NFL: Will Replacement Referees Hurt the Game? - jmik58's Blog

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NFL: Will Replacement Referees Hurt the Game? Stuck

Posted on August 6, 2012 at 11:42 AM.

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Rarely does anyone ask to know the name of the guy who made all the routine calls. Instead, it's guys like Jim Joyce (perfect game screw-up) and Don Denkinger (1985 World Series) whose names we will remember forever.

One of the goals of any official, referee, or umpire is to remain nameless. However for the current crop of NFL officials calling games on the field, it's not because of their reputation that they remain nameless, it's because these officials don't even have an NFL reputation yet.

Starting with last night's game, the NFL is currently being officiated by replacements. Thanks to a labor dispute between the league and officials' union, college crews will be pulling double-duty until further notice.

Perhaps you didn't notice during last night's preseason game thanks to a lack of critical moments, but don't give the grand audition a free pass. Preseason games are less about winning and more about player assessment anyways.

That's not to say that the replacement officials are less competent than their NFL regulars. However, teams and fans are used to games being called a certain way. While football is football, the college game isn't the pro game so differences are to be expected in how games are called.

If a deal isn't reached between the two sides before the start of the regular season there's no doubt that replacement officiating will be in the back of everyone's mind.

It will likely be at the front of all of the attention if an important call is blown in a critical moment. Even worse, what about if the NFL referees return mid-season -- the pre-season isn't just for the players after all.

Will the replacement officials make more calls to justify their role, or will they let more calls go in an attempt not to interfere? Will the flow of games slow down as officials get used to working NFL games? And most importantly, will replacement officials be able to get it right with the game on the line?

These questions and more will be lingering and keeping players, coaches, and fans on edge as the start of the season approaches.

What do you think? Will replacement referees hurt the NFL and play important roles in game outcomes?

Justin Mikels is a staff writer for Operation Sports. You can follow him on Twitter @long_snapper.

Comments

# 1 wallofhate @ Aug 6

At first I was like ehh refs are refs but in that preseason game made me think it might ne a little distracting. Forget the fact it to the one ref to yell "BALL" for like 30 seconds because he had no game ball to start the game but the waiting for the to get extra points ready and calling out penalties incompletely. Maybe I shouldnt be so hard on them but little hitches like that stick out like a sore thunb. When you notice them is when its not good.

# 2 Retropyro @ Aug 6

The officials made far fewer mistakes than the coaches or players last night. It's game one, no biggie.

# 3 Demoncrom @ Aug 7

They did an ok job, but they missed a blatant holding in the endzone which should have been a safety in the second quarter. The also messed up a call that they had to correct later, but all it all not bad. There will be less calls made if they are there during the season for sure

# 4 DedicatedLeaguesNCAA @ Aug 7

You need to understand that it was a pre-season game. They have 4 more weeks to get their act together. I think that all refs do make mistakes, but if the performance of the Hall of Fame game is a good indicator of what is to come, the season may be over before it gets started.

# 5 bsurocksrule @ Aug 7

I don't think so, they're just refs like all the others.

# 6 TDenverFan @ Aug 9

I've seen some poor calls and wrong phrasing of calls, but overall not a huge deal.

# 7 mestevo @ Aug 10

I don't think it will be as big of a deal as some will make it out to be. Plenty will pretend the real officials were infallible. As if they've never missed a holding call, or called the wrong penalty that heavily influenced the outcome of a game.