When Opportunity Knocks

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by BigBaldGuy

Or maybe they just weren't good enough until the real NFL officials got locked out and all the good D1 officials didn't want to screw their brothers.

Or maybe some of them were previously thrown under the bus or was stepped on by one of those NFL officials in the past and they have no reason to have any loyalty to them.

Everyone wants to act like there is a sweet brotherhood among officials. All you have to do is open your eyes to know that is hardly true. There are certainly great people out there and I'd be loyal to them without hesitation but there are as many snakes in the grass as there are good guys. I can't count the number of times I've witnessed disgusting backstabbing and two-faced deceit form officials. I have direct knowledge of some cases of outright shameful behavior form people that have fooled many into thinking they're a saint....they just hide it well but I've caught them in their lies.

I'm just not going to be blindly loyal to an entire group of officials when there will be as many of them that would as soon step all over you.

[IUgrad92]

All of this handwringing and talk about 'not crossing the line' is ridiculous. Last I thought, we lived in a capitalist country. To me that means that anyone is expendable, and anyone is replaceable when it comes to a free market position. At the same time, there will always be someone there to fill any and all vacancies. And those that do are not doing anything illegal or immoral. Does anyone really think that this doesn't hold true for the officials in the NFL?

They are not the risk takers in this business/league and therefore they do not carry enough weight to push their demands. It is not that simple? Now maybe if the attendance around the league declines immensely and is deemed in direct correlation to the replacement officals, then maybe they have more weight. However, that is not going to happen.......

They are not being asked to take huge paycuts. One change and objection is moving to a 401k plan verses a pension plan. Really???? Do not the majority of us live with a 401k plan?

Are these guys officiating for the love of the game or something else? Are we being asked to think that the league is truly attempting to 'railroad' them? The games WILL go on with or without them, that has already been proven. The officials working the games will only get better. It now boils down to whether the Big Boys want to continue to be a part of it or not.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by IUgrad92

... Last I thought, we lived in a capitalist country. To me that means that anyone is expendable, and anyone is replaceable when it comes to a free market position. ...

Being a capitalist country goes both ways. Someone can also fire you or not hire you based on your actions. So if these guys work or hope to work for college supervisors who side with the NFLRA then then they may not have jobs or opportunities waiting for them when they are done working games for the NFL. They also can be easily replaced.

Originally Posted by IUgrad92

...Are these guys officiating for the love of the game or something else? ...

Not sure what this has to do with anything.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by IUgrad92

They are not being asked to take huge paycuts. One change and objection is moving to a 401k plan verses a pension plan. Really???? Do not the majority of us live with a 401k plan?

Are these guys officiating for the love of the game or something else? Are we being asked to think that the league is truly attempting to 'railroad' them? The games WILL go on with or without them, that has already been proven. The officials working the games will only get better. It now boils down to whether the Big Boys want to continue to be a part of it or not.

They are also asking them to be full time, which means that if they have jobs already, they probably cannot work those jobs or businesses anymore. Then if they are to be fired on a whim, then they are a$$ out.

Yes the games will go on and they have, but they are one bad call away from a lot more complaining than there already has been. It is one thing if the next in line took the jobs, it is another that many were not even college level officials.

Peace

[SNIPERBBB]

I think the use of the replacements will help the regulars in their negotiations barring a major improvement in the job thats being done by the current replacements.

If the NFL is not satisfied with the replacements performance, the regulars should be able to name their price. If they are satisfied...well the regulars will need to offer up something fast that they can stomach,take things to court, or look into other means of employment.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by IUgrad92

Are these guys officiating for the love of the game or something else?

I don't think this is relevant at the higher levels. I officiate HS football for the love of the game. That $60 (cut down by at least $30 once I pay for dinner and gas) isn't a life-changer. My $150 on Saturdays takes anywhere from 8-16 hours to earn. Again, not a life-changer for anyone.

$4500/game is a couple of mortgage payments. It's college tuition. That's $18000/month during the season. This is a second job for most NFL officials, not just something they do because it's fun.

The comment above is a good one -- many people want NFL guys to be full-time. The NFL wants this to a certain degree for a number of their officials. They also want to be able to fire these guys or put them on the bench pretty easily if someone judges they performed poorly. If I was an NFL official, I'm not sure I'd respond well to that, either.

[IUgrad92]

Great. So they are doing it for the money. Fair enough. All of these years they have had their cake and have eaten it too by having regular jobs and doing this on the side. Granted, it's been a great gig for them.

Well, maybe those days are over and the league wants a bigger committment from the officials. Just with any other business, things change. Either get on board or find something else to do. It's called the Real World.....

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by IUgrad92

Great. So they are doing it for the money. Fair enough. All of these years they have had their cake and have eaten it too by having regular jobs and doing this on the side. Granted, it's been a great gig for them.

You are right, no sacrifice. No missing family events or maybe even games. No strain on marriages or missing job situations that would be difficult. It is a great gig, but it is a gig still. So when you have other income and probably could make other income at your job or be with your family all weekend, they are in another city talking football then working football. And now they have a game every week on Thursday so now in the middle of the week officials will have to leave a job or leave their family potentially. All I know is I have a game Friday and Saturday and I will make barely $200 for the two days and most will be eaten up by gas. And I am not getting paid by a multi-billion dollar industry to spend that time away from a family that I would have to work football. And I will be home at the end of the night. An NFL official might be on a plane than home very late depending on the time their game is played.

Originally Posted by IUgrad92

Well, maybe those days are over and the league wants a bigger committment from the officials. Just with any other business, things change. Either get on board or find something else to do. It's called the Real World.....

