubt their own calls and call it one way or the other just to move on to the next play. How many would like a video review of a play by an official in the booth before they even make the call just so they get it right? I think a review team in the booth monitering the calls on the field could prove to have value. One of the most overlooked calls is the one they make on nearly every play... the spot. In a game of inches, the spot is one of the most crucial calls, very important to get every one of them right. Not much question on those until the chains come out to measure for the first. Wouldn't it be interesting to have some dialogue with these guys not so much to vent on them after a loss but open discussion about ways of improving the system? I sure hope that the possession rule is tweaked before next season even though we benefited from it in the Tampa game. Didn't mean to ramble so much. Just some musings here.