Football Zebras

Throwback to 2007 – Warren Sapp melts down and is ejected by Jerome Boger’s crew

History

by Mark Schultz - May 27, 2020May 27, 2020 0

On December 23, 2007, Jerome Boger's crew allowed Warren Sapp to beat the traffic to the mall and get his Christmas shopping done early. In a bizarre sequence of events, Sapp totally lost his composure, the Oakland Raiders were flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct four times, with three of the fouls assigned

5 observations from Super Bowl LIII

by Mark Schultz - February 4, 2019February 4, 2019 1

The Super Bowl is over, and thankfully we aren't breaking down any officiating controversies today. But there are some interesting officiating nuggets to note. 1. No replays Replay official Jim Lapetina was busy yesterday, but he never had to buzz in with a booth challenge. There were a few plays where I was

Photo Gallery: Let’s meet the Super Bowl LIII crew

by Mark Schultz - February 1, 2019January 31, 2019 0

Let's meet the Super Bowl LIII crew in photos, courtesy of team photographers and Getty Images. Click on a photo to begin the gallery. http://gty.im/1074739122 http://gty.im/154744813 http://gty.im/596902146 http://gty.im/579780846 http://gty.im/92807442 http://gty.im/456811498 http://gty.im/184407308

5 Super Bowl LIII officiating crew odds and ends

by Mark Schultz - January 29, 2019January 30, 2019 4

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

Father’s Day crews

by Mark Schultz - June 17, 2018June 18, 2018 1

One of the fun parts of being a dad is when a child wants to join the dad in an activity or hobby, or just wants to spend time together. I'm sure NFL officials are happy when their kids want to take up officiating. That happiness and pride, I'm sure,

Former NFL official Jerry Bergman passes away

by Mark Schultz - July 3, 2017July 4, 2017 0

Embed from Getty Images Gerard Bergman 1929-2017 Gerard R. "Jerry" Bergman, officiating patriarch who had two sons follow his footsteps to the NFL, passed away in May. He was 87, and had suffered from dementia for the last few years. Bergman wore number 17 on his jersey his entire career. The elder Bergman had

Making the impossible call

by Mark Schultz - February 9, 2017April 12, 2017 2

Embed from Getty Images Nothing compares to the speed of a NFL game. While I've never been on the field for one, I worked on the chain gang at a Division I NCAA game one level down from the pros. The speed at that level was dizzying. I can only imagine

Preventative officiating happens every play

Mechanics

by Mark Schultz - October 22, 2014June 26, 2015 3

There were several tongues wagging in Week 7 when an official advised a player he was in illegal formation. Many football fans learned the term "preventative officiating," and the debate began whether or not preventative officiating was actually coaching. Well, preventative officiating happens every game and at every level

Teams must give officials room on sideline

by Mark Schultz - September 19, 2014September 19, 2014 2

One of the Week 2 highlights was a 102-yard kickoff return by C.J. Spiller of the Buffalo Bills. What was hardly noticed on the play was a dangerous situation in which side judge Rick Patterson collided with a member of the Bills staff and took a hard fall (bottom of

5 observations from Wild Card weekend

by Ben Austro - January 7, 2014January 7, 2014 1

After wild card weekend, it always strikes me -- only seven more meaningful football games this year. In an attempt not to get too maudlin, here are five things that stuck out to me in regard to the officiating this past Wild Card weekend. Jeff Triplette's crew called an awesome game Triplette,