Respect Ed Hochuli

Last Sunday my favorite NFL referee made a bad call. You've heard about it, everyone is making a big stink over it.

Here's a story you aren't hearing.

Ed Hochuli is, in this fan's opinion, a rare person in this industry. He's hard working, he cares about the details, he cares about getting it right. And he has courage and integrity.

Courage and integrity.

Normally, when a ref makes a questionable call the announcers bitch about it, fans at home bitch about it, it gets written up for awhile (the size of the question directly relating to the length, depth, and duration of the coverage) - but at the moment of the questionable call, the game goes on.

But not Ed Hochuli. He immediately identified the error - not just to himself - but to the whole world. He didn't try to excuse it or hide it or claim it was a solid call. He said it was a mistake, he said why it was a mistake, and then he got the game moving forward.

For those of you who haven't seen it, there is actually a great documentary about Ed Hochuli and his crew on NFL's Six Days to Sunday - how they spend each week and prep between games. He goes over every minute of film, looking at every call, reviewing it with his crew, with the review board - always trying to get better.

Why work that hard? Well remember that the rules change every year. Every year some rules change; some change a little, some change a lot. This is not an easy job. But Ed Hochuli is clearly dedicated to always being at the top of his game.

I watch football like a fiend. I have the big football package so I don't miss a game. And I can tell you that I am thrilled when I see that Ed Hochuli is refereeing a game - because I know that means that we're going to get a staff that is totally dedicated to the job, and that Ed is going to ensure that every call that needs an explanation gets one. No one at home has to wonder "why this call" or "what does that mean?" because Ed is going to explain it clearly, concisely, and you can trust that the calls are the best you can expect from someone in real time. I will take Ed Hochuli over any ref any day of the week.

I trust Ed Hochuli and so should you. Not because he is infallible, but because he has the courage and integrity to know when he has made a mistake and say so. And you can bet he won't make that same mistake twice.

Hang in there Ed. You're the best.

Sick & Tired of Being Sick & Tired

Summer is usually a time of fun. I got to have some fun at the start of the summer... first on my trip to Finland (for work, but very cool), and then on vacation to Bermuda. Then, I got sick.

It started with a bad ear infection in mid-July that never seemed to go away. I've been back to the ENT several times who keeps telling me that my ears are clear despite my protestations that I am in excruciating pain (to the point where I am taking percocet several times daily) all along the right side of my face - with the fixation point in my ear.

So on Tuesday I had a head/neck CT Scan. Today I got the results.

Apparently part of your tonsils are sub-lingual (under the tongue) and therefore cannot be seen during a normal exam. These are the part of my tonsils that have tonsillitis. It's a gnarly infection and I will be on an uber-antibiotic for 2 weeks (the warning on the pamphlet actually says "Do not take this medication unless you have a serious illness as the side effects can be fatal"). Then he'll drop a scope down my throat and see if the infection is cleared up - now that he knows what to look for - and if so I am good to go. If not, I may be undergoing a tonsillectomy. Ah, the irony that I will have ANOTHER tonsillectomy again in my lifetime is not lost on me - and I hope you find it amusing as well. That's right - for those of you who don't know, I had my tonsils out when I was 3 - apparently they left scar tissue - and apparently tonsils can and will grow back. As Mr. Holly said, "that is the worst superhero power ever!" And I heartily agree.

So tonight I begin the antibiotics, which I am told will be horrifically unpleasant for my stomach... but within a few days I shouldn't feel like an ice pick is being rammed into my ear any more.

So that's the news... still the kid with the bad ears / nose /throat wondering where in the hell I got these defective tonsils from anyway.

Mom & Dad, I would like a refund on my tonsils, my original tonsillectomy, and any other defective ENT gear I came from the factory with.