The good news is that the NFL has finally recognized the value of embracing technology to help officials properly receive calls during games. The good news is that the NFL is gradually increasing its usage.
The best news would be to supplement these efforts with full-time staff.
Secretary Roger Goodell appears on Pat McAfee's show on Friday. Answered questions from full-time staffby deftly dismissing the subject in quaint and clever language. What should I do? He then pivoted to the NFL's decision to use replay assist to correct mistakes made by officials.
“We did a little [full-time officiating] “We canceled it before COVID-19, we canceled it during COVID-19 because of the situation, and we didn't see a difference. We did it right,” Goodell said. It doesn't mean anything, so we're still waiting to see.” But I also sit and watch a lot of playoff basketball and hockey. You hear a lot about officials, and they're all full-time. The only thing I would say is that this is a man's game. It's a fast game. They are humans just like you and me. make mistakes. For us, the way to fix it is to add technology. Therefore, this year we will further evolve Replay Assist. ”
Again, that's a good thing. But the league still needs to recognize the difference between the reality of full-time officiating and its perception. Now, when a mistake happens, it's easy to say, “Well, we have part-time staff.” If the NFL had full-time officials, that argument wouldn't hold up. It will also give the impression that the league is doing everything in its power to make sure all decisions are correct.
The impact goes far beyond the superficial. Full access to the game's officials provides a central location (in Dallas) each week during the season for group meetings aimed at ensuring consistency among the various parties in the application and interpretation of the rules. We were able to get everyone together. For 12 months of the year, they devote themselves completely to their unique craft. And their weekday jobs during the NFL season no longer require them to check boxes after their day jobs are done and the kids are in bed.
Why not? One word. 5 letters: c, h, e, a, p.
However, you are free to comment on sensitive topics.
“The idea is to be consistent and avoid making game-changing mistakes,” Goodell said of the decision to rely more on technology. “Referees are part of the game.”
That's true, but it's a part of the game that the NFL should be able to control better. Remember when Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said that in any game, both teams accept that an officiating error can affect the game? Now that it's legalized, it's important for leagues to take a broader view of the impact of call fraud.
Simply put, “terrible things happen” is no longer an acceptable response to making a mistake. Especially since so many people are ready to say “I'm done fixing it” when these mistakes happen.
That's why the NFL should incorporate full-time officiating, even if the only solution is technology and not a switch to more expensive full-time officiating. UFL style transparency Incorporate mistakes made on the field into conversations to correct them. That would go a long way in silencing the noise regarding game cheating.
Of course, before the NFL can try to silence that noise, it's going to have to acknowledge that it exists. from now on, stubbornly refused to do so.
