All this sniveling BEFORE the game is even played?
I've been chastised by some fans around here for saying that the Referees have screwed us with bad calls in games this Year.
I think THEY (those fans calling me out) think that the other fans around the NFL Nation, think that IF you say anything bad about Officiating, that you're looking for an excuse as to why the team lost, when in fact, bad calls can, and often do alter the outcome of games.
These Referees are human, they can and do make a lot of stupid mistakes but they get a free pass, while many Coaches are called on the carpet, and even fired for being perceived as inept.
there's a belief by many around here, that IF your team just plays a lot better, you can overcome bad Officiating, and win in spite of it all, but when the Referees have a preconceived notion (given orders from headquarters) that YOUR team has a tendency to commit fouls beyond the norm, then some of those jokers will put more of their focus on YOUR players, and not enough on ALL the players.
Bad calls happen, but with some Referees like Triplette, there's usually too many to excuse as just a coincidence.
I sometimes wonder if it was really all that bad, when the games were being Officiated by the temporary Refs, at least we all know that they weren't being paid huge money to make mistakes like the regulars eh?
