At least three have worked the Final Four Several officials work multiple sports from Pop Warner to the pros. There is quite a history of NFL officials working major college basketball. Currently, Gene Steratore (pictured) and Bill Vinovich work major college basketball. But they are just the current in a long line of pro football officials…
Outside the Stripes
Outside the Stripes
Keeping cool when getting an earful
by Mark Schultz •
If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you … If—, Rudyard Kipling Kipling was never a professional or amateur football official, but just about every sports official claims that famous poem as a motto. Each week, football officials…
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Outside the Stripes
Former official explains new hires’ orientation
by Mark Schultz •
How does the NFL get their new officials up to speed? Larry Upson knows what it is like to be hired into the NFL. Upson was an NFL official from 1993-98 before moving into the front office to become Mike Pereira’s assistant. Upson then became supervisor of the now defunct United Football League. Upson has…
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News, Outside the Stripes
Former NFL line judge Phares enjoying ‘normal’ weekends
by Mark Schultz •
Ron Phares completes first season of retirement For 43 years Ron Phares chased football players on fields all over the country. This past season Phares, 69, enjoyed watching football games instead of officiating the contests. Phares, along with Tom Barnes, retired just before the start of the 2012 season. Phares (who wore uniform number 10) …
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Outside the Stripes
Former NFL official Barnes reflects on his career
by Mark Schultz •
Tom Barnes was a NFL line judge for 26 seasons This past fall was the first one in 44 seasons that Tom Barnes wasn’t enforcing football rules. The 69-year old Barnes (who wore uniform number 55) retired after a 26 year career as a NFL official. The Saint Paul, Minn., native worked 513 NFL games,…
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Outside the Stripes
Live blog: Packers at 49ers
by Ben Austro •
NFC Divisional Playoff We will be live blogging the calls and rules interpretations from the Packers-49ers game. (If you see continue reading below, click it to see the entire feed.) If you have any questions or comments, use the comments section of this post, or tweet us @footballzebras. Today’s crew is headed by Jerome Boger.…
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History, Outside the Stripes
Playoff assignments a stressful time
by Mark Schultz •
Officials used to worry about job security around playoffs When the regular season is over, the NFL officials wait to see whether they pack their gear away after Week 17 or if they will be awarded a playoff assignment. The NFL officiating department has several criteria on how they grade officials and the top performers…
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Outside the Stripes
The final push to the playoffs
by Mark Schultz •
What crews look good to extend their season? The last quarter of the NFL regular season has started (didn’t training camps open two weeks ago?). As teams make a final push to secure a coveted post season berth the officials also are making a push to nail down a prestigious playoff game. The NFL assigns…
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History, Outside the Stripes
Whistle while you work, NFL referee style
by Mark Schultz •
This season has seen three inadvertent whistles (IW) being blown by the officials, with the latest being this past week in the game between the Raiders and Bengals. NFL officials, and officials at all levels, have various tricks of the trade to avoid an IW, with some of the most basic being how they carry…
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Outside the Stripes
HL, chain gang use special equipment to keep chains accurate on the field
by Mark Schultz •
You’ve seen it before; a sweep comes to the sideline and the ball carrier and several other players go crashing out of bounds while the chain gang drops their equipment and runs for their lives. With the advent of instant replay, we’ve seen the chains set for a new series, but replay over-rules the call…