2005 Conference Championship and Super Bowl Officials

[johnSandlin]

Has anybody heard through their possible "sources" who the NFL has assigned for the AFC/NFC Champiohsip Games, and then the Super Bowl?

[Bob M.]

REPLY: Not yet...

[stevesmith]

I would look at those officials who worked wild-card games.

[chiefgil]

The crew that called the INDY/NE game checked their collective gonads at the gate. I sure would hate for the NFL to be embarrassed by that crew.

[MJT]

Originally posted by chiefgil
The crew that called the INDY/NE game checked their collective gonads at the gate. I sure would hate for the NFL to be embarrassed by that crew.

cheifgil, what were you so unhappy with??

[Baseball_North]

PREDICTIONS:

NFC Championship: Carey
AFC Championship: Hochuli

Super Bowl: Corollo

[JugglingReferee]

So if Baseball North's predictions come true, it means that the past SBs were officiated by:

Corollo
Hochuli (Corollo alternate)
Corollo (Hochuli alternate)
???
???
???

Does anyone else finid that funny?

[Baseball_North]

They are just predictions, haha.

I'm a baseball guy at heart, but I do take an interest in NFL officiating as well.

We'll see how my predictions go.

[ljudge]

I haven't seen Gerald Austin in any playoff games yet.

I can't imagine him being totally left out of the playoffs especially with him being one of the top referees.

[Bob M.]

REPLY: Just an observation...since 1994, all Super Bowl referees except for last season have come out of the wild card round. Last season, Hochuli work the NFC Divisional playoff. So the question is whether the NFL made an exception last season or are they changing their procedure and taking the R out of the divisional playoof round?

[BktBallRef]

Also, since 1994, the only referee to work more than 1 playoff game was the SB referee, until last year.

Last year, two WC , Coleman and Kukar, worked the conf. championship games and Hoculi worked the SB, as Bob said.

Kukar, Austin, and Nemmers have not worked a game.

If it's true that only 8 referees/crews are selected now, and last year holds true, then we're looking at either Hoculi, Coleman, Anderson, or Carey this weekend. I figure Hoculi gets one of those games.

For the SB, we're looking at Leavy, Morelli, Carollo, or McAulay. I'll go with Carollo.

[Bob M.]

REPLY: Kukar has the Pro-Bowl in Honolulu next month.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally posted by BktBallRef

For the SB, we're looking at Leavy, Morelli, Carollo, or McAulay. I'll go with Carollo.

I'm with you.

If that does indeed happen, I think it speaks volumes what the NFL thinks of their officiating crews. Doesn't it say that basically it is up to Hochuli or Corollo to lose the SB?

[Texas Aggie]

Keep in mind that since 2003, CREWS and not individuals are working. Even good referees may have been on lower rated crews. My understanding is that all crews working this weekend and the SB have already worked a playoff game.

The exceptions are rookies at any position. I can only speculate that when there is a rookie (2nd year also??) they go get the highest rated individual from that position that isn't also in the playoffs.

Which brings up an interesting dilemma: 11 total games played, with 3 crews working 2 games. So, top 8 crews, but what if the SB crew has a rookie Side Judge. Do they get the highest rated SJ, who happens to be on either crew 2 or 3, and he thus works his THIRD playoff game? Go down to number 4 who works his SECOND playoff game? Or go to number 9?

[BktBallRef]

Officials are ineligible during their first 5 years in the NFL. Considering that most crews have 1 or 2 officials who are ineligible, it kind of throws the crew concept out the door.