Hey, NFL: Bring back the real Refs!

As you may know by now, I am a fan of football. I have always liked football. I once even started a petition to declare 'Football Season Kickoff Day' a national holiday (-Well, OK,  it was a Sunday afternoon in a Pub in Dallas and we had had 'more than one beer' -but I got a dozen enthusiastic signatures!!). Anyway, I look forward to football season each year. The team that I route for mainly is, of course, The New Orleans Saints, but I like several other teams to and never have much trouble finding a side to route for no matter what game is playing on the television.

Last Sunday I was in a great mood. The local television network was playing the Saints vs Chiefs game. The Saints aren't playing all that well this year (without Sean Payton) -but that's alright - I can take a bad game or even a bad season once in a while, as long as I can see a good game.  But, what I can't take is a game dominated by bad calls from "replacement" referees who have to stand in the middle of the field and look up the rules in the rule book to figure out what to do. And, to make things worse, I counted five times in the game that the referees made calls and then, after review in the booth, their calls were found wrong and reversed....

My Saints lost the game in overtime when the Chiefs scored a 3 point field goal. I am not saying that all those bad calls cost the Saints the game -but they sure didn't help. And they drove everyone, players, coaches, officials and fans, crazy!

Then, last Monday night, I saw what is perhaps the worst call ever made by referees and officials in the history of the NFL. The Sea Hawks threw a long pass into the end zone where several players on both teams were waiting to battle over possession. A Green Bay player caught it just as the intended receiver was about to get it. These two players, together with several others, crashed to the ground. To my humble eyes it appeared to be a clear interception by Green Bay. But no. The ref's ruled it a completed pass, gave credit for the touchdown to the Sea Hawks and they won the game.

I have now seen the replays of that "touchdown pass" a dozen times. I have watched it in slow motion, in stop action, and from 3 different angles. I even went to Google to see if there was a satellite view. And, after careful review and consideration I have come to the conclusion that the referees that made that call, and the officials that reviewed it are blind and should be staked down, spread eagle, directly in front of Michael Moore's refrigerator door.

Here is a Youtube clip of the play -watch the replay in at the end and see what you think:

If these replacement referees are allowed to officiate and go on making calls that would not stand up in a kid's Pop Warner game, football as we know and love it will disappear as a favorite pastime this year. Fans will stop attending games and stop watching them on TV. Super-bowl this season will probably come in last in the ratings. The only people watching will be prisoners who have lost the remote control and can't leave the room nor change the channel (yes, cruel and unusual punishment for sure).

I am sorry about all this ranting, but I want to say one more thing, if I may. To the Commissioner of the National Football League: Hey, dummy, bring back the real ref's!

Live Long and Prosper...