Breaking The Grass Ceiling

[Lord Jim]

NFL's potential first female official is training with Saints



METAIRIE, La. (AP) A woman who could become the NFL's first female official is training at New Orleans Saints training camp this week.

Sarah Thomas, who lives near Jackson, Miss., is a former college basketball player who started officiating high school games at age 23 and says she never dreamed then that she could become a candidate to officiate NFL games.

Now 40-years old and with three children, she has been officiating college football in Conference USA since 2007, is a member of the NFL's Officiating Development Program and a finalist to become a permanent NFL official. She arrived at Saints camp Thursday and will train there Friday and during Saturday's scrimmage.

She has trained at Saints camp in previous years, and Saints coach Sean Payton says she does "a great job."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl/ne ... ng-saints/

[Crackpot]

And here I thought this was going to be a cheap Asian joke. Well it would have been if Gob had started a thread with this title.... Then again it would have been spelled wrong as well.

[Jarlaxle]

I expected a pot reference, until I saw the thread was NOT started by Dales!

*runs*

[dgs49]

Now this is a movement I could support. There is nothing intrinsically male or female about the abilities that make a good sports official. Having women officials might actually be an improvement, as players MIGHT be less inclined to whine about what they perceive as bad calls.

[Long Run]

NBA has some women refs, so NFL and major college women officials was only a matter of time. It is a long road to get to the top echelon of officiating so good for Ms. Thomas and the others who eventually join her.