A Season to Remember

I am pretty sick of the "replacements" too.  The refs are holding out for more money and a defined pension.  Thing is these guys work for 16 games...not the bazillion in basketball, baseball and hockey.  They are trying to compare their salaries to those of other refs. Apples and oranges.  They claim that since the NFL makes SO MUCH money they should be paid more.  Well by that rationale if you work in say an Apple Store at the mall -- because Apple is about to be worth a TRILLION dollars you should be paid more?  Fact is that the NFL is STILL making a bazillion dollars without the refs!  How many of us have NOT watched because of this strike?  How many of us have not used our season tickets or bought our favorite jersey? Not very many. Yes the strike has affected the game -- but it has not affected the bottom line for the NFL! LOL  In fact with all the fines being levied their bottom line went up (although it's negligible). 

Now to the refs and their demand.  They want a "defined pension" -- which means that for part time work they want a package that has PERMANENT, FOREVER benefits.  The players don't even have that and I think the players are a bit more valuable than the refs…as we have seen, the game DOES go on (it's not like they are air traffic controllers).  Also, a ref for the NFL, depending on seniority and tenure makes between $25,000 and $70,000.  A ref is paid $11,900 for refereeing the Super Bowl alone.  Not a bad day's work.  The other professional sports in the US play multiples of games more than the NFL, log many more miles and demand more time.  Almost ALL the NFL referees have another line of work.  If they really depended on the NFL salary then they would be back at work already.

So yes the NFL makes HUGE amounts of money but what has become evident to me, whether I like it or not, the refs don't have much effect on the cash flow.  Yes we stomp up and down, raving mad when they make a call that is outrageous or when they over-look a flagrant foul, but folks we are still watching.  Heck, it is fun to see Bill Belichick dig himself into a hole that will cost him some serious cash (I thought to myself last night, "Oooo he is in TROUBLE!)  It has added an element to the game we have to admit and it has made the Monday morning quarterbacking a little livelier.  I think too, we as fans have become better students of the game -- there has been a time or two when I was actually MORE accurate than the referee!

So the game has gone on.  At this point I would not be surprised if Goddell just locks them out for the rest of the season.  As we have seen, he doesn't really NEED them. Over time, these guys will get better or at least stay consistently bad and it will be a season to remember.