Accepted Penalties No. Crew Chief G Total Yards Per Game 1. Walt Anderson 15 257 2,193 17.1 2. Johnny Grier 15 238 2,001 15.9 3. Ron Winter 15 213 1,666 14.2 4. Tom White 15 211 1,817 14.1 5. Terry McAulay 16 224 1,864 14.0 5. Jeff Triplette 15 210 1,813 14.0 7. Pete Morelli 16 217 1,972 13.6 8. Larry Nemmers 15 197 1,550 13.1 9. Ron Blum 15 194 1,592 12.9 10. Tony Corrente 15 193 1,617 12.9 11. Ed Hochuli 15 190 1,610 12.7 12. Bill Carollo 15 188 1,944 12.5 13. Walt Coleman 15 179 1,472 11.9 14. Mike Carey 15 173 1,457 11.5 15. Bill Leavy 15 172 1,400 11.5 16. Bernie Kukar 15 167 1,315 11.1 17. Gerry Austin 15 166 1,394 11.1

I admire people who address problems before they become really big problems. Last week, at the NFL meetings in Florida, I met with director of officiating Mike Pereira to talk about the clarified illegal-contact rules, including the strict interpretation of holding and grabbing uniform shirts in the passing game, which the league will make a major point of emphasis in 2004.

At the end of our 30 minutes together, I asked Pereira a question about my officiating pet peeve -- the major disparity between penalties called by different crews. As I wrote last fall, it's unacceptable that two crews could each officiate 15 games in 2003, and one of those groups could have 91 more accepted penalties during the year than the other. That's a difference of six penalties a game. But that was the average discrepancy between the number of flags issued by leading penalty callers (Walt Anderson's crew) and those signaled by the stingiest crew, Gerry Austin's. On the average, an Austin game had 11.1 stoppages of play for penalties, while an Anderson game had 17.1.

IMaybe I pick weird things to get upset about, but I think this is ridiculous. One or two games you can explain away, but on only one weekend that both of these crews worked did the Austin crew have more accepted penalties than Anderson's. Highest numbers of penalties called by Anderson and Co.: 33, 26, 19, 19, 18, 18 and 18. Austin's men had one game with more than 14 called fouls in a game -- they called 21 in Week 2.

"That certainly sets off an alarm in my head," Pereira told me. "The one thing we strive for in our 17 crews is consistency. And that's going to be a big point of emphasis for our crews and our officiating department this offseason."

To that end, Pereira said the league would emphasize again the same definition of every penalty with each crew. That began with a four-day session this past weekend with the 17 crew chiefs. It will continue with the annual three-day officials clinic in July for all 120 zebras, then in their trips to training camps this summer.

In addition, Pereira thinks two high-tech tools will help make penalties more uniform. Officials have a private Web site now that has video capabilities and allows each official to go online at any time in or out of season to check the league's catalog of calls. "If an official wants to see all the illegal contact calls, for instance, he can go to the site and watch them all, one after another," Pereira said. Last season, 119 of 120 officials used the site, he said. Also, the league is working on technology that would enable it to hand all officials a computer CD when they leave the stadium after games. On the disk will be each play of the game in triplicate -- from the wide end-zone angle, from the sideline angle, and from the TV tape of the game. Officials will be urged to bring laptops with them so they can watch the tape of their game flying home afterward, while the game is still fresh in their minds.

"We've got great officials in this league," said Pereira. "Now it's up to us to train them so that penalties are the same in every game. I think we need to be clear that it's impossible for every crew to get every call right. But we need to be sure that going into the game every official's definition of a penalty is the same. Judgment may overshadow that at times, but I know our guys will try to do it. We're going to win the battle."

I hope so. I appreciate Pereira's effort, anyway. We'll be watching.

Scouting officials. What will they think of next?

... With Oakland owner Al Davis, whose Raiders have the second pick in the draft later this month and who held court, in an impromptu way, near the close of the NFL meetings with a few scribes. Turns out he loves women's hoops.

MMQB: You've been watching the women's basketball tournament. What do you think of UConn?

Davis: I've been watching [the Huskies] now for six or seven years. I am amazed at the progress women have made in the world of sports. It is unbelievable how far they've come from my day, [when I was] growing up in Massachusetts and New York City. I watch this girl from UConn, what's her name?

MMQB: Diana Taurasi?

Davis: That's right. She has a lot of ability. She's from California. She's really good. I know Duke. I watch the Blue Devils. I know Tennessee. The team that intrigues me is the one from Minnesota.

MMQB: Any interest in Eli Manning, drafting No. 2?

