Nfl Refs
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http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/nfl-referee-officiating-impasse-threatens-integrity-072412
Labor dispute risks integrity of game
Updated Jul 24, 2012 10:17 PM ET
I have been through this before and it is not pretty. In fact, it is downright ugly and risky. The NFL’s contract with its game officials has expired. The NFL has locked out its officials and has hired replacements. The league is now preparing these replacements to officiate games in the 2012 season.
It happened in 2001 when former director of officiating operations Larry Upson and I were in charge at the NFL ... and it is happening again, now.
Does any of this make sense?
Drew Brees just signed a new contract that will pay him $40 million in 2012. Players' salaries are paid per game during the regular season. That is 16 paychecks. For Brees, that comes out to him earning $2.5 million per game.
Gene Steratore, an official we hired in 2003 who is generally regarded as one of the better referees in the NFL, is the official in charge of protecting Brees and his $2.5 million per game.
Steratore made $5,606 per game during the 2011 season and would like a raise to about $6,000 per game this season. The NFL is offering him $5,746.
To sum this up, the NFL is offering its crew of well-trained officials a compensation increase of 2.5 percent. The officials are asking for 8 percent.
OK, using Brees as an example of the value we should place on protecting players on the field may not be fair since his new contract is so front-loaded. Maybe Sam Bradford is a better example. The Rams quarterback is scheduled to earn $12 million this season. That is $750,000 per game.
Again, Steratore, one of the NFL’s top referees, wants to make about $6,000 each game.
Steratore also wants to keep his defined retirement benefit we promised when we hired him in ‘03. He and other officials are willing to accommodate some change to their pension, which the NFL wants to convert to a 401K contribution fund for officials hired from this point forward.
A lot of you can appreciate how contentious any negotiations about retirement funds can be.
So, the two sides cannot agree. And that has brought about the lockout and the controversial prospect of replacement officials.
What is at risk? Clearly, the two areas that will be most compromised are player safety and the integrity of the game.
Let's establish some facts:
• NFL football is extremely tough to officiate. The speed of the game is incredible.
• NFL officials are not perfect. They make their fair share of mistakes.
• NFL officials have a combined total of 1,456 years of NFL experience.
• The replacement officials the NFL plans to use have zero years of NFL experience.
Quick initial conclusion:
The replacement officials are going to make a lot more mistakes than the regular officials. Many more mistakes will be made not only in the area of judgment but also in game management, including timing and rules interpretation.
So, for those of you that say the integrity of the game is already at risk with the regular officials, it will be a lot more at risk with this group of replacements. If I am a quarterback in the NFL, I would be a little nervous about putting my protection in the hands of a referee with no NFL experience as opposed to a regular NFL referee who averages 14.9 years of experience.
Let's take it a step further. Who are the replacement officials? Are they coming from a group that includes the next wave of highly trained people that will be brought into the NFL ranks? Not even close!
There are officials with high school experience only. There are officials who were dropped from their college conference. Three officials from the Pac-12 Conference that were not rehired this season for performance reasons are now going to work NFL games.
Think about it: They weren't good enough for the Pac-12, but they are good enough to be trusted to work in the NFL.
There are semi-pro officials who are scheduled to work NFL games, too. There are even retired college officials — most of whom have been out of the game for many years — among the NFL’s group of replacements.
There will not be a single official that I know of under consideration by the NFL that is currently working in any of the major college conferences.
Who is training the replacements? Not the current NFL trainers. This esteemed group that includes former referees Jerry Markbreit and Red Cashion, former umpires Jim Quirk and Ron Botchan, former line of scrimmage officials Sid Semon and Ben Montgomery, and former deep officials Dean Look, Tom Fincken and Bill Schmitz has decided — for the right reason — that it will not work with the replacements.
These highly regarded veterans understand the officiating labor impasse will eventually be settled, and they do not want to jeopardize the good relationship with the officials they work with now.
