Now, I think that the NFL was pretty crappy for, as I understand it, not simply renewing the same contracts the ole refs worked under and was signed 6 years ago.

Maybe, I have my facts wrong and will appreciate it if Dolph or berk corrects me.

That being said. Yeah I saw a few blows by the Replacement Refs in pre-season but I saw something else that I have seen missing in the "real refs."

That missing ingredient is that these replacement refs strive to be fair. They don't seem to pick sides and rule the majority of the calls for that side be it home team or away team.

To me, that made up for the few bad calls they made.

I'd rather have a bad call made in error than some ref trying to please the home town crowd or some ref who knows a corner has a reputation for tight coverage and throwing the flag simply because the receiver didn't catch the ball.

I think the bad call on Sean Smith was a bad call any of the regular refs would have made.

In short, these replacement refs are a breath of fresh air.

You know most of those guys are high school refs? I was told that the college refs aren't quitting their college gigs because it'll probably be temporary. Pretty wild to be doing high school one year then NFL the next.

Yeah, I knew that. And when you come to think of it, that even makes it more a remarkable job they are doing.

I admit that I'm going to miss the replacement refs once the regulars & the NFL get their shit together. They made some pretty boring 2nd half preseason games fun to watch. They kind of remind me of Keystone Cops.

I'm not sure I agree with ya Chyrene......I still remember a coment made by Bob Griese during the Cowboys game.......after the ref blew another Pass Interference call he said " Oh yeah, you can tell we are playing in dallas". Also these guys are high school refs? How much do you think they make? How hard would it be for a Vegas con Man to corupt one of them? I don't like it. I really don't trust them.

Don't see it the way u guys do. To me much better than the regular refs. They don't have an agenda or a memory of what they think each team does and they are not likely to say "Oh, that's so and so, he always holds" or "Oh, that's so and so, he's got his hands on the receiver because he always does."

Breath of fresh air.

Yeh, they blew some.

But can you say the regular refs have never blown some WORSE?

But I'd rather see one blown through incompetence (because of course the replay can always correct it) than to see some jerks who have a grudge against our team or a grudge against a player make a call that is not reviewable that kills our team in a game.

Come on. It's the difference between a mistake and an intentional stab in the heart.

Breath of fresh air.

I understand why the players have a collective bargaining agreement. I simply dont understand why the refs do, sorry... Some of the refs are ego maniacs, while they do a good job, I thought the refs in the Giants/cowboys game did a great job. I think they will get better and the owners shouldnt cave to demands. If they dont want to work, so be it...

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All things are subject to interpretation whichever interpretation prevails at a given time is a function of power and not truth.
Nietzsche

One game does not make a holdout any more comfortable. I am almost certain what we say Wednesday for this NFL" Kickoff", with all the drama the commisioner is attempting to squelch, was the cream of the crop of replacement officials. There were only a couple games played at the same time during preseason, and the bad calls there meant little and were forgotten, but what is going to happen Sunday? There will be a multitude of games all being played at the same time. Will we then see the fourth, fifth, and sixth string refs at some of these games?
I applaud what we saw Wednesday. The game moved along and was allowed to be played instead of policed. The refs have no connection to this league, and so the lop-sided calling should be much less a problem. But when we need a multitude of quality crews working...will there be enough good to go around?

I hear what you are saying AFBeast, the best refs are doing the nationally televised games. Good point... But in all of the ref talk and grading of replacement officials, isnt completely as it seems. The regular refs miss plenty of calls and make bad calls all the time as well. The replacement refs are being graded as if the regular refs dont make mistakes, which is not true at all... I hope if and when the regulars refs sign their deal, that the same level of scrutiny is placed on them that is now being placed on the replacements for their performance...

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All things are subject to interpretation whichever interpretation prevails at a given time is a function of power and not truth.
Nietzsche

For this game, the refs seems pretty good. Better than some of the pro refs I've seen.

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Miami Dolphins. Always Perfect.

I agree witrh Chyren ... I think they are trying hard, and do prefer the occassional goof to the bias any day.

I can't remeber any year where the refs weren't blowing some call anyway!

I don't have a clue what the beef is about with the refs and the NFL. I don't think it is a problem however. They seem to be doing a decent job in what I've seen thus far.

Yeah, I'd much rather have a call blown through incompetence than through bias colored glasses. Really. I'm so sick of biased calls like every bad call that was made last Saturday in South Bend in favor of the Irish and against Purdue. No way they would have beaten us BUT FOR THE REFS!

I agree too....They are trying hard and doing a good job too....Missed calls are going to happen there is so much going on and so few refs...


And the speed of the game takes time to get used to....I guess this applies to the refs as well..

After watching what happened in Green Bay, I've got to wonder a little. For our game it wasn't horrible - the Refs seemed quite good - but some of the stuff I saw in the highlights was crazy.

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Miami Dolphins. Always Perfect.