Don't Just Blame Replacement Refs, NFL Owners' Greed is Ruining Football

At some point NFL fans have to believe the owners will step in, right?

Wrong.

Jerry Jones is arguably the most powerful NFL and professional sports owner, and apparently he doesn't care. Per Tom Orsbon of the San Antonio Express-News, Jones stated on KRLD-FM in Dallas:

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"It’s exciting. It gives us a lot to talk about on our shows that we have. But fundamentally, when I look at where the league is over the first three ballgames, it’s great. Lot of competition.”

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How is any of this exciting?

Now yes, this is only Jones, but we still have yet to see any owner's voice on the situation. The replacement referees can only be minimally blamed, if at all, for the terrible officiating thus far.

These officials are simply doing the best they can, but it's just unfortunately been an atrocity.

And all of this falls back on the NFL and its owners. The players and coaches can only learn to adjust game-to-game, because as we see with each game the rules have been inconsistently enforced.

Note: Video courtesy of NFL.com.

Another unfortunate aspect as to why pro football remains in this predicament is money. More specifically: greed, which lies at the core of the officials being locked out.

Since the owners and the league have the money, they have the power when negotiating. That said, the only gleam of light from continuous badly called games is the increase of leverage for the officials' union.

The longer the replacement referees are around, the worse and worse the NFL's brand will get.

So if anything, side with the players' union. According to the Associated Press via Sports Illustrated, the NFLPA sent a letter to the owners:

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"The NFL players' union sent an open letter to team owners calling for an end to the lockout of on-field officials and hinting that it's a violation of the contract between the players and the league.

'As players, we see this game as more than the `product' you reference at times,' the letter said. 'You cannot simply switch to a group of cheaper officials and fulfill your legal, moral, and duty obligations to us and our fans. You need to end the lockout and bring back the officials immediately.'"

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This simply displays to the fans that players care so much more about football itself than the owners.

The integrity of the game is at stake, and the NFL's only concern is keeping the leverage advantage over the officials' union. Drama can be good and/or bad, but the controversy surrounding the officiating right now goes beyond fathomable thought.

Referees are just as important to the game as any player, coach or fan, period.

Unfortunately, all the effort put forth to making this game great is being ignored by the lust for greed. I don't want to call this situation corrupt, but the longer the owners sit idly by, the quicker skepticism grows, and it will simply accumulate.

After all, they do possess the power to end the officials' lockout immediately. However, until we actually see the NFL's real officials back in action it's hard to believe the owners will ever step in.

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