"All-star" officiating crew for Rams-Chiefs game

[Eleazar]

NFL ups intensity with all-star officials for Rams-Chiefs game

Kevin Seifert
ESPN.com NFL Nation



The NFL took the unusual step this week of assigning an "all-star" officiating crew to the most highly anticipated game of the season, adding to the playofflike frenzy for Monday night's matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams.

Referee Clete Blakeman will work the game with only two members of his regular crew, umpire Ramon George and down judge Dana McKenzie. The other five officials -- including Jim Lapetina, who will handle replay -- were plucked from four other crews.

The approach is similar to how the NFL assigns officials to playoff games, a process that is based on performance and seniority rather than crew. But it is rarely, if ever, employed before the postseason. Officials typically work on the same eight-person crews throughout the regular season to maximize continuity and familiarity among members.

Individual crew members are occasionally juggled for health or scheduling reasons. But a series of actions this season have indicated the league is moving away from the consistent crew concept, in favor of a more aggressive administration of officiating. Earlier this season, the league bounced down judge Hugo Cruz among four crews before ultimately making him its first-ever official to be fired for performance during the season.

NFL spokesman Michael Signora confirmed Sunday that "there is a rotation amongst the crews throughout the season." Signora did not provide details on the decision to overhaul Blakeman's crew for Monday night's game.

An officiating source said Sunday that the five officials added to Monday night's crew are all highly respected and have performed well this season.

The Chiefs-Rams game, originally scheduled to be played in Mexico City before it was relocated to Los Angeles, is a rare matchup. Since 1970, there have been only four other games pitting teams with one or fewer losses this late in the season. And according to the Elias Sports Bureau, this is the latest matchup ever between two teams averaging at least 33 points per game.

The following is the full crew for Monday night's game, as listed on the official flip card published by the NFL, with the officials' permanent referee in parentheses:


Referee: Clete Blakeman

Umpire: Ramon George (Blakeman)

Down judge: Dana McKenzie (Blakeman)

Line judge: Rusty Baynes (John Hussey)

Field judge: Dale Shaw (Jerome Boger)

Side judge: Brad Freeman (Clay Martin)

Back judge: Tony Steratore (Boger)

Replay: Jim Lapetina (Brad Allen)



http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/2...ff-rams-chiefs

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Originally Posted by GloryDayz

If the NFL wants to clear things up, NFL officials need to be dealt with publically.

Give them each Haglunds..

[dj56dt58]

If we get hma the crowds need to be as intimidating as ever..the officials need to fear for their lives or they will **** KC over in the post season too just like last year

[GloucesterChief]

If that was an all-star crew then 90%+ for the refs need to be sacked.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

That was an embarrassing quarter of football. Basically a flag on EVERY play against KC. I've never seen anything like it

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by GloryDayz

If the NFL wants to clear things up, NFL officials need to be dealt with publically.

Umm...the NFL doesn't want to clear anything up, but they do want to remind you that season tickets for your favorite team will go fast, so start saving now.

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by Pasta Giant Meatball

That was an embarrassing quarter of football. Basically a flag on EVERY play against KC. I've never seen anything like it

Well...the Chiefs are the first team to score 50 points and lose, so it was a game full of "finding new and unusual ways to achieve the same result."

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by GloucesterChief

If that was an all-star crew then 90%+ for the refs need to be sacked.

Unless they did exactly as their employer (and the voice in their earpieces) instructed them to do.

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by dj56dt58

If we get hma the crowds need to be as intimidating as ever..the officials need to fear for their lives or they will **** KC over in the post season too just like last year

Wasn't it Cleveland/Jax where the refs got pelted with beer bottles, batteries, and random whatever because of their awful officiating?

Stay classy, Cleveland.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

The all star crew was brought in to make sure this poor smog breathers went home happy. No doubt about it.

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by Pasta Giant Meatball

The all star crew was brought in to make sure this poor smog breathers went home happy. No doubt about it.

The Porn Star Crew.

Sucking off LA while ****ing the Chiefs in the ass, porn-style.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by stevieray

that was disappointment in the crew, not disapproval of your explanation.

my apologies..

{Tips cap}

[-King-]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

They let a pro Rams crowd encourage them to make calls in favor of the home team. They got caught up in the moment. It happens often in basketball but occasionally in football. 100,000 seat stadium and a game devolving into a trackmeet....yeah the crowd got to them.

I agree 100%. They got slightly better as the game went on but the first quarter was ****ing terrible. I'm not even one to complain about refs.

I think that's why getting HFA will be so important. If officials can be swayed by Rams fans, just think of what a rocking Arrowhead crowd will do to them. They'll be scared to death to bullshit us.
Posted via Mobile Device

[-King-]

Originally Posted by GloucesterChief

If that was an all-star crew then 90%+ for the refs need to be sacked.

Officiating will always be terrible. That's what happens in a game played as fast and as complex as football. Add in their own biases, and things like home crowds and you get what we have today. No matter who they hire, it will always be bad. The only thing we can hope for is that officiating is bad across the board.
Posted via Mobile Device

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by -King-

I agree 100%. They got slightly better as the game went on but the first quarter was ****ing terrible. I'm not even one to complain about refs.

I think that's why getting HFA will be so important. If officials can be swayed by Rams fans, just think of what a rocking Arrowhead crowd will do to them. They'll be scared to death to bullshit us.
Posted via Mobile Device

They were swayed by the NFL and the "LA Agenda", don't get it twisted.

The league manipulates calls to favor a specific outcome.

The refs didn't get 'swept up by the RamzFanz mass hysteria'

They did what the voice in those earpieces told them to do.

Don't forget that.

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by -King-

Officiating will always be terrible. That's what happens in a game played as fast and as complex as football. Add in their own biases, and things like home crowds and you get what we have today. No matter who they hire, it will always be bad. The only thing we can hope for is that officiating is bad across the board.
Posted via Mobile Device

You're rationalizing the manipulation.