Are Refs ever fined/fired?

[Steel Certain]

I'm more than happy to admit that some calls go your way, and some calls don't. That's just sports. However, in the case of the officials overturning Polamalu's interception...that's just plain unacceptable. At 21-10, that was a pivotal point in the game where the Steelers could have kicked a field goal and all but locked it up 24-10. BUT NOOOOOO....that call allowed Manning lead an impressive drive + 2 pointer and the game was 21-18. There was no grey area as to whether or not it was an interception. IT WAS CLEARLY CAUGHT. That official should be ashamed for making such a poor call...is there any recourse? YES, I'm happy we won, but reeling from the series of minor heart attacks I suffered as a direct result of that Zebra's insane call.

DO REF'S GET FIRED FOR THIS STUFF?!?!

[KevinMcD]

I think Don Denkinger the 1st base ump in the 85 WS made a horrible call that led to the Royals beating the Cards in the series I don't think he was fired but did not have a high role. (No WS umping just D-Rays/Royals games ) I feel sorry for the guy. He didnt have the advantage of instant replay like the guy tonight did. And he recived many death threats. Sportscenter had a whole thing on this.

[Steel Certain]

Good point...baseball it very tough with close calls, and they don't have the benefit of replay. However, in football it's a part of the game. It's a story I'd like to see in Sports Illustrated...an article containing some candid interviews with Refs/Umps who have blown calls and how it affected their officiating in the future.

[Discrim]

funny you ask...I've heard about refs getting fined for blatantly bad calls, and I read in Football Hall of Shame where the 1939 Redskins were screwed over not once, but twice by the same ref on field goals, and teh second blown call cost Washington a spot in the title game. basically, the ref, Bill Halloran, was the only person who thought it was wide. unfortunately for the Skins, his opinion was the only one that mattered.

Redskins owner George Marshall was able to convince the league to ban Halloran before the next season.

[Alphabet Man]

In AFL we get alot of tight calls, and alot of the time they are wrong, but thats what happens when we dont use video replays.....if umpires have a down game, usually they are better the week after if not dropped for the week. In Cricket, the umpires have a tough job, they have check the bowlers foot is on or over the line, and then if there is an appeal for LBW, have to check to see if the ball is going to hit the stumps when it hit the pad....i know they sometimes swap for each Test or ODI but they only punshment is days and days of crap in the media......rarely they get fined or fired

However if they stuff up big time im sure they'll get fined or fired, or they'll get dropped for the year then cut from the Umpiring ranks

[nsentv]

I remember a controversy a few years ago, when it came out than an NBA referee had been fined or suspended by the league. If I remember correctly, many referees wore their uniforms inside out, with the suspended ref's number written on the back.

Interesting that David Stern would suspend a referee, and it have nothing to do with Lakers/Kings Game 6 in 2002... (the second-worst officiated game in NBA history).

[NJTank]

Oh yeah I remember that. They even drew the suspended refs number on their back

[FiddySicks]

I think Don Denkinger the 1st base ump in the 85 WS made a horrible call that led to the Royals beating the Cards in the series I don't think he was fired but did not have a high role. (No WS umping just D-Rays/Royals games ) I feel sorry for the guy. He didnt have the advantage of instant replay like the guy tonight did. And he recived many death threats. Sportscenter had a whole thing on this.

the funniest part of that game is that noone seems to realize that was GAME 6!!! The Cards lost game 7 all by their little selves.

[STL FANATIC]

I think Don Denkinger the 1st base ump in the 85 WS made a horrible call that led to the Royals beating the Cards in the series I don't think he was fired but did not have a high role. (No WS umping just D-Rays/Royals games ) I feel sorry for the guy. He didnt have the advantage of instant replay like the guy tonight did. And he recived many death threats. Sportscenter had a whole thing on this.

the funniest part of that game is that noone seems to realize that was GAME 6!!! The Cards lost game 7 all by their little selves.

They lost game 7 the same way they lost game 6. By letting that one call get to them. The blown call didn't do anything but let a runner on first, but the Cards lost their composure.

They could have still won.

At the same time, it's tough to keep your composure when something so obvious is blown, and I do think it was very unfair what happened to them.

There's definatley two sides. The Cards got screwed and would have won that game and the series, but they also let it get to them and lost when they still could have won.

[slapshot]

Why should the ref be fired? After watching all the replays, he felt conclusive evidence was there to overrule the call on the field. Better to have a call rulved through replay, than blown on the field and not changed.

The analysts were going over all the replays. As long as Polamalu still had his knee touching the ground, he is not considered in the act of making a "football move". He picked off the pass, then rolled on the ground. He was starting to get up, when his knee knocked the ball loose.

