Replacing the Sanctity of the Game

When is enough going to be enough in this referee lockout? Sadly, the answer is far too long.

The first two weeks of replacement referees in the NFL were bad enough. But there was at least hope. It was an ugly situation, this official lockout, and the replacements were thrown into it cold. These were normal, everyday people who all of the sudden had a hand in deciding NFL games that move quickly and are viewed by millions and millions of people every Sunday. Sure, they were making procedural mistakes and blowing some obvious calls, but what did we expect? Perfection? Hell, the regular referees are from perfect at their job. But we at least expected something close to what the regular referees gave us and if not, we at least expected improvement each week. Well, now Week 3 of the NFL is in the books, and the replacement ref's have embarrassed the league. This past week's officiating was atrocious, sloppy and controversial and it is an absolute shame. But what's even sadder is that we are far from any kind of result, and we only have ourselves to thank.



 For those who watched the end of the Packers and Seahawks game on Monday Night, you have your own opinion on how the game ended. It was a difficult call to make no matter what. The Seahawks were down 12-7 with seven seconds left and twenty seven yards to go to score the game winning touchdown. When Russell Wilson scrambled and heaved the ball in the air towards the end zone, time had expired. This was the last play of the game, and Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate not only pushed off one Packers defender, but lost the battle for the ball to cornerback Ebenee Jennings. The rulebook states that if two eligible players catch the ball at the same time, then the ball goes to the offensive player, much like the tie in baseball at a base goes to the runner. However, if one player gains possession of the ball first and establishes possession, the ball is his, even if a player steals the ball and ends up with it after a pile up. Sound familiar? That is exactly how the final play of that game went, and the referees straight up blew it. Would the regular officials have gotten it right? There is no way of telling and honestly. they may not have. It was a tough call to make, but not impossible. True, the push off pass interference on Tate's part was blatant, and should be looked at more. That play made it possible for the jump ball to happen. But rarely is that call made to end a game, however, the right call should be made to end a game. And frankly, it was not last night and the wrong team ended up with a win.

Honestly, I do not understand how that call was made. I do not understand how the majority of the calls these replacement referees are making are made. While it might be unfair to be too critical of them as they were thrown into this situation without much experience or preparation, but they are just not getting it done. You expect a new hire to make some mistakes at first at any job, but if they continue to be so inefficient, do they keep the job? The answer is a resounding no. 

But this is the National Football League, an entity that makes well over one billion dollars per year. This is a program that had 200 million viewers last year. The demand for the NFL is purely inelastic, meaning that no matter the price (or quality in this situation), people will still provide demand for the product. People still go to football games, people still buy NFL merchandise, and most importantly people still watch and follow the league no matter how awful the officiating is. Roger Goodell knows this, the regular officials know this, which makes for a stalemate in the holdout.

The referees have a great argument. The high-ups of the league are watching the sanctity of this sport that is almost one hundred years old get tarnished week after week and are doing nothing about it. The replacement ref's simply can not handle the speed of the game and can not make calls that make it so outcomes of games are not dependent on the officiating. The league has basically said that the normal referee crew's absence will not affect the competition, but it has. The league is insulting it's fans just months after they did the same thing by locking out the players. The NFL makes billions upon billions of dollars a year and yet they are screwing with games and fans over something so simple, proving that the owners, high-ups and commissioner are all greedy and shallow business people.

The league has a great argument. They know they are greedy business people. Do they care? No chance, as far as they are concerned, this debacle helps the league. Sure, it is ugly public relations, and free marketing can be bad in this case. But people still watch, and that is the bottom line to them. Do any of the people making decisions for the NFL in this lockout care how the replacement ref's do? No. They really do not, and that is why this holdout is far from over. As sad as it is to say, this lockout will not end anytime soon. And the absolute honest truth is the NFL could care less.

The parity in the league this year can be blamed on the officiating, that is perfectly fair. Aaron Rodgers said that call Monday night was "awful". Drew Brees, one of the classiest players in NFL history, called the officiating in the Saints-Chiefs game "embarrassing". They both have a point, and the outcome of a game has finally been decided on the replacement ref's. It was the ultimate fear for people who cared about the holdout, which does not include the league or Roger Goodell. If Goodell cared, he would have the normal referees back on Thursday night for the Ravens-Browns game at all costs. But Goodell does not care, and the only way this disgusting holdout will end is if the referees can not stand to watch the game be humiliated anymore and give in, surrendering their reasonable calls for retirement benefits among other requests. Or we, the fans, stop watching. Stop going to games. Stop buying our favorite team's merchandise.

In the end, neither of them will happen and the rich will get richer. Long live the NFL.