Clete Blakeman

5 officiating notes from the divisional playoffs

by Mark Schultz - January 24, 2022January 24, 2022 2

What a weekend of NFL football! I've watched the NFL since 1978, and this is the best playoff weekend I can remember, featuring some of the most exciting games in NFL history. Here are five officiating observations from the weekend. 1. No picky fouls https://streamable.com/t8acq5 I cannot recall a penalty flag this weekend where

5 observations from championship weekend, 2020

by Mark Schultz - January 25, 2021January 25, 2021 2

We've made it all the way through the conference championships, and here are my officiating impressions from the weekend. 1. Umpire hustle https://streamable.com/38ntps Both Barry Anderson and Ramon George showed lots of hustle this weekend. It is hard to see in snippets of them running through the frame, but experienced zebra-watchers could tell

5 observations from championship weekend

by Mark Schultz - January 21, 2019January 21, 2019 9

http://gty.im/1097101968 For the first time ever, both the NFC and AFC Championship games went to overtime in the same season. There is plenty to write about from the officiating perspective this weekend. Here are just a few of the things that stuck out to me. Crucial missed calls In the NFC Championship Game,

Blakeman takes #HotRef in stride, appears on ‘Today’ and ‘Access Hollywood Live’

by Ben Austro - February 9, 2016February 10, 2016 10

Super Bowl 50 referee Clete Blakeman has lead a relatively obscure existence in the NFL, with an occasional reference here, although I've even admitted in the past to be "riding high on the Clete Blakeman bandwagon."Â The first sign that something was piquing the interest of fans on Sunday was when

Super Bowl 50 photo album

by Mark Schultz - February 9, 2016February 9, 2016 0

Officiating photos from Super Bowl 50 courtesy of team photographers and Getty Images.From team photographers (click on any image to view as a slideshow):From Getty Images:Clete Blakeman and field judge Boris Cheek talk to Peyton Manning before the game.Embed from Getty ImagesÂ Jeff Rice escorts Denver captains onto the field for

5 officiating observations from Super Bowl 50

by Mark Schultz - February 8, 2016July 6, 2017 72

Embed from Getty Images Â No iconic calls, but Blakeman's crew handles business The game wasn't a classic, but it was more competitive than the 24-10 score. While none of the calls from Super Bowl 50 will make our list of best all-time calls, the officiating crew can be satisfied with their efforts. Here

The coin toss: What could go wrong?

by Mark Schultz - January 21, 2016January 22, 2016 3

It is a simple procedure. The game can't begin without it. Before any football game starts the referee has to decide who gets the ball first. For generations, that question has been decided by the coin toss. The procedure is the same from pee-wee games to the NFL.First of all,

Clete Blakeman is referee for Super Bowl 50

by Ben Austro - January 20, 2016February 1, 2016 61

Football Zebras exclusive Clete Blakeman will be the referee heading the Super Bowl 50 officiating staff on Feb. 7 in Santa Clara, Calif., confirmed by multiple sources. The assignments were officially given to the crew today. Blakeman worked the overtime Divisional Playoff game between the Packers and Cardinals last Saturday. Each of

NFL getting their stripes in a row for 2014

News

by Mark Schultz - February 10, 2014February 16, 2014 4

League has several shoes to fill in the offseason The Super Bowl is fast fading into the rear view mirror and we now enter what is called the "dark period" in regard to NFL officiating. Â According to the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the NFL Referees Association, there is

Divisional playoff liveblog: Chargers at Broncos

by Football Zebras staff - January 12, 2014January 12, 2014 2

AFC Divisional Playoff Follow us here for rolling coverage of the calls and rules interpretations of the Chargers-Broncos Divisional Playoff game from Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver. (If you see continue reading below, click it to see the entire feed.) If you have any questions or comments, use the