Full Time Officials Coming to the NFL in 2017

[26CornerBlitz]

@AdamSchefter

NFL exec Troy Vincent told AP he expects league to hire as many as 17 full-time officials for start of 2017...

https://t.co/RhJXiGTpma

 

[Mr. WEO]

It's not intuitive to me how this will change anything. The NFL is a 4+ month season. Having "full time refs" hanging around somewhere "watching film" or studying the rulebook for the other 7+ months will not lead to fewer errors.

 

In what other sport is this the way it has worked? MLB umps still can't figure out where the strike zone is or when a guy has beaten a throw to first. NBA refs can't call a travel to save their lives, nor do they call a charge correctly half the time.

[CommonCents]

It's not intuitive to me how this will change anything. The NFL is a 4+ month season. Having "full time refs" hanging around somewhere "watching film" or studying the rulebook for the other 7+ months will not lead to fewer errors.

 

In what other sport is this the way it has worked? MLB umps still can't figure out where the strike zone is or when a guy has beaten a throw to first. NBA refs can't call a travel to save their lives, nor do they call a charge correctly half the time.

Well many have been calling for this move and the NFL made it happen. Couple this with the cleats thing going on this weekend and the talk about eliminating TNF after 17' and it looks like the league finally checked it's pulse. Keep your finger right there Rog, and cut down on a few commercials. Edited December 1, 2016 by Commonsense

[Kirby Jackson]

It's not intuitive to me how this will change anything. The NFL is a 4+ month season. Having "full time refs" hanging around somewhere "watching film" or studying the rulebook for the other 7+ months will not lead to fewer errors.

 

In what other sport is this the way it has worked? MLB umps still can't figure out where the strike zone is or when a guy has beaten a throw to first. NBA refs can't call a travel to save their lives, nor do they call a charge correctly half the time.

At the same time it couldn't hurt right? Even if they get 5-10% better it's an improvement. I agree that it isn't a silver bullet but in won't make things worse IMO.

[Gugny]

Doing nothing would be stupid.

 

At least they're trying to fix the problem - which is very real.

[Freddie's Dead]

What they need is someone overseeing every game, to ensure that procedural errors like what happened to the Bills never happens again. When they see a screwup like that, they buzz the field and correct it immediately. I'm still baffled as to how the umpire was OK with a DOG penalty two seconds after he stopped standing over the ball. We needed Wood there, because Groy is still too much of a rook to get into the umpire's ear. Eric Wood would have told the ump "HTF am I supposed to snap the ball and avoid the DOG WHEN YOU'RE STANDING OVER IT PREVENTING ME FROM SNAPPING THE #$%^ING BALL?!!"

[r00tabaga]

Doing nothing would be stupid.

 

At least they're trying to fix the problem - which is very real.

This. They had to do "something".

[34-78-83]

What they need is someone overseeing every game, to ensure that procedural errors like what happened to the Bills never happens again. When they see a screwup like that, they buzz the field and correct it immediately. I'm still baffled as to how the umpire was OK with a DOG penalty two seconds after he stopped standing over the ball. We needed Wood there, because Groy is still too much of a rook to get into the umpire's ear. Eric Wood would have told the ump "HTF am I supposed to snap the ball and avoid the DOG WHEN YOU'RE STANDING OVER IT PREVENTING ME FROM SNAPPING THE #$%^ING BALL?!!"

This ^^ yes!

[uticaclub]

I'm wonder if having full time refs might actually lead to more fixed games. Anyone watching this TNF, it's obviously that the NFL wants the NFC South & East races to tighten up. If the Giants/Cowboys game is for first place, they'll showcase it on Sunday Night and have a ratings boom.

[bobobonators]

Everything is a conspiracy.

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

I think it will lead to less errors, will it fix everything no, but at least studying film rule books for 7 months may mean the officials will actually no the rules.

 

I've heard the argument for the past 40 + years they want these people who make $400k salaries so they are being bribed. First off in today's world there's so much money out there being gambled, that even making that much money you could easily off someone enough for him to easily fix the game if desired.

 

The problem too with people making that kind of money is they likely are going to work at 7:00 in the morning and not returning to 7:00 at night, and that's when not traveling. Ward Cleaver was able to read the newspaper every day over coffee with June, leave for work and be home in plenty of time for dinner, but those days are long over.

 

With players getting bigger and bigger, I'd like to see an extra official up in one of those man lifts 20 feet above the field traveling up and down the sideline like the camera man does to get a better view of the action. Fro mup there, may be able to se things that they can't see today.

 

 

 

It's not intuitive to me how this will change anything. The NFL is a 4+ month season. Having "full time refs" hanging around somewhere "watching film" or studying the rulebook for the other 7+ months will not lead to fewer errors.

