Calm signals: the sign of under-control officiating

Embed from Getty Images   You've seen it. A touchdown bomb. A diving catch. A toe-tapper on the sideline. A fumble and defensive recovery. These are big moments in a football game. These moments are usually surprising and exciting. But the next time you see such a play, watch the official. They are

Cancer survivor Bill Schuster prepares for the 2016 season

Embed from Getty Images The NFL umpire missed half of the 2015 season for cancer treatmentWHAM-TV reports that NFL umpire Bill Schuster (number 129) is getting ready to officiate the 2016 season. The NFL veteran was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2015.He officiated part of the 2015 NFL season while taking

U Bill Schuster to undergo cancer treatment

View image | gettyimages.comAccording to the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, NFL umpire Bill Schuster will leave the field in November to undergo treatment for esophageal cancer.The Super Bowl XLIX umpire noticed he had severe hiccups in the offseason. He went to the doctor and further testing revealed the cancer.Schuster asked

Six Super Bowl XLIX officiating observations

View image | gettyimages.com   The Super Bowl XLIX officiating crew is back at home and recovering from a frenzied season that was capped off with a frenzied Super Bowl.  While some may disagree with a call here and there, the biggest controversy is the Seahawks' play calling at the end of

6 keys for the 2014 season

It is time. Clinic attended, check.  Rules test taken, check. Camps visited, check. Preseason games officiated, check. It is time for the 2014 NFL season.  Just as officials have keys to read on every play, I'm going to be keying in on five things as I zebra-watch from now until

Walt Anderson heads Hall of Fame game crew

Walt Anderson will lead the officiating crew in tonight's Hall of Fame game (NBC/8 p.m. EDT). Typically, the Hall of Fame game crew is assembled from various crews. Officials are assigned visits to training camps to answer questions and work scrimmages, but today's officials did not have a training camp assignment

5 observations from conference championship weekend

It was a great weekend of football, and the conference championship officiating crews did well by their respective games. 1. Umpire Bill Schuster had the game of his life Number 129 was everywhere Sunday night.  He jumped in between potential combatants, dug to the bottom of fumble scrums, hustled to get the