What began as an attempt to help high school football players secure college scholarships has turned into something much more for Jamie Nicholson.
A video editor by training, the Grand Blanc, Mich., native began filming games for the local high school football coaches as a hobby.
"I went and did the videotape, and a coach from Flint Beecher High School asked if I could help them get their players on film. They had some players who had the talent to get scholarships, but they needed to get the guys on video," Nicholson said. "I did their games and it worked out pretty well. They started having three or four kids a year get scholarships through game film. Coaches like Bobby Bowden and Joe Paterno would come looking for game films and say it was the best game film in the country because it's so clear and clean."
"Well, we were shooting on $80,000 digital betacam cameras."
In the meantime, Nicholson's passion for America's favorite sport became even more prevalent when he decided to become an official. His seven-year high school officiating career comes to an end this season, with the conclusion of the Michigan state playoffs, but his role as a college official is on the rise.
Suffice to say, his career on the video side is gaining steam, too. In addition to working as an on-field official for the Division I-AA Pioneer League, Nicholson has spent the last 11 years - since the return of instant replay to the NFL - as the head instant replay technician for the Detroit Lions.
Nicholson recently steered the production of USA Football's Officiating Training DVD. A meeting with USA Football Director of Officiating Tony Michalek didn't take long to evolve into a relationship that would benefit thousands of officials nationwide.
"I told Tony that I had years of high school football games on my video shelves," Nicholson said. "They took those and picked out the positive aspects of what the officials are doing - look how well this guy squares off, or look at this great pass interference call. Tony and [USA Football Officiating Consultant] Bill LeMonnier did the voiceover, and I did the production."
Sure, Nicholson made the DVDs. But there's no denying that he also finds them monumentally beneficial.
"There's a lot of film available," Nicholson said. "The USA Football Officials Training DVD is as good as you're going to find. There's nothing better than the training DVD you'll find at USA Football. Those guys spent countless hours looking at game film, breaking it down, and deciphering how to make it beneficial for the official who wants to become better."
When the offseason arrives, it's time for officials to sit in front of the TV or computer and improve upon their craft.
"Officials can benefit from watching five minutes of game film at a time," he said. "You can see if you're out of position, not giving good mechanics. Guys tend to miss the subtle things, like not having to look back at the first down marker to see if the player made it. From Pee Wee to high schools and on up, every official benefits from watching themselves on film."
Nicholson estimates that he's watched thousands of hours of game film. He produces training films for officials like Dick Honig, the supervisor of replay officials for the Atlantic Coast Conference, and Carl Paganelli, who spent 10 years as the MAC coordinator of officials before becoming the supervisor of instant replay for the MAC and Big Ten.
"I can't stress the importance of watching yourself on video as an official," Nicholson said. "It's more important than going out and suiting up. Without video as a training tool, you're not going to improve as an official."
Nicholson certainly would not have gotten to where he is today by taking passive approach.
"Go to the meetings and clinics and put yourself around some of the top guys in the country," Nicholson said. "Don't be shy. You've got to reach your hand out and network yourself. Guys that move up quickly are guys that are breaking themselves down on film and seeing how other guys do it."
Nicholson has had even more opportunities this season to see how others do it. He added a mid-week jaunt to a Mid-American Conference game as an instant replay technician trainer. He has ambitions of someday being an on-field official in the MAC. Still, he realizes that his officiating background combined with his video technology expertise might offer him a bird's eye view of the field, instead.
"I may have a better opportunity as an official to move into [the replay] booth," said Nicholson, whose company Vidcam, Inc., also produces corporate training and instruction videos, as well as commercials. "My goal is to move onto the field in Division I football in the next year or two."
Nicholson figures the extraordinary high number of hours that he's put into watching film will benefit his role as an on-field official.
"My 11 years of NFL instant replay has made me the official that I am on the field today," Nicholson said. "I see so many things during a game - hands to the face, facemask, holding. It's training with the eyes. It's almost like I'm watching it on TV as it happens in front me when I'm on the field. All of that is attributed to watching video. I think I was born for replay."
Nicholson, who worked more than 100 NFL games, as well as Super Bowl XL, has been given a surplus of advice from those NFL game officials.
"I use it almost daily," Nicholson said. "None of those guys have less than 10-15 years on the field. These guys are sages. For me as an official, I can't buy that kind of information. Every Sunday I get overloaded with the instant replay officials pointing out things to me. I would say half of them have taken me under their wing because they know I'm an official, instead of just the tech guy."
For a noon kickoff, Nicholson arrives at the stadium at 8 a.m. First up is a test of the equipment, including the monitors on the field. He and his staff meet with officials three hours before kickoff to do a test of beepers and pagers. Next up is to watch a training DVD sent by the NFL of 20 instant replay situations from the previous week. The voiceover describes the nuances of the play and situation.
With 50 minutes to go before kickoff, an on-field official tests the communication and video. Then, it's time to wait until replay is needed.
"From the first play on, we watch the game as if every play is going to be challenged," Nicholson said. "In college games it's much more intense because literally every play is challengeable by the replay official. We're on our toes so that we can stop on every single play. In the NFL, we wait for the coach to challenge, and if he doesn't, the play's over."
In addition to officiating tips he's learned from his comrades in the replay booth, Nicholson has found the officials to be enjoyable sorts.
"It's amazing the integrity of these men that you meet in the NFL," Nicholson said. "Their honesty and integrity blows your mind. You wish everyday life had these kinds of people. What impresses me most is the high level of character you're dealing with."
Nicholson's heard it so many times, the one piece of advice he's received from multiple officials: Family comes first. That's why he shelved the high school officiating career.
"I am truly blessed. Other guys don't get that kind of mentorship," Nicholson said. "It's family first, work second and then officiating. Every day, I'm grounded by that."
There's no denying that on the field or in the booth, Nicholson's passion shines.
Story courtesy of Red Line Editorial, Inc.
