|
|
 |
NFL: Numerous Flags League
by: Shawn Griffin from SportsTerminal.com
| Pg 1 of
1 |
 |
I thoroughly enjoy NFL football. I play in two fantasy football leagues (my teams are winless, but that's another column for another day). I bet on games (legally, of course). I buy NFL preseason publications. I buy NFL merchandise. I buy tickets to NFL games when I don't have freebies. I think the NFL DirecTV package on the dish is the greatest bargain since the Cuban guy I know sold me a box of 25 Cohiba Churchills for 75 bucks.
I am the NFL front office dream: a male between the ages of 18-34 with disposable income.
The ratings for the league are up this year, causing nothing but happiness in the NFL offices on Park Avenue in NYC.
This is fine except for the fact that it masks a major problem with the game that calls into question its very integrity.
More and more these last few years, through either incompetence or something more sinister, NFL referees have had much more to do with the final outcome of the games than should be expected when dealing with a professional sports league.
NFL referees are an absolute disgrace to an otherwise fine league, in my opinion. They are a black mark on a compelling, interesting, exciting NFL game.
With all that the NFL does right, the way they handle their officials is criminal. Regardless of the facts, the league backs their referees, even when a horrible call is made. Say what you will about the Raiders-Patriots playoff game last year, but please don't waste any part of your day telling me it wasn't a fumble. It was.
It seems to me that every time there is a crucial play in a game, the referees throw a flag.
Have you noticed the amount of flags thrown in a typical NFL game? This past weekend, there were 19 penalties called in the Dolphins-Chiefs game…16 in the Cowboys-Rams game…21 in the Tennessee-Oakland game.
It's to the point where it's totally out of hand.
Last year, when these clowns threatened to strike for the entire season, I was totally elated. Finally, a strike I could believe in! Replacement referees were brought in and very few penalties were called. For once, the game was not decided by some jackass who sells furniture during the week but dons the black and white stripes every Sunday.
Well what happened then, you ask? The striking referees noticed that the majority of fans were happy with the replacement refs. Realizing that they were about to lose their part-time gigs, they quickly reached an agreement with the NFL and came back to work the very next weekend. This was the worst moment of Paul Tagliabue's tenure. He should have pulled a Hootie Johnson and told them to stick it. Instead, he brought the clowns back.
Did they learn anything from the replacement refs? Of course not. It was back to the norm -- ridiculous, game-altering calls.
Just this past weekend, while watching the Browns-Steelers game, another questionable call potentially cost the Browns the game. I am only pointing this one out because it's typical of the kind of calls these morons make each week.
Here's the situation: The Steelers just tied the game at 13 with two minutes left. The Browns get the kickoff and start at their own 35-yard line. The move it up to their own 44-yard line. Now, with less than two minutes to go, Tim Couch throws a screen pass far to his right to Jamel White, who takes it 26 yards to the Pittsburgh 30. Good play if you are a Browns' fan, right? Wait a second. Flag on the play. What's the call? Illegal use of the hands on the LEFT GUARD. The replay was shown and it was clearly a phantom call. Not only did the LEFT GUARD not "illegally use" his hands, he was about 25 YARDS FROM THE PLAY! He had absolutely nothing to do with the play, AND he didn't even "illegally use" his hands. Yet the Browns were now stuck back at their 34-yard line and all of their momentum was gone…all because a referee decided to throw a flag on a foul that did not occur on a player that had nothing to do with the play. The Steelers then held the Browns and kicked a field goal to win the game in overtime.
What happened to the referee who made this pathetic call? Nothing. He simply went back to selling used cars the following day.
Now I can spend all day writing about bad calls such as the one just mentioned. I'm sure that many of you out there have some good ones, also. All teams get screwed at some point by these incompetent, part-time fools.
When fans say games are thrown, I always roll my eyes. Why would a player making millions risk it by throwing a game? He doesn't need to throw a game because there is no financial incentive.
The refs? Not only do they have the financial incentive, they actually have the power, for the most part, to decide the outcome of a game. The NFL front office has absolutely no interest in even knowing whether or not there are dirty referees. Why would they jeopardize billions of dollars the league generates by exposing a crooked referee? The fact is they wouldn't, unfortunately.
What needs to be done?
First of all, hire full-time NFL referees. Then have the FBI do a thorough background investigation of every existing and new NFL referee.
There is way too much at stake not to take these measures. With the way things are going, this league's credibility will rival that of pro wrestling if something isn't done. I have way too much invested in the NFL, but if they don't clean things up, I will have no choice but to spend my money elsewhere.
The time to act is now. In an otherwise fine league, the NFL referees are nothing but an utter disgrace to the game.
See more of Shawn at SportsTerminal.com,
and e-mail him at shawng@sportsterminal.com!
|
|
|
|
-
-
-
-
|
|
|
© 2000-2005 Bullz-Eye.com®, All Rights Reserved. Contact the
with
questions or comments.
and
Site Map
|
|
