Give the black and white the green

by Lonnie McMillan
Staff Writer

Believe it or not, Carolina Panthers quarterback Chris Weinke wasn't the oldest rookie to debut this weekend in the National Football League.

An entire crew of replacement referees made their first NFL appearances. Unfortunately, their performances were not nearly up to the standard of Weinke.

While Weinke amazed fans, mistakes were plentiful among the replacement refs. Many penalties were not called, rulings were incorrect, and the clock was not always operated accurately. Officials often failed to spot the ball in a timely manner and did not always give the number of the player guilty of a penalty.

Perhaps the worst mistake of the weekend occurred in the Kansas City-Oakland game.

The Raiders were driving in the final minutes of the first-half when running back Charlie Garner leaped to make a catch for a 27-yard game, was hit by a Chiefs defender and was driven out-of-bounds.

Initially the play was correctly ruled a completion, because Garner would have landed in-bounds had he not been driven out by force. After review, the play was reversed and overruled by referee Randall Beasley.

Oakland wide receiver Tim Brown reacted to the call and the Raiders were assessed a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. This one, terribly wrong call resulted in a swing of 42 yards in a crucial point in the game.

Fortunately, the Raiders were able to overcome the call and hung on to beat the Chiefs, 27-24. In fact, it is unlikely that the officials affected the results of any games. But for its own sake, it's time the NFL gives in and pays the regular referees what they are asking.

NFL officials are seeking more parity with officials from the NBA and NHL. A fifth-year veteran official made only $42,295 last season.

While it makes for a decent living, the complexity and competitiveness of the job makes it worth more. The officials union is seeking $95,000, which in my mind, is a much more accurate salary.

Anyone who's had any experience at officiating any sport at any level of competition knows how unappreciated the job can be. Officials are some of the most hated people among players, coaches and fans.

Not only do officials have to put up with a lack of respect, they also must know the rulebooks inside and out. While many calls are common sense to a sports fan, there are still a number of technicalities that are very difficult to understand.

Lastly, officials must stay conditioned. No, they don't have to be in the same shape as the players themselves, but officials must run constantly. They don't get a break when possession changes, and they don't get substitutes either.

Considering the outrageous increase in player pay rates, it's only fair officials get their own increase. After all, which do you think is more fair: to pay a quality NFL official under $100,000 or to pay Jake Plummer over $5 million?

–McMillan is a sophomore journalism major. Send him an e-mail at lm144300.