Regular Refs Back For Browns-Ravens

[The_Ripper]

Hallelujah, the regular refs are back.
 
The NFL and NFLRA announced around midnight that they reached a deal on an eight-year collective bargaining agreement.
 
And even though the agreement must still be ratified by the NFLRA membership, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell came through for the Ravens by temporarily lifting the lockout so the regular officials can work the Thursday night game versus the Cleveland Browns.
 
“The long-term future of our game requires that we seek improvement in every area, including officiating,” Goodell said. “This agreement supports long-term reforms that will make officiating better. The teams, players and fans want and deserve both consistency and quality in officiating.”
 
“We look forward to having the finest officials in sports back on the field, and I want to give a special thanks to NFL fans for their passion. Now it's time to put the focus back on the teams and players where it belongs."
 
Had Goodell not temporarily lifted the lockout, the Ravens and Browns would have been the only teams required to endure another week of the replacement officials, which ESPN’s Jamison Hensley said would have been unfair.
 
“The Ravens are going to be among the happiest teams to see the replacement officials go,” Hensley wrote, noting that Baltimore has been the fifth-most penalized team this season and were on pace to tie a franchise record of 139 penalties.
 
Another positive for the Ravens is to have the game’s regular tempo back. The replacements had difficulties with the administration side of the game, slowing the pace considerably while figuring out clock management and where to mark the ball.
 
“This would have negated the effect of the Ravens’ no-huddle offense,” wrote CSNBaltimore.com’s Ray Frager. “Now, with referees who are up to the task of letting play flow, the Ravens can run the no-huddle, putting the Browns back on their heels without Cleveland getting help from the officials to cut the pace.
 
“Plus, the Ravens’ defensive backs and wide receivers don’t have to be concerned about what kind of new odd interference/holding/illegal contact penalties might come flying at them.”
 
Below are the key terms of the new agreement:
 •Eight-year term covering the 2012-2019 seasons.
 •The current defined benefit pension plan will remain in place for current officials through the 2016 season (or until the official earns 20 years of service). The defined benefit plan will then be frozen.
 •Retirement benefits will be provided for new hires, and for all officials beginning in 2017, through a defined contribution arrangement, which will have two elements: an annual league contribution made on behalf of each game official that will begin with an average of more than $18,000 per official and increase to more than $23,000 per official in 2019, and a partial match on any additional contribution that an official makes to his 401(k) account.
 •Apart from their benefit package, the game officials’ compensation will increase from an average of $149,000 a year in 2011 to $173,000 in 2013, rising to $205,000 by 2019.
 •Beginning with the 2013 season, the NFL will have the option of hiring a number of officials on a full-time basis to work year-round, including on the field.
 •The NFL will have the option to retain additional officials for training and development purposes, and may assign those additional officials to work NFL games. The number of additional officials will be determined by the NFL.

[The_Ripper]

Four days after chanting a profanity en masse at replacement referees, Baltimore Ravens fans showered regular officials with a standing ovation one hour before kickoff of Thursday night's game against the Cleveland Browns.

Veteran referee Gene Steratore twice doffed his cap to applauding fans in the stands and others in his six-man crew did the same when they walked on the field less than 24 hours after the NFL's three-month lockout ended.

The officials arrived at M&T Bank Stadium in a white van, accompanied by vice president of NFL operations Ray Anderson. They were greeted by a media horde that would have been more appropriate for William and Kate rather than Gene and (head linesman) Wayne (Mackie).

"We got rock star treatment,'' Anderson told USA TODAY Sports' Jim Corbett. "It was quite a reception for the guys. It was all media folks.''

Five of the seven officials were on the crew last year, so Anderson said he expected good communication in the game despite the long layoff.

It didn't take long for the officials to get back into the fray. Steratore's crew called its first penalty, an illegal contact call on the Browns, less than three minutes into the game. The 10-year veteran could barely contain a smile as he made the announcement to roaring fans.

The honeymoon didn't last long. Three plays later, Baltimore was flagged for holding on a third-and-2. Though the penalty was declined, the earth realigned on its axis when the crowd booed the call.

Aggrieved fans will always think referees are incompetent. At least now they know they're qualified to be.

[BiggBoogaBiff]

Ravens >>>> Browns



#TeamBirdBrain
Eagles
Falcons
Ravens

[Shallow]

I was actually really hoping that the game was sent to overtime because of a simultaneous catch in the endzone. Of course the Ravens defenders are smart enough to swat the ball down.

[M Dogg™]

I think that all this proves 2 things.

One, that being an NFL ref is a hard hard job, and that we as fans cannot possibly keep up with the speed of the game and still remember all those rule. The NFL refs truly do a good job trying to keep up and keep all the players safe.

Two, they still make mistakes, we still hate the calls even if they are right. But at least they are the best guys for the job to make those calls. I think fans have a better appreciation for the job these guys do.

[DJ SUGAFREE QUIK]

I'm glad the ravens won but I was so disappointed in this. 
1.  The ravens players & fellow ravens fans on the east coast happy about the real refs coming back, cheering them.  Disgusting!  Mainly cause the real refs HATE both purple teams.  They had a petty immature vendetta grudge against baltimore because of 1995.  Main reason I wish the nfl waited until sunday to get the deal done.  The clowns & few other teams need the refs to beat the ravens.  And just like the game vs. KC sunday the ravens played to the level of their competition.  Was real worried cause i've seen refs cheat to keep a game close & cheat for a team throughout a whole game