To Rail - Bill Vinovich to referee Super Bowl LIV

[parlaynow]

Rail s buddy on the west coast.

 

[winkyduck]

I wonder if he would have done the game if the Saints were in it? My guess..........NO! Because "Perception is Reality" and Saints fans would be irate

EVEN THOUGH VINOVICH HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT CALL! Nothing

Vinovich was the Referee. As such his only job is to stay 100% focused on the QB. Nothing else. What happens downfield is something the Ref never sees. Vinovich had no idea what happened to the Saints last year in the NFC Champ Game until he saw the play later on. He gets a bad rap - at times. Yes - he is an arrogant asshole. But he is good at what he does. I am grateful for what he let me do one time with him. It was an educational experience I will never forget

 

[John Kelly]

I remember seeing Birdie chatting with Vinovich many years ago at little Titan Gym in Fullerton, California.

At the time, Vinovich was a Big West basketball referee.

Vinovich is a CPA during the day.

 

[winkyduck]

I remember seeing Birdie chatting with Vinovich many years ago at little Titan Gym in Fullerton, California.

At the time, Vinovich was a Big West basketball referee.

Vinovich is a CPA during the day.

Vinovich still is. Saw him do some BW games this season. He was an accountant in Tustin. I met him one day for lunch at the Hof's Hut off 17th/55. It was the first thing I ate that day. I came home and got food poisoning and anyone who had had FP knows how much that sucks.

If you have been to a game at Titan Gym it isn't hard to speak to anyone and be heard. I have spoken to BW refs and they hate Titan Gym because there are so few people there and thus everyone can be heard. I am the same way. There are a few gyms where I know no one will be there so assholes can be heard. I love the gyms that are packed and thus no one can be heard because everyone wants to be heard.

And for the record: Vinovich has forgotten more about reffing than Rail has ever learned. Rail wouldn't last for a Boys Freshman game at Mater Dei let alone some higher game. I got chewed out by McKnight for 15+ minutes a few years back when I did a MD Freshman game. I shoulda tossed him and regret not doing it

 

[John Kelly]

Good story, Wink.

When you met Vinovich, did he strike you as a guy that would one day officiate the most important game in the NFL?

 

[winkyduck]

Good story, Wink.

When you met Vinovich, did he strike you as a guy that would one day officiate the most important game in the NFL?

YES!

His father got him started in the NFL since he did it, too. He is as dead serious as it gets. He can be friendly and helpful but you better be "talking shop" to him or he wants no part of being around you. Maybe after a game when he is with his other ref partners he might but very rarely.

Keep in mind he took a few years off from reffing. He had the same thing John Ritter died from.

 

[railbird]

winkyduck and i had a common freind that was a ref, who was waaaaayy better ref than Vinovich. His name was Mitch Halpern who was the best boxing ref of all time by most accounts.

 

[railbird]

Halpern was quick, decisive , fair, and correct as an official. Vinovich is wishy washy, disinterested, and most his calls suck, especially in basketball.

 

[Viejo Dinosaur]

winkyduck and i had a common freind that was a ref, who was waaaaayy better ref than Vinovich. His name was Mitch Halpern who was the best boxing ref of all time by most accounts.

You can’t compare refs from boxing and football...we all know how corrupt boxing officials are....

 

[railbird]

racist judges like adelaide Byrd are corrupt. Mitch was very honest and in ring, not a judge

 

[parlaynow]

I get the feeling Vinovich is a very medicore basketball referee...winky was right that pi call was not his call at all
Now the pi calls come under the replay microscope

 

[winkyduck]

I get the feeling Vinovich is a very medicore basketball referee...winky was right that pi call was not his call at all
Now the pi calls come under the replay microscope

Hard to tell. When he refs Big Worst games it is hard to tell how good he is because the level of play in the league sucks as do almost all of the officials. It's like saying someone is the best looking person on this site. The bar is set so low that the best looking person here is probably still ugly - it's just that the bar is set low here.

Vinovich knows his stuff. When it comes time for the rules he knows them all. But in life one can be: Book smart and life stupid. When I reffed (and I hope to start up again in the Summer) I have told the head of our evaluations: Show me an official who 100% refs by the book and I will show you the worst official in the association. Officiating is something where you have to assess the moment and make the right call according to that. When I am the ref under the basket and I see a player from Team A (defense) under the basket in rebounding position but then a player from Team B "displaces" (they love that word in basketball) the Team A player it is a foul. But I hold my whistle because if there is no shot or the shot goes in or the ball bounces a long way the other way I don't call a foul. When I have a chance to speak to the Team B player I will let them know I saw what they did and let them know they better not do it again but I didn't call a foul because there was no advantage gained. Vinovich is one that tends to ref "by the books" since he has to do that in the NFL.

I am not worried about how he will do in the SB. I am more worried about Fox PbP guy Joe FUCK who is 100% certain everyone tuning in to the game is doing so to see him call it and not to actually watch the game

 

[railbird]

I get the feeling Vinovich is a very medicore basketball referee...winky was right that pi call was not his call at all
Now the pi calls come under the replay microscope

He sucks as a basketball ref, he is decent in football because he played football at sandiego u. He climbed ranks because of his daddy, not his talent.