Has officiating ever NOT been a problem?

[Real McClappy]

Not having the Balls to reverse a boneheaded flag toss. Remember this little Hughes Gem? 

 

Ohh... look against the Pats!  How friggin ironic?

 

[Sweats]

I have always been a die hard Bills fan and the biggest NFL supporter........if an NFL game was on t.v (didn't matter who was playing) i was watching it no matter what.

Lately, i can't stomach how pathetic the NFL has gotten..........bad officiating, ever-changing rules, barely any contact anymore, etc.

 

I've been watching way more college games these past few years.

I still reserve the 3 1/2 to 4 hours every sunday for the Bills, but thats it.

 

The Bills have my support...........the NFL does not.

[Figster]

17 hours ago, MRW said:

When instant replay was brought in to the NFL, the hope was that it could be used to eliminate egregious errors.  Instead we've got refs scrutinizing every aspect of a catch down to the finest detail, coaches challenging the spot of the football, and still seemingly no end to the bad calls that determine the outcome of games.  I'm coming to view it like the idea of measuring for first downs, that is, a fine level of precision based on garbage data (I always laugh when refs eyeball where the ball should be after a play, then trot out the chains, introducing more variables, then measure to the inch).

 

I wouldn't have said this a few years ago, but maybe it's time to eliminate instant replay.  Is it actually adding anything to the game, or just slowing it down?

Without replay capabilities to correct mistakes made by officiating crews you have zero accountability which is already a big part of the problem in my humble opinion.

 

All plays should be open to scrutiny IMO. ( Red flag)

[May Day 10]

15 hours ago, corta765 said:

To me it stems to this. Somewhere in the early 2000s when we got replay we went mentally from just getting the basic calls right foot in bounds, ball over goal line, was the knee down etc.. to making every catch, TD, tackle, fumble, you name it into the dam Zapruder film. Additionally do not under estimate the amount of rule changes the NFL has had starting in 03 on that has emphasized the offense more and made the game far more complicated for how a defender can even tackle an opposing player. This also has created a situation where if Tom Brady or Drew Brees is grazed remotely wrong its a flag immediately, yet if your a lesser QB you most likely do not get that call. That's a really bad look for the NFL and only imbalances the rich from the poor league wise.

 

I would honestly like to see a bit of a pull back on calls and replay. It is just too much and the amount of times a play is called back because of an insanely light hold that doesn't need to be call is astonishing. This season especially really seems to have had that a lot IMO. The NFL needs to do some work to clean up its game because its too messy with flags and rules to the point no one knows what a catch is.

 

I agree with this.  It is also trickling into other sports as well.  The NHL is making a travesty out of itself with its offsides challenge.  Now we are looking at 'did he have possession?' 'did his skate lose contact with the ice?' 'the letter of the rule states xxxxx, therefore they were offside'.  We dont want guys breaking in 10 feet offside on a breakaway, but this is too much.    MLB is getting bad too.  The worst is when a player slides into a bag and might lose contact of the base by a millimeter for a fraction of a second and you can look frame by frame.  I really dont need that, the guy is safe.  My team will get some and lose some.  I don't need for every call and every inch to be micro-analyzed.  This, was one of the main reasons I dug the snow game so much.  They just played and we couldnt dissect every inch.

Edited December 20, 2017 by May Day 10

[Figster]

17 minutes ago, May Day 10 said:

 

I agree with this.  It is also trickling into other sports as well.  The NHL is making a travesty out of itself with its offsides challenge.  Now we are looking at 'did he have possession?' 'did his skate lose contact with the ice?' 'the letter of the rule states xxxxx, therefore they were offside'.  We dont want guys breaking in 10 feet offside on a breakaway, but this is too much.    MLB is getting bad too.  The worst is when a player slides into a bag and might lose contact of the base by a millimeter for a fraction of a second and you can look frame by frame.  I really dont need that, the guy is safe.  My team will get some and lose some.  I don't need for every call and every inch to be micro-analyzed.  This, was one of the main reasons I dug the snow game so much.  They just played and we couldnt dissect every inch.

Players know the rules in every sport so how about a product with less mistakes from the athlete because they don't get away with it half the time.

 

You think these guys might get paid enough to play within the rules?

Edited December 20, 2017 by Figster

[May Day 10]

1 minute ago, Figster said:

Players know the rules in every sport so how about a product with less mistakes from the athlete because they don't get away with it half the time.

 

 

 

I dunno.  In baseball, losing contact with the bag often saves players from broken ankles and fingers/hands.  

 

The offsides thing in hockey is bad too.  The reason the rule exists is so a player cant get a huge advantage getting over the line, past the defense and receive a pass.  looking at it on a micro scale is silly, especially since usually several things happen between that and a goal.  I dont have any problem with the linseman calling it in real time.

[Figster]

16 minutes ago, May Day 10 said:

 

I dunno.  In baseball, losing contact with the bag often saves players from broken ankles and fingers/hands.  

 

The offsides thing in hockey is bad too.  The reason the rule exists is so a player cant get a huge advantage getting over the line, past the defense and receive a pass.  looking at it on a micro scale is silly, especially since usually several things happen between that and a goal.  I dont have any problem with the linseman calling it in real time.

true that,

 

The flow of a game from a spectator standpoint is extremely important , I get that, but its a balancing act between good entertainment and accurate results. 

