Officiating

[Freak Out]

That's the best crew? The best at what I ask? The fix is in....

[Smeefers]

The closest I've come is a Mike Florio (booooooo) post from 2009. http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...wl-assignment/

Obvious not this year.

[OS PA]

You want an email, here's an email. Oh, I'm just copy and pasting your Grizzwold quote. This needs to get spread around the blogosphere.

Roger.Goodell2@nfl.net

The e-mail doesn't work. I found this e-mail though, your.comments@nfl.com.
It's much less direct, but somebody will read the comments.

I had this to say.

Mr. Goodell,

I would like to inform you of the worry that is circulating around Packer nation today after the announcement of McCauley as the referee for Sunday's Championship. The same Terry McAuley that was the referee in week three when the Packers were flagged for eighteen penalties in a game that was lost by only a matter of yards. I am not disputing the eighteen penalties as I'm sure they were correct calls, but for one team to be penalized eighteen times and for the opposing team only five appears to show some bias. I realize that Mr. McAuley and his crew were graded to be one of the best two crews in the regular season, however I see a lapse in judgment placing this crew with this game. Mr. McAuley's calls will be held under a microscope, based on the eighteen penalties, and if there are any calls that help decide the game for the Bears there will be public outcry. Seeing how much money people are spending on this game and how much coverage the game is getting nationally in the media, I just hope for all of our sakes that none of the calls appear biased or unfair. The old adage, "let the players play," comes to mind, and it will be a shame if this game is decided by the referees calling it rather than the players and the coaches. I am just wondering why the decision was made to place McAuley's crew in this game rather than in the AFC Championship?

Thank you for your time,

Mischa Fleishman

[Gunakor]

http://www.football-refs.com/nfl-ref...ffssuper-bowl/

Hochuli gets the AFC, McAulay gets the NFC

[Gunakor]

Oh, wait. One catch. It's a mixed crew. Here's the list. In parentheses is whose crew that judge served on during the season.

Packers @ Bears:

Referee- Terry McAulay
Umpire- Carl Paganelli (Boger)
HL- George Hayward (Morelli)
LJ- Mark Perlman (Leavy)
SJ- Greg Meyer (Blakeman)
BJ- Tony Steratore (Boger)
FJ- Steve Zimmer (Riveron)
ALT Referee- Scott Green
ALT HL- Wayne Mackie (Triplette)

Jets @ Steelers:

Referee- Ed Hochuli
Umpire- Garth DeFelice (Blakeman)
HL- Mark Hittner (Hochuli)
LJ- Tom Symonette (Hochuli)
SJ- Laird Hayes (Carey)
BJ- Dino Paganelli (Steratore)
FJ- Bob Waggoner (Steratore)
ALT Referee- Ron Winter
ALT FJ- Boris Cheek (Cheffers)

So... Maybe better luck?

[swede]

Let's hope that the phrase "Regression to the Mean" comes into play in terms of penalties called against the two teams.

[Guiness]

They mix the crews for the playoffs? Don't know if I like that idea. You'd think that might cause problems, reffing a football game is a complicated affair, and different crews would have different tendencies.

[Gunakor]

I know, hey? They grade you on your regular season performance with a single crew, then take the best ones and blow them up so they can officiate the most important games of the season with brand new faces. Unbelievable.

[mraynrand]

I know, hey? They grade you on your regular season performance with a single crew, then take the best ones and blow them up so they can officiate the most important games of the season with brand new faces. Unbelievable.

When did they start doing this? I always thought reffing teams were selected. You know what happens when they put these all-star teams together - nobody plays defense!

[denverYooper]

[mraynrand]

Hey! It's Enrico Pallazzo!

[HarveyWallbangers]

I like having the best of the best. It's not that hard to integrate a crew. I feel better now. Tell me you don't feel better that it's an integrated crew and not just McAuley's crew.

[Fritz]

McAuley...oh god. And Hocculi? That's the best they got?

[mission]

I like having the best of the best. It's not that hard to integrate a crew. I feel better now. Tell me you don't feel better that it's an integrated crew and not just McAuley's crew.

I do feel much better knowing that.

The "new faces" thing doesn't matter. These guys essentially operate in a vacuum and then confer with each other for more difficult decisions. Continuity probably would play against us in this scenario (if one of the "teams" had something particular against the Packers).

[bobblehead]

Initially on the Shields PI call, I said, no way..what the hell, that's not Pass interfence. Then on the replay, I saw he never turned his head around to watch the ball, which always equals PI. Even though I hate the call, it was a good call by the refs.

I disagree for 2 reasons. first, shields actually turned one way, then reversed, adjusting to the ball. That shows he knew full well where it was whether or not we thought he turned to watch it. second, shields actually went up and tipped the ball away from the reciever, which proves he was playing the ball....or the luckiest SOB ever. Both of them were fighting for the ball, shields is the first one to actually hit the ball. No call, and calling a 40? yard penalty right there could be a game changer.