Super Bowl Officials...

By the way, and I know - this is about a week past due - but you'll have to excuse me, I'm abit new to this whole blogging thing. But I starting thinking that I probably let you guys down by not giving us the update on our "Awful Officials" for the Super Bowl. Just so everyone is in the loop, here is the breakdown on what was our 2007 Super Bowl officials.

Via Scout.com

Referee Tony Corrente has been named to head the seven-man crew of game officials selected to work Super Bowl XLI at Dolphin Stadium.

The other members of the Super Bowl XLI officiating crew are Carl Paganelli (umpire), George Hayward (head linesman), Ron Marinucci (line judge), Jim Saracino (field judge), John Parry (side judge), and Perry Paganelli (back judge). The Super Bowl XLI officiating crew collectively has 73 years of NFL officiating experience and 52 combined postseason game assignments.

And just in case you were wondering:

Under the NFL officiating program's evaluation system, the highest-rated officials at each position with the appropriate experience earn the right to work the Super Bowl. Super Bowl officials must have five years of NFL experience and previous playoff assignments.

Corrente's previous playoff experience included the 1997 NFC Championship game as a back judge, and he was the head referee in the 2001 NFC Championship game between the Minnesota Vikings and the New York Giants. Corrente also worked the World Bowl in NFL Europe during 1995 and 1998.

As commenter "mini-me" mentions in a post below - as far as our officiating was concerned, there was not much to complain about during this years Super Bowl. But it was also mentioned (I believe on AOL Sportsblog) that one of the big coaching moves of the game came when Tony Dungy had to throw the red flag to have the Marvin Harrison's 3rd down "out of bounds" call overturned by the replay booth. We should commend the NFL for instituting the "challenge rule" because in years past, it is possible that call would have come up in debate after the game had the Colts gone on to lose. For allowing the coach the opportunity to challenge, the NFL prevented that from happening in this case.

One more note to add about Corrente: When he is not dressed in his normal zebra outfit, Tony is a high school social science teacher in La Mirada, California. Makes me wonder how often students have thrown a red flag during class?