Jerry Markbreit: Replacement officials are the worst thing that can happen in professional sports

You know the name you probably know the face Jerry mark brightness one of the best known most popular and have NFL -- -- in modern era 1998 by the hard to believe was juries last year. 23 and final season in the league his career reads like a history book reference Super -- seventeen when he won. What -- six point nine and eight championship games. He's currently assistant supervisor in the NFL officiating office in charge of training robbery -- officials -- mark bridge joins us on the AT&T hotline good morning Gerri it's Jerry and John in Boston power you. Good morning guys. Out with NFL on the NFL referee replacements. Not making any progress toward a new deal is this gonna get uglier or just gonna end at the eleventh -- like many these negotiations do. In your opinion -- I hope. I hope it ends. Quickly. Because it's not gonna get any better and it's got to end the regular officials. Have got to get back on the field before this. In my opinion before she starts. Reeves he's been more reasonable in this dispute is it takes to -- butt heads. You know everything is negotiable. And they have to sit down and negotiate. The offer and the counteroffer but. As of as of today they have not been talking about. Were a real negotiation so. I ensure that they come up to an agreement if they would sit down and negotiate. But that doesn't appear that that's happening right now. Are you surprised that the result of these NFL officials -- that -- I mean obviously they're part timers humility. They don't spend a moment that don't have Donald Fehr and I don't know I don't know pilgrim wears a cup from the strength of this union. I hope they're not part timers. That's that's a that's a -- Football officiating in the National Football League is full time job. For almost a whole year. Masquerading as a part time job they all -- other jobs but -- that other job comes second. Many many many -- probably 30% of them have taken early retirement are are not doing anything but appreciated. They spent all week getting ready for ball games. They look at the old they have conference calls it ticket sale items they work on a constant basis to get better. These guys have spent their whole adult life -- appreciate. You've talked to them it's not a part time job well will they Oakland job -- and the reason that partial success is because. Decade to once he's taken away from. It's a simple -- like pension. The league is offered -- plays that are defined pension. For the existing officials in the league with eight defined -- -- Ridley Richard. President interest rates would not come anywhere close at their retirement. Many of these guys rely on that retirement. You know there -- a lot of people talking about all the officials aren't that important the officials are the electrical -- the integrity of the game. These are guys that are gleaned from the finest college conferences. All over the United States that the best officials available. To try to replace them with fellows that have that year old. Experience working pro football. The guys in the NFL right now have over 15100. Years of experience. That he replacement officials have several. -- that this is a big time this is a big time negotiations. Situation. It's not just a fly in the ointment that. Even I know you respect them a lot you know that they're part timers but they are. Facing the big bad NFL do you not expect the -- to blink first. But the question. I it's hard to beat the NFL but -- The National Football League referees association. Right now. Is standing up and fighting. How far it will go I don't know. But I do notice. That they have to sit down and negotiate nor to come to an agreement. -- truck with Jerry mark bright former NFL -- -- and Jerry let's get -- -- nuts and bolts here as a practical application. I believe the National Football League is talking about adding three new cruise. How does that work -- network does that make any sense to you. Not to me it doesn't because that it they had three new crews of 21 men. They're taking them -- have no experience. Working professional football. The average year -- taken one or two guys. Maybe three or four at the very most because of retirement and you bring in three crucial inexperience. How -- that -- -- net benefit it takes her or five years. To really get acclimated to the National Football League. There were eleven years in the Big Ten and my first couple years everything's cool -- to have cyber shot at speed of the game. And I was really I was a Russell -- in the Big Ten. And I couldn't believe the speed of the remember every guy in the every player in the NFL. Is at one or two players in a college game that might make it to the National Football League. Do you think the he resents that the replacement officials. Honestly yes I do I do I you know. The officiating world is -- in its own little world and if everybody respected appreciating. They would not take yet. Position and be a replacement. For somebody that has earned the right to be Indy in the top league in the world. These guys are our high school junior college. Small division one and two colleges. I'm sure that it was a great thrill for them to be offered the opportunity. What I -- position I would never do that because. Replacing somebody. Is the worst thing you can do when sports. Absolutely the worst I know that your goal in the baseball world when they had a strike. The replacement umpires some of them were taken and the Major League Baseball. And for many many many years they didn't. Speak to these -- they didn't eat dinner with somebody didn't travel with them they never forget them. And the fellows that are replacement -- People people in the know will never replace them. Will never forget them from being replacement officials -- them they shouldn't I and I wouldn't do it. Because I respect appreciating too much. We're -- with Jerry mark -- said to reserve replacement officials does they sighted view Jerry feel sorry for them in terms of what they are being asked to do. It seems to be -- near on impossible situation to win. And seamlessly get the ground running in give -- specific to -- beyond the speed of what these guys against that they are in this role. Well first of all you know how competitive the National Football League is. It's the most competitive global sports and very tough. And with the competitiveness it has to -- control professionally. He officials control this game. These are guys that are used to having all kinds of unexpected things happen. They know how to handle they'd been around these crews are made up of men that had many years of experience. And when a -- incomes and he's put in with a very experienced crews. I can also are the regulations because they have no one and they have no -- to help them with a penalty enforcement. You know holdings in the a false -- series. Away -- get some complicated things double file electoral position change. Double our political -- -- -- -- all these complicated things that are routine her. A regular specials you still don't have its current I feel bad. Program because they are going to be able to manage games where they should be can't managed. Once the regular season starts the regular season games. Are like night and -- compared to depreciation you know. I last year during the average official made a 149000. Is that. Not enough in your opinion. Well. Then you know that that's an interest in question it's not for me to say what -- before I'm not involved in the negotiations. I know not to feel for thirteen years. I think that they feel that a reasonable increase in salary is -- after. 