NFL is getting what they paid for with replacement officials

This isn’t a demand the NFL settle with the locked-out officials and restore integrity to the game.

Spare me that tired argument.

The NFL is under no legal obligation to give you, the coaches or the players the best officials. They just have to supply officials.

No, this is about reality. This is about America. And we have a saying in this country: You get what you pay for.

In a convoluted way the NFL agrees. By their own admission the crew they had officiating on the cheap blew it Monday night.

Not on the last-second ‘shared’ Seattle touchdown catch by Golden Tate giving the Seahawks a 14-12 victory over the Green Bay Packers, who shouldn’t have let the game be reduced to one play.

Rather the NFL said pass interference should have been called on Tate before the simultaneous grab, negating the play. Surely the Packers will sleep better now. Speaking of which how in the world can Aaron “Discount Double Check” Rodgers go without throwing a touchdown pass, or even complete the twopoint conversion?

The official NFL statement in response to the controversy is as predictable as Rodgers’ insurance commercial. To wit: “Several players, including Seattle wide receiver Golden Tate and Green Bay safety M.D. Jennings, jumped into the air in an attempt to catch the ball.

“While the ball is in the air, Tate can be seen shoving Green Bay cornerback Sam Shields to the ground. This should have been a penalty for offensive pass interference, which would have ended the game. It was not called and is not reviewable in instant replay.

“When the players hit the ground in the end zone, the officials determined that both Tate and Jennings had possession of the ball. Under the rule for simultaneous catch, the ball belongs to Tate, the offensive player. The result of the play was a touchdown.

“Replay Official Howard Slavin stopped the game for an instant replay review. The aspects of the play that were reviewable included if the ball hit the ground and who had possession of the ball. In the end zone, a ruling of a simultaneous catch is reviewable. That is not the case in the field of play, only in the end zone.

“Referee Wayne Elliott determined that no indisputable visual evidence existed to overturn the call on the field, and as a result, the on-field ruling of touchdown stood. The NFL Officiating Department reviewed the video today and supports the decision not to overturn the on-field ruling following the instant replay review.

“The result of the game is final.”

The way people are carrying on you would think it was the first time officials have blown it. How soon we forget. Remember the Immaculate Reception? The Holy Roller? All made by veteran crews.

In the modern era you have The Tuck Rule and one of my favorites because of the aftermath, the Ed Hochuli blunder. Hochuli admitted he blew what should have been a fumble call, enabling Denver to beat San Diego a few years ago. Eddie Muscles than beat himself publicly for the error, as if that was the only mistake he ever made.

To err is human. To blame the replacement officials for messing up and getting it right on the same play is the NFL.

Let’s return to reality. We call them replacement officials for a reason. They’re the next guys up. In the case of Shannon Eastin, the line judge who made history as the first of her gender to officiate an NFL game, the next woman up. And you thought the NFL was exclusive.

Replacement officials don’t bother us as much as they amuse us. They give us something to talk about.

Be thankful the replacement guys aren’t imported. Hey, we outsourced the U.S. Olympic team uniforms to China.

Are fans going to stop watching NFL games because of the replacement officials?

Not when you’re willing to accept what you pay for.