Officiating Blues

The NFL really needs to hire their officials on a full-time basis. Despite an annual/weekly call for this the league has never done so because, unlike other professional sports leagues, NFL games are a once-a-week affair. Why hire a whole bunch of officials on a full-time basis when they only work one day per week? Because they aren't getting the job done effectively and proficiently on a part-time basis.

Through seven weeks of the 2015 NFL season two officiating calls bother me more than the rest. Both occurred during a Monday Night Football game so everyone saw the blunders.

1. The ridiculous "batted-ball out of the end zone" at the end of the Detroit Lions-Seattle Seahawks game. This call was especially egregious as it essentially yanked a win from the Lions and handed it to the Seahawks. It was a horrible call. Seeing it live, seeing it on replays there was never a doubt that K.J. Wright intentionally, and illegally, batted the ball out of the end zone. It was such a bad call that the first thought that occurred to me was that the official didn't even know the rule that applied to the situation. The only other explanation is that he never saw the play despite it occurring right in front of him. Neither possibility can ever happen in a game and the fact that it did is perhaps the greatest evidence ever that the officials should be employed full time.

2. The missed "reporting as an eligible receiver" event that took place in last Monday's Baltimore Ravens-Arizona Cardinals game. In the first quarter, Ravens guard John Urschel reported as an eligible receiver and caught a pass for about a five-yard gain. The Ravens were penalized for an illegal formation due to the supposed fact that Urschel never reported to the officials as an eligible receiver. Replays clearly showed Urschel running onto the field and signalling to the official that he's reporting as an eligible receiver. It looked to me like the official acknowledged all of this. That official later claimed that he never saw these actions even though he was looking right at Urschel. A 6'3" 300 lb man running toward you is difficult to miss. Keen observation to details should be a requirement for employment as an NFL official. NFL VP of Officiating Dean Blandino made light of this "possible" officiating error because it had really no slight impact on the game as a whole. This is a ridiculous view. It might have been a five-yard penalty negating a five-yard gain in the first quarter but it did impact the game. It was the Ravens first drive of the game. They had just reached the Cardinals redzone. With momentum. Urschel's catch would have given the Ravens a 2nd and less than five inside the 15-yard line. The chains were in their favor and the offense was moving forward. A less-than-observant official put a halt to all of that. Instead of moving forward the Ravens were moving back. They now had first and 15 outside of the redzone. The chains were no longer in their favor and any momentum that they did have was stuttered. They had to settle for a field goal. In a game that was settled by a single score these events did impact the game. An officiating error did change this game. Full-time officials!

These two officiating errors should never happen. They aren't judgement calls. They are instances in which an official simply failed to do his job properly. That can't happen in these games. Who knows if employing the officials full-time will improve anything but it sure couldn't hurt. Too often we are belly-aching about officiating blunders rather than the play of the field. That's just wrong. The average salary for an NFL official is $173,000. For a part-time gig! A part-time gig that lasts about 6 months for the best of the bunch. The current part-time employment does require much more of the officials than a three-hour football game but I don't think that it's enough preparation, analysis, and study. Maybe they aren't getting enough sleep. Who knows? There are far too many occurrences in which they don't look properly prepared. A full-time official wouldn't have to rush home for their day job as soon as that game ends. A full-time official might not make the dumbass mistakes on the field that are becoming frighteningly frequent. These mistakes have become so frequent that something, anything, has to be done. The NFL has to do something about it other than making excuses. Employing the officials full-time would be a great place to start.

Pac-12 All-Century Team

In honor of 100 years of athletic action voting is currently taking place for a Pacific Coast Conference/AAWU/Pac-8/Pac-10/Pac-12 All-Century Football Team. Each Tuesday, finalists are revealed in 13 different player positions plus an all-time head coach. Most of the positions have been revealed but a couple of the biggies are still out there. The specialists will be up next Tuesday. Linebackers on Nov. 10. Quarterbacks on Nov. 17. And they will finish up with the coaches on Nov. 24. Voting is open for all the positions that have been revealed. Those interested can visit pac-12.com/centennial/football-all-century-team to vote.

Here's how the voting stands for the positions currently open.

Running back

Anthony Davis - USC 2%

Charles White - USC 3%

Chuck Muncie - California 11%

Ernie Nevers - Stanford 5%

Hugh McElhenny - Washington 15%

Marcus Allen - USC 28%

Mike Garrett - USC 1%

OJ Simpson - USC 11%

Reggie Bush - USC 22%

Ricky Bell - USC 

I voted for Ernie Nevers! A backfield of current leaders Reggie Bush and Hugh McElhenny would be tough to catch.

