NFL Refs Strike a Deal

Football fans can breathe a sigh of relief—and go back to yelling at the usual referees. On Saturday morning the zebra-striped union approved a new eight-year deal with the NFL by a vote of 112 to 5. The vote, which took place in Irving, Texas, was quickly followed by a mad dash to the airport so the refs could get to Sunday games all over the country in time for kickoff. The deal ends a three-week lockout during which the NFL used replacement referees—an increasingly frustrating decision for fans fed up with disputed calls.