Despite chatter, NFL replay will remain under the hood It has become a groundswell in the past season to have the NFL adopt a replay review system that is centralized in the league headquarters. The common contention is that the centralized replay, handled by an individual reviewer or small number of
Tag: Larry Upson
Roundtable: ‘Communication breakdown’ drives Colts insane on Bengals drive to ruin
Snowy conditions make one grade inconclusive Football Zebras Roundtable As the snow blew through four games this weekend, there were a flurry of close, questionable, and controversial calls. To help us understand the Week 14 calls, former officiating supervisors Larry Upson and Jim Daopoulos took a look at a few plays. It does
Roundtable Week 8: illegal bats in football, Brees’s consecutive false starts
Safety calls, roughness on QB: Roundtable reviews Week 5 calls
Football Zebras Roundtable We had a few calls this week that were borderline judgement calls. How close were they? Former NFL officiating supervisors Jim Daopoulos and Larry Upson helped us unpack three controversial calls from Week 5. Both Larry and Jim did extensive game video while working in the league office.
Keeping cool when getting an earful
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
Former graders: Split decision on Cruz catch
Football Zebras Roundtable We covered at length the differences between two process-of-the-catch calls from Sunday's games. Lions receiver Calvin Johnson had a touchdown taken away because he bobbled the ball as he went to the ground. Giants receiver Victor Cruz also had lost possession when he dove for the end zone,
Preseason games not mundane for officials
NFL ready to break the ‘grass ceiling’ again
Much like any potential official recruit, Sarah Thomas has been on the NFL's watchlist for several years. She is one step closer to becoming the league's first permanent female official, having worn an NFL uniform in a Colts practice. Thomas is part of an apprenticeship program that was formed under the