Hiring full-time officials is a better idea than ever

[The_Philster]

By Hub Arkush
I just can’t bring myself to write another eulogy, but I also can’t imagine continuing this column without offering my condolences, thoughts and prayers to the family of Will McDonough. Will passed away last week, and while we weren’t close, he was extremely kind and generous with me and this publication during some very difficult times in the mid-’80s. He was a giant in our industry, paving the way for all of us who have been fortunate enough to mix print journalism with electronic journalism. He will be greatly missed, and on behalf of all of us at Pro Football Weekly, I wish his family the best.

There’s so much new talent that has entered heaven in just the last couple of weeks — McDonough, Joel Buchsbaum, Sid Gillman, Joe Foss —and I just can’t help but wonder what their thoughts would be regarding the first two weeks of the NFL playoffs? What would they say about the commissioner and head coaches — not including Dick Vermeil — crying in public about the officiating?....more

[The_Philster]

Officials working as marked men when system is to blame too

By Eric Edholm
There’s an old saying: When all else fails, follow the rules. It’s meant to be funny, of course, but it's really sad that the NFL’s referees are even beyond this point of desperation.

With three games left in the season, and everything at stake, you’d think everyone is praying for a well-judged game. But it wouldn’t surprise me if someone somewhere in an owner’s box or a league office is secretly praying for a bad call to change the outcome of one of the remaining games so the system can be overhauled. Never a time like the present to scrap the status quo and head back to the drawing board.

Full-time refs? Right now it’s a full-time disaster....more