NFL will use eight-man crews until lockout ends

[ChrisPozz]

NFL will use eight-official crews for until lockout ends | ProFootballTalk

 

[BINGO]

NFL wants more ref accountability
8:51AM ET
NFL Referees

While money is an issue in the ongoing saga between the NFL and their referees, it appears that the true stumbling blocks have little to do with finances. Per Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, the NFL wants to make major changes to how they handle officials who are doing a poor job during the season.

"During a Tuesday meeting with various NBC producers and broadcasters, NFL V.P. of officiating Ray Anderson explained passionately -- and persuasively -- the importance of being able to pull an underperforming official off the field during a season, not after it," Florio said. "Anderson said that the league intends via the lockout to change from an system of 'entitlement' to 'accountability.'"

Specifically, the NFL wants to have a pool of officials who would be available to replace under-performing refs during the season. The NFL has a logical argument that the risk of losing work during the season should spur officials to work harder, but we can also see why the refs would prefer to keep their job security intact as it is.

In the end, it's obvious that ending the lockout isn't as simple as agreeing to a middle-point in financial negotiations. The NFL is trying to change the entire NFL officiating culture and system; predictably, the refs are fighting those changes tooth and nail. In other words, it appears that a quick end to the lockout is unlikely.

- Tom Carpenter​

 

[spacedoodoopistol]

Such crocks of shit from both sides. Refs blather about player safety and the league, oh they're just concerned about accountability. I can see why the league has to lie - nobody wants to hear that they really just want to eliminate a pension plan, and frankly I doubt anyone expects them to ever tell the truth. But the refs are patronizing people with that explanation, and I doubt anyone buys it, making it kind of pointless.

 

[MHSL82]

I've heard people claim that the League doesn't care about player safety because these replacement refs won't be as good at protecting them, players know how to take advantage of inexperience to make cheap away from the ball hits, etc. But what exactly do they expect the league to do, cave into the refs demands? Compromise can happen but these emotional appeals or secondary results in arguments is a bit slanted. It's like those people who give part of their profit to charity but overprice their stuff - some can claim by not paying overpriced retail that they are taking away from the charity. (Though people could directly donate to the charity instead.)

To me, it's like the player safety rules - people complain about it making the game like touch football, yet, the NFL gets sued for hits that players knew they were going to get (yes, supposedly because the league knew about severity and players didn't). Then, people chastize the NFL for showing big hits and getting paid, while those same people are subscribing for that reason. This is what happens when you have multiple camps of thought. It appears that all contradict each other and there's no solution that won't be bitched about.

 

[spacedoodoopistol]

But what exactly do they expect the league to do, cave into the refs demands?

Thing is, this is not a strike....its a lockout. Its the league that's trying to rework the deal and make demands, not the refs. The refs have been ready to return to work the whole time.

 

[MHSL82]

Thing is, this is not a strike....its a lockout. Its the league that's trying to rework the deal and make demands, not the refs. The refs have been ready to return to work the whole time.

I thought their contract ended and they were both working on a new deal. They could by default return to the original agreement, if they hadn't been locked out. Either way, both sides have demands and they are trying to add a pension to a deal that didn't have one, right? Or is the NFL trying to remove a pension? I understand that the NFL is locking the refs out, not the other way around, but either way, to resolve this thing, they'd have to give up what the NFL is fighting for or the refs would have to take the NFL's demands.

So yeah, I got it wrong (don't want to sound defensive here).

 

[spacedoodoopistol]

Oh you're being so defensive. You're starting to sound like this guy.


I don't know if anyone else remembers that skit from SNL, one of the funniest bits ever.

 

[MHSL82]

Oh you're being so defensive. You're starting to sound like this guy.


I don't know if anyone else remembers that skit from SNL, one of the funniest bits ever.

LOL. Martin Short is one of my favorites of all-time. Steve Martin is my favorite, so naturally I loved Three Amigos and SNL where I got to see them both often. I know Steve Martin's not everyone's cup of tea and isn't really making any movies anymore besides remakes. His funnier things these days are his articles for the New Yorker and novels (the non serious ones like Pure Drivel). His movies aren't as funny anymore, but he'll always be my favorite.

Sometimes when I don't have a stand for or against something, I start saying both sides back and forth, to the point where it seems the only person I'm defending is myself, not one point in particular.

 

[LONGBALL]

Thing is, this is not a strike....its a lockout. Its the league that's trying to rework the deal and make demands, not the refs. The refs have been ready to return to work the whole time.

WHAT ?