This just makes them look like a huge joke. It's not like they were relevant to begin with. I saw these guys open up for Heaven and Hell a few years ago. They still put on a show, but ain't nobody waitin for the next Queensryche album.

If two people love each other enough, they will make it work. It doesn't bug me as it ain't any of my business. If two people want to be together, then let it be! Unless...y'know, we're talking about pedophiles. Fuck those guys. Right in the ear.

And we have our refs back!

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap100000 … le=HP11_cp

The NFL reached an eight-year agreement with the NFL Referees Association on Wednesday night to end the lockout, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the refs will be back on the field starting Thursday night.

The new collective bargaining agreement is the longest between the league and game officials in NFL history.

"The long-term future of our game requires that we seek improvement in every area, including officiating," Goodell said in a statement released by the league. "This agreement supports long-term reforms that will make officiating better. The teams, players and fans want and deserve both consistency and quality in officiating.

"We look forward to having the finest officials in sports back on the field, and I want to give a special thanks to NFL fans for their passion. Now it's time to put the focus back on the teams and players where it belongs."

Goodell temporarily lifted the lockout so officials can work Thursday night's game between the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens (8 p.m. ET on NFL Network). According to the NFL, officials will vote on the agreement Friday and Saturday, and a clinic for the officials will be held after the vote.

NFL referee Ed Hochuli told NFL.com's Jeff Darlington that he's ready to referee a game this weekend. The referees expect to ratify the deal Saturday morning, Hochuli said.

"But all 121 guys and I are very glad we're back," Hochuli said. "We are ready. We missed preseason, and there's nothing we can do about missing on-field practice. But we've worked very, very hard over the last several months. We've taken 18 extensive rules test, watched hours and hours or video every week. We've worked very hard to be prepared. I think we're ready."

When asked how many curls he did when he heard the rumors that a deal might be getting done today, the famously muscular Hochuli said, "As soon as I heard the rumors, I got down on the floor and started doing pushups."

The league released the following terms of the agreement:

» The current defined benefit pension plan will remain in place for current officials through the 2016 season (or until the official earns 20 years of service). The defined benefit plan will then be frozen.

» Retirement benefits will be provided for new hires, and for all officials beginning in 2017, through a defined contribution arrangement, which will have two elements: an annual league contribution made on behalf of each game official that will begin with an average of more than $18,000 per official and increase to more than $23,000 per official in 2019, and a partial match on any additional contribution that an official makes to his 401(k) account.

» Apart from their benefit package, the game officials' compensation will increase from an average of $149,000 a year in 2011 to $173,000 in 2013, rising to $205,000 by 2019.

» Beginning with the 2013 season, the NFL will have the option of hiring a number of officials on a full-time basis to work year-round, including on the field.

» The NFL will have the option to retain additional officials for training and development purposes, and may assign those additional officials to work NFL games. The number of additional officials will be determined by the NFL

Although the Packers didn't play their best last night, I'm not going to say that bad call didn't cost them the game. The packers got into position in the 2nd half and made adjustments. Adjustments that got them into position to win. They succeeded in running the ball when they needed to. Seattle, if I'm not mistaken, has one of the league's top running defenses. That drive by Aaron Rodgers that SHOULD'VE won them the game was masterful. That's the kind of thing that separates the boys from the men in the NFL. I'm a Packers fan, but I'm not gonna be bitter about this all season. It's just one game with an EXTREMELY shitty call, but we'll overcome, or we won't. Simple as that. I do hope this is a kind of wake up call for the NFL. We need our officials back. These replacements just ain't cuttin it, and it has been made apparent game after game.

So, congrats to Seattle. I'm ready for some more football!

The whole thing with Harbaugh pissed me off. Pretty sure he knows the rules at this point, and he was totally taking advantage of the replacement officials.