NEW ORLEANS — It's the week before the NFL regular season so national sports web sites are filling in their predictions and rankings for the upcoming season. ESPN is ranking everything from best uniforms to best coaches, best coordinators and best stadium.
One of the rankings is for best NFL referee and Bill Vinovich, the main who headed the officiating crew that missed the blatant pass interference and helmet-to-helmet penalties that should have been called on the Rams Nickell Robey-Coleman.
The call, had it been made, would likely have sent the Saints and not the Rams to the Super Bowl.
The reason given for Vinovich's high rating is that his crew calls the "fewest penalties per game."
Hmmm, I know some fans who wish his crew had called at least one more penalty.
In fairness, Vinovich wasn't one of the two referees staring down the play who failed to throw their flags, but he was the chief on that crew.
The Saints fared much better in some of the other rankings. They were listed as having the best uniforms for their color rush, all-white unis. Sean Payton was named as the league's fourth-best coach. The Saints mascots Gumbo and Sir Saint shared the distinction as the best mascot. Pete Carmichael was listed as the league's third-best offensive coordinator.
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