Fixing the Officiating

[blacklabel]

2 hours ago, NeverOutNick said:

I’ll get more into the weeds later because I’m at work but the officiating is a HUGE problem and has been. Here are a couple quick fixes the NFL needs to do:

 

1. make the NFL refs a full time gig and let them get paid a lot of money 

2. make refs accountable for their mistakes with suspensions and eventual firings

 

NFL has deep pockets and should’ve done something to pay the good refs rightfully years ago. By doing 1 and 2 on my list there will be so many more potentially great applicants to become refs in the future and we won’t have the “boys club” we have now that doesn’t feel the pressure to make a good call or else.  This may not fix everything but I guarantee it’ll help out a lot 

 

They also need to allow technological advancements into the rules. Stuff like a microchip in the ball to help with spots, etc. I mean, there are already enough cameras and circuits in the dang pylons that they need their own little cooling fans. But, every time the league brings up integrating tech into officiating, the referee's union throws a tantrum, threatens a strike like, "You 'member them replacement refs? They were awful and we'll send 'em out again if you dare try to look at us as anything other than infallible! We are geniuses who see all and are never wrong!!"

 

I really don't like officials. Anyone who wants to be one at that level... I dunno, I think you probably got farts in your brain or something. 

[Dancing Fool]

4 hours ago, Bob in STL said:

It can never be improved?  It is always fair and correct?  Just accept it?   

 

This kind of thought would have kept us sleeping on the ground in caves.  

 

IF your not improving and getting better, then you are getting worse.  

Nonono, you misunderstand me entirely.

 

The NFL WANTS officiating to work the way it does, or else they would change things. I have seen no word from on high at any point that officiating is an issue in the NFL. From the perspective of the league, things are progressing swimmingly.

 

At a certain point if you disagree with the NFL about such a foundational practice, perhaps it is wise to recognize that your goals may not be in alignment with what the league wants. Perhaps the NFL is not in the business of providing the product you were under the impression they were providing.

 

Or perhaps the refs just make a lot of mistakes that go unnoticed. *Shrug* Who is to say, really?

 

On a completely unrelated note, does anyone have statistics on how consistently bookies profit from the NFL? Theoretically they are shooting for a 50/50 chance when they are placing odds, I wonder if they lose out as often as they win.

[RobbRiddick]

5 hours ago, The Firebaugh Kid said:

Nobodys gonna like this, but some penalties and non penalties need to be reviewable. Human error will never go away.

If they could figure out a way to do it at speed that would be great but there's so much conferring and talking, it drives me mad

[BigPappy]

The NFL has no interest in "fixing" what fans call horrible officiating. The NFL has put in place a set of rules that allow the refs the best opportunity to maximize dollars generated for the league. On top of that, the not chaning of the rules gurentees that they stay "relevent" in the media which furthers the maximization of money coming into the NFL. My personal opinion is that they only way they would be forced to change (maybe), is for the IRS to take away their non for profit status and make them start paying taxes on the league earns. 

[oldmanfan]

My solutions:

 

1.  Get rid of replay and accept there is human error inherent in any officiating

 

2.  To make # 1 less of an issue, penalties are only called when egregious and definitively affect a play.  No more ticky tack stuff.

 

3.  DBs can put hands on guys within 15 yards of the LOS

 

4.  Roughing the QB needs to be scaled way back.  See # 2.  QBs are football players too.  
 

5.  Use your helmet as a weapon?  Immediate dismissal from the game and automatic 4 game suspension.  Make the defense go back to actual tackling.

Edited November 22, 2023 by oldmanfan

[Billzgobowlin]

4 hours ago, NeverOutNick said:

It’s obviously a 2 part scenario brother. That’s why I wrote 1 AND 2…not 1 OR 2 lol

 

That’d be like someone saying to pop this popcorn there’s 2 thing you need to do: 

 

1. Put in microwave

2.  Set cook timer for 2 minutes and hit start

 

and then complaining because they have no popcorn after only doing step one.

 

I'm sorry I'm sick of the argument that full time officials solve the problem.  Thats like saying to the person that made your drink all wrong at starbucks hey you're only part time so we can't possibly expect you to do your job.

[WhoTom]

13 minutes ago, BigPappy said:

My personal opinion is that they only way they would be forced to change (maybe), is for the IRS to take away their non for profit status and make them start paying taxes on the league earns. 

 

The league voluntarily relinquished its non-profit status in 2015.

https://time.com/3839164/nfl-tax-exempt-status/

 

[frostbitmic]

Since Defensive holding is 5 yards and a first down, shouldn't offensive holding be 5 yards and 4th down ?

 

 

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

8 hours ago, Dancing Fool said:

Pretty confident that the results the NFL is getting with their referees is exactly what they are hoping to achieve. I would encourage you to just accept that the NFL has their reasons for not "fixing" your perceived issue and enjoying the product for what it is.

 

After all, if the NFL felt that it was a problem, they would make dramatic changes. Year after year, they do not.

 

One can speculate as to why the NFL disagrees with your assessment, but it may have to do with their classification as "sports entertainment", a designation shared most notably with the modern WWE.

Are you suggesting the WWE is rigged too ??

[That's No Moon]

7 hours ago, WhoTom said:

 

I agree, which reminds me ... during the Bills-Jets game, there was a flag for an ineligible man downfield. Then the ref said, "After review, it was determined that the lineman was not downfield," and they picked up the flag. Since when is that reviewable?

