View image | gettyimages.com Former NFL referee still giving them the business at age 90 February 1, 2015 was a big day for former AFL and NFL referee Ben Dreith. He celebrated nine decades on earth by watching Super Bowl XLIX. Dreith, who lives in Denver, was profiled by a local television station as he…
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News
Super Bowl XLIX liveblog: Seahawks vs. Patriots
by Football Zebras.com staff • • 13 Comments
Coverage of the calls in Super Bowl XLIX. Yrs 2014 crew College Occupation R 52 Bill Vinovich 10 Vinovich San Diego accountant, former NFL officiating supervisor U 129 Bill Schuster 15 Coleman Alfred insurance broker HL 8 Dana McKenzie 7 Morelli Toledo claims adjuster LJ 9 Mark Perlman 14 Leavy Salem teacher FJ 25 Bob…
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News, Rules School
Rule changes for the 2015 Pro Bowl
by Ben Austro • • 0 Comments
For player safety and exhibition purposes, there are restrictions on formations, pass coverage, and rushing the quarterback or kicker.
News
HL Tom Stabile retiring after Pro Bowl
by Mark Schultz • • 3 Comments
View image | gettyimages.com Veteran official retiring “on my own terms” Tom Stabile, whose NFL career spanned 20 years and includes a Super Bowl assignment, will retire after working the Pro Bowl. Stable, 68, told his local newspaper that he made the decision to retire “at mid-season so that I may retire on my own…
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John Parry heads 2015 Pro Bowl crew
by Ben Austro • • 2 Comments
John Parry will lead this year’s officiating crew at the Pro Bowl in Glendale, Ariz., the second time it has been played on the mainland, since it moved to Hawaii in 1980. The other continental-based Pro Bowl in that time was 2010 in Miami. Yrs 2014 crew College Occupation R 132 John Parry 15 Purdue…
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Pete Morelli to receive Art McNally Award
by Mark Schultz • • 1 Comment
View image | gettyimages.com Referee Pete Morelli will be presented with the annual Art McNally award at this Sunday’s Pro Bowl. The Art McNally Award is named after the former head of officiating from 1968 to 1990, and recognizes an official for “exemplary professionalism, leadership and commitment to sportsmanship on and off the field.” The…
Follow-up, News, Playoffs
Tony Corrente was scheduled to referee Fail Mary game
by Ben Austro • • 7 Comments
Football Zebras reported in September that referee Tony Corrente was originally scheduled for the Fail Mary game — the infamous 2012 Monday Night Football game between the Packers and the Seahawks. The league kept two sets of schedules through that season’s referee lockout, but without a resolution in the labor impasse, the league’s backup schedule…
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Replay reversals don’t come easy
by Ben Austro • • 0 Comments
View image | gettyimages.com 2014 final replay statistics The replay reversal rate crashed this year, based largely on the interventionist role vice president of officiating Dean Blandino played this year. Referees were allowed to consult with the officiating command center starting this year, but Jarrett Bell of USA Today reports that Blandino and senior supervisor…
News
Super Bowl referee down to 2 candidates
by Mark Schultz and Ben Austro • • 24 Comments
The Divisional Playoff assignments give insight into who is likely to be this year’s Super Bowl referee.