[JRutledge]

Originally posted by WindyCityBlue
As usual, Jeff, you missed the point. That's just sad.

You can't focus on the bigger picture, you would rather throw out specific plays and argue about how difficult it would be to get the call right. You would rather argue about egos and taking abunch of grief instead of making sure the game is called justly and equally.

Windy, if football or any sport, you have to focus on specific plays. As the Referee of my crew, I cannot see PI calls. I cannot see incomplete passes down the field. I cannot call defensive holding on a wide receiver. When I was a wing, I could not judge on roughing the passer calls or roughing/running into the kicker calls. If I am doing my job, I do not even know those things take place.

Originally posted by WindyCityBlue
When one of your crew makes a horrible call, do you just stand there and think "Glad that wasn't me." or "He blew it, let him hang."

It is clear you do not understand anything about football. I might not even know a bad call was made until I see tape. I might not be able to tell if I see the tape 100 times. Football is about teamwork and responsibilities. It is not the job of every official to make calls for each other. The only way I know if someone blew a call if we talk about it later or we discuss the situation. Penalties and some plays can be discussed or a very quick conversation can be had so we can agree or disagree.

Originally posted by WindyCityBlue
We know that you never make bad calls, that's why you are working in the NFL. Wait, they make bad calls too, that's why they have instant replay...in order to get the call right!

Again, you have a total lack of understanding of football. And in football only a very select of calls can even be reviewed. You cannot review fumbles if the whistle was blown, penalty calls cannot be reviewed and application of the rules cannot be reviewed.

Originally posted by WindyCityBlue
I'm just glad that others are strating to point out the folly of your philosophy.

Windy, not one person is taking an issue with my point of view on this. Not one person is saying my point of view is flawed. You (a baseball only official) are the only person telling us how different my opinion is from everyone here. In football we work much more as a team than in any sport I work. There are several calls that we have to look to each other before a call can be made. But there are plays that can NEVER be changed or made without the original calling official deciding to change. If two officials both make an opposing signal, neither call is right or wrong. But a decision has to be made either way. I have given you several examples of how it works in football and all you keep coming back to is what the NFL is doing or the Big Ten. I am just waiting for you to give us an example outside of that instant replay argument how another officials can "overrule" another. It is not hard to do. I am trying to have this discussion based on the issue, not the personalities at play. Again, you do not work football but you come here and to the basketball board to tell folks that work the sport what they can and cannot do. Why don't you ask those in your area what they do and what is acceptable? I was at the IACAO Clinic all weekend and even gave a presentation and no one uses that language or tried to suggest that any officials could change a call without consent or consultation with the calling official.

BTW, stop taking one individual and make it seem like everyone agrees with your point of view. There have been several people that suggest you cannot "overrule" a partner. Why not reference those people?

Peace