The Dueling Lockouts: the NHL Players and the NFL Refrees

The article I read was the “Dueling Lockouts” in the New Yorker, written by Reeves Wideman. In the article, he talks about the ongoing N.F.L referee lockout and the start of the N.H.L lockout affecting the sports industry and the game. Both lockouts have to deal with not getting paid enough to long-term security for each side. Since the N.F.L season has begun, most of the attention has turn to the lockout of the referees, because they have to bring in replacement referees, seeing unfamiliar faces on the TV screen. Brian Stropolo, posted on his Facebook that he will be refereeing his favorite team the New Orleans Saints. Though excited to get a chance to work a game, this was a big yellow flag for the league and Brian was later pulled from the game last minute. N.F.L fans have had many grumbles of the new replacement referee because of missed calls. Even though there were also missed calls with the old referees, avid fans like to complain about the bum refs is the sports second-favorite past time, after complaining about their team. Players and coaches have expressed growing frustration towards the replacement refs.

            Lockouts have become a regular part to sports fans information intake. The NFL has seen 2 lockouts over the past ten years. Last year the NBA cancelled the first month of basketball because of contract dispute. In the current N.H.L lockout, owners want to reduce player salaries, set a maximum contract of five years, eliminate singing bonuses, and lock younger players into longer contracts. Players are very opposed of the owner’s proposition and rather play elsewhere the time being. The 2004-2005 N.H.L season was cancelled due to a lockout. This would be a big set back in a sport drawing attention from the big three sports.

            Since I am an avid fan for both of these sports, both lockouts have affected me. Watching these replacements refs on TV watching a 49er game kills me. They missed huge calls against the 49ers, and they do not know how to manage games as well. For example during the first game, they missed a huge block in the back call during a punt return in which resulted in the Green Bay Packers scoring a touchdown. Even though they reviewed the play, they missed the right block in the back call during the play. Another example is the replacement referees granted a team a fourth timeout with less then thirty seconds in the fourth quarter and the score being very close. I want the original refs in now because this can result in players getting injured to teams not making the playoffs because of bad calls.

The N.H.L lockout is different because I work for the San Jose Sharks and having a lockout results in me not getting paid and not having a job in the time being. Since living in Downtown San Jose, hockey and the culture have grown to me, rooting for the Sharks. Players should not accept the owners proposition giving the split 60 40, in favored of the owners. It breaks my heart that the NHL is in this current lockout and wish it could end now.  


http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/sportingscene/2012/09/replacement-refs-and-nhl-lockout.html