Football is upon us. You can feel it in the air. Each season brings hope, optimism, and plenty of disappointments.
Friends and family gather on a weekly basis to enjoy football and root for their favorite teams. It breeds camaraderie, friendship and at times hostility. But overall it’s a fun experience for all those involved.
However, nothing can derail that fun and excitement more than NFL officiating. There is rarely a game that isn’t directly influenced by their ineptitude and incompetence. There are tons of examples that highlight their poor performance but they’re too long to list.
It takes away from the fan experience. It’s maddening.
So your team does something good. For instance, they score a touchdown. Wait, penalty! Holding on the offense…touchdown nullified. Defense intercepts a pass. Wait, penalty! Pass interference on the defense. Interception nullified. Defense forces and recovers a fumble. Wait, penalty! Unnecessary roughness on the defense. Fumble recovery nullified. Your team returns a punt for a touchdown. Wait, penalty! Illegal block in the back on the receiving team. Punt return touchdown nullified. I can go on and on.
Temper your excitement after the big play. Wait before you celebrate. Hold your breath and keep your fingers crossed before you cheer. There’s the likelihood that you’ll hear “there’s a flag on the play”. Your happiness and joy suddenly turns to anger and despair. Enjoy the season!