NFL

Replacement refs are the right call

Fans of the NFL do not notice the referees — not until they botch a call involving their favorite team.

Fans do not fill stadiums to see Ed Hochuli flex his pipes under his too-tight polyester zebra shirt and they did not skip beer runs in fear of missing Red Chashion’s over-enthusiastic blurting out of, “First dowwwwwwwn,’’ in his unique drawl.

That’s why, with negotiations at a standstill between the NFL and the officials’ union over a new contract, the league’s announcement yesterday that the 2012 season will begin next week with replacement referees should not be met with panic in the streets.

When the season begins Wednesday night at MetLife Stadium with the Giants-Cowboys game, replacement referees will be working the game, and the smart money is on you not noticing whether there are regular or replacement refs on the field.

“It’s rare that referees are responsible for a win or a loss,’’ Giants receiver Ramses Barden said last night after the Giants’ 6-3 preseason win over the Patriots at MetLife Stadium. “Wins and losses come down to execution and if we execute it should not matter who is refereeing.’’

There was one incident of minor officiating calamity in the first half last night when the replacements huddled over a double penalty against the Giants during a punt play. During the delay, a fan in the stands could be heard sarcastically yelling, “We want Hochuli.’’

“We just hope that these officials know the rules and know how to enforce them and can keep the game under control and keep order,’’ coach Tom Coughlin said.

“They’re under a microscope right now, so every mistake they make people are jumping all over them,’’ Giants guard Chris Snee said. “It’s a tough situation for them, but they’re doing a great job.’’

Victor Cruz was one of the few skeptics, saying “there’s definitely a difference’’ between the regulars and the replacements.

“Hopefully, [the replacements] can just continue to grow and get better with the calls and get better with the rule book,’’ Cruz said. “Hopefully they’re cramming.’’

The regular referees are entitled to go after whatever they feel they deserve, so this is not about condemning them for not agreeing to what the NFL is offering.

But, based on the fact that NFL refereeing is a part-time job and it pays a lot more than the average full-time employee makes in other — more important — walks of life (nurses, cops, firemen), it’s difficult to muster up a lot of sympathy for them.

According to the NFL, in 2011 the average referee salary was $149,000 with an average starting salary of $78,000. Not a bad part-time gig if you can get it for 20 or so weekends of work. Under the proposal the NFL has offered, those numbers will rise to $189,000 on average and $165,000 to start by 2018.

With a minor show of support from some players, mostly as a show of union solidarity because they are just a year removed from being locked out last season, NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith even hinted in an interview with Sports Illustrated that the players “reserve the right’’ to withhold their services if the regular referees are not in place by the start of the regular season.

In the selfish “we-got-ours’’ world of big business, the chances of that happening are as realistic as the average fan being able to name more than one or two of the regular referees.