The argument has been the same for years now: We couldn’t possibly fathom what it’s like to officiate an NFL game.
The mental dexterity it takes to associate a piece of legislative minutiae from the league’s 89-page rule book with a millisecond-long flashpoint in a game played by the fastest and strongest people on earth. The years of expertise it takes to properly position yourself for an adequate view without railroading the play in progress. The fortitude it takes to trust your instincts and announce the findings to a stadium full of 75,000 disgruntled fans armed with beer bottles.