Just when you thought it was safe to assume our present officiating woes would get better before they get worse comes a scary new possibility: replacement refs in the NFL. Sure not in our most beloved sport, you may say. The NFL can surely learn from the greed that threatened to cancel last season, right?
 

Not so, not so. After managing to save the NFL season at the zero hour, the NFL faces its latest labor blockage: the referee contract ran out after this season. While talks have not been going well, the refs deny that they have threatened to strike, while the NFL has announced that it will go ahead and train replacement refs.
 

The issue is salary (of course, you say). The new contract provided a smaller wage increase than the 2006 contract and officials figured it was less than other team employees received in their newest contracts. The NFL has also been in talks of terminating the refs’ pension plans. In case you were wondering, first year officials made $78,000 (on average) and ten year vets made about $139,000. Not a bad chunk for being some of the most hated men in America on Sundays.

Still, all this talk of holding back pay increases and terminating pensions sounds like the talk of a foundering company. That’s not the NFL as I see it. The NFL got around $2.3 billion from Pepsi alone. Revenue projections are headed nowhere but up and were around $9.5 billion in September. They no doubt finished hirer if the current ticket prices and ratings bear out. Need I remind you that several NFL games beat out network television programing in ratings for the first time ever this season. We’re not talking playoffs; these were regular season games.
 

The NFL is by no means hurting. Hell, we give them free press constantly. Sure, it’s not always the best. Is there such a thing as bad press? If so, then the NFL stopped caring long ago. Look at the lack of protection for past players, spygate, the Saints, the 2011 draft class, etc. I think these guys can afford to share the wealth with the guys who take the brunt of the shit on Sundays.

In other odds news, PGA golfers are now feeling my pain. According to Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, and several other golfers cell phone usage by fans is becoming increasingly distracting. Fans trying to snap pictures have caused several players to have to try to refocus and reproach shots. According to the Golf Channel, nearly 100 cell phones were confiscated by Friday at the Memorial Tournament.  Fans are allowed to have phones, but they must be put on silent and can only be used in designated areas. Fans are not supposed to use their cameras, but as a teacher I know about how well that probably works.
 

I have to echo a point made by BOB yesterday. This has been a good year of baseball so far. I’ve enjoyed all the games I’ve been able to watch/listen to this year. I can’t understand, however, why the NL Central is receiving no buzz. I have my theories that it could have to do with the departure of Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols, but that seems hard to accept. The Reds have a top five winning percentage in the NL. They’re playing better ball than the Yankees, Red Sox, and Angels, but have received far less air time. Heck, the only reason they’ll be On ESPN this weekend is that they are playing the Tigers.

Still, I have a feeling it doesn’t hurt their feelings much. NL Central teams like the Reds and Cardinals have become adept at waiting until the post season to make noise and have shocked fans by becoming dangerous late in the season the past couple of years. I doubt the Reds would mind giving that a try or that we’ve heard all that we’re going to from the Cards.

Well, that is it for me this weekend. It has seemed like a slow week with schools wrapping up, but I’m kind of excited that I’ll be over seeing my first mini camp next week. Mini camps for high school football are kind of a new thing here in MI. I know Jeff is probably very familiar and maybe shocked to read that we just started. Still, I like what I’ve seen out of the boys so far this off season and hope to see more next week. Thanks as always for stopping by and read what’s been on my mind. I leave you with your vocab for the week.

referee, noun

A referee is a person who monitors a sporting event to make sure that the rules of the game are observed and obeyed by the participants. However, the refs usually just end up becoming the scapegoats for the players' shortcomings and are abused by players and spectators alike.
 

Soccer Player: Dude, that referee was a total retard! Nice call, fucktard!

Person: Shut up. How would you like to try to keep a fair game going only to have half of the field curse at you and vandalize your car after the game?

Soccer Player: But...but...bad call.

Person: Damn, you're a fucking dolt.