On the TunneySide of Sports October 21, 2019, #767 … Want An Easy Job?
After further review… For 31 seasons I was part of the National Football League officiating family as an on-field official, primarily in the position of Referee. As a crew-chief one of my responsibilities was the training of younger officials. Being a life-long educator, I accepted that challenge with eagerness. When an official in our crew made an incorrect call during a game, I took that challenge to help that official improve. Was it mechanics, that is, his position on a particular play that may have been responsible for that error? Or perhaps did he not see the entire action? In either case, we spent time reviewing that play.
The goal of every NFL game official is to work the perfect game, in concert with what every NFL player desires. Perfection, you may be thinking, is highly improbable. However, when one seeks perfection, excellence can be achieved. It is excellence that fans expect of every player and every official. After each game, coaches sit in a room with their players and review, frame-by-frame, every play pointing out how each player can improve. It’s often embarrassing for a player when his error is pointed-out with his teammates watching.
It happens to game officials as well. Not only does the Referee in the crew review and correct a crew member’s error(s), but the league supervisors do as well. Further, fans point out the error — mostly in the media. Want an easy job? It may not be working as an NFL game official.
A few years back, after I had retired from the field, I was invited to serve as a trainer/observer for current game officials, focusing especially on the Referee position. During their pre-season meetings which lasted three-days, I witnessed the dedication of all officials preparing to be at the top of their game mentally, physically and emotionally. The mental part is intensive with hundreds of play situations – both real and hypothetical – deciphering not just the rule as written, but the spirit of rule. Does every infraction merit being called? Did the official see the play and possible infraction in its entirety? If not, should only the part that the official saw be called? A given foul may last only 1-3 seconds in length; then the official must move-on.
The NFL game is a rapidly fluid activity, with 22 very large and quick players moving all at once. The seven NFL officials, somewhat older than the players, must move equally as quick to observe that every play is operated within the rules. Their concentration must not waver.
Will you comment on your observation of NFL game officials?
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