This means there are now nine fewer people training the inexperienced replacement group the NFL has assembled. The men mentioned above are nine trainers representing 265 years of experience and 22 worked Super Bowls.
It’s important to note these trainers weren't fired by the NFL. They were told by the league that they are “seasonal” employees, and I guess it is not their season. They also had to turn in their NFL-issued computers, which contained their training materials.
This thing needs to get settled before a single down of football is played.
Simple facts are that player safety and the integrity of the game are at risk. Both sides need to sit down and negotiate. Both proposals have room for negotiation.
If the NFL wants to play hardball, then the league needs to answer the play safety and integrity issue. If the officials want to play hardball, they, too, will be complicit in these issues, and will be giving up one of the things in life they love doing most.
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What do you guys think? I know from a Browns Fan's point of view that it seems the current, or should I say ex, officials were often quite bias towards the Browns. I hope that the new refs can finally call a fair game on our behalf. I felt that way for a long time now. A level playing field is all I ask for... any thoughts on the article or what I had to say, please post.
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I believe that there are a few corrupt officials in the NFL. Some of their decisions and calls/non calls have been worse
than extremely, outrageously stupid and backwards.
I also believe that Officials don't go through all the training camps and contact during the season,
therefore, the author is actually talking "apples and oranges".
The other officials? Be glad you get 2.5 million a game, for cryin out loud. I would gladly
be a replacement for 1/3 that much.
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$2.5 mil a game?
They make $5000 a game. I don't think 6k is out of the question for people who stand at the top of their profession.
Those crews work 14 games a year, the get a couple of weekends off. That works out to about $80,000 for a seasoned vet. A nice sum no doubt, but hardly a crazy amount.
People can complain about this or that, but on the whole I think NFL refs do a very good job.
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they may do a good job but it's the good ole boy network at its finest.
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Honestly if you look at the deal the NFL offered them before they locked out the refs, the refs were going to get screwed. They were offered like a 1 or 2% raise for their contracts but in the last deal they got something like 8%. They were also going to pull from their pensions and health insurance if I'm not mistaken. I understand why they don't make as much as officials from other sports, compared to those a job as an NFL reg is rather cushy, but the NFL is also the highest grossing sport in America, maybe this decades deal for the refs should reflect that. I guess I just can't understand how the deal given to the refs doesn't at least reflect wage increases like they did in their last deal when the NFL is making as much money as they are.
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Refs are meant to be seen and not heard. I think I have heard all that needs to be heard about them. STFU.
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Evolving Thread to include thoughts on the new officials.
I think they are doing a fine job thus far in the preseason. I've seen a lot of the refs letting the guys get away with a little more in the secondary. Dawg Pound Defense! TJ Ward is gonna start laying the wood again!... I can feel it. Haden, Skrine and now Wade, they all look feisty out there! Let's get them Dogs OUT! This is the year Brownies.
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Seriously, who will be locked out next year? As for the replacement refs, they are doing an ok job. They are doing the best they can and are learning just like the other NFL officials learned when they came in. By week 8, these refs will have had 8 weeks of games under their belts and will be fine.
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As if the money making machine that is the NFL can't divvy up $400 extra dollars a game to these officials. While I do agree that there has been some spotty calls in previous years, they just need to tighten up the accountability and issue stronger punishments. But to balk at the increase, considering how much the players are making is similar to how little our education system pays the people that are supposed to shape the future of our youths. Utterly pathetic. Get it done Goodell...
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The salary increase across all the refs in the NFL is a drop in the ocean compared to the revenue generated, if this is a truly a straight case of the NFL not coughing up that increase then it is crazy. Perhaps there is more behind this. I just can't believe that they wouldnt cough up to make a 6K per game deal - it's peanuts.
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I disagree..the little of preseason that I've watched the replacement refs have been terrible at best. The NFL is a billion dollar business and should pay these guys to get them back. It's not a ridiculous amount that they're looking for.
