vikings/nfl

I personally like the new refs as they put some unpredictability back into the game. Otherwise nfl games are too long and scripted to bother watching. I can catch the highlights on ESPN.

Even when the regular refs come back they will still not be right. What is needed is full time referees not guys that work somewhere else during the week and work a game on Sunday. They are making $8000 per game which $168,000 for the preseason and regular seasons. I think there would be plenty of guys willing to work for that.

I'd be happy with a replacement Commissioner.

agreed. but somone; please tell j. allen[sir]; that a sack out of bounds is NOT RECORDED as a sack. we all know that you really had the sack record last year. forget the refs on that one please. the rookie was afraid of you the whole game; and to his credit, he used his adrenalin fear to play enough to survive. there was no reason to do anything other than to let him run away in fear. remember? last year?. some teammates voided some of your sacks because of their dumb penalties. forget the sacks; and help some of the other guys to not look like hacks. that rookie did not have 3 inches left to gain in that play, and likely not even 6 inches left in his arsenal at that time. cold water, and fear, can do that. dumb penalty; SIR.

I've watched several full games so far this year, and the replacement refs are only marginally worse than the regular refs. If it wasn't for folks like Souhan that are obsessed with this labor relation issue, hardly anyone would notice the difference. In reality the performance of these refs is quite good. I also think that the NFL is in the right when it comes to this contract negotiation. The refs union is doing everything they can to stop any changes that would lead to more of a meritocracy for officiating games. The NFL wants to reward performance and give less games to officiating to the worse performing crew. There is nothing at all wrong with the NFL's position. Heck, a few more weeks and the new refs will be at the same level as the old refs.

You get what you pay for. Judging referees is something I will leave to the players and coaches. And, right now the overwhelming amount of feelings coming out on the media are negative.

I don't understand why everyone is so hard on these guys. It's not their fault that they were thrown into a job without adequate training. You can blame Goodell or the union but these guys are doing their best and allowing us to watch football. They'll get better as the season goes on.

I wish I had the history of tape that ESPN has, but I'm sure we could prove that the old refs made plenty of mistakes and so do the new ones. The only difference is somebody is questioning the new refs authority so it becomes a much bigger issue. The difference between them is small and the only reason this gets any attention is because the media needs something to write about.

I think these guys are doing fine..funny how the players and coaches constantly complained about the regular refs and now blame the replacements for their failings.....the only people who don't like them are the immature players, immature coaches and the media who grovel at their feet....get over it...refs are not the problem.....overpaid whiners are the problem....try to be the professionals you're supposed to be and I bet you'd be surprised at how well things go...

The replacement ref's are doing the best of their ability considering their experience, being thrown into this situation. It's just they are not the skilled ref's you see even in the upper echelon's of college football. Roger Goodall needs to get this settled and settled quick. For all the millions and millions of dollars the NFL has in profits, why the league is settling for 2nd rate officiating is an injustice to the fans, coaches and players. Every major professional sport has full time officials including the PGA. Why the NFL operates with their officials the way they do makes no sense whatsoever.