REFEREES APPROVE 8-YEAR DEAL
NFL officials ended their labor dispute with the league by approving a new eight-year contract with a 112-5 vote Saturday, then hustled off to the airport to get to work. Next stop: stadiums around the country — and, the officials hope, anonymity. “The last Super Bowl that I worked, when we got in the locker room, I said, ‘You know, the best thing about this game, nobody will remember who refereed this game,’ ” said Scott Green, president of the referees’ association. “That’s how we like to work.” The vote ended a labor spat that created three weeks of increasingly chaotic games run by replacement officials who drew criticism of everyone from the average fan to President Barack Obama. “It was pretty much, ‘Come on in and vote,’” Green said. “We’re going to talk football now. We’re going to stop talking about CBAs and lockouts, and now we’re going to talk about rules and video and getting ourselves ready to work football games.” They may get ovations similar to the one bestowed on the crew that worked Thursday’s Cleveland-Baltimore game with the tentative deal in place. The referees met for about an hour and a half Friday night to go over the contract, then gathered for another 30 minutes Saturday before approving the contract. “We are obviously pleased to hear it,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said. NY Giants: The Giants will be without WR Hakeem Nicks for tonight’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The team announced that Nicks will miss the contest because of a knee problem and would not make the trip to Philadelphia. He previously missed the Sept. 19 win over Carolina with a sore foot. Coach Tom Coughlin said Nicks developed swelling in his left knee after working out Thursday. Oakland: WR Darrius Heyward-Bey and TE Richard Gordon will miss today’s in Denver with injuries. Heyward-Bey did not practice all week as he recovered from a helmet-to-helmet hit that sent him to the hospital last Sunday with a concussion and strained neck. Gordon had been listed as questionable with a hamstring injury but will not play. Denver: S Quinton Carter needs another surgery on his left knee and is done for the season. The Broncos placed him on injured reserve. San Diego: The Chargers signed K Nick Novak to replace Nate Kaeding for today’s game at Kansas City. Kaeding hurt his groin in practice Friday.