The Replacements

By Wayne D. Shemwell, Sr.

I have been a fan of professional football since 1964. I've seen again change in many ways some good some not so good. I've enjoyed watching the game grow in popularity since the days of the old NFL and AFL. I watched the Super Bowl grow from an obscure novelty to one of the largest sporting events in the world.

I've also endured through the conflicts between owners and players and their contagious battles over and ever larger slice of the pie. I watch the game change, no holds bar gladiatorial slug-fest to where it is today evolving in its attempt to protect the players. That is why I am appalled and what is occurring on the field every time two teams play.

I know I'm not alone in my concern for the game of football today. What we are witnessing every Sunday, every Monday and Thursday nights would be laughable if not for the fact someone will eventually be hurt. These replacement referees have turned a noble sport into it unqualified joke. After witnessing what I can only classify as the most absurd and poorly refereed football game I've ever witnessed.

There were numerous missed call in the game between Green Bay and Seattle. There were calls made that were absolutely unjustified. Then there was the way the game ended that series of mistakes cost Green Bay the game. I am not a Green Bay Packers fan, but I am a football fan and I am a fan of Fair play. There was nothing fair about the way that game ended and for the league office to support such an obvious miscarriage of justice is beyond belief.

Commissioner Goodell and team owners need to resolve this referee lockout as expeditiously as possible before the integrity of the game suffers irreparable damage. There are always questionable calls when humans are involved but what we are seeing now is the dismantling of an institution. The integrity of the NFL brand is in danger if these replacements are allowed to continue the inept way they have been calling games.

The eyes of the world will be on the NFL Thursday night when the Baltimore Ravens and the Cleveland Browns take the field. I know I like many other football fans will be watching closely how this game is being played and the calls made by these replacements. Should there be another debacle like last night I think the fans should boycott the games. If the Commissioner and the owners don't care about the quality of their product then we as consumers must impress upon them the fact that we do care about the quality of the product.