Receivers

Brandin Cooks - Oregon State 14%

DeSean Jackson - California 15%

James Lofton - Stanford 4%

JJ Stokes - UCLA 4%

Ken Margerum - Stanford 1%

Keyshawn Johnson - USC 14%

Lynn Swann - USC 17%

Marqise Lee - USC 4%

Mike Williams - USC 3%

Troy Walters - Stanford 24%

Troy Walters was a terrific college receiver but this is a surprise. I voted for James Lofton. He might have been a better professional receiver than college receiver but my goodness he was a great football player.

Tight Ends

Austin Seferian-Jenkins - Washington 4%

Charles Young - USC 3%

Fred Davis - USC 3%

Marcedes Lewis - UCLA 3%

Mark Bruener - Washington 26%

Rob Gronkowski - Arizona 18%

Russ Francis - Oregon 8%

Todd Heap - Arizona State 7%

Tony Gonzalez - California 27%

Zach Ertz - Stanford 2%

I voted for Tony Gonzalez. I don't think that Cal took proper advantage of his talents. He looked like a significant mismatch on every single play.

Offensive linemen

Alex Mack - California 3%

Anthony Munoz - USC 15%

Bob Whitfield - Stanford 2%

Brad Budde - USC 0%

Bruce Matthews - USC 4%

Gary Zimmerman - Oregon 19%

Jonathan Ogden - UCLA 8%

Kris Farris - UCLA 0%

Les Richter - California 1%

Lincoln Kennedy - Washington 22%

Marvin Powell - USC 0%

Mel Hein - Washington State 13%

Randall McDaniel - Arizona State 4%

Randy Cross - UCLA 1%

Rob Franz - California 0%

Ron Mix - USC 1%

Ron Yary - USC 3%

Roy Foster - USC 0%

Sam Baker - USC 1%

Tony Boselli - USC 3%

This is a tough one. Anthony Munoz, Jonathan Ogden, Mel Hein, Randall McDaniel, Ron Mix, and Ron Yary are all-time greats. I voted For Hein. The only offensive lineman to ever be named NFL MVP.

Defensive ends

Andre Carter - California 9%

Dave Ball - UCLA 2%

Jim Jeffcoat - Arizona State 44%

Jimmy Gunn - USC 1%

Marlin McKeever - USC 2%

Pat Donovan - Stanford 2%

Shante Carver - Arizona State 0%

Tedy Bruschi - Arizona 13%

Terrell Suggs - Arizona State 14%

Willie McGinest - USC 13%

Jim Jeffcoat is running away with this. He was a difference-maker. I voted for Willie McGinest.

Defensive tackles

Ed White - California 38%

Gary Jeter - USC 1%

Haloti Ngata - Oregon 14%

Keith Millard - Washington State 6%

Leonard Williams - USC 6%

Paul Wiggin - Stanford 1%

Rob Waldrop - Arizona 3%

Sedrick Ellis - USC 2%

Star Lotulelei - Utah 15%

Steve Emtman - Washington 14%

Steve Emtman was the most dominant college defensive lineman that I've seen in the Pac-8/10/12. 

Cornerbacks

Antoine Cason - Arizona 0%

Chris McAllister - Arizona 13%

Darryl Lewis - Arizona 0%

Deltha O'Neal - California 13%

Eric Allen - Arizona State 6%

Jimmie Johnson - UCLA 6%

Joey Browner - USC 19%

Marcus Trufant - Washington State 25%

Mel Renfro - Oregon 19%

Mike Richardson - Arizona State 0%

As a Minnesota Vikings fan I best remember Joey Browner as an outstanding safety rather than a corner. I voted for Deltha O'Neal simply because of his play in the 1999 Big Game. That was one of the greatest individual performances that I've ever seen from a college football player. 

Safeties

Chuck Cecil - Arizona 7%

David Fulcher - Arizona State 0%

Dennis Thurman - USC 0%

John Lynch - Stanford 13%

Kenny Easley - UCLA 20%

Lawyer Milloy - Washington 7%

Mark Carrier - USC 0%

Ronnie Lott - USC 47%

Tim McDonald - USC 0%

Troy Polamalu - USC 7%

As with the offensive linemen this is a tough one. Kenny Easley, Ronnie Lott, and Troy Polamalu lead it in my book. I voted for Easley. He was fantastic in college. Injuries robbed him of an equally fantastic NFL career.

Kickers/punter/returners: Nov. 3.

Linebackers: Nov. 10

Quarterbacks: Nov. 17

Coaches: Nov. 24

Linebacker? Junior Seau
Quarterback? John Elway
Coach? It's gotta be Pappy Waldorf!