Sept 24, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate (81) holds on to the game-winning touchdown as time expires against the Green Bay Packers at CenturyLink Field. Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Charly Martin (14) and Green Bay Packers cornerback Jarrett Bush (24) and Green Bay Packers strong safety M.D. Jennings (43) look for an officials call. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-US PRESSWIRE

Just when we thought we were far enough removed from the pain, disgust and anger, Green Bay Packers fans were once again reminded today – at least those of us who came across this GQ story – a story about those two dirty words: replacement refereess.

That’s right. I know at this point in the season that nasty September game in Seattle feels like a lifetime ago, as it should. So much has happened since then. Good things. Bad things. But thinking back over the course of the first three-fourths of the season, that night and that instant is indeed one of the most gut-wrenching moments in Packers history. Certainly it was a turning points of many during a season when the Packers have looked unbeatable (Bears, Texans), So-So (Jaguars, Cardinals, Saints, Lions), and Bad (Colts, Giants).

In his piece published on gq.com, author Nathanial Penn sat down with six replacement refs and pulled some insightful and brutally honest answers from the men.

The quotes included in the piece range from descriptions on how the league’s lame efforts in recruiting replacements seemed like nothing more than a cattle call, to their love of the game and how much they appreciated the opportunity to be a part of the event. Most interesting to Packers fans are the comments about the Seahawks games.

Sept 24, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Referee Wayne Elliott (28) speaks with field judge Richard Simmons (102) before making a ruling on a call between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-US PRESSWIRE

Let’s start with Wayne Elliott, the referee of the Packers-Seahawks game. The 55-year-old Realtor and NCAA Division III official said that it was the crowd noise at the end of the game that told him there had been a touchdown called.

Elliott: At halftime of the Green Bay-Seattle game, I felt like the cock of the walk. I was thinking, We’re kicking this game’s butt. In the fourth quarter, Green Bay took their first lead of the game; it was 12 to 7. Seattle got the ball back with about a minute left. Then it was fourth-and-ten from the twenty-four. The quarterback rolled sixteen yards back. I’m watching him; he’s my responsibility. I could tell from the reaction of the Seattle bench that we had a touchdown.

And then there was Perry Hudspeth, the investment advisor and retired NCAA Division I official who didn’t work the Seahawks game but had plenty to say about it, and it wasn’t complimentary:

Hudspeth: One official was signaling time-out. When you have a close play and need a second or two to think about it, that’s always a good signal to give. Then the side judge came in and immediately called it a touchdown. I think had they been more experienced, they would have talked to each other first.

Elliott goes on to describe the conversation he had with the replay official, a conversation that should have Packers fans scratching their heads. At least after reading his quote I was wondering what those guys were looking at and what they were thinking. You should read it for yourself …

But this article is about more than just that one game. I came away from reading it with a more complete picture of life as a replacement referee. These guys are clearly human, with all the foibles that come with that package. In the end, they are no different than the regular referees and probably didn’t make any more mistakes than the regulars may have made.

The replacement refs’ mistakes just seemed to be that much more egregious … especially that last one in Seattle.

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And if you want one more look at the mugging in Seattle, check it out and be mad all over again.

Sept 24, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; MD Jennings clearly picked the ball off but the refs ruled in favor of Golden Tate who should have been penalized for offensive pass interference after he shoved Sam Shields away. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-US PRESSWIRE

I think everybody can agree that Monday night’s game against the Seahawks was a win that the replacement referees took away from the Green Bay Packers.

The call was clearly wrong as the entire game was painful to watch, from the offensive pass interferences that were missed mutliple times in the second half, to the roughing the passer calls that should not have been penalties. It is time for the regular referees to come back and bring integrity back to the National Football League.

But let’s be realistic, the only way that these owners will do that is if the fans openly protest, sponsors threaten to end endorsement deals, or season ticket holders sue the NFL for not providing the on-field quality for which they paid.

The best way to send the message to the NFL is to openly protest the league. This is what the fans of the NFL deserve. I propose that if the replacement referees are not back for next week, all fans should walk out during the game to protest the referee issue. This would humiliate the NFL into bringing back the referees as the potential of fans not buying tickets as this would limit the owners ability to make money.

