What Happened to the “Official” in Officiating? (or how the AFC’s #1 seed went out with a wimper-if you believe the “love ya Blue“ crowd)
By Dr. Bill Chachkes
“The Playoffs” are supposed to be when the fans get the best of everything. The best TV Commentators, the best camera angles, the best of play from the teams (yeah, ok) The best Officiating. Well, not quite in this case.
Some of the ref’s calls were so horribly bad this weekend that before it was over the NFL’s head of officiating Mike Pereira was holding a press conference and doing interviews Sunday morning on at least one major network pre-game show. Ok so the world isn’t perfect, and humans are entitled to a break once in awhile. People make mistakes all the time. So tell that to the Titans LB Keith Bulluck , who was so enraged that he took his anger about the games’ outcome out on the line of metal barricades in the tunnel to the locker room. It’s clear to see by the photo above that the Penalty was missed (Delay of Game against the Ravens, where the play clock was at zero for at least 2.5 seconds before the snap).
So just who gets the job of watching the clock? Not Referee Terry McAulay. No, that job falls to the Back Judge, in this case, #17 Robert Lawing. Part of his job is management of the “Play Clock.” It’s true that there is always at least a full second delay between the time the clock hits zero and the time the flag is thrown. In this case, Mr. Lawing, a 12th year veteran official, simply blew the call. It happens all the time at every level, even to me when I coached at the High School and Semi-Professional levels. But in the NFL Divisional round of the playoffs (don’t you just hear Jim Mora in the background screaming it -Playoffs?? Wah? PLAYOFFS!)? No, never in my 40 Plus years of watching, playing, coaching, or writing about football have I ever witnessed such a horribly blown call in a playoff game. Not that the Titans weren’t trying to give the game away.
There was a play in last years’ Cowboys- Giants Divisional playoff game where Wide Receiver Terrell Owens claimed that he was “Raped” by two Giants defenders and the refs missed it. Giants went to Arizona, Dallas went home (Tony and Jessica went on another vacation). Every year the NFL holds “training and debriefing sessions” (yeah, I like the sound of that. It appeals to my Ex-Soldier’s sensibility) for Officials. Every year more time is spent on avoiding the mistakes of the season before. Rules are modified, changed, or done away with altogether (bye bye minor 5 yard facemask, now if you breathe funny at someone’s head it’s 15 yards and an automatic first down). The NFL is the only sport where officials are “part time” employees of the league they work for, and yet their salaries are paid as if they are full timers. Don’t get me wrong, They have a tough job. They get hit, knocked down, punched, kicked, and even accidently puked on. Yes, puked on, by the players. God Bless them and keep them safe and whole (and hopefully puke free). I wouldn’t want the Job of a football official on the field at any level of play. Personally, the way some players act, refs should be allowed to carry 50,000 volt stun rods, and riot cuffs when the players get out of hand. Hey, it’s a brutal game out there, and these guys (the players) have protective equipment on. What do the refs have? A whistle, a striped shirt, and a few beanbags to spot a yard marker. Doesn’t sound fair to me.
No, they deserve the benefit of the doubt, even if they blow some calls once in awhile. Yep, the officials are beyond reproach. I wonder if they get free therapy from the NFL? I’m sure they need it.
