NFL Replacement Officials

Could not fall asleep last night, so I watched most of the NFL game between the Giants and the Cowboys. I enjoy watching Ohio high school players whom have I evaluated as high school players and have remained in touch, but as some people know, I am not an NFL guy. But last night I was so depressed (sarcasm) because the officials did a good job.

Read an article this morning about the replacement officials. Everybody seems so surprised that the officials are doing an adequate job. First, I have to believe that there are more than 120 officials throughout the country who can work in the NFL. So much of moving up the ladder in officiating is "who you know" and "who likes you." Just like in anyother business. And like alot of businesses, once who you are in, whether you are good or not, a union can protect you. Trust me, I taught school for 31 years.

Hats off to the replacement NFL officials. Continue to work hard. Always try to be in the correct position to make the call. See it, before you call it. Consistency is always the most important thing to good officiating.

The Dispatch article listed the experience of the officials who worked the game last night. Obviously, NFL experience is important, but even top rated NFL officials make mistakes. Ask Ed Hochuli.

John Gruden said this about the replacement officials on a sports talk show last night. Something to the effect that both teams are using the same officials. The idea is to work them and not against them.

Applause for Roger Goodell. To be able to find and to teach and develop football officials who could very well be working a D-2 game between Findlay and Ohio Dominican is amazing. I also applaud the replacement officials  for working hard to better themselves.

I do think that a high school official in Northeast Ohio would have a hardtime working in the NFL. Last year, I watched him spot the ball. He was so overweight that he dropped the ball and steadied it with his foot. And then there was an official from Central Ohio who years ago threw a flag on me for something that I said to him. I  told him that "he did not have the nerve(of course that is not the word I used) to throw another one." He threw another one and was reaching to throw the third when I stopped after two.

I firmly believe that anybody can be replaced. The best to the replacement officials.