Conference Call With All Refs Today

**pbatrucker** · 10-29-2010, 06:24 AM

The NFL has scheduled a conference call with every member of every officiating team, FOX Sports' Jay Glazer reported Thursday on NFL Network's "NFL Total Access." An officiating source told Glazer that the purpose of Friday's call is to give a pep talk and clean up mistakes by officials. Sources say having all the officials involved in the call is rare, if not unprecedented.
The conference call comes on the heels of two high-profile officiating decisions in Week 7.
Late in Sunday's game between the Steelers and Dolphins, Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger scrambled out of the pocket and lunged for the end zone. The ball was knocked loose right around the goal line, but the officials ruled that Roethlisberger had scored a touchdown.

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A Dolphins player emerged from the ensuing end-zone pileup with the football. When the ball was determined on replay to have come out before Roethlisberger reached the goal line, Miami believed it had a touchback. But since officials initially ruled that Roethlisberger had scored a touchdown, they didn't bother to see who recovered the ball, because it technically was no longer in play.
Pittsburgh was awarded the ball on the Miami 1-yard line and went on to kick a go-ahead field goal and hold on for a 23-22 victory.
The second controversy came in the Sunday night matchup between the Vikings and Green Bay Packers, when Minnesota tight end Visanthe Shiancoe made a diving grab in the end zone and appeared to secure the ball as he rolled onto his back. Officials ruled the play a touchdown but overturned the call on review. Minnesota settled for a field goal and lost 28-24.
Vikings coach Brad Childress publicly criticized the officiating in the game, then was fined $35,000 by the NFL.
Carl Johnson, the NFL's vice president of officiating, wasn't happy about the reversal of the Shiancoe catch.
"We wish the ruling on the field would have stood as a completed catch," Johnson said on Wednesday's "NFL Total Access."
League spokesman Greg Aiello tweeted a statement later Thursday, downplaying the implied meaning of the call.
"It's a routine part of Carl Johnson's expanded communications program for officiating," he wrote. "It's a follow up to their preseason clinic. There will be another conference call near the end of the season before the playoffs. It is like team meetings."

**iratefan** · 10-29-2010, 12:07 PM

I was just on my way to post this link. buut im like 7 hours too late! haha. Im a little disappointed that the chiefs game in either of the past two weeks werent referenced because they werent 'high profile' enough >:O. But seriously these refs seem out of control this season. Every game i watch there seems to be 1 big bad call which changes the tide of the game.

**stricken721** · 10-29-2010, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by kcmostwanted

Maybe..they should add the rule of challenging PI calls... j/k

That's not a bad idea.

**Chiefster** · 10-29-2010, 02:44 PM

Originally Posted by kcmostwanted

Maybe..they should add the rule of challenging PI calls... j/k

Originally Posted by stricken721

That's not a bad idea.

...One that has been discussed!

**Pro_Angler** · 10-29-2010, 05:19 PM

fact 45% of all challenges win!!! meaning calls on field were wrong! PI should be challengable, we'd have 1 loss!!!

**Ryfo18** · 10-29-2010, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by Pro_Angler

fact 45% of all challenges win!!! meaning calls on field were wrong! PI should be challengable, we'd have 1 loss!!!

That's not the reason we lost...

**Pro_Angler** · 10-29-2010, 05:34 PM

no we should have won it, on our own but if that goes offensive PI like it should have despite sloppy play in 4th qtr we still would have won.

**whatwasthat?** · 10-29-2010, 07:01 PM

there should be challenges for PI calls

when a penalty can potentially give up 30+ yds its a game changer...reverse that AJ PI call and at worst the texans tie it and we go to OT

**figcrostic** · 10-30-2010, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by Chiefster

Show them film of what is supposed to be called pass interference!

I think the refs should be fined just like players and coaches for ridiculously bad calls

**CapitalT** · 10-30-2010, 01:57 PM

I was a mad as anybody about the really poor pass interference calls. However, I still think the refs do a pretty good job. There have always been bad calls. I think there were a lot more bad calls when we didn't have the replay review.

**Chiefster** · 10-30-2010, 11:48 PM

Originally Posted by figcrostic

I think the refs should be fined just like players and coaches for ridiculously bad calls

I have always thought that the refs should be officials employed by the NFL full time and not held by people who have "Day jobs" that just do this on the side. Then be held responsible for outrageously bad calls.