Roger Goodell Says Replacement Refs Did a 'Very Credible Job.'

By: The Football Girl | Posted: September 13, 2012

Despite widespread criticism of the replacement referees’ Week 1 performance, Roger Goodell is once again coming to their defense.

In an interview with ESPN’s Trey Wingo Wednesday, Goodell was asked how the replacement refs did in their first week of regular season action.

“I think they did a very credible job,” Goodell said.  “Fans were focused on football. That’s what we want.”

A couple of weeks ago Goodell predicted the replacements would be acceptable if called upon in Week 1, again, using the words “credible job.” It’s now clear that when the powers-at-be huddled in the fancy Park Avenue league offices, “credible job” was selected as the replacement ref manta. 

However, many players, coaches, broadcasters, regular officials, fans and a few squirrels would argue that “credible” is the exact opposite of what we experienced last weekend.

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers said, “there were bizarre calls on both sides” of the Packers game against the 49ers.

Bills DE Mario Williams specifically blasted the refs in his game for not throwing flags on what he perceived were a litany of illegal hands to the face violations.

49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh’s face was beet red and mouth contorted throughout his game based on intense disagreements with the officiating.

And in the Seattle/Arizona game, replacement ref Bruce Hermansen acknowledged a mistake by not charging the Seahawks with their final timeout after Doug Baldwin needed to be tended to after being injured on the field.  While Hermansen announced the Seahawks had no timeouts remaining, he granted them one 12 seconds later.

The Hermansen error is indisputable, although it did not affect the outcome of the game. And you could argue that none of the missed calls and wrong calls did as well. Or you could argue that every bad call by a ref has some small role in the final outcome of a game, whether it changes a play call or has some effect on momentum.

But one thing is indisputable: Roger Goodell is going to stick with the “credible job” line.  At least for now. 

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Cutler Apologist
Posts: 1

The scabs are crushing the infidels
Reply #1 on : Thu September 13, 2012, 10:16:35

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Yep, the replacement refs' credibility ranks right up there with Saddam Hussein's old Minister of Information