Tony Michalek has been an NFL umpire since 2002 and has had the opportunity to officiate numerous playoff games - including Super Bowl XLII in Arizona in 2008. He has also officiated in NFL Europe for four seasons and in the NCAA at the Division I level, so Michalek has called countless football games in his day. Things don't always run smoothly and there can be bumps in the road, but Michalek has some words of advice on how to handle a tough officiating call.
If a fellow crew member throws a flag on a play, and you disagree with his decision, how do you mediate the situation?
The first thing to do would be to go to the official, and I would ask him what they had on the play. If I have something different, I will tell them. Let's say it's a block in the back and they call that, and I'll say, "I saw the block clearly," but unless I'm really sure, I won't muddy up the waters on that. Only if I'm 100 percent sure will I try to say something to another official.
How do you decide which official has the last say on a disputed call?
The covering official - the official who made the decision on that play - has the last say. The referee and another official will try and help, but the covering official will have the final say, unless it's a rule interpretation and then the referee can help on that.
What is the most difficult penalty call to make? Why?
Pass interference is tough, but I think one of the most difficult calls is the pass fumble on the quarterback. It is something that happens so fast with so many bodies around them, that you can't always tell if his arm was going forward or if it was an empty hand. Your view can also be blocked at times making it difficult.
How important is it to not let feedback from players and coaches influence how calls are made?
This is extremely important because every coach and every player believes that fouls are occurring against them all the time. They believe that we - the officials - are always missing things and don't see the play objectively.
What advice would you give to other officials on how to handle coaches and players when they outwardly disagree with a call?
The best thing you can do is be calm and composed and give them their say and listen. Be firm and fair with your decision, but be brief, and then move on. In the NFL as a league, we're told when they get very personal with us, that is the time to take action. In other words, when they say that the call "stinks," we tolerate that. But if they say, "You stink," then now that's crossing the line.
How do you prepare for the next play after making a difficult call?
It's extremely important to remove that last play from your mind, but at the same time, that can be very difficult to do. But if you don't put it past you, you'll be thinking about it, and then it's possible that you could make more mistakes.
Is it difficult to stay on top of the rule changes that take place almost year-to-year?
It's not hard to keep track of the rule changes, but it is hard to keep track of the rules interpretations. They're not actually documented each year. The decision makers of college football, or high school football or NFL all say, "This is how we want you to officiate it." It's not black and white, so it's not necessarily the rule changes but the rule interpretations. These can actually lead to confusion and conflicts.
What makes it hard to officiate a close, down-to-the-wire game?
The good thing about a very close game is that it makes it easy to stay focused. The hardest thing that officials have to do in these instances - and in important games - are to have the nerve and the guts to step up when they have to make a big, hard call. Some officials will just do nothing.
The rules and penalties become increasingly difficult at higher levels of officiating. How can someone take his officiating to the next step?
Always work hard to get better, and that means studying game video. Going to clinics, going to seminars and going to your rules meetings are also important. No matter how many years you've been doing this, you can always become a better official. If you start to become complacent, that's when your skills will start to deteriorate.
