It's long been said that if you do not notice the officiating at a sporting event that the officials did a great job. I'm not sure that's the mark of a good official because that simply means that he didn't blow any easy obvious calls.

When the game is on the line tomorrow and the entire free world is watching some participants on the field will tighten up and some will show that they can operate and even excel under pressure. Hopefully, for everyone's sake there are no controversial or blown calls that make a difference in the outcome of the game.

Teams want the game won and lost on the merits of their play and so do fans and bettors.

The NFL announced the Super Bowl XLIV officiating crew Wednesday and the referee should be familiar to Green Bay and Arizona fans.

Scott Green, who headed up the crew that officiated the Cardinals' 51-45 victory over the Packers in a wildcard playoff game Jan. 10, has gotten the call for Sunday's Indianapolis-New Orleans match-up.

Neither team in that wildcard game was particularly thrilled with the officiating.

The Cardinals were upset with a pair of horse-collar penalties called against them that were questionable. The Packers were upset that Green didn't call a blow to the quarterback's head on LB Bertrand Berry on the second play of overtime and a face-mask penalty on CB Mike Adams on the last play of overtime.

Either one would have given the Packers a first down. The last one would have wiped out Rodgers' fumble and LB Karlos Dansby's 17-yard return for a touchdown.
The rest of the crew won't be the same as the one Green led in that game.

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

Green, in his 19th season as an NFL game official, served as the back judge in Super Bowls XXXVI and XXXVIII. Promoted to referee in 2004, he has officiated in 12 playoff games - two Super Bowls, one conference championship, three divisional playoffs and six wild card games.

The other members of the Super Bowl XLIV officiating crew are Undrey Wash (umpire), John McGrath (head linesman), Jeff Seeman (line judge), Rob Vernatchi (field judge), Greg Meyer (side judge) and Greg Steed (back judge). The Super Bowl XLIV officiating crew collectively has 66 years of NFL officiating experience and 36 combined playoff game assignments. - Jason Lockhart

Jason is an aspiring sports journalist currently enrolled at Stanford University.

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