It's time for Fans to take a stand and get the Real Refs back

[kerouac9]

If you want to lump my disdain for the timing of the ref money grab into siding with management over the worker, okay, good on you. But I'd prefer to look at each case individually--and the refs don't represent most of America's workers.

I standby my opinion. The refs are asking for too much at the wrong time.

And, Mulli, I don't despise the refs; I don't know the refs. I despise what they're asking for, and I despise the thought of them getting it while a whot shitload of americans can't even find one job these guys are asking for a pension from their second six-figure job--and holding the NFL by the balls to try and get it? I think that's disgusting.

Again, if you guys want to turn this into "Pariah is a corporate stooge," go right ahead. But you're wrong about that.

It's difficult to take your opinion seriously when it's so clearly mis-informed.

1) Do you actually believe that the officials' union "timed" their lockout in their collective bargaining agreement for a time when the global financial and employment system was near a nadir? Is there ever a good time for labor unrest? Would this be okay for you if it happened in 2007 instead?

2) The officials union isn't asking for anything new. They're perfectly happy with extending the current deal. They had a pension before; they're fighting to keep it. We're talking about $3 million per year over 332 games including preseason and playoffs. That means that the NFL is inflicting replacement referees on their players and fans over about $9000 per game. That's a quarter worth of beer concessions, or one luxury box. C'mon, mang.

Why don't you hold the NFL similarly accountable? Don't they have a responsibility to their fans? Do you know that the NFL is a non-profit organization? They don't have shareholders that they're responsible to. You're siding with Jerry Jones and Dan Snyder against people who affect the outcomes of the games, make the games explicable and quick-running, etc.

And, at least according to John Clayton, referring can often be a full-time job.

For a lot of these guys, the NFL job is the culmination of a career that is personally but not financially rewarding. Do you complain about the money that CEOs make? A Fortune 500 CEO does little real work, but is compensated beyond the dreams of avarice because their professional development and connections lead them to the highest level.

Years and years of getting $5000 a year to officiate high school and college games for a decade maybe of officiating in the NFL.