When a head coach criticises officiating just a couple of months removed from a disastrous no-call that bumped his team from the Super Bowl, his comments are going to be picked up.
But New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton raised a valid and increasingly popular opinion when talking about all-star officiating crews in the playoffs with NFL Media's Steve Wyche on Sunday (March 24), saying chemistry affects referees' ability to make correct calls:
"The first time I meet you and we've never met before and we're going to golf together, we're probably, both of us, are going to be, I would say, very cordial and it's human nature to get along with each other," Payton told Wyche. "But if you and I play every Friday, then it would be very common eventually, as I get to know you to talk a little smack, maybe, or certainly feel comfortable to act the way I normally would act.
"I think when you take those officials -- and those crews are together and together and together and together -- and all of a sudden the postseason comes and we split them up into an all-star crew in that play, if you look closely, you'll watch a young official acquiesce to the veteran official and not want to overstep his bounds."
Payton's comments become particularly interesting as he is a member of the league's competition committee, and could look to add more continuity in the future. Referring to the current set-up as "backward thinking", Payton continued his comments by criticising the lack of full-time referees in the league:
"Our best [players and coaches] are spending 20 hours, 18 hours a day [practicing]," he said. "Our best at officiating? It's their second job. You know, it's the only sport [without full-time officials]... There's too much at stake for someone who's a teacher at a school, who's a florist, an attorney."
Just 24 of the 121 referees in 2018 had a full-time position, or 19.8% of all officials.
COVER PHOTO: SportsNaut
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