Replacements Replaced

[Hyena Dandy]

The NFL's attempted cloning experiment has failed, as their attempts to genetically breed 'replacement' refs repeatedly produced faulty products. Experts at the University of Wisconsin believe that this is due to the fact that Ed Hoculi's arms are separate, individually intelligent parasitic organisms that are attracted to black and white stripes. Thus when the NFL attempted to draw blood from his arm, the result was not compatible with the human genome, leading to the results having decreased willpower, a lack of depth perception, and mental processes far below the human norm. The real refs are expected to be released from cryostasis, and return by Sunday's games, if not tomorrow.

Or, for the less fantastically minded amongst us.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap100...to-end-lockout

I'm glad that they finally agreed to the Referee's Union demands, which may cost between up to 3 Million dollars over the next 8 years.

Or approximately 1/5 of Peyton Manning's salary this year (sans bonuses,) 3/4 of Tom Brady's signing bonus for the year, or 1/10 of Haloti Ngata's 2 year contract.

[Greenday]

It's over! It's finally over!

Now if only the NHL could get their shit together in time to save the season.

[Gravekeeper]

It's over! It's finally over!

Now if only the NHL could get their shit together in time to save the season.

No kidding, I'm Canadian. What the Hell am I suppose to do all winter after the snow sets in? Everyone knows we retreat underground to survive during the winter months. Hockey Night in Canada is all we've got.

[Aethian]

I had to love a twitter feed pic going around where a player swore and then said for them to fine him and bring back the real refs.

[AdminAssistant]

I had to love a twitter feed pic going around where a player swore and then said for them to fine him and bring back the real refs.

TJ Lang of the Packers. After that, a lot of players went on record/on Twitter to say that they didn't want to play until the real officials were back. A player's strike was around the corner, and Goddell knew it.

[TheHuckster]

I'm glad they finalized a deal before the game on Thursday. There was talk of some sourness from Baltimore and Cleveland if they couldn't make a deal before their game, but sometime on Friday to be ready for the rest of the games this week.

[Greenday]

Goodell was thinking of making a rule where players can no longer use Twitter to talk about football. Clearly that's a bad idea because he would have had to fine more than half the league after Monday's game.

[TheHuckster]

Goodell was thinking of making a rule where players can no longer use Twitter to talk about football. Clearly that's a bad idea because he would have had to fine more than half the league after Monday's game.

Not to mention what the heck would that accomplish? Okay, some players are loudmouth idiots who try to attract attention and use social media to do so. So what? They'll clearly just find another method to spread vitriol and stupidity, plus all it does is make them look like jackasses.

But I guess that's for another thread.

[BlaqueKatt]

A player's strike was around the corner, and Goddell knew it.

Possibly but I think THIS* had more to do with it.

*Roger Goodell's phone number tweeted by Wisconsin state senator

[Greenday]

Seems rather unprofessional of him but I'm not sure if his number was meant to be public or not.

[Hyena Dandy]

Goodell is the most powerful commissioner in professional sports, but ultimately he still answers to the owners. He just represents them.

The owners realized that this was going to put the bottom line in jeopardy. When it was cheaper to wait it out, they waited it out. Once they realized it would make the prestige of football drop irrevocably, they brought it back.

[wraiths_crono]

Should I have made a new topic for what I am about to say or....
What the hell would the players be doing IF the strike never happened, and the normal refs made a series of really bad calls....

[TheHuckster]

Should I have made a new topic for what I am about to say or....
What the hell would the players be doing IF the strike never happened, and the normal refs made a series of really bad calls....

I'm sorry, but unless they all decided to smoke pot every week, the "Touchception" call would have never gotten made. And Seattle would have never gotten a fourth timeout on the second week. The 49ers would have never gotten two extra challenges.

The regular NFL refs make mistakes and they make controversial calls that affect games and even seasons for sure. But, except for a few here and there during the season, the "bad calls" they make can at least be rationalized and understood for what happened on the field.

The refs in the last three weeks didn't just make a few bad calls here and there, they were consistently fucking awful. There were quarters where major scuffles were not called for unsportsmanlike conduct followed by quarters where every fucking play was called back for interference or holding because they saw two opposing players merely breathe the same air.

So, to answer your question, it's completely moot because it wouldn't have happened if the "real" officials were on the field. At best, a call like the dozens that happened in the last three weeks might have been accidentally committed once or twice in the season, and it would have made headlines, but nothing like the epic fails that happened to pretty much every game in the last three weeks.

[Peppergirl]

Now if only the NHL could get their shit together in time to save the season.

A-fucking-men to this!!!

[TheHuckster]

After watching the games so far this weekend I am very glad the National Football League is no longer the National Calvinball League. Now we can stop talking about the officials and actually concentrate on the damn game itself.