The NFL Replacement Refs

Two topics, but both are intimately related.

First, the NFL replacement referees.  For those of you who don't follow professional sports or professional football, the "real" referees are locked out.  A lockout means that the union was trying to negotiate new terms for a contract and the league said no and don't come to work.  Essentially.
This has led to the league hiring replacement refs.  Now, one thing to note about these replacements is that the "real" refs have connections with college football referees.  This essentially means that the "real" refs told the most qualified replacement referees that if they broke the lockout, they would not work again for colleges.  Which leaves lower division college referees, high school referees, and referees from various other leagues (such as the Lingerie Football League).
Another vital piece of information is that the coaches know that the referees don't know all the rules and that if they encourage their players to play football by any rules, the referees literally cannot call all the penalties.
These facts are the essential background of the story.
On Monday night, the Packers were playing the Seahawks.  The Packers were up by 5 with 8 seconds left in the game.  The Seahawks' player(Golden Tate) pushed a defensive player away and then leaped with a crowd of other Packer players in the endzone for the pass.  M.D. Jennings had possession of the ball(both hands around it and it against his body) while Tate had a hand on Jennings and a hand on the ball.  There were two officials, one called it an interception, the other called it a touchdown.  The play was reviewed and the touchdown went down as the play, which means that the Seahawks won the game.
This was most definitely not a touchdown.  However, this may be the kick that the league needs in order to get the real refs back.


Here's the scary part of the replacement refs: they don't know the rules.  There have been several helmet-to-helmet hits in the last few weeks(see Golden Tate versus Sean Lee and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWbZ9PbtVio).  These hits are illegal because they are dangerous.  Heyward-Bey was in the hospital overnight following the hit.  These hits were not hidden by players, but blatantly out on the field.  As I said, this is the scary part of the replacement referees: players can/have gotten hurt because they don't know the rules.  I invite you all to contact Roger Goodell(the commissioner of the NFL) on Twitter(@nflcommish) and urge him to get the real refs back.  The time has come and gone for these replacement referees.

The second topic is something that my aunt posted on Facebook.  First, a little background: I am a bleeding-heart liberal(so much so that I match more closely to the green party than the Democrats); my aunt is a super-conservative(still believes that Obama is a Muslim and not born in the US, you know the type).  Thus, this discussion cannot go on my Facebook, as I love my aunt and do not wish to fight her. 
This is what she posted: "Ok. I have to say it. I'm a Green Bay fan that lives in WA. I was irritated with the officiating toward both sides throughout the game and the last call was complete crap. That said, why are people more enraged by the outcome of Monday night football than by the recent attack on our ambassador and Marines?"
To which I say, what!?!  More people are enraged about the MNF game than the riots that killed the US ambassador.  However, more people today are enraged about the MNF game than the riots...because it was 2 weeks ago and most people do not stay enraged about something that happened 2 weeks ago (because it's not healthy).  Additionally, I believe that in times where things do not make sense, it is easier for people to become angry about something that can change.  The real refs can come back.  But, the anger in the world and the hatred between many Americans and some Muslims is too large.  It's too big.  I'm sorry to be cynical, but peace does not happen overnight and the US outrage over these events were many people saying that all Muslims should be killed and Islam is a religion of hatred. 
So to my aunt I say, no.  More people care about these lives lost, but most people are not still enraged.  Most people are sad and angry and confused, but not enraged.  My last point, if the real refs do not come back, there will be injuries and there could be death.  This is worthy of anger.