NFL Referee Lockout Could Hit Regular Season
NEW YORK (CBS SPORTS) - There has been much metaphorical gnashing of teeth and rending of garments in recent days because the first week of preseason games featured replacement officials. And while there were mistakes -- just like every other week in the NFL -- there was nothing so egregious that merited the league's prompt re-examination of its situation with the locked-out officials.
In fact, the lockout could last into the first month of the regular season, according to an ESPN report. Which means that the replacements are here to stay -- at least for the next six weeks or so. But this is about more than just a pay raise. There are other sticking points that appear to be holding things up.
First, the NFL wants to make its officials work full time. Currently, officials have other full-time jobs and work three or four days a week during the season preparing for games. (For example, Ed Hochuli is an attorney and Mike Carey owns a company that manufacturers ski and snowboard equipment.) ESPN reports that more than 90 percent of those officials aren't willing to leave their full-time jobs or the salaries that go with them.
Second, the league wants to add three additional officiating crews. The thinking: a bigger pool of officials means better-rested officials, and a system for grooming successors for older officials. The locked-out officials oppose the idea.
Meanwhile, the replacement officials already have their assignments for Week 2 of the preseason, and Week 3's assignments were sent out Monday. And if there's no movement between the locked-out officials and the NFL, this could drag on into the regular season.
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