At the end of the day, the one way of getting to owners in taking away some of their money because they don’t have the actual refs back. The Packers have had a game stolen from them, literally. Tthis is the biggest debacle that I have ever seen in sports.

The league must make it right and do it now.

Can the evidence be more convincing?

If you need evidence about who caught the final pass in the Packers vs. Seahawks game last night, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Just take a look at the pictures provided on the covers of these newspapers in Wisconsin and Washington State.

If it weren’t so ludicrous, I’d be crying.

Sept 24, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate (81) holds on to the game-winning touchdown as time expires against the Green Bay Packers at CenturyLink Field. Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Charly Martin (14) and Green Bay Packers cornerback Jarrett Bush (24) and Green Bay Packers strong safety M.D. Jennings (43) look for an officials call. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-US PRESSWIRE

If you’ve been living under a rock, you missed what happened in the Seahawks versus Packers game Monday night. It was a travesty, an embarrassment, highway robbery and just plain wrong.

The replacement refs were probably wined and dined by the Seattle faithful after the game, while the rest of the world wanted to tar and feather them right next to the mob that was burning Commissioner Roger Goodell at the stake.

This whole replacement referee experiment has got to go. The majority of the world thinks so – especially the Twitter world. Here’s what Clay Matthews tweeted:

Here are some other tweets that give you a flavor of the violent distaste all fans had after this game.

#Epic RT @49ersSpin: If Rodgers had Allstate instead of State Farm, he’d be protected from mayhem like this.

Not watching the NFL until the real officials are rehired

うわもうマシューズ最高

@danpack6 I had said earlier that they should fine the refs when they make terribly stupid calls. I wanna make them taste my fist.

21mDavid ‏@Midwestfan

Going to bed. When I wake up, I hope to see this: “Goodell overturns call. Packers win. Ref who signaled td has been deported to Siberia.”

@nflcommish Please make this right, and overturn the result of this universally-condemned officiating. People everywhere are outraged.  

USA TODAY Sports reporter Robert Klemko (@RobertKlemko): “Time to meet the refs’ demands. I don’t care if they want 67 copies of Moby Dick, and naked pictures of Bea Arthur. Give it to em. #Airheads”

USA TODAY Sports NFL Editor Kevin Manahan (@KevinCManahan): “The crazy thing: these guys were actually officiating games somewhere else before the NFL hired them. #nfldisgrace”

ESPN and Grantland writer Bill Simmons (@sportsguy33): “Mike McCarthy should have run back out on the field naked from the waist down.”

Green Bay Packers guard T.J. Lang (@TJLang70): “Got f***** by the refs.. Embarrassing. Thanks nfl”

ESPN columnist Michael Wilbon (@RealMikeWilbon): What robbery…what a fraud the NFL just perpatrated on the Green Bay Packers.”

Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley (@JermichaelF88): Come on @NFL this s*** is getting out of Control. Caused us a DAMN game. Horrible!”

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (@drewbrees): “I love this league and love the game of football, but tonight’s debacle hurts me greatly. This is NOT the league we’re supposed to represent”

Houston Texans running back Derrick Ward (@DerrickWard32): “And that is exactly y these replacement ref’s should be replaced themselves ASAP!!!”

Arizona Cardinals defensive back Patrick Peterson (@RealPeterson21): “Com’on can we please get the real refs back. Destroying the game that we all grew to love. WOW!!!!!”

National Post columnist Bruce Arthur: (@bruce_arthur): “Luckily, nobody gambles on these games.”

Washington Post blogger Cindy Boren (@CindyBoren): “Again…I never knew it was possible to miss another human being as much as I miss Ed Hochuli.”

Dallas Morning News reporter Clarence Hill (@clarencehilljr): “If im the real refs..i go Randy Moss on the NFL now in regotiations..#Straight cash homey”

ESPN analyst Matthew Berry (@MatthewBerryTMR): “Did the ref have Golden Tate in fantasy? #itsnotoutofthequestion”

Houston Texans running back Arian Foster (@ArianFoster): “Drama. Great for business. Godspeed, Ed Hochuli.”

