NFL Counter Arguement: Referees should have better training

Every game in the NFL is precious. It is not like baseball where you play everyday. For 17 select Sundays you have a chance to win a game. The margin between winning a losing is so small. Any one loss can effect a teams playoff chances. Its a shame to see a game ruined by a bad call. To often we see a pass interference call, a roughing the passer call or a holding call that can change the entire outcome of a game.

Last week I made an argument that instant replay ruins the purity of the game and made a case for why it should be removed. This week I'm focusing my argument toward the referees. The "Zebras" are part of the game. Fans love to hate them when they make a bad call against their team. I still can't get over a call in the 2002 NFC Wildcard game between the 49ers and the Giants. On the last play of the game the Giants botched a game winning field goal attempt because of a bad snap. The punter, Matt Allen, on a last ditch effort to make a play, through the ball towards the endzone. The Giants were penalized for having an in-eligible man down field. However, the 49ers should have been penalized for pass interference on the play since an eligible Giants receiver was pulled down by the collar. The Giants should have gotten the ball at the 2 yard line and re-kicked the field goal. However, the refs messed up the call and penalized the Giants. The game ended and the 49ers won the playoff game. A year later Jim Fossel was fired as Giants head coach as the team never recovered from the playoff loss. Here is a link to the play
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK21LwJ195E

Mistakes like this happen in sports, but they shouldn't, especially since we now have better technology then we did even in 2002.  This begs the question, are our referees better than they were in 2002?

My initial response is yes. But the official work in the NFL could be a lot stronger. It's still common that 1-3 games a year are effected by bad officiating. Last year the NFL officials went on strike. Even if you are not an NFL fan you probably heard about this. Officials complained about wages, benefits, and pensions, while the league complained about getting younger refs in better shape and establishing a training program for young officials. A strike ensued for the first 3 weeks of the season culminating in a horrible blown call in a Monday Night Football game involving the Seahawks and Packers. Both teams would make the playoffs so the blown call did not effect either teams playoff chances, but the Packers lost out the 2nd seed in the NFC playoff seeding because of the loss (lost tie breaker to San Fran who they ended up losing to in the divisional round).

The NFL prides itself on being a world class brand. It's puzzling that a league which is so focused on image was willing to let replacement officials make a fool of themselves in the first three games of the season. Now that the real refs are back it is time to make some changes. Most of my ideas are currently being implemented, but quite frankly this should have been done a while ago. Here is my list:

- Officials should be required to pass a fitness test in order to officiate a professional game. Most of these NFL players are world class athletes. The refs need to be able to keep up with them stamina wise for a 60 minute game.
- There needs to be better communication between the officiating team on the field and the one in the booth. I'll cut the team on the field some slack. Sometimes a play happens so fast it is hard to make a call correctly. But the team upstairs has the benefit of technology. If a play is called incorrect it should be rectified by the upstairs team either by buzzing down to the field team or telling the clock operator to stop play. A wrong call should never be allowed to stand in the NFL.
- There needs to be a training system for young officials. This requires involving the NCAA and high school leagues. A ref should only be allowed to call a professional game if they have a certain amount of experience at each level (5 years high school, 6 years college etc). Obviously the more experienced referees call the bigger games.
- Officials should get a weekly grade that everyone has access to (fans, teams, players, coaches). Teachers in this country are being evaluated constantly and there record is open for the public to view. Why not allow fans, the customers of the brand review the officials record? It makes the game more interactive and makes the officials want to do a better job calling a game.
- Finally, we should have more women officials in the game. This is not really a training argument, but more of a gender one. Women should be allowed the opportunity to be officials as long as they go through the same training system as the men.

Ultimately my argument is for a better NFL. This post along with the instant replay post are commentary on utilizing technology in the 21st century to make our game better. Just like the 6 million dollar man..."we can fix the game..we have the technology!"...so let's do it.

[Paul James' blog post was written for "The Kick is Good", a blog written about the upcoming NFL 2013 season. Find more posts at http://thekickisgoodblog.blogspot.com  #506iv #nflrefs and follow him on twitter @PJ_thekicksgood ]