I disagree..the little of preseason that I've watched the replacement refs have been terrible at best. The NFL is a billion dollar business and should pay these guys to get them back. It's not a ridiculous amount that they're looking for.
Agreed 100%. It is sad that a business that is so profitable as the NFL is baulking at paying these men. I might be able to understand that the NFL needs to let them know who is in charge and not meet every single demand every time, but still, what is the problem here.
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Evolving Thread to include thoughts on the new officials.
I think they are doing a fine job thus far in the preseason. I've seen a lot of the refs letting the guys get away with a little more in the secondary. Dawg Pound Defense! TJ Ward is gonna start laying the wood again!... I can feel it. Haden, Skrine and now Wade, they all look feisty out there! Let's get them Dogs OUT! This is the year Brownies.
Evolving Thread to include thoughts on the new officials.
I think they are doing a fine job thus far in the preseason. I've seen a lot of the refs letting the guys get away with a little more in the secondary. Dawg Pound Defense! TJ Ward is gonna start laying the wood again!... I can feel it. Haden, Skrine and now Wade, they all look feisty out there! Let's get them Dogs OUT! This is the year Brownies.
you GOT to be kidding right? I saw some bad calls last night Min vs SD... a motion call against SD QB in the shotgun waiting for the snap, no flagrant movement seen! hope this aint whats ahead with this group. It will be brutal.
hope they bring back the real refs.
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"Q: Is there any possibility of the players en masse withholding their services because of safety concerns with replacement officials?
A: In America it is the employer's obligation to provide as safe a working environment as possible. We believe that if the National Football League fails in that obligation we reserve the right to seek any relief that we believe is appropriate. The NFL has chosen to prevent the very officials that they have trained, championed and cultivated for decades to be on the field to protect players and -- by their own admission -- further our goal of enhanced safety. That is absurd on its face."
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/jim_trotter/08/28/smith/index.html#ixzz24rzdvpYm
I doubt they would actually delay the start of the season, but will we really have to suffer through a couple games with replacement refs?
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"Q: Is there any possibility of the players en masse withholding their services because of safety concerns with replacement officials?
A: In America it is the employer's obligation to provide as safe a working environment as possible. We believe that if the National Football League fails in that obligation we reserve the right to seek any relief that we believe is appropriate. The NFL has chosen to prevent the very officials that they have trained, championed and cultivated for decades to be on the field to protect players and -- by their own admission -- further our goal of enhanced safety. That is absurd on its face."
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/jim_trotter/08/28/smith/index.html#ixzz24rzdvpYm
I doubt they would actually delay the start of the season, but will we really have to suffer through a couple games with replacement refs?
"Q: Is there any possibility of the players en masse withholding their services because of safety concerns with replacement officials?
A: In America it is the employer's obligation to provide as safe a working environment as possible. We believe that if the National Football League fails in that obligation we reserve the right to seek any relief that we believe is appropriate. The NFL has chosen to prevent the very officials that they have trained, championed and cultivated for decades to be on the field to protect players and -- by their own admission -- further our goal of enhanced safety. That is absurd on its face."
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/jim_trotter/08/28/smith/index.html#ixzz24rzdvpYm
I doubt they would actually delay the start of the season, but will we really have to suffer through a couple games with replacement refs?
Did the NFL lock them out, or did they go on strike?
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Locked out due to expired contract I think http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/eye-on-football/19790737/report-nfl-referees-could-remain-locked-out-into-regular-season
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People like Jimmy Haslam are willing to pay over 1 billion dollars for an NFL franchise, and the players have made pretty good gains on the salaries Baseball, and Basketball players get, but the league will not pay the guys that control the games, and safety of those players $6000 a game. I just don't get that.........The quality of the replacement refs has been disapointing to say the least, but the league will accept that for literally a few hundred dollars a game.
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The way it was worked out on SVP today was something like 1,000 dollars more per team per week.
That's absolute chump change. Sack up, NFL.
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