Enough is Enough

Our worst fears have come true: the NFL replacement referees have cost a team a game.

And really, I'm not talking about just the last play of the Monday Night Football game where the Seahawks beat the Packers 14-12. I'm talking about all of the plays that led up to the Golden Tate touchdown.

I've been saying from the beginning that these refs would lead to injuries (which they have, sadly some very serious) and to outcomes of games being changed. IT'S TIME TO CHANGE!


It's like a substitute teacher: The first day in class, students are relatively behaved and just feeling out the teacher. The second day, the kids test the waters a bit and start getting unruly. By day three, all hell breaks loose.

The NFL has been the same way. Each week, players and coaches have reacted with more and more severity towards the officials. Even more, players are testing what they can get away with on the field, and the results have been detrimental. In the Steelers vs. Raiders game on Sunday (just in particular...I'm sure other games have been just as bad, but that's the one I watched start to finish), at least four terrible no-calls should have been flagged as personal fouls. Ryan Mundy's helmet-to-helmet shot sent Darius Heyward-Bey to the hospital. Ben Roethlisberger took a low shot to the knees over two seconds after releasing the ball. Ziggy Hood took a DELIBERATE (you can't argue it wasn't) chop block from Darren McFadden that might leave Hood out for the year. Injuries have resulted.

Enough is enough.

Now, to the Seahawks/Packers game. On the last play, Packers DB M.D. Jennings jumps up and makes the interception on a Russell Wilson pass. As his feet hit the ground, Seahawks WR Golden Tate gets a hand on the ball. By the time both players are on the ground, Jennings has the ball in both arms against his chest with Tate's arms around Jennings, maybe one arm on the ball. One referee begins to signal for a touchback, while the other rules simultaneous possession and a touchdown.

Simultaneous possession is defined as "both players establishing and maintaining possession of the football" but the rules also state that it is NOT simultaneous possession if one player establishes possession first. Did Jennings establish possession first? He caught the ball first, no doubt. But you need to go to the ground to establish possession in a catch it always seems (see Jermaine Gresham's TD/fumble last season). Either way, you cannot argue that one arm is equal possession as two arms and ball against the chest.

But guess what, simultaneous possession isn't even a reviewable play (that's another whole debate for another day......).  HOW IS SOMETHING THAT IS OBVIOUS AND ABLE TO BE SEEN IN A REPLAY NOT A REVIEWABLE PLAY? That's just something that has not made ANY sense to me, ever.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

I'm extremely mad about that call. But even more things went wrong leading up to that play. On the play itself, Golden Tate had a blatant offensive pass interference call overlooked. ...Okay, last play of the game on a Hail Mary, I understand you won't get a PI call there. I can kind of let that slide. But, think about it: If we had the regular refs out there, would Tate have even attempted that? Doubtful.

How about the defensive pass interference call on a 1st and 38 when it was clearly against WR Sidney Rice? How about the phantom holding calls? How about both teams having double-digit penalties for 127 and 118 yards respectively?

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!

3SN's Alex Dellaverson said after week one that he wondered if he actually was watching a game where the true winner could legitimately be crowned. That's obvious now more than ever.

My final thoughts:

1. I finally figured out why Roger Goodell isn't in a rush to pay the refs any more money: With all of the fines he will be able to dish out (Bill Belichik, both Harbaughs, probably Drew Brees, most likely Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers tonight, and I'm sure many more) he can make HUGE MOOLA!

2. Also, the NFL is an inelastic demand (thank you ECON). We're all watching right now. We're all tweeting, blogging, texting, screaming, analyzing...we're all here still. Until fans stop showing up, why change? Why spend more when the product, no matter how pathetic it might be at times, still fills the seats?

3. ESPN is actually doing some good by looking completely pissed off while doing all of their post-game discussions. They sound angry, rightfully so, and are using words like "shocked" and "jobbed" and "bizarre" and "disappointing".  Heck, Trent Dilfer just called out Roger Goodell, saying "We'll see how stubborn he is...pull your head out and see what you're doing to the game."

4. This was actually a GREAT GAME until that final play. One of my favorite games all year actually with the defensive struggle. We won't remember the 8 first half sacks by the Seahawks.

5. I wish I could write quickly enough to transcribe all of the great quotes on SportsCenter and on Twitter and Facebook. One player, TJ Lang, just tweeted "F*** it NFL. Fine me and use the money to pay the regular refs".  Oh my... and heck, #ThingsBetterThanTheReplacementRefs is trending....

6. Players need to take a stand as a whole, as a union. Owners as well. Players are being injured. Fans are leaving and complaining. Make a statement. Protect the shield. Should players walk away? Honestly, I'd be more proud of the NFL for that than for continuing with this abomination.

7. The best way to protect the shield: Fire Roger Goodell. He's the one who has completely (bleep)-ed up the NFL over the past few years. He's in denial about this whole thing. He needs to go.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!!