As John Parry and the Super Bowl LIII crew prepare for the big game on Sunday, here are a few notes I found as I analyzed the crew. 1. Bergman sets a gap record Jeff Bergman's Super Bowl appearance this Sunday will set a record for the number of years between Super
History
Eagles and Bears meet in the playoffs 30 years after the Fog Bowl
Officials used to use a gunshot to signal the end to a quarter or half
The day the NFL had 8 officials on the field
Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'yQwLvUekStBt_3dUtaYYdg',sig:'yxZrsOZcsCfo-JT8lLijpQmpJ9JciPHKskK-M0MkcDM=',w:'594px',h:'375px',items:'80188612,52132225',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })}); 1948 NFL Championship: Chicago Cardinals at Philadelphia Eagles From all appearances in the city of Brotherly Love on Dec. 19, 1948, there was not to be a football game that day. With a thick fresh blanket of snow on the ground, Eagles halfback Steve
NFL takes a hit after four referee retirements
Embed from Getty Images Every generation of NFL officiating gives way to the next. This past offseason, we saw, very quickly and dramatically, one generation give way to the next. Referees Ed Hochuli, Gene Steratore, Terry McAulay and Jeff Triplette represent 88-years of experience at the referee position. That is 88-years
Father’s Day crews
Chronology of kickoff rules changes
The kickoff has gone through many changes over the years. Below is a chronology of revisions to the kickoff rules since 1932 when the NFL adopted its own rulebook separate from college. The 2018 rules were passed for the 2018 season only, but made permanent in 2019. Contact 1945 Dead ball when recovered
Why Art McNally is long overdue to be the first official in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
There are plaques that adorn the walls of Cooperstown honoring 10 umpires. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Hockey Hall of Fame both have 16 officials enshrined. The number of busts in Canton representing football officials is a bust. Zero. Zilch. Nil. "I have always wondered why there are
Zebras out of uniform
This past weekend, NCAA referee Mike Defee and his crew worked in miserable conditions as The Air Force Academy hosted San Diego State (photo of crew in the downpour). Lightning halted the game for 88-minutes, then resumed with a near empty stadium. Defee's crew started in their regular uniform. But after
