NFL To Open Regular Season With Replacement Refs

Aug 9, 2012; San Diego, CA, USA; NFL referee Shannon Eastin (left) during a game between the San Diego Chargers and Green Bay Packers at Qualcomm Stadium. Eastin is the first female referee to ever ref a game in the NFL. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE

The NFL referee lockout is pouring over into the 2013-13 regular season. The NFL sent out a memo to all 32 teams to announce that replacement refs would officiate in week one. The memo read:

In light of the current state of negotiations, we will have replacement crews on the field when the regular season begins. Our negotiations with the game officials’ union remain deadlocked.

This is the worse case scenario for the league and it’s fans.

During the preseason, the replacement officials have been horrendous. We always question the officials but the replacement officials have been missing the most obvious calls. It’s not a good look for the league. Not only are the refs missing calls but they are screwing up ball placements and announcing the wrong teams. Check out this gem from the replacement refs:

If that wasn’t enough, how about this game between the Atlanta Falcons and Baltimore Ravens where Craig Ochoa, who was fired from the Lingerie Football League, awarded the ball too… Arizona?

Or how about this blatant push off from the receiver that was called defensive pass interference:

The members of the NFL Referees Association are the best there is. They can’t be replaced. Roger Goodell previously said that referees get around 99 percent of calls right. That may be the case with the full-time officials but the replacement refs are nowhere close to that number. The NFL won’t produce the same great on-field product that we love if the replacement officials stay in charge.

Please, pay the refs!