 

In what other sport is this the way it has worked? MLB umps still can't figure out where the strike zone is or when a guy has beaten a throw to first. NBA refs can't call a travel to save their lives, nor do they call a charge correctly half the time.

[Mr. WEO]

Well many have been calling for this move and the NFL made it happen. Couple this with the cleats thing going on this weekend and the talk about eliminating TNF after 17' and it looks like the league finally checked it's pulse. Keep your finger right there Rog, and cut down on a few commercials.

 

"Rog" can do nothing about commercials, any more than he can prevent the sun from rising in the East. These are part of the network rights contracts which he had nothing to with negotiating. It's how you are able to watch NFL football for free.

 

As for getting rid of TNF, it would be strange for the NFL to get rid of a valuable and (still) top rated broadcast. MNF, compared to a year ago, is doing worse as far as ratings drops than TNF. Should they get rid of that too?

 

At the same time it couldn't hurt right? Even if they get 5-10% better it's an improvement. I agree that it isn't a silver bullet but in won't make things worse IMO.

 

 

 

Doing nothing would be stupid.

 

At least they're trying to fix the problem - which is very real.

 

I guess if the argument that if you pretend to do something, you are still doing something...then, yes. This is "doing something". But there is no chance at all that it will actually affect the quality of referreeing. Because it can't. This has been proven in other leagues---and even the premise makes no sense. The problem will not be solved.

[Kirby Jackson]

I guess if the argument that if you pretend to do something, you are still doing something...then, yes. This is "doing something". But there is no chance at all that it will actually affect the quality of referreeing. Because it can't. This has been proven in other leagues---and even the premise makes no sense. The problem will not be solved.

The argument isn't even that it will be good. The argument is that it will be an improvement. Additional film watching, training and learning won't make them worse. It will improve the officiating. With only having to officiate 20 or so games they can learn tendencies and such that a MLB umpire just can't. Again, it won't necessarily be good but extra preparation will help. Edited December 2, 2016 by Kirby Jackson

[stevewin]

That's one full-time official per each game crew? Not likely to dilute the ineptitude of all the other part-time clowns who will still be officiating

[Mr. WEO]

The argument isn't even that it will be good. The argument is that it will be an improvement. Additional film watching, training and learning won't make them worse. It will improve the officiating. With only having to officiate 20 or so games they can learn tendencies and such that a MLB umpire just can't. Again, it won't necessarily be good but extra preparation will help.

 

 

I'm going to disagree. I don't believe that watching film for the vast majority of time they won't be officiating will lead to better officiating--because a lack of adequate film review isn't the problem.

 

The only way to improve officiating is to take away some officiating from the refs on the field and have more real time reviews by refs watching what we can see on TV.

 

The hiring of a few "full time" refs is a cynical response by the NFL that fans shouldn't fall for. It's another Rooney rule "solution".

[TakeYouToTasker]

I like it from the perspective of it being a pilot program.

 

At this point it's impossible to say if it will improve things, but it certainly can't hurt.

 

The league has a grading system by which they score the quality of their officials both by individual and team performance. One would assume that if scores objectively improve, the league will expand the program, and if they don't they won't.

[Roger Goodell]

While our game officials continue to do an outstanding job week in and week out, I look forward to soon officially announcing major steps we are taking to address fans' concerns over how we plan to maintain a high standard of officiating in our evolving sport.

[bobobonators]

While our game officials continue to do an outstanding job week in and week out, I look forward to soon officially announcing major steps we are taking to address fans' concerns over how we plan to maintain a high standard of officiating in our evolving sport.

Who the f is this guy?

[uticaclub]

"More fixed games" is to say there are fixed games, and I don't believe that for a second. I do think the quality we are seeing is often very disturbing. Would it be better or worse if they were full time? No idea, as that means at least initially we'd be losing many of the most experienced people who would not give up their day jobs. Lots of brand new (at least at this level) full time guys.

Really? You honestly don't believe the refs are paid to influence games.

[Guest K-GunJimKelly12]

The game needs younger, more athletic officials. They ask middle aged to bordering senior men to run with and keep up with the best athletes in the world in a sport that has more going on than any other sport. It is one of the most ridiculous things ever. There needs to be a series of tests that every official should have to pass before every season. It should include athletic tests but also vision and awareness. It would be so, so simple to do but the NFL would rather be reactive than proactive.

 

Also the NFL absolutely should go to a laser system for all field position and first down/goal line situations. Take that out of the refs hands and let technology give you 100% accuracy in those situations. This would speed up the game as well.

Edited December 2, 2016 by K-GunJimKelly12