OT: Nfl officials reach agreement, lockout over

Submitted by TXWolverine44 on
No link, just watching sportscenter. Not a huge pro football fan but still good news nonetheless

justingoblue

September 27th, 2012 at 12:34 AM ^

in that the physical aspect isn't as big of a deal, but I have to wonder if they'll be good to go this weekend or if things will be better, but not up to snuff, for another week or two. That said, I bet they have their top rated officials all on the field in Cleveland to try and mitigate any hangover effects.

I know in hockey getting the preseason games and tryouts and whatnot in is a big deal. It's not hard to get overwhelmed by high end speed after an entire offseason.

turd ferguson

September 27th, 2012 at 12:37 AM ^

This is a serious bummer for casual NFL fans more interested in funny, intriguing stories than a particular team or justice more generally.  I guess we'll always have our touchback at the 4-yard-line, 27-yard personal foul, and four timeouts in a half (to enjoy from all of this).

B-Nut-GoBlue

September 27th, 2012 at 3:21 AM ^

I've been hearing this all day and am glad to hear the story had merit and something has finally come out of the "talks".  I wonder if the details about who "caved in" will come out (I admit I haven't read the link or any articles on the matter yet).  This is an overall good thing, though, as the normal officials definitely have a better grasp on the NFL version of football.  I was in the party thinking the replacements weren't as bad as many (the t.v pundits/analysts/broadcasters) said they were, but obviously Monday night was a debacle to go along with the many other minor, in comparison to Monday night, issues that've come up in. 

I will say, though, and I've stated this already, but I have to say that watching the NFL over the past 4-6 years has been hard to do, anyway; many of my issues dealing with the officiating.  Again, the normal officials handle the game much better those who've been doing it this season thus far, but I've screamed at many a t.v. regarding very sh**ty calls over the aforementioned stretch of years.  So, it's back to a better managed game, a good thing, but also back to the "don't lay a finger on a Wide Reciever"* league.

*Just one of a few gripes I have with how the league is officiated these days.

Benoit Balls

September 27th, 2012 at 9:56 AM ^

i dont know what a catch is anymore, or a fumble, or what makes it a fumble (as opposed to an incompletion) when the qb loses the ball as he is throwing it. they view these plays one frame at a time in replay and it seems like they often lose perspective of how the play happened in real time when they review something frame by frame.

its tough to really get that far into a game when it seems the rules can be interpreted in any number of different ways

M-Wolverine

September 27th, 2012 at 11:43 AM ^

I think it's on the NFL and the rules committee that has turned the rules book into a thermodynamic reactor instruction manual, except it's all open to interpretation. The catch thing is the perfect example. Everyone used to understand it. You get the ball in your hands, get two feet on the ground, don't drop it when you hit the ground, or make a "football move" before you hit the ground. It's a catch. Now you have to take the ball to the locker room with your for the post game shower. Except when you don't. 

The rules that kill you are the ones open to interpretation, and rather than make things cute and dried they seem to have come up with more challenging calls for refs to give their views on, which is always going to make someone unhappy. Roughing, unnecessary roughness, etc....we all used to know it when we saw it. Now no one is even sure if the refs do. But the refs aren't making the new rules, they're just trying to enforcement them.

LSAClassOf2000

September 27th, 2012 at 5:59 AM ^

Just in case anyone was interested in what Ed  Hochuli has to say about the agreement, here is the article from the Chicago Tribune (LINK).

"The moment I heard, I dropped down on the floor and started doing pushups," joked longtime referee Ed Hochuli, known for his bulging biceps."

Some of the more intrguing aspects of the deal include retirement benefits for new hires, and for all officials by 2017 through a defined contribution plan. There are also pay increases - the article is not clear on percentages, but they will make $173,000 next year and by 2019, they will be over 30% above that (which probably means guaranteed raises in the 3%-3.5% range each year on average, I assume). The league will also have the option to hire full-time personnel beginning next year and retain personnel for development purposes. 

I will say, l like the idea of the referees and the league being able provide  for some continuity and improvement potential through having training and development. Something like that was a long time coming for the NFL, in my opinion. 

The freezing of the current defined benefit plan in 2016 is not going to sit well with about 80% of the officials, since they would not reach 20 years of service by then. I wonder if this reflects in the vote this weekend to a certain extent.