The Official NFL Thread: 2012-13 Season

[Douglas]

StyleForum side note: I've found it amusing to hear several times on the sports talk shows analysts saying it could take a few weeks after any agreement to get the refs back to work, citing, amongst other things, the need for the refs to "get fitted for new uniforms." Are there tailors on the NFL payroll compensating for dropped shoulders or something? I'd bet getting fitted for a new uniform as an NFL official goes something like "Large or Extra Large?"

 

[Slopho]



StyleForum side note: I've found it amusing to hear several times on the sports talk shows analysts saying it could take a few weeks after any agreement to get the refs back to work, citing, amongst other things, the need for the refs to "get fitted for new uniforms." Are there tailors on the NFL payroll compensating for dropped shoulders or something? I'd bet getting fitted for a new uniform as an NFL official goes something like "Large or Extra Large?"

IDK, NFL refs, as opposed to MLB umps, have to run a lot. The thing to me is that for some reason every NFL ref looks to be about 80 years old. MLB umps are XXL and XXXL. I have yet to see an NFL ref drop dead on the field.

 

[Gibonius]

One major consideration about which side to favor in public opinion here: The NFL didn't need to lock out the refs. They could have kept negotiating in good faith and tried to reach a deal while games went on as usual, but they figured they'd just lock out the refs instead. Lockouts are a pretty severe labor negotiation tactic but you'd never know it from the last couple years in sports.

 

[Texasmade]



StyleForum side note: I've found it amusing to hear several times on the sports talk shows analysts saying it could take a few weeks after any agreement to get the refs back to work, citing, amongst other things, the need for the refs to "get fitted for new uniforms." Are there tailors on the NFL payroll compensating for dropped shoulders or something? I'd bet getting fitted for a new uniform as an NFL official goes something like "Large or Extra Large?"

I wondered about that also. How long does it take to try on some pants, shirts, and shoes? I doubt any of their uniform is bespoke. To fit a ref for new uniforms should take like 10 minutes per ref.

 

[munchausen]

Ed Hochuli's biceps have atrophied. Although that means that his jersey will actually fit properly now.

 

[Pennglock]

Has anyone seen any actual stats on the replacements' error rate compared to that of the regular refs? My hypothesis is that the replacements' ineptitude is being overblown. If we were watching these games with the sound off I'm not sure we'd perceive much difference overall.

Either way I am sick of the whining. You would think no team had ever list on a bad call before Green Bay.

 

[Douglas]

PG, I think you are wrong. They are making a lot of mistakes, glaring mistakes. They take forever to place the ball, sometimes placing and re-placing it. They lose control of the discipline - note how many skirmishes and scrums there are. PI is subjective in most cases anyways, but their policing of it is extremely inconsistent. Every call precipitates a conference. Even your DVR would perceive a difference - if you don't add an hour extension to every game you record, you will have the end of it cut off.

It's not that some of it isn't overblown, but there are very real, very discernable differences.

As for stats, there are none. Nobody goes over games and records missed holds, inaccurate PIs, etc etc. Some people have cited odd things like # of penalties and I even heard Colin Cowherd noting that 9 underdogs or something won last week, most in a generation or something, but they all seem very suspect as statistical barometers of ref performance.

 

[Gibonius]

You basically can't do "missed penalties" because there's something you could call PI or holding for on literally every single play, if you followed the letter of the rules. The thing is the real refs actually call things somewhat consistently, quickly, and the players know what they're going to call and respect them. The scabs are just arbitrary, take forever, and way too often don't even know the rules or where they're supposed to be looking.

 

[HORNS]

StyleForum side note: I've found it amusing to hear several times on the sports talk shows analysts saying it could take a few weeks after any agreement to get the refs back to work, citing, amongst other things, the need for the refs to "get fitted for new uniforms." Are there tailors on the NFL payroll compensating for dropped shoulders or something? I'd bet getting fitted for a new uniform as an NFL official goes something like "Large or Extra Large?"

IDK, NFL refs, as opposed to MLB umps, have to run a lot. The thing to me is that for some reason every NFL ref looks to be about 80 years old. MLB umps are XXL and XXXL. I have yet to see an NFL ref drop dead on the field.

Yeah, the refs are often older in my eyes but they are some of the most fit older guys I've ever seen.

Also, on another note, I wonder if there's going to end up an assault on any of the refs from some gambler because of the money that was lost on a fucked-up call.

 

[Rambo]

deal's signed. they're back.

 

[Slopho]



deal's signed. they're back.

I wonder if there will be any whistle rust.

 

[in stitches]



deal's signed. they're back.

mazal tov!

who caved?

 

[Texasmade]



mazal tov!
who caved?

The NFL.

 

[in stitches]



The NFL.

good

 

[Mark Anthony]

Approximately 7.5 hours until tens of thousands of people are yelling at their TV about (insert officiating complaint here). Not defending the quality of the replacments but this honeymoon will end sometime during the first possession.