Replacement of Replacement Refs Highlight Power of Fans

Anger from the National Football League’s fan base helped influence the league’s decisions to finish the negotiation with the NFL Referee Association.

The image of the two replacement referees contradicting each other on a touchdown call while over a pile of Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks players will forever be engrained in Andrew Bridgers’ mind.

Bridgers, a University of Colorado senior and die-hard Packers fan, treats his team like a religion.

“From Monday to Saturday I’m a pretty normal guy. I don’t care about too much. Nothing really gets me off my rocker. However, come Sunday I live and die by the Packers,” Admitted Bridgers.

Monday, September 24th, was a night that will go down in NFL history. Not for good reason either.

The Green Bay Packers hosted the Seattle Seahawks in the final game of the NFL’s third week. The official refs were absent and replacement refs, who had already received many complaints regarding their officiating, were in their place.

The game was down to the wire. In the final play Seahawks quarterback, Russell Wilson, threw a pass to receiver Golden Tate, only to have the pass ripped out by a Green Bay Packers cornerback.

The first ref said the pass was incomplete. A second ref called a touchdown, which led the first to change his original ruling.

Fans turned to Internet forums for some non-stop ranting. Analysts and sportscaster sided with the majority that the call was a bad one and it was time to get the real refs back.

Coaches weren’t allowed to say anything but players, especially from the Packers including quarterback Aaron Rodgers, chipped in their two cents.

“It was awful, just look at the replay,” said Rodgers.

The outrage stemmed from the infamous touchdown, which increased the negotiation between the NFL and the NFL Referee Association. The official refs were back on the field for the NFL’s fourth week of official play.

An unresolved labor dispute between the NFL and the NFL Referee Association led to a referee lockout. That is why the replacement refs were needed.

The argument might have lasted the entire season, but the outcry from the fan base led to the return of the official refs.

“I definitely think it was the fans,” Cited Bridgers. “I think we were the ones who made it happen. Without us there is no league. Who would pay for tickets? T-shirts, jerseys, hats and commercials all come from us fans. Who would watch it on TV or go to the games, its all us.”