ESPN soccer analyst Julie Foudy (@JulieFoudy): “I may put in my resume to ref NFL games. Futbol, football. Come on, no difference right now.”

Radio host Jim Rome (@jimrome): “What a disaster. 100x worse than last Monday night.”

Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams (@DeAngeloRB): Well we knew this was bound to happen but on Monday night football? Come on the replacement zebras aren’t fit for this zoo! Lol”

Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe (@ChrisWarcraft): “Just saw that catch. S*** just got real for Roger and the replacements.”

Miami Dolphins running back Reggie Bush (@reggie_bush): Refs single handedly blew this one…”

Golfer Bubba Watson (@bubbawatson): “All @nfl fans watch the Ryder Cup this week, we got no refs. #USA”

Louisville Courier-Journal reporter Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_CJ): “As a person who loves football, I’m legitimately angry tonight. But imagine the gamblers. Oh, my.”

ESPN analyst Damien Woody (@damienwoody): “Was this game a Buffalo Wild Wing commercial?!?! #MNF”

New York Post reporter Steve Serby (@NYPost_Serby): “Those refs should be forced to line up in victory formation against Greg Schiano’s Buccaneers”

ESPN columnist Gene Wojciechowski (@GenoESPN): “If this loss ends up costing Packers a playoff spot, I don’t ever want to hear the league lecture players about the integrity of the NFL.”

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban (@mcuban): “I would love to see what my reaction would be if a Mavs game ended like #MNF. #Expensive #NBAtime”

August 25, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; A NFL replacement official signals a penalty against the New Orleans Saints defense during the first half of a preseason game against the Houston Texans at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints defeated the Texans 34-27. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

Eventually, it was believed the two sides would come to an agreement with only a week of the pre-season being lost. After this, everybody thought there would be ‘labor peace’ for 10 years at least and labor negotiations could be a thing of the past.

Unfortunately, this ended up not being the case and only one year after the heated 2011 NFL lockout, another lockout is under way…with the NFL officials.

This ‘war’ is a lot different than last time, however, with a lot less media coverage and not a lot of negotiating. Most will assume that this lockout will pass and everything will be back to normal – just like last year. Many will also assume that if the lockout is carried out for an extensive period, no games will be lost and there really is nothing to be worried about.

In reality, games will be lost and it will not be because players are not playing but because replacement officials will not be officiating to the level of NFL standards. One horrible call at the end of the game can decide the outcome. When this occurs – and it will occur – the media will jump in and fans will be outraged and the 2011 NFL lockout coverage will be back for round two.

In addition to the winning and losing aspect of the game, there is another major problem involving this particular lockout – safety. Last year, the NFL fought hard to initiate protective protocols o prevent injuries, specifically limiting concussions to NFL players.

Many of these proposals went through and many safety changes have been occurring in the NFL for the past couple of years. Unfortunately, with replacement officials managing games, many plays will go uncalled. Penalties such as roughing the passer and unnecessary roughness will be missed and will signal to the players that some of these hits are OK – actually they are not.

Of course, much non-safety related penalties will be missed as well. Mainly this will be because these replacement officials range from being Division II, III, NAIA, and even some non-collegiate leagues where many of their normal penalties are different in the NFL.

Common sense would call for replacement officials from Division I football because they are sometimes officiating games nearly as big as NFL games. This cannot occur, however, because the NFL already uses many Division I officials on their regular crews and the NCAA does not allow the NFL to ‘double-dip’ from the rest of the Division I officials.

Though this lockout may not be getting as much publicity as is should, severe consequences will occur if this lockout lingers into the regular season. Injuries, missed-calls, and games having different outcomes all will jeopardize the integrity of the NFL.

This can be related to the cold war from the 1980s. Though tension is really high between the two parties, nothing has happened. If the two sides cannot work out an agreement soon enough, unfortunate consequences will occur…and it will not be pretty.