<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"></head><body dir="auto"><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">Instant replay on penalties no longer necessary since women never forget anything a man does wrong.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">Courtesy of CBS Sports at:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: none; "><a href="http://tinyurl.com/k3ed85y">http://tinyurl.com/k3ed85y</a></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: none; "> </span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">--------------------------------------</div><div><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; "></p><h1 class="storyHdl" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); line-height: 1.1em; font-size: 36px; font-family: Ubuntu, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">2014 could mark debut of first NFL full-time, female referee</h1><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; "><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The NFL might not be that far away from having its first full-time female official on the field. And when -- not if -- it happens, look to 2014 as the year and look to Sarah Thomas as the zebra breaking ground.</span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Thomas, 39, became <a href="http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/12577829/pigskin-ceiling-here-comes-woman-ref-moving-up" style="text-decoration: none; ">the first female to ever officiate an NCAA football game</a> in 2007 -- as well as a bowl game, when she was the line judge for the 2009 Little Caesar's Bowl -- and after spending a few days in the league's official developmental program, she's on track to become the first female to officiate an NFL game.</span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The <a href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000212450/article/nfl-could-have-permanent-female-official-by-2014" style="text-decoration: none; ">league told the <em>Associated Press</em></a> that Thomas is "in our pipeline" and 2014 looks like a reasonable target year for Thomas to make her full-time debut.</span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"It's just something that happened," said Dean Blandino, the NFL's vice president of officiating. "She was in our pipeline for a while."</span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Thomas took part in the developmental program during three days of <a href="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/page/IND/indianapolis-colts" style="text-decoration: none; ">Colts</a> minicamp and will be eligible for a full-time refereeing gig once she's completed the program. In order to actually <em>land</em> that gig, however, someone else will have to retire, bolts the NFL or get run over by <a class="playerLink" href="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/517568/adrian-peterson" style="text-decoration: none; ">Adrian Peterson</a> as he books it to the end zone.</span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But this probably shouldn't be a huge shock: <a href="http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/12577829/pigskin-ceiling-here-comes-woman-ref-moving-up" style="text-decoration: none; ">Thomas has been on the NFL's radar</a> for nearly five years at this point. She'll also have to pass background checks, interviews and, perhaps most importantly, adjust to the speed of the game.</span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"It's similar from when a players jumps from college to the NFL," Blandino said. "Getting used to that type of speed is important."</span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">That's not something Thomas says she's too concerned with -- just like a player, it takes a little time to adjust to the differences in the NFL and Conference USA, where Thomas works now.</span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"The speed, yes, is there," Thomas said. "These are just phenomenal athletes on both sides of the ball. The game has a tendency to slow down the most snaps you get and repetition. So, hopefully, the more snaps I get, things will start slowing down a little bit."</span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The NFL's recent foray into female officiating helps Thomas' cause as well: Shannon Eastin became the first female referee to work an NFL game during the Great Officiating Lockout of 2012.</span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It's certainly an honor to become the first female ref in the league. But that glass ceiling won't really be shattered until there's a full-time female ref in the NFL. And it could happen sooner than you might think.</span></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">--------------------</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); ">Sarah Thomas could become the first full-time female official in the NFL. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; "><img src="cid:8C28EB29-C8EF-4DA5-B15A-78C836511396" alt="Sarah_Thomas_NFL_Full_Time_Female_Official_Referee_Rumors.jpg" id="8C28EB29-C8EF-4DA5-B15A-78C836511396" width="630" height="350"></p></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">--------------------------------------<br><br><div>Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</div><div><br></div><div>"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)</div><div><a href="http://www.MoscowCares.com">http://www.MoscowCares.com</a></div><div> </div><div><div>Tom Hansen</div><div>Moscow, Idaho</div><div><br></div><div>"<span style="font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">There's room at the top they are telling you still</span><span style="font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "> </span></div><span style="font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">But first you must learn how to smile as you kill </span><br style="font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><span style="font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">If you want to be like the folks on the hill."</span></div><div><font size="3"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"><br></span></font></div><div><font size="3"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);">- John Lennon<br></span></font><div> </div></div></div></div></body></html>