"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

[bobbything]

This was a colossal joke. Can’t tell if a pass was tipped? Can see a BLATANT false start? WTF is pass interference?

I’m sorry, but the officials are a joke. **** them in the ass with a big black rubber dick.

[Rain Man]

It was truly the worst officiated game I've ever seen. The officials couldn't even call a false start penalty.

If they want to call a game ultra-tight, that's one thing. It ruins the game, but whatever. But they called it so one-sided that it was a farce. I saw at least seven penalties in the first half that should have been called on the Rams and weren't. They were calling it ultra-tight on the Chiefs and ultra-loose on the Rams.

Whether you want to talk about bias or not, I think anyone can agree that the officiating dominates the game these days. If the officials call a bad game, like they did tonight, it can change the final outcome of the game, which it did tonight.

I guess the NFL is happy, though, because people who know nothing about football probably enjoyed the game.

[bobbything]

Originally Posted by Coach

What a goddamn joke.

Hill has always thrown the duces sign for almost 2 years, and never has been flagged, until just tonight.

It's a goddamn travesty.

Yep, but when your All Star crew is regulated to Brady and Roethlisberger games, what do you expect?

That call didn’t amount to dick, but it just showed how little they watch of KC.

[Mecca]

They destroyed that game, let the Rams play from ahead basically the whole time and kept it close.

Just so you know, throwing deuces is unsportsmanlike, lately jumping on a QB to talk shit is not...yea if that was us and Tom Brady guys would be ejected.

[DrunkBassGuitar]

NFL had a story to tell and they told it.

They kept reminding LA viewers how many first responders were in attendance. NFL needs LA eyeballs and butts in seats. No way where they going to let potential fans face disappoint in an emotional loss. So they tip the scales a little bit.

[Reerun_KC]

Attorcity...

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by DrunkBassGuitar

NFL had a story to tell and they told it.

They kept reminding LA viewers how many first responders were in attendance. NFL needs LA eyeballs and butts in seats. No way where they going to let potential fans face disappoint in an emotional loss. So they tip the scales a little bit.

Its all about the narrative and right now it's the feel good Cali team that makes LA matter which is what matters most to the NFL.

[DrunkBassGuitar]

Originally Posted by Mecca

Its all about the narrative and right now it's the feel good Cali team that makes LA matter which is what matters most to the NFL.

A lot more money to be made in LA than KC

[crazycoffey]

Refs were horribly biased. It was laughable. We had a chance to win and didn’t. Great learning point for the whole offense. Choosing to focus on that positive, we beat the rams in the super bowl. The chiefs likely learn they’re as not indestructible as they’ve felt. This can be a good loss

[Mecca]

Until all the big wig old guard QB's retire this is going to be the story, why do you think KC leads the league in penalties?

To keep them from running away with the conference and the teams that matter to the NFL...I fully expect several more years of refs doing everything they can to keep KC behind the old guard of stars.

[bobbything]

Originally Posted by Mecca

They destroyed that game, let the Rams play from ahead basically the whole time and kept it close.

Just so you know, throwing deuces is unsportsmanlike, lately jumping on a QB to talk shit is not...yea if that was us and Tom Brady guys would be ejected.

I’ve watched Hill toss tvat peace sign for 2.5 years. Never once has he been flagged. Not. Once.

These officials tonight have never, not once, seen KC play.

I love this team but I hate the national umbrella.

Hate. It.

[bobbything]

Originally Posted by Mecca

Until all the big wig old guard QB's retire this is going to be the story, why do you think KC leads the league in penalties?

To keep them from running away with the conference and the teams that matter to the NFL...I fully expect several more years of refs doing everything they can to keep KC behind the old guard of stars.

This.

I was texting my dad the exact same thing as the game was unfolding. The exact same thing. He said, “You must really suffer with this conspiracy theory.”

It’s not a conspiracy.

[ARROW2]

Originally Posted by bobbything

I’ve watched Hill toss tvat peace sign for 2.5 years. Never once has he been flagged. Not. Once.

These officials tonight have never, not once, seen KC play.

I love this team but I hate the national umbrella.

Hate. It.

**** THE NFL and their MUTHA****ING NARRATIVES!!!!

[BlackOp]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

It was truly the worst officiated game I've ever seen. The officials couldn't even call a false start penalty.

If they want to call a game ultra-tight, that's one thing. It ruins the game, but whatever. But they called it so one-sided that it was a farce. I saw at least seven penalties in the first half that should have been called on the Rams and weren't. They were calling it ultra-tight on the Chiefs and ultra-loose on the Rams.

Whether you want to talk about bias or not, I think anyone can agree that the officiating dominates the game these days. If the officials call a bad game, like they did tonight, it can change the final outcome of the game, which it did tonight.

I guess the NFL is happy, though, because people who know nothing about football probably enjoyed the game.

I pretty much said from the offset that there was no way the NFL lets LA lose this game if they can help it. They did just enough...

Rams dropping two back and the Chargers dropping 2 back, simultaneously, is unacceptable.

This "crack-jack" officiating crew was a smoke-n-mirrors move. Let the fans believe they are the best so they can dictate the outcome with impunity. I've never seen Reid lose his cool...but he did.

KC's offense has started hot...so obviously the agenda was to slow them down in the 1st quarter. They called 3 penalties on kick-off returns to pin KC deep....this is a new method for controlling games. The first one was ridiculous and cost KC about 35 yards of FP.

The advertising contracts dictate the games now...and LA has 20 million people and a new stadium being built. They need to justify the outrageous money corporate America is spending on ads. Last I checked 20 million is greater than 2 million (KC).

I'm not really even upset or surprised...kind of chuckled when KC had 9 flags in like 7 minutes.

Both LA teams benefited in one night..even Mahomes cant compete with that.

[smithandrew051]

We should’ve seen this coming during the LAC-Denver game. The Chargers choked it away, but the Rams didn’t.

The league wants LA to be relevant. Everyone knows those fans are as fairweather as they get. Even doing this to us on national TV with a chance to put the AFC away (twice)...we’ll keep coming back for more.

I’m mad at myself more than the refs. I should’ve never believed this shit would end even with the most marketable young talent in the game at QB. Just looks at the crap Suh and Peters were able to get away with. Imagine that was Brady getting punched on national TV. Imagine one of our DBs laid on top of Brady to talk trash.