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* Anybody want to talk about that horribly refereed football game last night?
Oy.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 8:44 am
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I watched that thing. Certainly not a Packers fan but the Ref’s have been brutal this year. Let’s hope something breaks and we can get the professionals back before someone gets seriously injured.
Comment by Stones Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 8:47 am
Hate the Packers. Hate scab refs more.
Comment by Left of Central IL Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 8:50 am
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! They stink!! And, either a player or !! an Official is going to get hurt. Geeez…..
Comment by SouthernIL Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 8:51 am
I think the leverage that good workers from a limited pool of good workers can have with an employer has been clearly illustrated…
Also how much of the total NFL story is at this point officiating quality..
Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 8:54 am
Replace the replacements!
Comment by Kerfuffle Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 8:55 am
It couldn’t have happened to a nicer team! While everyone north of the cheddar curtain will be crying in their oatmeal this morning, this call will let them all forget how horrible the Packers played the entire game. Sure, blame the refs. That’s easier than asking what happened to your offensive line for 60 minutes.
Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 8:56 am
Old school bears fans-wasn’t there a game in 1989 that the packers stole from the bears because of some replay issue with don majikowski?
Comment by Shore Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 8:59 am
also his father in law is sam skinner the former bush cos who I think lives in chicago and is perhaps one of your subscribers.
Comment by Shore Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:00 am
Almost as painful to watch as a GOP primary for Governor.
Comment by View from the Cheap Seats Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:01 am
One word. Hilarious!!
Comment by ah HA Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:02 am
47th Ward,
They didn’t play terrible the WHOLE game, just the first 2 quarters and the second half.
As a Packer fan I am furious, of course. Despite the poor play of the Packers they should have won. Seattle is a tough team to beat at home. The last play review was so clearly an interception and the useless officials couldn’t see that even w/slo-mo. Replace the Replacements!
Comment by dupage dan Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:02 am
I’m a Bears fan. Didn’t watch the game but was expecting something like this and was glad it happened to somebody else. Didn’t particularly want it to be the Packers, although I don’t love them. The NFL needs to get this fixed before worse happens, like something that results in a serious injury.
Comment by Excessively Rabid Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:04 am
I’ll echo the same comment I made earlier:
“Everybody can be replaced. The outcomes aren’t necessarily as good, or even desirable. In fact, oftentimes it’s downright ugly. But affordability does come into play here, and oftentimes it becomes the deciding factor.”
Now, I’m pretty sure that’s along the Roger Goodell line. But there’s one giant difference - the NFL isn’t in anything like the financial black hole the State of IL is in. So ‘affordability’ isn’t the issue here.
I expect the NFLPA to step in shortly, probably on ‘Health and Safety’ grounds for the players.
And honestly, the NFL Management Council (the owners) should be thankful when the NFLPA does so, because that will give them (the owners) a way out so they can settle this fast growing tumor.
This labor dispute is a classic example of chasing after nickels rolling down the street while $100 bills are blowing right by you.
That game was just just a total nightmare, but Patriots-Ravens was almost as bad, and SF getting six (6) timeouts was a real jewel. NFL Films could create a real bloopers DVD with this year’s games to date. Title it “When Ref’s Go Bad”.
Comment by Judgment Day Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:06 am
Horrible refs but the game was fun to watch anyway.
I can’t imagine that ref payroll is a significant percentage of the NFL’s budget, so pay the real refs whatever they are asking for, Gooddell!
Comment by Robert the Bruce Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:08 am
I wonder how Wisconsin Governor Walker now feels about union busting.
Comment by Orland (D) Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:08 am
Labor unrest brought to you by greedy owners. Hockey season in jeopardy as well. The season of discontent indeed.
Comment by Loop Lady Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:09 am
Said this on your FB page last night….Players need to refuse to play due to unsafe work envirorment. These refs have lost complete control. Someone is going to get hurt…Houston QB is still looking for part of his earlobe after a late hit!
Comment by MIke S Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:09 am
The NFL needs to change its name to World Wide Football because with these replacement refs the game has become every bit as phony as wrestling.
Comment by Sarge Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:14 am
I paid $7 for a 32oz RC Cola at Soldier Field on Sunday. I think the NFL can afford to pay the real refs.
Comment by Uncle Leo Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:15 am
“Give them bread and circuses”
Besides Rich’s website, there is no serious coverage of stae government. Things will only improve, when the media, print and TV, spend as much time on government as they do on sports. Rich, please don’t feed these distractions.
Comment by Air-Is-Total Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:17 am
Uncle Leo…
But it is Royal Crown, royalty does not come cheap.
Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:17 am
With the reprefs they’re basically playing the pro game from the 70s and 80s. Refreshing. As to the Packers loss hahahahahahahahahahaha! gasp hahahahahahaha!
Comment by Robo Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:19 am
Awful. The
Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:20 am
Stupid iPhone. I was going to type:
What an awful game. ESPN really got the short end of the stick on games. The officiating was bad, the Packers laid an egg and the Seahawks are a boring team. Awful all the way around.
Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:22 am
This blown call brought to you by, Keystone Light. Always smooth, even when you aren’t.
Comment by John A Logan Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:23 am
There was a game last night?
Comment by WazUp Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:24 am
Roger Goodell needs to work to end the referees strike. This is becoming a joke to watch these guys…
Comment by Rahm's Parking Meter Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:28 am
My favorite comment on officials from one of my politically incorrect mentors: “Officials are like women, all are a pain in the ass but some are a lot worse than others.”
Comment by Enemy of the State Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:28 am
If the fans are truly upset, they can end the lockout by boycotting next Sunday’s games. Don’t go and don’t watch and don’t by any branded stuff. The lockout will be over by Tuesday.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:29 am
Entertainment! Can’t believe people get this worked up over “games”, but let Rome burn behind them.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:30 am
Air-is: Generally agree with your comment about distractions, but,… I don’t follow football, Facebook was full of comments about the game, and it is obviously a slow (politically) news day. See no harm with a thread about football, besides, it’s Rich’s blog, he can discuss anything he wants- how about a discussion about HOT female legislators across the nation, sometime, Rich??
Comment by downstate commissioner Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:37 am
Judgment Day
“This labor dispute is a classic example of chasing after nickels rolling down the street while $100 bills are blowing right by you.”
Right on the money.
If the owners gave the referees everything they are asking for it would cost about $100,000 per team this season. Roughly ¼ the salary of one of their lowest paid players.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/football/nfl/la-sp-0925-plaschke-nfl-officials-20120925-28,0,1808277.column
Comment by Bongofury Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:40 am
As the saying goes, the Packers should not have put themselves in the position to lose on the last play of the game. They really did deserve it. And, there is a rule about mutual posession of the ball — so the refs decision was, arguably, right.
Comment by ANALYST Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:45 am
Anonymous, I find it ironic people comment on things they have no interest in to complain that people are not complaining about other things…
Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:49 am
The weekend was a disaster for Roger Goodell. He’s really screwed the pooch.
The money at stake with the refs is not even small potatoes compared to the integrity of the game. His hard line makes no sense.
Last night was terrible, the Pats/Ravens game was terrible, the Lions/Titans game was even worse.
Vegas is going apey. How can you set a line when the refs are the wild card? Sports media is on fire, with even company men like Al Michael screaming how bad it is.
Speaking of Vegas, the real refs have been vetted many times by the FBI, looking for gambling connections. No one even knows who these guys are. Think about the millions you could make by blowing a call in a close game.
This never should have happened. The NFL is a gold mine.
Goodell should lose his job over this. Your next NFL Commissioner? Condeleeza Rice.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:50 am
If the $100K per year is the ‘difference’ between the 2 sides, it amounts to something less than 0.10% of the NFL revenue from ticket sales, not including all the TV money.
It occurs that maybe Goo-dell is ‘undersized’ for NFL Comish job. Doubts? Referee fiasco proves it.
Seems like just a bunch of 1%’ers= owners trying to get richer at expense of tiny labor union. And destroy the game they so heavily ‘invest’ in. Who are the dumb ones here?
Comment by sal-says Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:53 am
–“Give them bread and circuses”
Besides Rich’s website, there is no serious coverage of stae government. Things will only improve, when the media, print and TV, spend as much time on government as they do on sports. Rich, please don’t feed these distractions. –
Put some pants on and get out of your mom’s basement. While you’re at it, get a life. You’re not a victim.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 9:55 am
“If the fans are truly upset, they can end the lockout by boycotting next Sunday’s games.” Good idea, but the problem is all the people who have already spent their hard-earned money on tickets. I don’t think they’re inclined to sit at home and flush their money down the toilet. I know if it were me, I’d rather get a mediocre show for my money than nothing at all. I think it would be fun to see the players boycott a game though.
Comment by What planet is he from? Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 10:00 am
Now the the Chicago symphony orchestra strike has been settled, the out of tune scab orchestra will be shown the door. Now, on to the nfl referee strike!!
