1. #1
    Scorpion
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    Scouting the Zebras

    Scouting the Zebras

    <DIV id=content-content><DIV id=node-364 class="node odd full-node node-type-story">Posted Wed, 01/19/2011 - 14:36 by Fury
    <DIV class=content>




    Scouting the Zebras
    Posted Wed, 01/19/2011 - 14:36 by Fury

    Ed Hochuli and his crew will be in charge Sunday night as the Steelers take on the Jets in Pittsburgh for the AFC Championship Game.
    (Unfortunately over the regular season, officials have injected themselves into Steelers games at a disproportional rate. Thus, a Pre-Game scouting report of each week’s officiating crew will be conducted. Normally, referees do not like to be seen. A measure of a good crew is when the final second ticks off the clock in the 4th quarter, nobody remembers that they where even there. Referees in recent Steeler games have become household names; which is a shame.)
    Referee: 85 – Ed Hochuli
    Umpire: 31 – Chad Brown (Ex-Pittsburgh Steeler)
    Head Linesman: 28 – Mark Hittner
    Line Judge: 47 – Tim Podraza
    Field Judge: 118 – Tom Sifferman
    Side Judge: 116 – Mike Weatherford
    Back Judge: 122 – Bill Schmitz
    Hochuli is a very experienced referee and the most known official in the NFL (perhaps best known in any sport); even casual fans know of Ed Hochuli. Hochuli has been in the NFL since 1990 (Back Judge) and was promoted to Referee in 1992. Prior to entering the NFL, Hochuli was a baseball umpire, and a High Scholl and NCAA football referee in the Pac-10 and Big Sky Conference. Hochuli also officiated in the World League of American Football. Hochuli is also a former college player and played linebacker for University of Texas at El Paso.
    Hochuli has had the honor of being the referee for Super Bowls XXXII and XXXVIII. He was also an alternate referee for three Super Bowls. In addition, Hochuli has officiated many NFL Championship Games.
    As a referee myself, I have a great deal of respect for Hochuli. His dedication to serving the sport he loves in a capacity few people will try is admirable. His dedication to getting every call right is admirable. His self study and pre-game preparation is admirable. His high level of fitness for his age is also admirable. Hochuli has been regarded as one of the best referees in the NFL, regarded by NFL head coaches. He runs a tight crew and as crew chief ensures they are prepared. His pre-game meetings are more detailed and run longer than any other crew chief. His dissertation like explanations, while lengthy at times, serve to better educate the entire football community on the complex playing rules. Plus, he doesn’t get a lot wrong.
    However, as stated above, my philosophy (as well as many others) of officiating is it is better never to be noticed. I was told once, "nobody every paid the price of admission to watch you blow your whistle." Hochuli is a household name and damn near a brand; mainly due to his physique. Most avid fans of any sport can’t name many officials by name. Hochuli always is. This report is simple to write because compared to the other two, there is a ton of info out there about Hochuli. He has fan clubs, web-sites dedicated to him and articles published about him in USA Today, ESPN and many others. He has been the subject of a NFL Films production, Six Days to Sunday. He was featured on a Dave Letterman’s Top 10 list. You can even buy Hochuli merchandise. Hochuli once announced his penalty dissertation in Spanish during a NFL game played in Mexico. Hochuli was the first person to tell Brett Farve that he had just broken the NFL record for pass completions in 2006. In a season in which officials have interjected themselves into Steelers game, I prefer someone less known and not a household name. He certainly gets his “face time” on T.V. since his crew is the most penalizing crew in the league.
    Hochuli is not perfect (ask Norv turner) and has seen what it is like to go from hero to zero. Having a rule changed because a particular player (Blount or Ward rule) caused the change is often complimentary. When a rule needs to be changed because a referee blew something, that is embarrassing and causes a negative legacy. While Hochuli and his crew could call 100 near perfect games, his one “oh-shit” will follow him forever. Of course this is the famous Denver vs. San Diego game in which Jay Cutler fumbled the ball and it was recovered by San Diego. Hochuli immediately blew his whistle and signaled incomplete pass. This was the wrong call and immediately confirmed by Hochuli himself. He told Norv Turner that he blew it and there was nothing he could do to fix it since he blew the whistle. The Broncos went on to win. That mistake caused a rule change in 2009 allowing plays like that to be reviewed.
    This season, again with Cutler at QB for the Bears, Hochuli flagged Ndamukong Suh for hitting Cutler in the back. This was one of those questionable roughing the passer calls that we have seen with James Harrison. Hochuli thought he saw Suh elbow or forearm Cutler in the back. It turned out not to be the case. The Bears ended up winning.

    Hochuli was also the Head of the NFL Refereess Association when they decided to strike in 2001 over game fees. Hochuli argued that the 400% increase in game fees was warranted because in essence, officials were really full time. Replacement officials were going to be used and Hochuli mailed out over 1,200 letters warning potential replacements of working games or that would seriously hamper them ever officially becoming a NFL referee.
    Some Stats or Tendencies with Hochuli’s Crew (from OfficiallySpeaking):
    Defensive Pass Interference:
    2008: 9
    2009: 17
    2010: 24
    Total: 50 (Hochuli is the highest amongst referees for this time period)
    Roughing the Passer:
    2008: 4
    2009: 8
    2010: 8
    Total: 20 (Hochuli ranks 2nd for Roughing the Passer. The highest amongst referees for this time period is 21 by Al Riveron)
    Offensive Pass Interference:
    2008: 8
    2009: 7
    2010: 6
    Total: 21 (Hochuli ranks 2nd for OPI. The highest amongst referees for this time period is 22 by Scott Green)
    From 2008-2010, Hochuli’s crew have thrown the most yellow flags of any other crew. In 2009, Hochuli’s crew averaged 15.2 penalties per game through their first nine games. (ESPN Stats and Information)
    In 2009, when Hochuli was the official, the home team won 36% of the time. (The home team in AFC Championship games is on a four year winning streak)
    In 2009, when Hochuli was the official, the favored team (against point spread) was 33%. The average was 49.4%. (RefChatBlog)
    In 2009, Hochuli’s crew averaged: (RefChatBlog)
    12.9 accepted penalties per game
    104 total penalty yard per game
    8 yards per penalty
    43 points per game
    Hochuli is a Lawyer out of Arizona and often travels to deliver motivational speeches. He has a son, Shawn, that is a NCAA football official in the Big 12 Conference.
    According to ESPN.Com’s John Clayton: There were 15 penalties in the Ravens-Steelers game, but officials are basically letting teams play in the playoffs, which is a good thing. There's been a noticeable drop in holding calls. During the regular season, the umpire (the official who calls most of the holding penalties), lined up in the offensive backfield, giving him a better view of holding infractions. During the regular season, holding penalties increased from 1.84 to 1.99 per game compared to last season, but the holding calls dropped in the last couple of weeks of the regular season, going from 31 in Week 15 to 25 in Week 16 to 21 in Week 17. Only six holding penalties have been called in eight playoff games. There were four games, including the Pats-Jets contest, in which no holding penalties were called. Penalties, in general, have been down during the playoffs, with 82 in eight games.
    ..

  2. #2
    sammy85
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    Nice read Thank you!

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