The NFL is looking into the use of replacement officials for the 2012 season after their CBA negotiations with the NFL Referees Association have slowed. (Yes, even the referees have a CBA.) So the NFL says they're looking into hiring and training replacement officials from places other than the BCS. You know, the BCS, the only other place where there might actually be some qualified referees.

Chiefs offensive tackle Eric Winston saw Adam Schefter's tweet about the NFL looking at replacement refs from, among other places, the Arena league, and responded with this tweet:

@AdamSchefter this going to go REAL well... Let's hope the WAC all star team doesn't have to go week 1

— Eric Winston (@ericwinston) June 4, 2012

Winston later adds: "I cringe just thinking about it"

Replacement officials would be a disaster. Anything that went wrong in the officiating department would immediately be blamed on the replacements. There would be grievances, or lawsuits, or whatever you use to show your displeasure with the officials.

I think they end up getting something done. The NFL surely knows this would be a disaster.