That is the tricky part: starting to get up. He was not considered up yet. Had he lifted his knee off the ground, that would have been considered a football move, and it would have been interception, fumble, recovery. But the "fumble" was ruled a part of the continous motion of rolling on the ground after he dove at the ball.

Bottom line? Incomplete pass. Conclusive evidence that the ball was not officially caught. And Pittsburgh won anyway.

[lilgump]

OK I can understand the logic about not making a football move yet, but shouldnt doing two rolls on the ground with the ball in your hand doing a "football move." Musin Muhamad caught a pass and rolled out of bounds, so its obviously a move football players make.

[slapshot]

There's no set definition of a "football move". It's purely judgment in the eyes of the referee. A player rolling on the ground, in most cases it's momentum that propells the rolling player. A player doesn't roll twice or three times intentionally. But if the ball comes loose while the player is still rolling, then it's not a completed pass, and that's why Polamalu's INT was reversed to an incomplete pass.

Had a Colt touched Polamalu while he was still on the ground, maybe the play would have been ended at that point with Polamalu down by contact. Then it might not have mattered if the ball came loose after he was touched.

[NJTank]

He made a football move he tried to run and he tripped and fell in college the play ends there, but in the NFL u can get up and run, and that was the second playoff move and thats when he fumbled, but he recovered it for the 3rd football move.

It was a horrendous call, and the Steelers would have had every right to complain if they lost.

[Sterling84]

Stop the presses. I agree 100% with Tank.

I can die a happy man.

That was a bushleague call in a weekend full of them.

The Bailey ruling...the interference rulings, the false start/offsides mess in the Steelers game.

It was amateur hour. Reply needs to be abolished. It has never, and the Rock means never, prevented a travesty.

The Tuck......made up BS explained away on a play it didn't apply to. Packers/Bucs this year...Lions/Bucs. Bucs/Reskins. The list goes on and on. Replay sucks. I can live with a call if its split second judgment by a professional....even if its wrong. I cannot live with clear evidence to the contrary and then a ref says something else as though we are watching different film.

If Palumalo's play wasn't a pick, or a "football move" then I don't know what is.

PS - I should give credit, the refs DID get the Bears fumble/non fumble call perfect. Knee was down.

[BJ Sands]

Getting back on topic, I know that Phil Luckett, he of the infamous Thanksgiving coin flip and

Vinny Testaverde's phantom touchdown, was demoted to back judge.

[Cyclopsis Joe]

The one that bugged me was the "No-Call" bull they tried to pull in the Colts/Steelers game.

I honestly thought he was gonna call "double penalty" and offset them, but he called NOTHING.

Though, seeing them all trying to stop Bill Cowher trying to throw the red flag was tremendously funny.

[Mac the Knife]

To answer the question, yes, game officials can be (and are) disciplined and/or relieved of their duties.

In the NFL's case though, unless its someone who's seen a lot of national TV time, you'll never hear about it, as they don't publicize it. Ever.

[dmr]

I think it is either the Tuesday or Wednesday following a game, a NFL coach can request a conference with the NFL Officiating Cousnel/Senate/Gurus/Grand Pupba/ whatever. At the conference the coach can ask them to review certain calls and ask for an explanation of the call. This is also the time where the NFL would either explain the reason behind the call or admit that the call made by the officals was wrong. After reviewing the plays, and determining if some calls were wrong, the NFL will actually issue and apology to the team, the players and organization, at that point it usually ends. However some organizations (*cough* Seahawks *cough*) have been known to go ahead and release the apology the fans and media, much to the dismay of the NFL big wigs.

Sidenote: After the Giants @ Seattle game, the NFL told M. Holmgren that they would review the two Giant touchdowns calls. Holmgren took this as an act of admission of guilt and held a press conference were he told the press that the NFL told him they had made made the wrong calls for both of the touchdowns. The NFL did not like this, told Holmgren he was going to be fined, NFL then reviewed the plays realized there mistake, retracted the fine, and instead told Holmgren he was not allowed to ask for post-game reviews for two weeks.

Morale of the story, the NFL does fine and demote officals, but you will never hear about it, and if you do somebody said something they weren't supposed to.

"A optomistic, and yet to be screw this year by the NFL, Seahawks fan"

dmr

[KevinMcD]

NFL is admitting the ref was wrong in this call

NFL Officials

[ninersdd]

Anybody remember when on MNF this year when Sproles muffed it and it went right to a Steeler, but they called fair catch interference when the ball bounced right to him