Okay, try to keep up: last week, Mike Pereira, NFL head of officiating, declared that players publicly criticizing officials is "not acceptable." He continued: "We have 120 of the most professional people in the world working their tails off. To openly criticize this group - which I think has the toughest job of anybody on the field - I don't like it."
Which is why it makes perfect sense that he would ... criticize the officials during a Wednesday morning appearance on Sirius NFL Radio. In response to the question of why running back Adrian Peterson wasn't flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after removing his helmet near the end of the Packers-Vikings game, Pereira offered this (via PFT):
"I can't figure out why anything wasn't done about that," Pereira told Randy Cross and Peter King, "but I will say this: It frustrates me that we didn't do anything about that. You can't take your helmet off either to argue a call or to celebrate.Feel better, Mike McCarthy? That division loss doesn't seem quite so painful now, huh?
If you're in a time out period or a measurement or a challenge there are times when you can take your helmet off on the field. Or when you're nearing your team area when you approach the bench. But when you score like that, when you remove your helmet you should be flagged. Or when you take off your helmet to argue with the officials you should be flagged, too, and it frustrates me, quite frankly, that we didn't do that."
Look, I fully appreciate the difficult nature of being an NFL official, but Pereira's sanctimonious "leave them alone" diatribe is a bit much. Especially when, less than a week after issuing his decree, Pereira publicly questions what the hell the officials were doing in Minnesota.
In related news, Ciskie has written a letter to Commissar Goodell asking that Pereira be fined $20,000 for his impudence.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-03-2008 @ 7:02PM
1960PatsFan said...
Mike Pereira, in his usual factual tone, made the following comment in response to a question about Wel Welker's seemingly intentional injury by a Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back:
""Launching is not a foul. There is nothing in the rulebook that states that at all. It's a misconception people have."
Maybe it is a foul and maybe it isn't but it should be, since it's a deliberate attempt to injure another player and "make him remember the occasion and intimidate him in the future when playing against the Steelers."
I think Mike is the wrong man in the NFL position he holds......
1960PatsFan
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1-10-2009 @ 11:27PM
GBBILL said...
Is it time for Mike Pereira to go?
The failure of the NFL back judge to penalize the Baltimore Ravens for an expired play clock on what turned out to be the game winning drive over the Tennessee Titans was totally inexplicable and inexcusable. In a game marred with no-calls for personal fouls, this may have been the worst no-call of all. By turning a blind eye to the numerous infractions the crew failed to uphold the integrity of the game and did the league, players and viewers a huge injustice by enforcing some personal fouls and ignoring others. The officiating is a direct reflection of NFL Vice-President of Officiating Mike Pereira and his management of the officials that oversee the game. The game was a mockery of sportsmanship and the explicit rules that prohibit the behavior exhibited in potentially career ending cheap shots and late hits. Mr. Pereira is quick to scold and fine players and coaches that criticize his officials. Who is scolding him? It is time for the NFL to take a long look at the direction Mr. Pereira is taking the league in directing his officials on which rules to uphold and which ones to bend. The rules are precise and clear, it is the interpretation and enforcement that has become unacceptably cloudy.
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