Is Ed Hoculi still the best?

[OverAndBack]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Remember we are talking about opinions here. And just because you think he is the best, does not make it so.

This is absolutely true. The margin between the #1 guy and the #6 guy is probably not that large. And personal preference (as to style and deportment and whatnot) does enter into it.

What's important to them is what the ratings show and what Mike Pereira wants.

And playoff assignments are very deceiving all by themselves because you have to be at a position for a certain amount of time before you can even work a single playoff game.

Why didn't you say that above?

Ed has been around longer than most. Someone could make a case that there are several officials that were better but were not eligible for playoffs.

I think the only guys on the current list of NFL white hats who are not on that list (have not received a playoff assignment in the last five years) are:

Parry, Riveron, Steratore and Cheffers.

That's it.

How many of those guys are better? Demonstrably better? Riveron and Cheffers just became referees, correct? Still too early to tell if they're better, though I think Riveron is highly-regarded. Steratore is in his third year as a referee. Parry's in his second year as a referee.

I'm not sure there are "several" officials better who are being kept out by virtue of not having enough time (Riveron and Cheffers couldn't have been in the discussion before this year anyway). So we're down to Steratore and Parry. Are they better than Hochuli? I don't know.

And remember Ed is very high profile, so we remember his games more than others.

THAT is absolutely true. Well, you seem to NOT remember his games as well as others.

(kidding, kidding, relax)

Look, Hochuli is a quality official, obviously. His body of work is an impressive one, no question. At some point, everybody's skills decline. Was the Denver thing evidence of that or just a brain fart? Only the NFL office knows for sure who's on top by their quantifiable methods. We may all have our preferences and people we admire for one reason or another.

But "the best" is a tough thing to determine. I always liked Jim Tunney, I thought he was great. But I don't know how much greater he was than Ben Dreith or Tommy Bell or Red Cashion or Jerry Markbreit. They were all pretty damn good.