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.

Vince Young Could Switch Defense- About his Emotional State, of Course

September 10, 2008

By Slavica Milosevska for Football Reporters Online

On Tuesday night, Jeff Fisher spoke about contacting police to search for QB Vince Young regarding his safety the day before. Police spokesman, Don Aaron, reported that they were contacted to check on his emotional stability. Young's agent, Major Adams, says he was on the phone with Young when police were looking for him and that he had no clue about the search until he began receiving fretful telephone calls. Apparently, Young was at a friend's place eating chicken wings while watching football when he was found after four hours by SWAT officers in unmarked cars and checked for weapons. Young was compliant when it was suggested that he go to the Titan's office.

The Titans, police crisis negotiators and a psychologist each had a meeting with Young before he drove himself home. Even though Fisher is fairly reluctant to discuss the matter at hand, Young's mental condition is being questioned after his recent behaviors. Fisher alleges an absolute misinterpretation on his part after he spoke to the QB and that he is delighted to have his player back. Yet, Aaron did openly supply details that Young had an unloaded handgun in his car's glove compartment; however, it is not illegal to have a handgun with no ammo under Tennessee law.

Fisher has not specified the reason he contacted police but that he was worried. “I was given some information from people that were close to him late afternoon, early evening that was quite honestly very concerning to me. I’m not going to go into specifics, but it was concerning to me,” stated Fisher. “We can never be too careful sometimes, and sometimes you can’t jump to conclusions. You have to wait on information and be patient. The information I had didn’t afford us any patience,” asserted fisher on his Tuesday night radio show.

If this is the case, Fisher, can you please elaborate on the statements made by Don Aaron? An implication of falsehood is not intentionally given here, but please help people understand or accept this story. The public will naturally “fill in the blanks” making infinite versions of second-hand storytelling based on on-record statements, hence it is never know how far people can inadvertently stretch the truth.

In proper jargon, Fisher has publicly acknowledged Young's behavior as unusual and that it is a work in progress.“Our game is a very, very emotional game. There’s going to be ebbs and flows at times, good plays and poor plays and negative things that happen. Different players deal with it differently.” On Wednesday, with his knee wrapped up, Young watched his teammates practice without speaking to reporters. The Titans have expressed their certainty that Young is a devout team member.

Physical injuries are may be less of a touchy subject and are obviously more tangible evidence. At Sunday's opener, fans booed Young's two interceptions where the Titans ultimately lost 17-10 to the Jaguars. Four plays after he was nagged by the audience, Young's left knee suffered a sprain, which predetermined that he will not play at Cincinnati this Sunday.

Titans Have Big Holes to Fill at Draft
By TERESA M. WALKER
AP Sports Writer


NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans believe they found a franchise quarterback in the NFL draft in 2006. Now it's time to find someone to play catch with Vince Young.

For a team that missed a playoff berth by one game last season, the Titans go into this draft with lots of holes to fill thanks to the season-long suspension of top cornerback and NFL punt return leader Adam "Pacman" Jones, and the decision not to pay too dearly for veteran players.


That is how Young, the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, lost three of his top five targets. Receivers Drew Bennett and Bobby Wade signed for big money in St. Louis and Minnesota as free agents. The Titans released running back Travis Henry to avoid overpaying him.

Veteran David Givens, signed as a free agent a year ago, still is recovering from an ugly injury where his torn ACL may not have been the worst of his knee problems.

The Titans' only move to add receiving help so far? Signing 6-foot-4 Justin Gage, who caught four passes last year for Chicago.

"It's still a 'need' position for us, and we're going to try to address it," coach Jeff Fisher said.

This will be new general manager Mike Reinfeldt's first draft since being hired in February. If he doesn't trade away any picks, the Titans would have at least 10 draft selections for a third straight year after having an NFL-high 34 picks in the previous three drafts.

Reinfeldt can help the Titans most by addressing the offense first.

Tennessee held the ball only 27 minutes, 17 seconds per game in 2006, which strained the defense far too often. Of the returning receivers, Brandon Jones is the only one who started any games last season, and he caught only 27 passes.

That should mean using the 19th pick overall on only the third receiver this franchise has drafted in the first round, and the first since Kevin Dyson in 1998. The other? Haywood Jeffires in 1987 by the then-Houston Oilers with their second pick in the first round.

The Titans have studied the top receivers available, including Robert Meachem of Tennessee, Ted Ginn Jr. of Ohio State, Dwayne Bowe of LSU, and Dwayne Jarrett of Southern California. Ginn's abilities as a returner would make him immediately valuable in the absence of Jones, who averaged 12.9 yards per punt return.

But Meachem is a much bigger target at 6-foot-3, 217 pounds compared to the 6-foot Ginn. The Titans sent offensive coordinator Norm Chow and Reinfeldt to watch Meachem at his pro day last month, and the receiver was among the first to visit team officials in Nashville.

The Titans could draft a running back to replace Henry, whose 1,211 yards rushing is why Tennessee ranked fifth in the NFL. LenDale White, a second-round pick in 2006, came into the offseason program overweight and is working to get back in shape now.

That is why the Titans are bartering with San Diego, trying to get the Chargers to ease their demand of first- and third-round draft picks for LaDanian Tomlinson's backup, Michael Turner. Tennessee can't afford to give up that much, but has those 10 picks overall from which to entice the Chargers.

Even with Jones and his four interceptions, the Titans ranked last in the NFL in total defense.

Free agent signee Nick Harper will help replace Jones, but selecting Arkansas cornerback Chris Houston or Darrelle Revis of Pittsburgh would indicate the Titans are serious about not letting Jones return without drastic changes.

They also need a defensive end opposite Kyle Vanden Bosch after getting only 26 sacks in 2006 and could look at Adam Carricker of Nebraska. They signed Ryan Fowler to replace Peter Sirmon at middle linebacker, which should increase their overall speed, and added veteran safety Bryan Scott as a free agent.

But Young, who set a rookie quarterback record by rushing for 552 yards, needs someone to catch his passes before defenses figure out how to slow him down on the ground.

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