There’s a powerful and perfect faction in professional sports whose mistakes are often covered up, overlooked and free from criticism.
However, something unusual happened last week.
National Football League officials had to endure a wave of criticism due to their non-call on the final play of a Wild Card playoff game, which would’ve given the New York Giants another play to attempt a field goal in their 39-38 loss to the San Francisco 49ers Jan. 5.
NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue even jumped on this wave of criticism in an interview with ESPN, which is a rare occurrence because he doesn’t even own a surfboard.
In contrast, all of the coaches in professional sports do because of years of poor officiating.
They have Hank Warner custom shapes, Hanky custom surfboards and all the Caster “Family” surfboards.
They cost too much to use though, and that’s where the huge problem in all of this lies. Whenever coaches complain or criticize poor officiating there is an immediate fine and that shouldn’t be so.
Giants’ coach Jim Fassel chose not to use his Hanky custom surfboard after the game, primarily because it wasn’t the officials that blew his team’s 24-point lead.
But if he would’ve, do you think he would have been fined?
Yes, just like how the Miami Heat’s Pat Riley was fined after he exhibited a normal human reaction to veteran official Steve Javie yelling this at him during a game: “It’s giving us absolute delight to watch you and your team die.”
And of course there wasn’t even an investigation as to whether this “UNTOUCHABLE” official did in fact scream this at Riley
Officials made playoff headlines again on Saturday as they made yet another poor call that decided the Steelers/Titans game.
There is a checks and balances system implanted into the American way of life, but it seems like officials in professional sports are exempt.
They should be held accountable each and every time they make a mistake.
Every official that worked the Giants/49ers game should be fired.
Ibram Rogers for the Sports Editorial Board.