If I was in those guys' shoes, I'm not sure I would consider the opportunity to meet and talk to people that I would have never otherwise had as being "used".
It seems so simple and obvious.
Yet somehow, some drone in the league's front office was watching TMZ and decided that more officiating drama would make better football.
And a bunch of other dorks listened to him.
It got so bad a few years ago that I cancelled my ST and just stopped watching the NFL because officiating had taken over both the games and broadcasts.
A thousand times, yes