Edited December 20, 2017 by Figster

[Bob in STL]

Yes, we never really talked about the officials ...

 

Before all the replays, before the challenges,  the planned commercial time outs, before the countless pregame and post game shows and analysis.

 

Back then you lined up and played and the ref's calls were made.  You moved on.  You did not see it over and over. 

 

Before all the protection of late hits, dirty hits, etc.

 

Before the stupid and ridiculous celebrations made by today players for doing their job.  Special teams player going into a dance ritual for making a tackle ... hoot hoot!

 

The players today are better than ever, but the game is not and the product on the field is not.

[Figster]

9 minutes ago, Bob in STL said:

Yes, we never really talked about the officials ...

 

Before all the replays, before the challenges,  the planned commercial time outs, before the countless pregame and post game shows and analysis.

 

Back then you lined up and played and the ref's calls were made.  You moved on.  You did not see it over and over. 

 

Before all the protection of late hits, dirty hits, etc.

 

Before the stupid and ridiculous celebrations made by today players for doing their job.  Special teams player going into a dance ritual for making a tackle ... hoot hoot!

 

The players today are better than ever, but the game is not and the product on the field is not.

While I may not be happy with what Tom Brady has done to us over the years seeing history in the making like the comeback in last years Superbowl against the dirty birds was amazing stuff IMO.

 

 

[corta765]

57 minutes ago, May Day 10 said:

 

I agree with this.  It is also trickling into other sports as well.  The NHL is making a travesty out of itself with its offsides challenge.  Now we are looking at 'did he have possession?' 'did his skate lose contact with the ice?' 'the letter of the rule states xxxxx, therefore they were offside'.  We dont want guys breaking in 10 feet offside on a breakaway, but this is too much.    MLB is getting bad too.  The worst is when a player slides into a bag and might lose contact of the base by a millimeter for a fraction of a second and you can look frame by frame.  I really dont need that, the guy is safe.  My team will get some and lose some.  I don't need for every call and every inch to be micro-analyzed.  This, was one of the main reasons I dug the snow game so much.  They just played and we couldnt dissect every inch.

 

And that is my issue with holding calls this year especially. Most of these calls are complete bogus where it is a light grab not something where it is blatant which has killed big plays.

 

And 100% agree with snow game was nice just to have both teams play and be done with it.

[Figster]

17 minutes ago, corta765 said:

 

And that is my issue with holding calls this year especially. Most of these calls are complete bogus where it is a light grab not something where it is blatant which has killed big plays.

 

And 100% agree with snow game was nice just to have both teams play and be done with it.

twas, 

 

I loved the snow game

Edited December 20, 2017 by Figster

[SoCal Deek]

Three changes (officiating related) that have made the NFL decidedly worse in recent years:

 

First, when offensive holding changed from being called on running plays instead of passing plays.

 

Second, allowing quarterbacks to ground the ball in lieu of a sack. (No problem with them throwing it away for their personal safety but it should count and be spotted as a sack.)

 

Third, the advent of the Pick or Rib route.

 

Notice how the Patriots have taken full advantage of all three!!

[Mat68]

Since I remember watching football there have always been bad calls.  With referee controlled replay they now seem to interpret rules in ways that have never been called in real time.  Very simple way to speed up the game.  Give both coaches 3 challenges.  No more officiating control even under 2 mins.  Put in on the coaches.  If they don't challenge the play it stands.  It removes imo the over analysis of the every td or turnover.  If you cant tell its not the right call after seeing 30 sec of replay its not obvious.  It slows the game and effects momentum.  Does NE challenge the Jesse James TD?  I doubt it.  

Edited December 20, 2017 by Mat68

[MRW]

3 hours ago, Figster said:

Without replay capabilities to correct mistakes made by officiating crews you have zero accountability which is already a big part of the problem in my humble opinion.

 

All plays should be open to scrutiny IMO. ( Red flag)

 

I used to share this point of view.  But in catching the obvious mistakes, every play has been opened up to too much scrutiny.  I don't want to sit waiting for a replay review of a 15-yard catch on second down.

[Figster]

15 minutes ago, MRW said:

 

I used to share this point of view.  But in catching the obvious mistakes, every play has been opened up to too much scrutiny.  I don't want to sit waiting for a replay review of a 15-yard catch on second down.

I understand,  smooth flow of the game is at the top of almost everyones list when it comes to entertainment value. 

 

Myself personally, I wouldn't change the amount of red flag challenges a team gets or the way losing a time out is administered. Just expand it to all plays forcing everyone to do a better job playing within the rule book.

[buffaloboyinATL]

There were 7 minutes back in 2012 where no bad calls were made. I believe that is the longest streak in NFL history.

[LABILLBACKER]

21 hours ago, MRW said:

When instant replay was brought in to the NFL, the hope was that it could be used to eliminate egregious errors.  Instead we've got refs scrutinizing every aspect of a catch down to the finest detail, coaches challenging the spot of the football, and still seemingly no end to the bad calls that determine the outcome of games.  I'm coming to view it like the idea of measuring for first downs, that is, a fine level of precision based on garbage data (I always laugh when refs eyeball where the ball should be after a play, then trot out the chains, introducing more variables, then measure to the inch).

 

I wouldn't have said this a few years ago, but maybe it's time to eliminate instant replay.  Is it actually adding anything to the game, or just slowing it down?

Couldn't agree more. They're slowly ruining the game and the shield is too stupid to realize it.