Officially speaking. (Here Below).

DOES A FOOTBALL SEASON ever go by without a squawk about officiating?

It doesn't take much. Just one bad call at a critical moment in a big game, and the fans and the press will begin howling: "We've never seen such lousy officiating! Something has to be done about it."

The best thing they can do about it is shut up. How can the officiating be deteriorating? Isn't the pool of prospective officials always growing? Aren't they being chosen more selectively? Isn't their training better than ever? Aren't they being more carefully chosen for the big games?

So why do the number of bad calls seem to be multiplying?

We believe it is a mirage. Still, we can offer an explanation. our athletes becoming bigger, stronger, faster, and more skillful, and with 300-lb. linemen, 250-lb. backs, and runners, receivers, and defensive backs with sprinter speed, the physicality of the game can become terrifying, as well as much tougher to officiate.

And since the officiating is never going to become an art or a science, we will have to depend upon highly trained artisans to do it.

Our only beefs with the officiating in college football are the rulesmakers' refusal to accept the NFL's system of play review and to ignore the rule against spearing.

How many times a game do you see the blockers and tacklers leading with their helmets, and how many limes do you see these illegal hits being called?

The longer these hits are being taught by the coaches, used by the athletes, and encouraged by the officials through no-calls, the more physical and dangerous the game will become. Are we being squeamish or are we missing something?