Sean Payton On NFL Officials (1 Viewer)

It certainly isn't a new idea that NFL refs should be full-time employees and I think it comes up just about every year during discussion of officials.

There's clearly a lot of appeal to the idea that refs as full-time league employees could spend more time refining their calls, sitting in film study, and working on improvements and consistency. My only concern would be that there's already so much distrust of the league's supposed influence on refs (the games are fixed, the league dictates certain results, etc.), if the refs become fully in-house, I think it only encourages that kind of thing even more.

In fact, I don't buy that line of thinking too much - but if you take these guys out of their careers (most refs are career and proud businessmen or professionals) and bring them into the league as full-time employees, you might actually increase their own perception that they need to keep their employer happy . . . or make them less willing to resist anytime some unscrupulous league-office person approaches them.

It's one thing to have principles you can stand up for when Monday through Friday you're a company executive or a partner at a law firm . . . it might change those dynamics if you're a league employee and there really isn't anywhere comparable for you to go out and get a job elsewhere.
 
I just found out during our game Sunday that Ed Hochuli is a lawyer. Never knew that. I doubt he'll turn down Firm money for full time officiating
 
Why not train new officials since the ones they have right now wouldn't accept to become full time refs?
 
It certainly isn't a new idea that NFL refs should be full-time employees and I think it comes up just about every year during discussion of officials.

There's clearly a lot of appeal to the idea that refs as full-time league employees could spend more time refining their calls, sitting in film study, and working on improvements and consistency. My only concern would be that there's already so much distrust of the league's supposed influence on refs (the games are fixed, the league dictates certain results, etc.), if the refs become fully in-house, I think it only encourages that kind of thing even more.

In fact, I don't buy that line of thinking too much - but if you take these guys out of their careers (most refs are career and proud businessmen or professionals) and bring them into the league as full-time employees, you might actually increase their own perception that they need to keep their employer happy . . . or make them less willing to resist anytime some unscrupulous league-office person approaches them.

It's one thing to have principles you can stand up for when Monday through Friday you're a company executive or a partner at a law firm . . . it might change those dynamics if you're a league employee and there really isn't anywhere comparable for you to go out and get a job elsewhere.

Make them a co-owned or co-managed group, answering to both the NFL and NFLPA.
 
I just found out during our game Sunday that Ed Hochuli is a lawyer. Never knew that. I doubt he'll turn down Firm money for full time officiating

so then he goes to being lawyer weekdays and weekends for the entire year.

Something has to be done. NFL can afford this- 10k for head of crew. $5000-7500 for Line/side/back judge ....higher based on exp and track record.

easy as pie.
 
I just found out during our game Sunday that Ed Hochuli is a lawyer. Never knew that. I doubt he'll turn down Firm money for full time officiating


Here's a few:


Ed Hochuli
NFL Official since 1990
Primary Occupation: Civil litigator at a Phoenix law firm. FYI: He’s run 12 marathons and is known to have the build of a pro-athlete himself—Hochuli is 6’1 and 215 pounds.

Mike Carey
NFL Official since 1990
Primary Occupation: San Diego entrepeneur who has founded ski and snow equipment companies. FYI: In 2008, Carey became the first black referee to officiate the Super Bowl.

Walt Coleman
NFL Official since 1989
Primary Occupation: Dairy farmer, operator of Coleman Dairy in Little Rock. FYI: Coleman’s farm produces and distributes more than a million gallons of milk a week.

Tony Corrente
NFL Official since 1995
Primary Occupation: High school social sciences teacher in La Miranda, California. FYI: During the 2011-12 season, Corrente was diagnosed with cancer and underwent chemotherapy, yet he worked all but three weeks.

Gene Steratore
NFL Official since 2003
Primary Occupation: Co-owner of a janitor supply company in Washington, Pennsylvania. FYI: Steratore also refs NCAA Big East and Big 10 basketball.

The Secret Life of NFL Referees - DuJour
 
It will never happen for one simple reason. NFL owners do not want another union to deal with.
 
Clete Blakeman is also a lawyer From Omaha. He shows up on the radio station here and talks football with the radio guys. I don't really care for him as a ref only because I've seen him blow some crucial calls....or his crew has. But when you listen to him talk about how to officiate the game you can tell he aims to be fair across the board. He's mentioned that the game is super fast and replay helps to make things right.

I think they should be fulltime because practice and consistency would help make it better.
 
It will never happen for one simple reason. NFL owners do not want another union to deal with.

Completely FALSE. Thr refs are already unionized. It is that union that has been resisting all officials be full time. In the 2012 CBA the league did get them to allow upto 7 full time refs.
 
NCAA refs seem to be far superior and are full time. You'd think the NFL would take the clue.
 
The refs are not the problem. For the most part, they do an incredible job given how fast the game is.

The rules are the problem, as well as the NFL not enforcing any consistency among different crews.
 

Create an account or login to comment

You must be a member in order to leave a comment

Create account

Create an account on our community. It's easy!

Log in

Already have an account? Log in here.

Users who are viewing this thread

    Back
    Top Bottom