2006. Was last contract. The butcher -- if you're making X dollars in 2006. We can Nolan you're entitled to a raise today. And I think the rays they're accordingly and well the probe poles of the NFL's proposal would increase the average salary to 189000. By 2013. I mean 2018. I'm not privy to those numbers but they don't sound correct me. They don't sound correct. According to a couple of articles I read. And then talking to a number of people. The initial offer was -- 21 half percent increase -- two point 8% increase. Every year for five years so the first year was two point eight out of 10%. Jerry is it. And I don't know I don't know all the financial aspects of these things are not an expert on it. All the only thing I can tell you is that. The National Football League referees association should be working these games -- every contract is is solvable. Everything is negotiable. And until they both sets both sides sit down. It's not gonna happen I feel terrible. I can't even watch -- pre season games. Because I feel so bad that. That our guys who. Our guys our streak could go back to work tomorrow they're ready. They are studying they're taking doing video -- doing exams every week of the association has provided. With the leadership of the -- hot -- All of the videos at Tehran video -- -- Christine. Since they started in all and in the stands every week and Thompson's calls every week where most certainly membership is on the call are ready. Jury mark -- explained to me why it is apparently not feasible. To ask these officials. Not to do any other jobs and I know you don't characterize them as part timers to do not any jobs would be full time. 100% devoted to being an official twelve months out of the year the the film sessions you talked about the conference calls the exams at an expanded rate. Is not possible that a bit luckily were not an attorney if this guy were not owner of a business. -- that they would that they would be at least marginally better officials. And defective that I actually sit and attorney has nothing to do with us. He has. One of our premier recoveries and he has the kind of a guy that cares so much about officiating that he's putting all this extra time full time officials. Let me tell you this. The league if they want a full time officials and see nothing wrong with that. They have never offered full time officials or presented any kind of pace structure that would take command. First of all no one gets in the NFL solar also forty years old most holes have been working and essentially themselves. So. They replaced that to replace the pensions that they've -- it it replaced at salary. I mean but he -- take a guided that's making. A 100000 dollars on the job and now a 140000. Appreciating. -- you -- 250000. Dollars a year. What do you do with him in the off season. I don't know. I think that that's. They're not unreasonable. But they're not -- full time of racial so offering. Seven full time officials. That'll work part time in the office and part time. On the field. -- -- It sounds like quote that the terrific set. If you've got somebody working in the office who is whose management. Part of their job. You can't put him into crew. Because the crew would be afraid to kept confidential information you don't. Officiating crews are scrambling. They talked about a lot of things that are not privy to everybody else. And it would be like putting us I -- -- to a crude it just wouldn't work. Jury heard somebody a general manager or to suggest that if these replacement officials. Are allowed to start the season the teams that might be hurt the most. Our other hurry up teams such as Tom Brady in the New England Patriots who were trying to get the line of scrimmage. They're running no huddles and these guys are quick enough art Smart enough -- the -- enough to get the ball spotted in the change moved and the down and distance correct you think that's an accurate theory. Very possibly that's true. It takes a lot of skill at managing game where everything is done with no huddle and veterans. Is this is just warmed small facet. I'm not saying that the -- to be heard anymore because there are many situations. They come up game management -- show is so per month in running these games you don't usually several social blown out of the deal that. People think they just appear on Sunday. Wearing -- he drops that these guys are prepared for the unexpected. All of the things that happened over the years with training films and everything else. The whole game and the -- luckiest guy he's and it's not. It -- all the errors they earned experience and they don't have they don't have. What it takes to perform the duties that -- could have been working professional ball horrible merger over twelve years. And also a major college football conferences that these fellows. He -- former NFL referee -- mark bright currently in charge of the NFL officiating office charger training of threes Gerri thanks for the time the explanation -- and appreciate your point of view this morning thanks very much. Cuba by Jerry. AT&T outline AT&T four GL PG. The one place but officials could probably run over broken steel analyst dangerous. You know but the NFL we'll lose the PR battle initially beacons they'll make mistakes. They even -- the in the -- official makes the staple -- get mad at -- and when -- sit here and talk on Monday morning about. How they did a wonderful job and everything went smooth and there was no no problems. In the -- in the when this 32 in the sixteen games you're. Is going to be mistakes and the -- will be highlighted ESPN will highlight the men and -- Or might not enough hits in the Jim Harbaugh will point them out and we've read about it here -- about it and it'll seem even if they do a pretty good job it'll seem like incest and whose fault would that be in people's mind. The league's -- Divided like dale is these kind of situations and we're getting that text that make under an 89000 average. And it is a part time job as much as you wanted to -- -- time is part time you can do other things you know over the Nazis as a reason they have other jobs there's talk -- a lawyer right there because what would they do in the offseason what they do all week peaceful you really think this watch film all week I don't know does that take on conference calls well known then what. Right and now -- in the weight room. Yeah and -- knows that in the loans that he's getting his synthetic testosterone -- Cabrera in a website cream and the clear and everything else but. It's part time job not because you don't have to make ends meet and make good money in the company's 2000 -- money just doesn't pick up enough time it doesn't. And it is it won't -- the replacement guys in the placement as probably do okay battles seem like a disaster. I think I'm with you I think they get it done in the last moment eleventh -- -- -- a lot. Sorry Jerry mark bright but everybody's got a 41 K now as those publisher state Horry CD employee. You probably don't have a pension those are opening in the past. 92 timeout Dennis and Callahan fault lines open our auction items to meet and greet Justin Bieber had a couple of tickets and about a -- Is at 4000 dollars 6179311. Late fifties the bid line 6179311850. All the benefit the Jimmy.