This is my nightmare! The NFL has forgone conventional wisdom and elected to use replacement referees for week one of the regular season. As we all know, the league has been using these replacement referees during the preseason games, causing all fans to appreciate the officials we previously had. It’s really annoying that the league is being so stubborn about such a small amount of money. In the big scheme of things, how much is it really costing the league to cave into the demands of their officials? Maybe a one hundredth of a percent?
Previously, I told many of my friends I am not even looking forward to the start of the season because of this possibility. After just watching one series of the Green Bay Packers first preseason game, I knew us fans would be in some trouble. Packers’ Nick Perry got flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for simply flexing after sacking Philip Rivers. Perry did something that NFL players have been doing for years, and he received a 15-yard penalty for it. I never wanted to see Ed Hochili more in my entire life.
This is a terrible thing for the league. I know I wouldn’t want my team to lose on a blown call from a guy who has no business officiating in the NFL. I wouldn’t want some 14-year old kid working on Mercedes Benz, would you? That’s basically what the NFL is doing. They are letting unqualified people have an effect on the game.
As Dan Devine told Roland Steele in Rudy, you’re our team captain, start acting like it. Well, Roger Goodell, you’re our NFL commissioner, start acting like it.
Bryan is a featured writer for Rant Sports. Although he concentrates mostly on the game of baseball, you can find him covering things all over the Rant Sports Network.
