Orlovsky implores NFL owners to fix officiating 'epidemic'

[iDeaL]

Edit: In case you can't see the embedded video: https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/27849969


He's right, you know...

[Mecca]

The problem though, is how do you fix it? The NFL wanted more penalties called this year, they've given them all of these points of emphasis of things to call.

It's not like there is this huge pool of good refs just sitting around, no one wants to be a ref every year at high school I get to hear about the shortage of officials in the country.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Mecca

The problem though, is how do you fix it? The NFL wanted more penalties called this year, they've given them all of these points of emphasis of things to call.

It's not like there is this huge pool of good refs just sitting around, no one wants to be a ref every year at high school I get to hear about the shortage of officials in the country.

I know it's not a silver bullet, but I still don't understand why the full-time ref concept wouldn't work. If nothing else, these guys should be reviewing calls and talking about it every week. Refs should have film review and practice just like the players.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I know it's not a silver bullet, but I still don't understand why the full-time ref concept wouldn't work. If nothing else, these guys should be reviewing calls and talking about it every week. Refs should have film review and practice just like the players.

The problem with that though is a lot of those guys don't want to be full time.

[tyecopeland]

Originally Posted by Mecca

The problem with that though is a lot of those guys don't want to be full time.

They would want to be full time if the nfl paid them more than what they make elsewhere.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by tyecopeland

They would want to be full time if the nfl paid them more than what they make elsewhere.

Some of those guys are lawyers and shit.

[tatorhog]

Originally Posted by Mecca

The problem with that though is a lot of those guys don't want to be full time.

In a league where the base salary is north of 400k, I'm pretty sure they could find a way to make them want to be full time.

[Tribal Warfare]

Originally Posted by Mecca

The problem with that though is a lot of those guys don't want to be full time.

If the money is there they would be perfectly fine to be a referee as a profession

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I know it's not a silver bullet, but I still don't understand why the full-time ref concept wouldn't work. If nothing else, these guys should be reviewing calls and talking about it every week. Refs should have film review and practice just like the players.

I think we all know the answer and it rhymes with honey. The NFL has peddled this bs that full time ref experiments have failed. Well, yeah, because until refs view this as a permanent long term profession that's never going to change.

But it's not just on the refs. Why the owners want a league with all this subjective bs is beyond me. They asked for more penalties, and the refs are falling in line. More penalties means more offense which means more money.

[-King-]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I know it's not a silver bullet, but I still don't understand why the full-time ref concept wouldn't work. If nothing else, these guys should be reviewing calls and talking about it every week. Refs should have film review and practice just like the players.

I don't think the problem is that they're not full-time. The problem is that the game moves entirely too fast for them and most people. The only reason we know they ****ed up most times is because we see the replay in slow mo. They don't. So them being full time wouldn't really fix anything.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by -King-

I don't think the problem is that they're not full-time. The problem is that the game moves entirely too fast for them and most people. The only reason we know they ****ed up most times is because we see the replay in slow mo. They don't. So them being full time wouldn't really fix anything.

That's my thinking as well.

I think the biggest problem is inconsistency, though. Maybe extra training would help with that. And I think the inconsistency is a particular issue because it exposes the natural bias that refs have. It's why Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers get calls in their favor that other players don't get.

We didn't have these controversies in the past because we couldn't go back and watch to see if the ref was right. They were probably just as inconsistent in the 1970's, but no one could prove it. Now we can.

Honestly, I don't know why anyone would be an NFL ref. It's a thankless job, and it requires split-second reasoning and an encyclopedic knowledge of the rules. I'm surprised we don't see more basic errors like misinterpreting a rule or placing the ball incorrectly on a penalty. It's a very hard and very high profile job.

[notorious]

More penalties, more breaks for advertising, more talk about the NFL during the week.

Why would they want to fix this?

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by notorious

More penalties, more breaks for advertising, more talk about the NFL during the week.

Why would they want to fix this?

Come on man, they aren't throwing flags for advertising purposes.

[notorious]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

Come on man, they aren't throwing flags for advertising purposes.

Of course it’s not why, but it’s a benefit.

[cdcox]

Originally Posted by notorious

More penalties, more breaks for advertising, more talk about the NFL during the week.

Why would they want to fix this?

I haven't watched a moment of football since the badly officiated game Sunday. That used to be unheard of for me, but now it happens two or three times per year. Bad officiating is a big turnoff for me. I guess I'm not the only one.