ASHLAND —
Brian Taylor called it.
He’s an NFL referee.
Even though many around him argued that he couldn’t do it, he proved his dream was not out of line.
“He’s always said he wanted to be an NFL official,” said longtime official and friend Bill Heaberlin, who helped Taylor break into the profession. “A lot of people just laughed about it. But here he is.”
For the past few weeks, the Russell native stepped inside a different kind of line — the sidelines to a bigger, faster ballgame.
The NFL announced Wednesday that it would use its replacement referees for Week 1 games, which kick off Wednesday, and is prepared to use them “as much ... as necessary.” The league and its on-field officials failed to reach an agreement again on Saturday — they’ve been locked out since June 3.
On Thursday night, Taylor lassoed himself with a whistle and slapped on the black and white stripes 2,500 miles away in Seattle for a Raiders-Seahawks preseason affair.
On Friday — remember, he “lost” three hours traveling through four time zones — he nestled into his normal routine, officiating the Ironton-Russell game near his own backyard.
League policy won’t allow replacement referees to be interviewed at this time, but Heaberlin could hardly contain his excitement for Taylor.
“It’s really something, I think,” Heaberlin said on Friday. “I’m tickled to death for him.”
Taylor called the Bengals’ first preseason game on Aug. 9 in Cincinnati against the Jets and then rushed home to referee the Eastern Kentucky Conference Grid-O-Rama high school scrimmage event.
An area official advancing to the national stage is not an extraordinary sighting.
In fact, we could declare the northeastern Kentucky area the unofficial capital of officials.
The list of former/active major league baseball umpires is lengthy with names like Terry Craft, of South Shore, Charlie Reliford (Ashland), Greg Gibson (Ashland) and Sam Holbrook (Morehead, Lexington).
And those guys didn’t just “break in,” they excelled at the professional baseball level, calling All-Star Games, perfect games and even the World Series.
Most recently, Holbrook was on second base for Seattle’s Felix Hernandez’s perfect game in August.
And another area official, Chris Ward, is perhaps on the brink of the big leagues. He is currently a crew chief in Triple-A.
In Taylor’s case, it’s a little different. But being a replacement referee doesn’t mean he didn’t work for it or earn it.
“He once lost 50-some pounds because he was told he was too big to be an official,” Heaberlin said. “He is driven.”
Not to speak for him, but I’m betting Taylor is probably using that determination to push past heaping amounts of criticism coming from different directions.
Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis was vocal in his distaste for one replacement referee’s alleged misunderstanding of the “defenseless receiver” rule against the Packers over a week ago.
Said Lewis: “It was a misinterpretation of the rule. I know they are working hard. The league is working hard to get this stuff corrected.”
Then there was Associated Press columnist Jim Litke, who wrote this:
Suddenly, after standing by its officials no matter what, the NFL wants you to believe it knows where to round up another hundred or so just as good by making a few phone calls. The league locked out the refs in June right after the current contract expired, then tried to strong arm their union the same way it did the players’ association and TV networks in their negotiations. The NFL is so successful and so accustomed to dictating terms that finding out how far it can push fans, players, TV execs and, now, field officials appears to be an exercise for its own sake.
All Taylor and company can do is keep working. And doing what they love in beautiful NFL stadiums across the country in nationally televised games isn’t such a bad gig.
Taylor’s Week 1 assignment has yet to be released.
AARON SNYDER can be reached at asnyder@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2664.
Local Sports
AARON SNYDER: First Fridays, and now Sundays
- Local Sports
-
-
62nd District Softball: East playing second fiddle no longer
East Carter’s Morgan Jacobs fired a pitch across the plate for strike three in the bottom of the seventh inning and jumped into the arms of first baseman Montana Fouts.
-
Salow Show: Ashland ace halts Boyd’s district streak
What’s the encore for a perfect game?
-
62nd District baseball: Staton strives after storm
East Carter’s Conner Staton hasn’t lost a 62nd District in his high school career. As a senior, he wasn’t going to let that change.
-
63rd District baseball: Greenup County outduels Lewis, 7-3
Lightning delayed the 63rd District Tournament championship game several times following the first inning on Tuesday, creating a late night for Greenup County and Lewis County.
-
Boyd’s Fraley commits to Herd
Boyd County sophomore basketball player Logan Fraley has announced her commitment to Marshall University.
The 5-foot-11 shooting guard informed Marshall women’s coach Matt Daniel of her decision on Monday morning, which was confirmed by Boyd County coach/father Pete Fraley via text message. -
63rd softball: Greenup leans on bunting, baserunning; Russell wins
Immersed in another district contest with little breathing room, Greenup County softball coach Eric Keeton resorted to the strengths of his lineup: bunting and baserunning.
Two bunts and a swinging bunt helped the Lady Musketeers scratch across three runs in the fifth inning of a 6-2 victory over Raceland in the 63rd District Tournament opening round on Monday night at Russell High School. Top-seeded Russell defeated Lewis County, also 6-2, earlier in the evening. -
Boyd pounds out 11 hits to go along with Grimm’s shutout, 14-0
Robbie Shivel might be a little sore after Monday night, but it was Fairview that left the game battered and bruised.
Boyd County belted out 11 hits to go along with Dylan Grimm's complete-game gem as the Lions roared past Fairview, 14-0, in the opening round of the 64th District Tournament at Ashland's Alumni Field. The game lasted five innings. -
Different look, same results for Lady Lions
A longtime fixture in the 64th District softball championship game, Boyd County looked different this return trip.
The Lady Lions defeated Fairview 10-5 in Monday’s district semifinal, which doubled as an Autism Awareness Night. Boyd County players wore light blue shirts and colorful, jigsaw puzzle socks for the event, which had to be rescheduled more than once due to weather problems. -
Musketeers explode in final 2 innings to beat Raceland; good times continue for Lewis
Through the first four innings of its 63rd District Tournament opener, Greenup County found itself hitless. The Musketeers made up for it over the next two innings.
Greenup County scored eight runs on eight hits in the final two innings to defeat Raceland, 9-1, at Russell High School on Monday. -
The will to win
Opponents get the same look from Emily Stewart whether it’s softball, basketball or soccer season.
Steely eyed and lips pursed, the Boyd County senior is keenly focused and all business between the lines. - More Local Sports Headlines
-
62nd District Softball: East playing second fiddle no longer
Jodi Arias: Death Penalty Would Cause More Pain
Looking for Love? Take the Prague Metro
Crews Race to Find Survivors of Okla. Twister
First Person: Baby Falcons on a New York Bridge
Oklahoma: Images of Devastation, Reunion
Reunited Dad, Son: 'We Just Praise God'
Slow Pokes: Acupuncture Helps Sick Turtles
Moore, Okla. City of Reunions, Tears After Storm
Former IRS Chief: Can't Say How List Happened
Gov. Fallin: Okla. Facing Horrific Disaster
Tim Cook Defends Apple's Tax Accounting
AP Photograher: 'It Was a Miracle' They Got Out
Raw: Crews Search for Survivors of Okla. Tornado
Raw: Tearful Reunion After Okla. Tornado
OKC Hospital Describes Treating Tornado Wounded
Obama Pledges Urgent Aid for Tornado Victims
Raw: Massive Funnel Clouds in Oklahoma
