The Seattle Screwjob

[Henry]

While this is not the ending I would've wanted, anytime the Packers lose is a happy time for me. And I congratulate the Seahawks on their win.

As for the referees, they're doing a horrible job so far. I imagine the game would've easily gone the other way, if the real refs had called it.

[hbelkins]

This becoming more a political thread than a sports thread keep it civil. --ms

What the fuck are you talking about?  I don't see any politics, unless you consider the rules of the game political.

Crap like this..

Anyone who is anti-union is a moron.

[NE2]

Anyone who is anti-pooing is a moron.

[DaBigE]

Anyone who is anti-pooing is a moron.

Isn't saying that in direct conflict with the statement your signature?   Sounds kinda preachy to me.

[hbelkins]

Not to worry, sounds like the refs will be back to work this weekend.

[myosh_tino]

Will the NFL lose popularity because of these screwy replacement refs?  You bet (pun intended)!

A huge reason why the NFL got so popular is because most everyone is gambling on it.  From the sports books in Vegas to the zillions of fantasy football leagues everyone has something at stake.  Now, if I regularly bet of NFL games and I had money on the Packers, I would be supremely pissed that I lost my bet because of a major screw-up by the replacement refs.  If this were to keep up, I don't think I want to be placing bets on ANY NFL game because you don't know if the replacements are going to screw you.  If no one is betting on the games, you will definitely see the NFL's popularity nosedive.

Edit: If the regulars are back this weekend, all I can say is "It's about time!" 

[triplemultiplex]

I for one won't be watching anymore NFL games until the pro refs are reinstated.  This is the most popular, most profitable professional sport in the entire country and the greedy owners are going to fuck up the entire league over a measly 3 million dollars?!  I've had it!

I'm a reasonable guy; I know human error is part of every human endeavor. And I accept that occasionally, a blown call can change the outcome of a game. But there has to be a limit to what I am expected to put up with. And the NFL found my limit with that atrocious Monday Night game.

When the scabs fuck up THREE TIMES on the same call, that is flatly unacceptable.  They miss the flagrant offensive pass interference, they rule a 'simultaneous catch' when there clearly wasn't and upheld that ruling on the review.  I have no recourse but to cease my viewership of all NFL games and highlights and put my NFL team apparel into storage.

Once again the owners don't care who they screw over as they try and squeeze every drop of profit from the league.  3 bloody million dollars; that's one day's worth of licensing fees for showing game highlights or a couple days of retail sales.  How much does the NFL collect from each marquee sponsor every year?

I tell you, man, some really smart company could step forward this week and pony up that pittance for the pro refs and become the savoir of professional football.  They'd buy so much outstanding publicity among us fans.  Shit, I'd go out and buy two or three of whatever they're selling on the spot!

[Beltway]

This becoming more a political thread than a sports thread keep it civil. --ms

What the fuck are you talking about?  I don't see any politics, unless you consider the rules of the game political.

Crap like this..

Anyone who is anti-union is a moron.

Also the repeated use of the word "scabs" for the replacement referees.

That word is a union member pejorative for any employees used to temporarily replace employees that are on strike.

[6a]

Not to worry, sounds like the refs will be back to work this weekend.

Amazing what 36 solid hours of horrible press via every outlet available can accomplish, no? I'll just be glad to focus on the players again.

[NYYPhil777]

Like Henry said, anytime Green Bay loses is happy times for me. Rodgers got sacked eight times in only the first half by Seattle's defense!

Now I'll get to the nitty-gritty about this- the replacement refs really do suck, and I've actually watched more college football this year than NFL. Goodell is once again being a selfish cheapskate who thinks in his own mind he's such a white knight for making wimps out of the game. I'll probably be boycotting NFL games (except Super Bowls) until Goodell is no longer the commissoner.

Speaking of screwjobs, I think New Orleans is being screwed by Goodell and the replacement refs.

Triplemultiplex, I really like your post you put up. I could have not said it better.

[NE2]

Also the repeated use of the word "NIMBY" for the highway opponents.

That word is a highway proponent pejorative for any prople who oppose the highway.

[Beltway]

Also the repeated use of the word "NIMBY" for the highway opponents.

That word is a highway proponent pejorative for any prople who oppose the highway.

You quoted me and changed my words to a completely different meaning.  Did you do that out of dishonesty or did you mistakenly leave my name in the "quote from"?

BTW, I do not use the term "NIMBY".

[bugo]

Also the repeated use of the word "NIMBY" for the highway opponents.

That word is a highway proponent pejorative for any prople who oppose the highway.

You quoted me and changed my words to a completely different meaning.  Did you do that out of dishonesty or did you mistakenly leave my name in the "quote from"?

BTW, I do not use the term "NIMBY".

You just used it.

[Alps]

This becoming more a political thread than a sports thread keep it civil. --ms

What the fuck are you talking about?  I don't see any politics, unless you consider the rules of the game political.

Crap like this..

Anyone who is anti-union is a moron.

Also the repeated use of the word "scabs" for the replacement referees.

That word is a union member pejorative for any employees used to temporarily replace employees that are on strike.