And not a soul has spoken about it since. You'd expect some sort of uproar, no? 

2 hours ago, RobbRiddick said:

If they could figure out a way to do it at speed that would be great but there's so much conferring and talking, it drives me mad

So you'd rather New York be MORE involved in big calls? How'd that work out in the Houston game? Guys on the field got it right and got overruled by the shadow hand.

[Dancing Fool]

 

6 minutes ago, Over 29 years of fanhood said:

Are you suggesting the WWE is rigged too ??

[Zag20]

4 hours ago, RobbRiddick said:

If they could figure out a way to do it at speed that would be great but there's so much conferring and talking, it drives me mad

Several times a game, you can tell something was wrong (and correctable) within mere seconds.  The solution might be having the head official upstairs and not on the field, so the call can come down fast and without discussion.

Edited November 22, 2023 by Zag20

[NeverOutNick]

2 hours ago, Billzgobowlin said:

I'm sorry I'm sick of the argument that full time officials solve the problem.  Thats like saying to the person that made your drink all wrong at starbucks hey you're only part time so we can't possibly expect you to do your job.

Not even close to the same thing. Starbucks isn’t a once in a lifetime “dream career”. If these refs were full time employees making $250k+ per year with incentives and they knew people were behind them gunning for these prestigious jobs. They would either screw up less or be replaced by someone who does screw up less until we get the cream of the crop. No more boys club of the same incompetence year after year. The NFL is the highest level of a referees industry so the NFL should treat it as such instead of making it the equivalent of a tenured professors position with no consequences for mailing it in

[Jrb1979]

2 minutes ago, NeverOutNick said:

Not even close to the same thing. Starbucks isn’t a once in a lifetime “dream career”. If these refs were full time employees making $250k+ per year with incentives and they knew people were behind them gunning for these prestigious jobs. They would either screw up less or be replaced by someone who does screw up less until we get the cream of the crop. No more boys club of the same incompetence year after year. The NFL is the highest level of a referees industry so the NFL should treat it as such instead of making it the equivalent of a tenured professors position with no consequences for mailing it in

That's the thing. As I said earlier, the NFL has no reason to change anything. It's the same for the NBA and the NHL. They are paid to manage the games and keep them as close as possible. 

[DrBob806]

Eliminate replay as an officiating tool and watch the quality go back up. It's pretty simple. 

 

Nobody here is going to perform well at their job with somebody shadowing their every move. Replay ruined officiating.

[bobobonators]

9 hours ago, The Firebaugh Kid said:

Nobodys gonna like this, but some penalties and non penalties need to be reviewable. Human error will never go away.

this is where I’m at. Make almost all of them reviewable. Refs will be more likely to not call a ticky tack foul if they know it’s reviewable. So the problem may automatically fix itself without even needing that many more reviews. 
 

every game has an additional Ref up in the booth or in NYC reviewing the replays and overturning calls automatically. Some calls are obvious to anyone. If it’s subjective then it’s not a foul. Period. 

[Ya Digg?]

5 minutes ago, DrBob806 said:

Eliminate replay as an officiating tool and watch the quality go back up. It's pretty simple. 

 

Nobody here is going to perform well at their job with somebody shadowing their every move. Replay ruined officiating.

Replay was brought in because the refs were making mistakes.  I know people look back at the earlier years with rose colored glasses, but refs made tons of mistakes back then as well.  The difference now is that the players are so much faster and stronger than they used to be, plus the addition of social media and everyone having an outlet to voice their opinion on, things seem worse than ever before

[SinceThe70s]

8 hours ago, cle23 said:

 

There aren't 2 facemask penalties anymore.  They are all 15 yards.

 

A good example of the NFL taking a judgement call away from the refs. DPI calls are rough when they're ticky-tacky on a downfield pass, but the last thing I want to see is making DPI a judgement call by the refs.

[LABILLBACKER]

The toughest thing to swallow is the "judgement" calls.  They can be ignored or enforced, depending on the mood of the crew or maybe some gentle NFL steering.  I've been saying this for years. It doesn't even involve a conspiracy narrative more than its about an NFL business model.  We all saw for 20 years Brady get preferential calls.  But of course, they needed him for revenue.  The same gentle "steering" now favors Mahomes for the same reason. 

 

Certain penalties need to be adjusted.  The punishment has to fit the crime.  Within 3-4 years I guarantee you home plate umpires will no longer be calling strikes.  And at the risk of lengthening the game, technology needs to be used more aggressively in the NFL.  Refs can't even spot the ball accurately.  All we ask is be fair and get it right.

Edited November 22, 2023 by LABILLBACKER

[Real McClappy]

On 11/21/2023 at 1:19 PM, blacklabel said:

 

They also need to allow technological advancements into the rules. Stuff like a microchip in the ball to help with spots, etc. I mean, there are already enough cameras and circuits in the dang pylons that they need their own little cooling fans. But, every time the league brings up integrating tech into officiating, the referee's union throws a tantrum, threatens a strike like, "You 'member them replacement refs? They were awful and we'll send 'em out again if you dare try to look at us as anything other than infallible! We are geniuses who see all and are never wrong!!"

 

I really don't like officials. Anyone who wants to be one at that level... I dunno, I think you probably got farts in your brain or something. 

Funny thing is the replacement REFs were as good if not better than the current clowns. I watched that entire season and it was the same BS as now.

Edited December 3, 2023 by Real McClappy