Wiston Papers
Amateur hour in the National Football League
The
regular National Football League (NFL) referees were on strike until today complaining about financial and retirement compensation for what amounts
to part-time jobs. Until today, we were subjected to the vagaries of substitute officials who were trying to keep
one watchful eye out for mischievous behavior on the field and another
eye open for disgruntled fans.
I was not one of the sports fans or football pundits demanding that the NFL
agree to the strikers’ demands. I can’t muster much sympathy for men who
already make as much as $200, 000 a year for working only on weekends.
After all, this is just football—it’s only entertainment and
contributes absolutely zero to the national welfare. Fun to watch but
not important.
Many observors were obviously more upset than I with the quality of the
temporary arbiters. And that broiled into outrage following last Monday
night’s game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers that
ended on a controversial call.
I
watched the Green Bay-Seattle football game. As a former high school football
player with dreams of professional stardom, I follow the NFL contests
with considerable interest. My pro career, tragically, was never to be
materialize due to three minor reasons—lack of size, speed and talent.
First,
I’m not fan of Seattle’s coach, Pete Carroll. He's the guy who
presided over the University of Southern California (USC) football
program as it violated several National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) rules en route to several mythical national Bowl College Series
(BCS) championships. Then he fled town just in front of the NCAA
sheriff. Now he has an NFL head coaching job where he perpetuates his
moral leadership. A Seahawks’s win is always a disappointment.
My
second criticism was the Green Bay play on both sides of the line of
scrimmage. The Packers allowed their quarterback Aaron Rogers to be
sacked all night long. The offensive line was no where to be seen most
of Monday evening. The behemoths in the front line must have been on
sympathy strike with the regular NFL officials--having coffee somewhere.
And Green Bay's defense had more holes in it than Swiss cheese. The
team’s fans—known as Cheeseheads—should affix clothespins to their noses
to block out the stench that has followed the Packers so far this
season.
Finally,
there were more penalty flags on the field Monday night than there are
nation banners surrounding the United Nations headquarters in New York
City. I’m surprised the Seattle’s police force didn’t swarm the field
and arrest the part-time officials for violating the city’s litter laws.
Or perhaps the city’s “finest” are immune to pollution because of Pete
Carroll’s presence.
It
is true that the substitute officials missed the Seahawks offensive
pass interference on the final play of the game. That infraction
allowed both a Seahawk and Green Bay player to make a simultaneous
catch. In such instances, the call always is in favor of the offense.
That play the officials called correctly.
Unfortunately, everything else about Monday’s game was bad. But
on the bright side the regular NFL officials will soon be back on the
field where they will be welcomed with open arms by both fans and
coaches alike---at least until that first penalty flag is thrown.
Steve Coon
September 27, 2012
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