It has passed into the general lexicon as someone who performs a type of work while the union normally performing it is on strike. I don't view it as political any more. Maybe it was when you were growing up.

[tchafe1978]

Well, we can all quit arguing about the bad officiating, as the NFL and the Referee's Association have reached an agreement. Haleighluia! There is a God!

[bugo]

It's sad that it took such an abortion of a call to bring back the real refs.  Goodell needs to be shown the door for waiting this long to make a deal.

[Beltway]

This becoming more a political thread than a sports thread keep it civil. --ms

What the fuck are you talking about?  I don't see any politics, unless you consider the rules of the game political.

Crap like this..

Anyone who is anti-union is a moron.

Also the repeated use of the word "scabs" for the replacement referees.

That word is a union member pejorative for any employees used to temporarily replace employees that are on strike.

It has passed into the general lexicon as someone who performs a type of work while the union normally performing it is on strike. I don't view it as political any more. Maybe it was when you were growing up.

Wrong.  The non-pejorative word is "strikebreaker".

A strikebreaker (sometimes derogatorily called a scab or a blackleg) is a person who works despite an ongoing strike.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strikebreaker

[Special K]

Well, we can all quit arguing about the bad officiating, as the NFL and the Referee's Association have reached an agreement. Haleighluia! There is a God!

Allegedly.

[mgk920]

This becoming more a political thread than a sports thread keep it civil. --ms

What the fuck are you talking about?  I don't see any politics, unless you consider the rules of the game political.

Crap like this..

Anyone who is anti-union is a moron.

Also the repeated use of the word "scabs" for the replacement referees.

That word is a union member pejorative for any employees used to temporarily replace employees that are on strike.

It has passed into the general lexicon as someone who performs a type of work while the union normally performing it is on strike. I don't view it as political any more. Maybe it was when you were growing up.

Wrong.  The non-pejorative word is "strikebreaker".

A strikebreaker (sometimes derogatorily called a scab or a blackleg) is a person who works despite an ongoing strike.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strikebreaker

But this was NOT a 'strike', it was a 'lockout'.

Mike

[Henry]

Does anyone have that deja vu feeling again, because this was the second year in a row in which a lockout occurred? (last year, it was the players)

[cpzilliacus]

Does anyone have that deja vu feeling again, because this was the second year in a row in which a lockout occurred? (last year, it was the players)

The dispute with the players was over serious amounts of money that the NFL team owners have to pay their workers.

By comparison, the amount of money that the NFL pays their game officials is a pittance in the scheme of things.

This was about greed - and nothing more.  And as a result, the Green Bay Packers lost a game that they should have won. 

[Beltway]

Does anyone have that deja vu feeling again, because this was the second year in a row in which a lockout occurred? (last year, it was the players)

The dispute with the players was over serious amounts of money that the NFL team owners have to pay their workers.

By comparison, the amount of money that the NFL pays their game officials is a pittance in the scheme of things.

$150,000 per year for part-time work as a referee??  Grossly overpaid.

[cpzilliacus]

Does anyone have that deja vu feeling again, because this was the second year in a row in which a lockout occurred? (last year, it was the players)

The dispute with the players was over serious amounts of money that the NFL team owners have to pay their workers.

By comparison, the amount of money that the NFL pays their game officials is a pittance in the scheme of things.

$150,000 per year for part-time work as a referee??  Grossly overpaid.

I vigorously disagree. 

Doing officiating of pro football is hard work, and it requires a lot of training and a lot of education, and a willingness to mingle on the field (with no pads and no helmets) with some very big and very fast-moving and very strong men.

And did you (by chance) notice what happened when the NFL used the cheaper guys?

NFL, NFL Referees Association reach eight-year deal - Lockout to end, regular refs back for tonight's Ravens-Browns game

N.F.L. Undervalued Competence, Paid in Integrity

The NFL owners got flagged

N.F.L. Reaches Labor Deal With Referees

NFL, refs compromise after debacle in Seattle

Even the worst daily newspaper in the United States, the late Rev. Sun Myung Moon's Washington Times (a/k/a the Moon Monitor) ran this:

Regular refs to work Thursday game after agreement with NFL

[english si]

It's also not just about how hard they work - they are in a very very rich workplace (one of the reasons why pro-sportsmen in major sports get silly money) - and as has been seen, being able to make the right call is worth a lot of money to the NFL as people were talking about not watching if the refs make bad ones often.

[Beltway]

Does anyone have that deja vu feeling again, because this was the second year in a row in which a lockout occurred? (last year, it was the players)

The dispute with the players was over serious amounts of money that the NFL team owners have to pay their workers.

By comparison, the amount of money that the NFL pays their game officials is a pittance in the scheme of things.

$150,000 per year for part-time work as a referee??  Grossly overpaid.

I vigorously disagree. 

Doing officiating of pro football is hard work, and it requires a lot of training and a lot of education, and a willingness to mingle on the field (with no pads and no helmets) with some very big and very fast-moving and very strong men.

Much less of those than for a police officer, or for a firefighter, or for a soldier, and they work full-time, and they get paid far less.