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Replacement Refs to Open NFL Season

League, union still at odds over contract

By the Associated Press

Posted Aug 29, 2012 5:54 PM CDT

(AP) – The NFL will open the regular season with replacement officials. With negotiations at a standstill between the NFL and the regular officials' union, the replacements will be on the field Wednesday night when the Cowboys visit the Giants to open the season, says league executive Ray Anderson. The NFL Referees Association has been locked out since June, and talks on a new collective bargaining agreement have gone nowhere. Replacements have worked the preseason games, but some critics don't think they're up to it. See Bleacher Report for more on that.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaug argues with an official during the second quarter of a game last Sunday.
San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaug argues with an official during the second quarter of a game last Sunday.   (Joe Mahoney)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 12 comments
right2dave
Aug 30, 2012 5:22 PM CDT
Bounties on the backs of the different officials. It could get ugly!
HANKHILL
Aug 30, 2012 10:03 AM CDT
who de hell cares i hate feetball aneway.
Yourself
Aug 30, 2012 9:53 AM CDT
people crack me the fuck up... first they'll complain about shitty officiating then they'll complain about replacements who might be just as good, but have never been given the chance now some are saying they support the original refs that they used to complain about saying they support them.. i don't watch football, i think it's a massively over hyped sport. It's painfully slow to watch them stand around a VAST majority of the time just to play a few seconds here and a few seconds there.. (the average game only has about 11 combined minutes of "playing" time! it's pathetic) the rest of it is filled with ads.. THAT SAID, as long as ALL the officials are on the same level, then it's an even playing field for everyone... so if you like the sport, just be happy SOMEONE is there to officiate it, cause there's no way it would work without refs. (mind you, it would be FAR more interesting to watch without them!)

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