Conference call with all officials will address recent mistakes

by UnBannedVikingholic on Oct 28, 2010 8:29 PM CDT

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d81bb1fd0/article/conference-call-with-all-officials-will-address-recent-mistakes?module=HP_headlines

The NFL has scheduled a conference call with every member of every officiating team, FOX Sports' Jay Glazer reported Thursday on NFL Network's "NFL Total Access."

An officiating source told Glazer that the purpose of Friday's call is to give a pep talk and clean up mistakes by officials. Sources say having all the officials involved in the call is rare, if not unprecedented.

The conference call comes on the heels of two high-profile officiating decisions in Week 7.

Late in Sunday's game between the Steelers and Dolphins, Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger scrambled out of the pocket and lunged for the end zone. The ball was knocked loose right around the goal line, but the officials ruled that Roethlisberger had scored a touchdown.

A Dolphins player emerged from the ensuing end-zone pileup with the football. When the ball was determined on replay to have come out before Roethlisberger reached the goal line, Miami believed it had a touchback. But since officials initially ruled that Roethlisberger had scored a touchdown, they didn't bother to see who recovered the ball, because it technically was no longer in play.

Pittsburgh was awarded the ball on the Miami 1-yard line and went on to kick a go-ahead field goal and hold on for a 23-22 victory.

The second controversy came in the Sunday night matchup between the Vikings and Green Bay Packers, when Minnesota tight endVisanthe Shiancoe made a diving grab in the end zone and appeared to secure the ball as he rolled onto his back. Officials ruled the play a touchdown but overturned the call on review. Minnesota settled for a field goal and lost 28-24.

Vikings coach Brad Childress openly criticized the game's officiating, drawing a $35,000 fine from the NFL.

Carl Johnson, the NFL's vice president of officiating, wasn't happy with the entire incident.

"We wish the ruling on the field would have stood as a completed catch," Johnson said on Wednesday's "NFL Total Access."

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Poll

Should the NFL have done this sooner already?

Yes, too many False Calls leading to unfair games.

72 votes

No, this is a good time, the NFL has been doing great officiating until last week.

3 votes

75 votes | Poll has closed

This FanPost was created by a registered user of The Daily Norseman, and does not necessarily reflect the views of the staff of the site. However, since this is a community, that view is no less important.

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Comments

thanks for the feeds!

by iseepurplepeople on Oct 28, 2010 9:40 PM CDT reply actions

I'd like to think a conference call with all the refs should be done weekly.

Doesn’t anybody find it odd that this is potentially a first occurrence for having a conference call involving all officials. I would think it’s a good idea for the head of officiating to be in constant contact with his officials. There’s only sixteen crews so a weekly meeting shouldn’t be a big deal, it should be routine. The most popular sport in North America should be reffed by full-time professionals because the current refs just seem underprepared and undereducated on the rules that they enforce.

by CanadianViking on Oct 28, 2010 9:50 PM CDT reply actions

I find this very odd.

Quality control should be more of a priority.

by KC612 on Oct 29, 2010 8:05 AM CDT up reply actions

+1

"If you've got them by the balls their hearts and minds will follow."

John Wayne

by just another viking on Oct 29, 2010 9:15 AM CDT up reply actions

I agree

Hell I think they should have one on one meetings with officiating crews who blatantly screw up calls… not to mention some kind of fine, suspension whatever. Football is a multimillion dollar game with millions of fans, officials are the glue that holds it together. If it’s not done right then it needs to be fixed.

It's a lot easier to love the Vikings when they win...

by Grime on Oct 29, 2010 9:14 AM CDT up reply actions

Not to mention the gambling angle.

The only thing worse than watching your team lose because of bad officiating is losing money at the same time : )

by CanadianViking on Oct 29, 2010 9:31 AM CDT up reply actions

Yeah my kids not going to college anymore...

bummer for him… Unless the Vike beat the Pats by 17 this week!

It's a lot easier to love the Vikings when they win...

by Grime on Oct 29, 2010 9:54 AM CDT up reply actions

What really pisses me off!!!!!!!!!!

On the Vikings call the ref standing 2 F’n feet away in the endzone called it a TD. Then the other team challenges it and a completely different referee looks at some video and somehow sees “indisputable evidence” then overturns the call on the field. So in this case the review process reversed a great call by the official. WTF!?

by Phat Cowboy on Oct 29, 2010 10:01 AM CDT reply actions

A conference call is a joke...

this is a pitifully insufficient effort to appease with a blatantly half-asses gesture. The NFL will continue to foster the culture of incompetence until they hire real full-time officials who have to compete for their jobs, compete for live action, and can lose that privilege with poor performance.

by Jshore on Oct 29, 2010 10:18 PM CDT reply actions