Comment by Anon Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 10:02 am
I’m a huge Packer fan, so there is my bias. There is NO WAY this was a catch. M.D. Jennings had possesion when both players went to the ground. Golden Tate had one hand on the ball! The worst part about all of this is that the NFC North is a very tough division. If this screws up the playoffs, it will be terrible!
Comment by UISer Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 10:04 am
too busy watching Dunn hit two homers.. for a White Sox winner!
Comment by amalia Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 10:07 am
My Musical Message to the NFL: http://goo.gl/ZV1zi
– MrJM
Comment by MrJM Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 10:10 am
It was a fantastic call. Normally I would never compliment scabs but I’ll make an exception in this case. Packrats and Lions both 1-2. Excellent call!
Comment by Bill Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 10:13 am
Shore -
He was past the line of scrimmage!
Comment by late to the party Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 10:23 am
Orland,
“Scott Walker, Packer Fan, Now a Union Man” by Jonathan Chait, http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2012/09/scott-walker-packer-fan-now-a-union-man.html
– MrJM
Comment by MrJM Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 10:23 am
I can’t be the only one who remembers the Grid Iron Polden Age when professional football had integrity: http://youtu.be/PNGMHSHNJQ0
Go Chicago!
– MrJM
Comment by MrJM Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 10:27 am
If I were the real NFL refs, I would ask for A LOT more money. Their leverage has never been better.
Comment by late to the party Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 10:28 am
Not only are the demands of the locked out referees, yes they were locked out by the owners, minuscule in comparison but they are pension related. Sound familiar? Ownership treats the officials like a commodity, same as the players, same as most US workers are now being treated. Welcome back to the days of the robber barons…….
Comment by Old and In the Way Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 10:28 am
wait…no NFL team ever lost game due to a bad call by the refs? wa wa wa.. having said that the NFL owners are being pigs.. 3 million dollars for a multi-billion $$ business.. stupid..
Comment by Lance Stevens Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 10:33 am
All of the outcry over these replacement refs would make most people think that there was no issue with the real officials last season and that fans weren’t constantly whining about how many poor calls there were and blown and/or excessively long replay reviews.
Comment by BigDoggie Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 10:34 am
I figured there would be a lot of support for the real refs from this crowd. They want a full pension for a part time job. Heck, you’d think they were Illinois legislators or something.
Comment by Jaded Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 10:43 am
Just saw an article on the effect of that blown call on gamblers - $150 to $250 million. If Goodell and the owners don’t care enough about the integrity of the game to come to agreement with the refs, maybe the angry gamblers will have some impact. Sad, but money seems to be the only thing the owners care about.
Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 10:46 am
It’s not just the blown calls. The players know they can get away with a lot more, players health is being put at risk and so is the NFL brand.
What’s going to cost an owner more the refs or an injured star or starter at the end of the day….
The NFL has experienced record profits the last several years unlike most of the of the world. They can afford to get the real refs back
Comment by WOW Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 10:51 am
–wait…no NFL team ever lost game due to a bad call by the refs?–
If you read about the old-timers, it would curl your toes.
Back in the days before the NFL was the cash cow of TV, neither the players nor the refs made much money.
But there was still a lot of gambling.
There’s a hilarious legend of Bobby Layne, a great quarterback and notorious gambler, when he played for the Bears. In a game against Detroit, he allegedly threw the ball into the seats at Wrigley three times when the Bears were at the goal line to keep his team from scoring a touchdown and beating the spread.
He had a little something on the game.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 10:52 am
Amen to word and lance. Before replay everytime there was a bad call it was “this is going to be the call that brings replay to the NFL.”
Yeah, there are bad calls. But now the coaches, players and network broadcasters blow up on EVERY play, even when it turns out it was a good call.
Play the game, quit whining.
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 10:58 am
Between the ending of this game Monday night and the replacement ref who threw his hat and tripped a Dallas receiver Sunday, Buffalo Wild Wings has great stuff for some new commercials…
Comment by Decaf Coffee Party Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 10:58 am
I turned the game off last night with 8 seconds left to play convinced that the Packers had won as there was no way I though Seattle had any chance. So such quite the surprise when I woke up to see what happened in those 8 seconds. That had to be by far the worst officiating I have seen and there have been many situations already this season. I loved the fans yelling in unison at the Ravens/Patriots game on Sunday- that was classic. Apparently the pushback from everyone means nothing when you are that stubborn and bullheaded. It’s not weakness to concede that you have taken a miserably flawed position.
Comment by carbaby Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 11:14 am
To me, this is the result of a “perfect storm”. New rules dictate that EVERY turnover and score are automatically reviewed. The games would have taken longer, and more bad calls would have been displayed even with the “real” refs. Now - couple that with the hiring of these incompetent and totally in-over-their-heads replacement refs, you have to expect these outcomes.
