Yeah, I know the National Football League’s season started a couple of weeks ago. But really with it starting with replacement referees because of the striking referees it feels like today is the official start of the Sunday game 2012-13 NFL season.

The NFL seems like a greedy entity sometimes, but it produces a really good product. Until it replaced the traditional refs with well…. The NFL and Apple, Inc. are very similar. Great products that us fans can’t get enough of. We turn blind eyes to all the unpleasant things: long-term effects of a brutal game, workers who are treated like crap, all to give us the entertainment and gadgets we desire. But that’s a rant for another day.

Bless their hearts, I hate to say a bad word about the replacements. They did work and worked as best as they could given they were out of their element. I thank them for showing the fans and NFL executives just how necessary and valued the refs should be. The National Football League really needs a reminder that the league in it’s entirety is a team sport. The games need great officials to be played at a high level. They are part of the larger team.

Side note: I can’t wait to see Ed Hochuli and Mike Carey. They’re definitely drool-worthy…err…I mean they are stellar officials. This article gives good insight into what it takes to be a great NFL ref.

Also, I hope the return of the real refs bodes great tidings for my Fantasy Football fortunes. I started in 12th place this year and have moved to 9th. This is a new world for me. I’ve never been lower than 6th.

I’m sure this ref love will end as soon as the first close call doesn’t go the Patriots way in the game against the Bills today.