That is fine than pay them for their further commitment. That is also the real world or you will get only young guys like MLB does to replace the guys in that sport. And they never get rid of those guys.

Peace

[IUgrad92]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

You are right, no sacrifice. No missing family events or maybe even games. No strain on marriages or missing job situations that would be difficult. It is a great gig, but it is a gig still. So when you have other income and probably could make other income at your job or be with your family all weekend, they are in another city talking football then working football. And now they have a game every week on Thursday so now in the middle of the week officials will have to leave a job or leave their family potentially. All I know is I have a game Friday and Saturday and I will make barely $200 for the two days and most will be eaten up by gas. And I am not getting paid by a multi-billion dollar industry to spend that time away from a family that I would have to work football. And I will be home at the end of the night. An NFL official might be on a plane than home very late depending on the time their game is played.
Peace

I could be wrong, but I think every NFL official signs up for the job and knows full well what they are getting into. You make it sound like someone is holding a gun to their heads making them do it, and for little reward nonetheless. Give me a break. If they don't want to deal with the things you mentioned above, guess what, it's a free country. They can quit anytime and find another profession. Normal people do it every day!

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by IUgrad92

I could be wrong, but I think every NFL official signs up for the job and knows full well what they are getting into. You make it sound like someone is holding a gun to their heads making them do it, and for little reward nonetheless. Give me a break. If they don't want to deal with the things you mentioned above, guess what, it's a free country. They can quit anytime and find another profession. Normal people do it every day!

You make it seem like the officials are doing something un-American by negotiating for the best deal possible. Or do negotiations only go one way in your world?

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by IUgrad92

I could be wrong, but I think every NFL official signs up for the job and knows full well what they are getting into. You make it sound like someone is holding a gun to their heads making them do it, and for little reward nonetheless. Give me a break. If they don't want to deal with the things you mentioned above, guess what, it's a free country. They can quit anytime and find another profession. Normal people do it every day!

Well they do not just sign up, they get asked. And when you put what they were doing in context and mostly D1 officials are the ones that become NFL officials, they are not only getting a bigger pay check, but more responsibility to travel and do things during the week. There is a reason that D1 basketball officials can consider seriously giving up their regular jobs and a D1 football official would not even think of doing that seriously. Again, they were not asking to bankrupt the NFL over their requests. Knowing what you are getting into is not a justification to accept the conditions that the NFL wants to change.

And no people do not just quit a good gig just because they do not like the certain conditions. What fantasy world are you living in? And considering that they are working in many cases two full time jobs to be an NFL official (especially crew chiefs). This is not something they are doing like a regular HS official and if you think so you do not know much about what happens at that level.

Peace

[IUgrad92]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

You make it seem like the officials are doing something un-American by negotiating for the best deal possible. Or do negotiations only go one way in your world?

On the contrary, more power to them to try and get what they want. I just see a number of people on here that are up in arms about the replacement officials, how they aren't supporting their fellow brothers, and how these officials are going to be or should be ostracized.

America is the land of opportunity, and right now the NFL officials, by using their rights to negotiate the best deal possible, are themselves giving other officials the opportunity to fill their positions in the league. It may or may not pay-off for them. Time will tell.

[IUgrad92]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

And no people do not just quit a good gig just because they do not like the certain conditions. Peace

Mike Bibby didn't want to play for the Washington Wizards anymore so he takes a pay cut so he can play for the Miami Heat. He quit a good gig because of the conditions and moved on. My wife had a great paying job, but she got a new boss that was unbearable. She found a new job that paid a little less, but the office conditions were much better.

I can get you more examples if you want. They will all be from the real world too.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by IUgrad92

On the contrary, more power to them to try and get what they want. I just see a number of people on here that are up in arms about the replacement officials, how they aren't supporting their fellow brothers, and how these officials are going to be or should be ostracized.

Actually no one is up in arms about them, just telling it like it is. BTW, I have about 3 people that are actual FB friends of mine and I have worked with that crossed. The very same thing I told you here, I would tell them and have said to one of them. They are going to be used as a pawn and when this is all done they will not work much games. Only one has a potential career in college after this, but his advancement will end right where he is. That is a choice he had to make and even he recognized how bad the "overall group" has looked based on what the media has pointed out or certain official. Even the guy that worked the Hall of Fame game (I worked a college game with him last year and he is in one of my associations) was basically bounced from his crew chief position and it is doubtable that he will work a real NFL game. He was used for what they wanted and now his is thrown away. And probably will not likely work many of what he was doing before his big time jump in the spotlight.

Originally Posted by IUgrad92

America is the land of opportunity, and right now the NFL officials, by using their rights to negotiate the best deal possible, are themselves giving other officials the opportunity to fill their positions in the league. It may or may not pay-off for them. Time will tell.

It is a land of opportunity, but it is a land of consequences. If you make the wrong choice you will suffer from those choices. And if it was worth it just to say you worked an NFL game but having nothing to come back to, then I guess it is worth it.

Peace

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by IUgrad92

Mike Bibby didn't want to play for the Washington Wizards anymore so he takes a pay cut so he can play for the Miami Heat. He quit a good gig because of the conditions and moved on. My wife had a great paying job, but she got a new boss that was unbearable. She found a new job that paid a little less, but the office conditions were much better.

I can get you more examples if you want. They will all be from the real world too.

Are you really comparing an NBA player that wanted to win a title for historical glory to guys that will be a footnote and the scorn no matter how many NFL games they will work? Do you think any of these guys are going to work the Super Bowl? I would rather not work than be the guy that was on the game where I gave a 4th timeout (actual FB friend was on that game).

Peace