At his recent rate of making a cogent point every 4 or 5 columns, the New York Post’s Phil Mushnick is proving that even senior citizens with bugs in their beard can make a positive contribution to society.
ESPN NFL experts and “He Got Jacked Up!” brothers Ron Jaworski and Tom Jackson recently embraced an old knee-jerk solution, calling for the NFL to hire full-time game officials. Then they left it at that.
OK, then, given that there are 120 NFL officials, most of whom only would have one game per week over five months, including the preseason, exactly how would that work?
Instead of reviewing game film from their homes, as they currently do, they could, after every game, fly to a newly constructed NFL Officials’ Housing and Training Center, where they could attend group study.
Additionally, on Tuesdays they could practice flag-throwing and whistle-blowing. Wednesdays it’s the field-microphone-toggle-switch operation and repair workshop, then it’s out to the field to practice huddling up to talk things over (“The important thing is to get it right! Ready, on two!”).
Thursdays, it’s under-handed spiral toss drills, the tuck-rule quiz, pylon maintenance, and coin-toss practice. Friday’s are lock-down days, reserved for rulebook study and conjugal visits.
Saturday, it’s off to the airport.
The annual operating costs should come in at under $250 million. And the officiating won’t be any better or worse.