reviewable plays

[Bunglehead]

In defense of the refs, I really think they're doing their best on every play. I have a good friend who's been a high-school referee for many years and he tells me what goes on in those official's huddles. Many times flags are picked up because one or more officials over-rule it on the field. He also reprimands over-zealous officials who throw flags for technically correct penalties that occur in an area that doesn't affect the outcome of the play.

For most of us, the NFL officials operate like some sort of secret society. We don't know what type of training they receive, how they're chosen, where they come from, or even what their names are. We learn to recognize the TRUE referees, the guys wearing the white hats, who announce all the penalties, but the other officials are just nameless, faceless, entities in zebra suits.

I truly believe that it takes a special individual to become a referee, and they don't just throw a bunch of guys out there who appear to know a couple of rules. Maybe they SHOULD make the officials full time, it's not as though the NFL doesn't have enough money to pay them! But, they do have only one game a week and a very extended off-season...they might want other jobs just because they get bored.

The officials in any sport are essential, but you can't deny that modern technology has put them in a very tough spot. In the last twenty years or so, the number of cameras on the field has certainly quadrupled, and you can't find a stadium or arena today that doesn't have multiple big screen displays for all the fans to see each and every replay. It seems like the officiating has gotten worse, but most likely it's gotten better, only the spectators get to see everything from multiple angles and in slow-motion replay.

Everyone knows that the officials make incorrect calls, even when trying their best to be fair to both teams. I don't think you can find an official who won't admit that himself. With that said, I don't think that expanding the range of challengeable calls will undermind the authority of the officials on the field. It actually is to their benefit, because it gives them the ability to make the RIGHT call in the end, and that's exactly what they were trying to do in the first place.