At this point, the head referee (the "white hat") should have had his ass down there trying to get this sorted out. Seattle's coach beat him down there. On a normal officiating crew, the "white hat" sets the tone, coaches up his guys, let's them know what kind of game to call so that a pass interference on one side of the field is the same as one on the other side of the field. Frankly, the replacement white hats are having trouble figuring out what their best side is when it's time to announce a call over the loudspeaker.
I'm not going to fight the union v. management battle here. Jay Glazer tweeted last night in the midst of this debacle, "Yes I think the replacement refs blow but I think what the old refs are asking for is total BS too". That's good enough for me. But comes a time... and Roger Goodell et al should think about how much easier it HAS BEEN when negotiating with the players that the fans generally say, "Screw the players, they're rich anyway." Do you think the fans in Green Bay will be so supportive of you NEXT time? The boys at the top are pissing away a ton of good will they'll never get back. Are the gains you are shooting for worth it? Or as Drew Brees tweeted just moments ago, "Ironic that our league punishes those based on conduct detrimental. Whose CONDUCT is DETRIMENTAL now?"
NHL is a lot like that. They cashed in an entire season last time just to get the players to give in a small bit of their demands. Now, they put virtually the same deal- again, "take it or leave it"- that cashiered the last season on the table this time. What was that old saying about doing the same thing and expecting different results? Luckily for me, I follow the KHL closer than the NHL anyway. But you don't grow a league without new fans, and you don't get new fans without games. Seems kinda stupid to me, but what do I know? I mean geez, I can't even recognize all the good things Obama has done the last four years!
Anyway, here's the story on this week's NHFFL fantasy football. The B2s became the only remaining undefeated team by squeezing a 47-43 win out against the Elks. Thankfully for them, they needed just the 2 FGs from Mason Crosby to hang on, since the Elks got just one score out of their two MNF backs. Big Ben netted 12 for the winners, and MJD chipped in that long 9-point run. The Rangers had an off week, scoring two TDs below the league average this week and losing to the Greenwoods 30-27. Darus Heyward-Bey's TD sealed the deal for the Elves, who have a 2-1 record with the league's lowest-scoring offense. (It's not how you play, it's WHO you play!) The other previous-unbeaten, the Porkchops, lose in OT 60-55 to the Clock BBQs. With everything else a wash, it was the Clock BBQs bench D, Minnesota, beating Porkchop's bench D, Carolina, 6-1 that decided the game.
The KCAs lit it up again, topping the Angels 61-38 behind a receiving corps that scored 27 points. The Aguas kept the Beagles winless with a 51-37 victory. K Jason Hanson and the Chicago D accounted for 30 of the 51. Also still winless is the loser of the battle of two 0-2 teams, the Ducks, who lost to Buzz 26-19, mainly because of all those times Aaron Rodgers got sacked last night.
Next week features Beagles/Angels (Angels a 5-point favorite), the divisional Tommyknocker between the KCAs and the Rangers (KCAs by 7), Aguas/Greenwoods (Aguas by 5), CBBQ/Ducks (CBBQ by 8), B2s/Buzz (B2s by 11), and a big one between the Porkchops and Elks (Chops by 6).
Last week, the wonderful betting line had three winners (KCAs and Aguas covered, B2s hit their 4 points dead on) and three losers. Which makes us 6 covers and 6 losers for the year. Flip a coin, people.
CWM:
ReplyDeleteThis is just another reason I find football (today) totally lackluster...
(these refs would better serve the LINGERIE LEAGUE...maybe - LOL)
Unions call the shots, marketing calls the shots, team owners calls the shots, stockholders call the shopts, cities build BIGGER stadiums, charge astronomical prices for admission, concessions and related apparel and sundry souvenirs, and then expect US to lockstep in with all this?
(some folks still do, and it's costing them dearly)
Whatever happened to something we used to call...THE GAME???
I would much rather spend an afternoon watching historical football games (in B&W no less) then ANY game on these days.
And that's a huge tribute to Steve Zabol (who passed last week)...a person who KNEW THE VALUE of sportsmanship, players, and the lives they used to lead both on AND off the field.
I miss that.
Good post.
Stay safe (and penalty-free) up there.
Shame is, the calls in the second half ruined what was an entertaining game of the style that Sabol would have loved.
DeleteI don't claim to know the in and outs of every little bit of the NFL. I watch for the pure joy of watching the game. But it was obvious even to me that the Packers should have had the touchback; they were robbed. And this is coming from a fan of a division rival (Da Bears!).
ReplyDeleteMr. Glazer hit the nail on the head with his assesment of the whole referee lockout.
Obviously, no one bothered to make sure that these replacement refs were trained to know what they were doing while calling an NFL game.
That's my whole problem with the thing. It is patently obvious, like you said, that these guys were thrown a rule book and told, "Figure it out."
DeleteI am winning in the football pick. yes, I am up $28 so far...i pick all the red state teams...working so far.
ReplyDeletelast yr i picked all the quarterbacks that were readers...won $234.
nobody is laughing anymore..I won't even tell you how I won the yr before last..