There are simple solutions. Let’s start with the most important problem. The officiating decision in one of the most crucial games of the season was absolutely wrong. It was there. Everyone saw it. It was more than an interference with Tommylee Lewis, the Saints receiver. He was also injured on a helmet to helmet hit that occurred just seconds before Drew Brees’ pass. Referee said it was a bang-bang play and a judgment call. It wasn’t bangbang. It was not even close. It was a judgment call. It is not possible to review judgement calls on instant replay. I have a solution. Keep following me. Seven officials are used by the NFL. Big-time college football uses eight. Because the NFL game is quicker, why should it use less officials? Answer: It shouldn’t. However, adding another official to the field wouldn’t help. Add another official to the press box. You can call him the eye in heaven. You should give him a monitor with a buzzer. He buzzes to the referee every time he notices that a judgment call has been missed. He says, “Hey, that was a bad call, it wasn’t even close.” The referee takes a quick glance – he wouldn’t take only one – and then reverses the call. The job of the press box official is not to look at every call. His job would be preventive. He would act as a reporter’s editor and spell-checker for football. He would fix obvious mistakes. This is possible. Next problem, and this is the most important, I don’t understand why it needs to be addressed. The officials who missed the call in New Orleans share one thing. They all live in Los Angeles or close to it. Referee Bill Vinovich hails from Newport Beach, 40 miles from L.A.. Gary Cavaletto is a side judge who lives in Santa Barbara. Patrick Turner, the down judge who was supposed follow Lewis on the play and should’ve had a better look, is from Lakewood in Los Angeles. Todd Prukop, back judge, lives in Mission Viejo. This. Should. Not. Happen. The deal is that all four of these guys might be the most fair-minded people in the entire world, but the evidence does not support this. They don’t have to live in Los Angeles to be Rams fans. They aren’t, but it doesn’t make them less. This perception is a problem. According to the league, playoff assignments are based on season performance. If the group from southern California scored the highest, they will be sent to the game without a Southern California team. It would have been New England – Kansas City in this instance. Don’t send them if it’s not the Super Bowl. It’s only logical. Many Mississippians have served as SEC officials. These guys don’t get assigned to Mississippi State and Ole Miss games. This is the right thing. The third problem is even more straightforward to fix. The NFL has not commented since the game eight days ago – except to admit to Saints coach Sean Payton that it blew the call, and to fine Nickell Robey Coleman $26,739 for assessing Rams defensive back Nickell Robey Coleman. No public apology has been made, there is no penalty for officials who offend, and no concern expressed about this most outrageously blown judgment call in playoffs history. Solution: Be honest. Speak out publicly that you made a mistake. You regret it. You are looking for ways to prevent it happening again. Explain why you chose to assign four officials from southern California to play a “do or die” game with the Los Angeles Rams. Then, don’t do it again.