Dear Mr.Tagliabue

[DEHog]

It is time to do something about the officiating in the NFL! The game has passed your baby-boomer Refs by!! Week after week the Coaches, players and fans are submitted to blown calls after blown calls. You took a step in the right direction with instant replay, but still when there’s conclusive evidence to overturn a play your “Ben-gay applying” zebras are still getting the call, that I can make from my Broyhill, wrong. As a former member of the military, I was taught to offer solutions when complaining about a process, so here you go Tags free of charge.

First, if you haven’t done so, make all NFL refs full time and give them incentive latent contracts. You’re already reviewing refs’ performances on a weekly basis, which helped you decide who gets to work the post-season, reward the one who “get it right” handsomely!!

Second, consider installing overhead camera at each end of the field…the technology is there you must make use of it!! (Imagine the great goaline shots)


Third, the refs must be in tip-top shape if you have to go younger then do so. Not to worry I have a job for the old guys to do once they can’t cut it on the field.

Fourth, put ref’s at every game in the booth to review plays (this is where the old guys could be put to use) and take it a step further…put these guy in communication with not only the refs on the field but also the NFL central zebra command in New York.

Lastly and this is a good one so don’t skim this part!! Forget the whole timed review thing when it comes to the last two minutes of a game, and while we’re at it let’s extend the booth review at the end of the game from 2 to 4 minutes. Let the refs take all the time in world at the end of a game to get it right!! Make sure they have three way calling so all can communicate with each other (Ref on the field, Booth and New York) You must get these game right…Think of the money that’s riding on these games in Vegas! Think about all the fantasy leagues! And most of all think about our (You know you love the Skins) beloved Redskins!! In all seriousness Mr. Commish a win in the NFL is hard enough to come by without bad calls. The game has evolved and it is imperative that your officials and the league evolved with it!

[Hoss]

Good letter DEHog!

You can add my name to this letter also.

[Redskins Rule]

Great Letter DeHog!!!

I would like to add just one more thing though:

Make all calls reviewable. I hate it when you can clearly see the ref made a wrong call on the field, but you can't review it. I'm not trying to diss the refs on that. I understand that the game happens really fast. I also understand that the refs are only human. Thats why there is instant reply and all calls should be reviewed by instant reply.

Thats my two cents.

[cvillehog]

Change "latent" to "ladened" and you can add my name as well!

[REDEEMEDSKIN]

Change "latent" to "ladened" and you can add my name as well!

I'm not as picky as cville. Put me down for "incentive-laden". Thanks.

[gay4pacman]

im in.

[redskingush]

im in as well, good letter

[Irn-Bru]

Change "latent" to "ladened" and you can add my name as well!

Throw me in as well. It's only a (short) matter of time before we've got full time refs and revamped reviewing schemes.

I am, however, all for protecting the refs 100% while the NFL rearranges things--they don't get enough credit (in my opinion) for how difficult their job is. The speed of the game is usually thrown in as a disclaimer, "Yeah, I know the NFL is really fast. . ." followed by some more hate "but these guys are terrible!"


However, the NFL could have refs with sharper skills by making it a full-time position. Here's hoping the solution is sensible and doesn't drag games out any further than they already are.

[JPM36]

I've been in for years.

[Cooley47]

I have been in as long as ^^^^^^

[hkHog]

Good letter. I especially like the part about the extra camera. If they are going to have replay they should have many more cameras on the field. Heck, why can't they put very simple, lightweight tracking devices in the balls or something. But there should be many more cameras. I like Bilicek's idea of cameras aimed from pylon to pylon after he was robbed against Carolina. They should have many more of them on the field.

[gibbsfan]

hey dehog thats awesome and it,s telling the truth the way the truth should be told.the games are hard enough to win without these bogus calls gettin in the way.

priceless.

sign me to the letter of intent to the commish..

[Deadskins]

A beacon located in each end of the ball could be used to determine the exact position of the ball on the field at all times. No more bad spots. No more wondering if the ball crossed the plane of the goal, if it touched the ground, or where it went out of bounds. No longer a need to bring out the chains for a measurement. What a wonderful game it would be if the two teams could just play each other, and not have to fight against the refs, as well.

[Punu]

"Officiall Review"

Airing now on NFL Total Access.... I'm listening to rich eisen ask the head of officiating about our calls last sunday...

Well first off, Lincoln Kennedy firmly belives he didnt get in...
He went into the inclinclusive evidence thing right away, that it wasn’t 100 % percent….He’s going back to the live shot and saying, “this is touchdown”, now he’s looking at the reply and saying, he was short…now he’s looking at the “down the line video”, now where is the ball, He cannot conclude that the ball didn’t cross the line….
It really seems like he gave his personal opinion and that he felt that alstott didn’t get in in the middle of trying to once again saying his refs made the right call… screwed up.
oh well... been waiting for this interview since sunday.

[joebagadonuts]

it seems funny to me (funny odd, not funny ha ha) that our games seem to continually be the topic of discussion on the weekly 'Official Review' segement.