Kinda reminds me of the current Obama Administration…..(sorry, couldn’t resist).
Comment by Recidivist Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 11:19 am
Say it ain’t so, Bobby Layne!
Where’s Kenesaw Mountain Landis when you need him?
Comment by dupage dan Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 11:28 am
as one of the refs said after the game, “Green Bay didnt touch second base, but we shoulda given em two free throws anyway, to make it fair.” so sad for green bay (not). the guy in the booth upstairs was not a replacement, he was regular NFL
Comment by langhorne Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 11:32 am
If they had a system of charter refs to call upon this would have never happened!
Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 11:35 am
You should have been watching the White Sox game! Bad umpiring, but what an exciting finish!
Comment by Bobbysox Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 11:54 am
I was at the Cell watching the Sox and Adam Dunn!
Comment by Because I said so... Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 12:23 pm
== I know if it were me, I’d rather get a mediocre show for my money than nothing at all. I think it would be fun to see the players boycott a game though. ==
The fans should boycott and ask for a refund. They paid for a professional sporting event and they didn’t get one. I can’t imagine why some lawyer hasn’t filed a class action suit on behalf of the fans.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 12:35 pm
==New rules dictate that EVERY turnover and score are automatically reviewed.==
Correct, but… A simultaneous possession call can and was only reviewed for (1) completion/incompletion (2) spot of the football.
So the scabs actually were right in that they could not overrule the call on the field, which was of course the wrong call.
Either way it has been a joke all year.
There will be plenty of pandering by politicos in Wisconsin today. Can’t wait to watch those Congressional Committee meetings.
Comment by JimmyCrackCorn Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 12:50 pm
Green Bay got hosed.
The only Replacements that I can endorse were led by Paul Westerberg and Tommy Stinson.
Comment by Jake From Elwood Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 1:13 pm
So far no one has mentioned the blatant offensive pass interference non-call in the end zone too. The Seattle receiver clearly pushed off to get to the ball in the first place. So catch, no catch, interception…it should have all gone down as a 15 yard penalty. Or is it 10 yards? 5 yards and loss of down? Maybe they can assess it on the ensuing kick off at the next scheduled home game?
Comment by What planet is he from? Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 1:34 pm
I have been boycotting, in my own sad, little way, NFL football since the beginning of the regular season. Won’t buy any tickets (I usually buy 4 or 8 of the damn expensive things every year), and won’t watch the games. Read/heard coverage of last night’s debacle and, actually, that’s why I’m not watching till they fix it.
Comment by Ray del Camino Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 1:41 pm
“I wonder how Wisconsin Governor Walker now feels about union busting.”
Priceless!!
Comment by wishbone Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 1:52 pm
None of this really matters. They are all meaningless games. The NFL machine is the 1%ers exploiting the 99%. Where else would hard-working people pay $200 for a jersey to advertise the NFL!?? Bad refs make the games more entertaining, not less!
Comment by Ace Matson Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 2:21 pm
==Correct, but… A simultaneous possession call can and was only reviewed for (1) completion/incompletion (2) spot of the football.==
Exactly. Others above have incorrectly been blamimg the reviewer. The reviewer’s hands were tied. The blame should really go to the white-capped head ref, as he should have conferred with the 2 that made opposite calls in the endzone (one signalled touchback, the other touchdown).
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 2:24 pm
Whatever goodwill the NFL owners had with the public vanashed last night. Sometimes you have to admit defeat and move on…..let’s see if they have the stones to do it.
Comment by downhereforyears Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 2:56 pm
Reminds me of the WWE. How far is an ending like last night from professional wrestling? The good guy gets beaten up by the bad guy’s cheating and loses the match. Then a rematch is hyped for weeks and the good guy wins that one. I know the comparison suffers but the nfl is not about just football anymore.
Comment by Rocky 7 Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 3:33 pm
Could you image how much fun it would be if the NFL borrowed the NHL refs? Man…let the hits fly!
Not to hijack the question, but who’s the bigger bungler? NHL for locking out players or NFL for locking out refs?
Comment by Chembros Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 4:13 pm
Apparently our POTUS has entered the discussion.
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 4:24 pm
–If they had a system of charter refs to call upon this would have never happened!–
Louis, that’s way funny.
If you’re ever looking for some help to restore sanity to the GOP on Lake-Cook Road, let me know.
You’re the guy to do it.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Sep 25, 12 @ 5:36 pm