Davis: You think I'm gonna tell you that?

Lots of interesting opinions this week.

CLARETT AND WILLIAMS WILL END UP VICTIMS. From Matthew Jones of San Jose, Calif.: "I see a dangerous situation brewing with the appeal to overturn the Maurice Clarett decision. I didn't agree with the ruling in the first place, but now Clarett and Mike Williams have hired agents and are preparing for the draft. If the decision is overturned what will happen to these young men? I assume the NCAA will not allow these kids to return to school. I fear they will end up being the victims in this whole fiasco."

	MAILBAG Peter King will answer your questions each week in Monday Morning Quarterback: Tuesday Edition. Your name: Your e-mail address: Your home town: Enter your question:

Great point. My guess is the league won't win the appeal and the players will be included in the draft, or in a supplemental draft before training camps open. So I don't think Clarett and Williams will need the relief you write about. If they do, it's unlikely Clarett will return to Ohio State, but I believe the NCAA will allow Williams to go back to USC this fall.

WHO'S IN THE HALL CLASS OF 2015? From Philip Slater of San Rafael, Calif.: "In looking at the current lineup of active players it is easy to spot a number of guys who will be inducted to the Hall of Fame. Most notably Brett Favre, Emmitt Smith and the immortal Jerry Rice. My question for you is beyond those active players, who do you see in the Hall of Fame 10 years or so down the road?"

Other than the three you mentioned, by 2020, here are, in order, the 11 active players (not including Bruce Smith, who is a lock) I think have either clinched a spot in the Hall or who are close to doing so. By "close" I mean they're within two or three very good years of being Hall-worthy. 1. Rod Woodson. 2. Marshall Faulk. 3. Jonathan Ogden. 4. Peyton Manning. 5. Randy Moss. 6. Ray Lewis. 7. Junior Seau. 8. Tim Brown. 9. Marvin Harrison. 10. Larry Allen. 11. Jerome Bettis. 12. Curtis Martin. Here's 13 through 20: Derrick Brooks, Warren Sapp, Michael Strahan, Ty Law, Darren Woodson, Jason Taylor, Rod Smith, Tony Gonzalez. Tom Brady and LaDainian Tomlinson (average season after three years: 1,521 rushing yards, 79 catches) need more than a couple of very good years to make it, but my guess is they'll have a few more. Still, they don't belong on this list yet.

ADVICE FOR THE CHARGERS FROM INDONESIA. From Rizal of Jakarta: "I don't think it makes sense for the Chargers to draft a quarterback with the No. 1 pick and wait two or three years before starting to win. What about trading down to, say, the Redskins, for the No. 5 pick and Patrick Ramsey, who's not a happy camper?"

Interesting plan, except that Joe Gibbs will not trade Ramsey. He's had a couple of opportunities to do so and turned them down, so I think you'll have to forget Ramsey. The best thing the Chargers can do is trade down with the Giants, take Iowa tackle Robert Gallery, then use the acquired picks plus their second-rounder this year to deal back up into the first round to take North Carolina State quarterback Philip Rivers.

STEALTH PATRIOTS. From Adam of South Lake Tahoe, Calif.: "I know we aren't supposed to question the management decisions of a winning Super Bowl team, but why haven't I heard anything about the Pats acquiring a running back in the offseason -- say a back like Corey Dillon?"

You can question them all you want, Adam. It's a good query. I think what you'll see them do is take a back with one of their top two picks. Chris Perry from Michigan, maybe. A bigger guy with some pass-catching ability.

ANOTHER INTERESTING SUGGESTION BY AN ENLIGHTENED READER. From Jesse of Washington: "I have noticed that you usually run suggestions in your column. So here is mine: Instead of giving each team a possession in overtime, require it to score six points or have the lead at the end of 15 minutes. This eliminates the cheap field goal that ends a great game."

The non-field-goal ending has been suggested, Jesse, and most NFL types don't want to make the overtime rules tangibly different than the rules during the first four quarters of a game. But your other suggestion intrigues me. I'm going to ask some competition committee members about it. In other words, just play a regular fifth quarter, no sudden death. Cool idea.

Jimmy Johnson and his wife, Rhonda, brought their toy poodle, Buttercup, to the league meetings at The Breakers in Palm Beach.

"I think undergraduate signings are a disgrace. Kids don't belong in the sport. They're not emotionally or physically developed enough. They should bide their time and then come into our sport. For them to get some court to say, 'OK, he can do it,' it's a bad deal for the public at large." -- Outgoing Baltimore owner Art Modell, who officially ceded his franchise to Maryland entrepreneur Steve Bisciotti last week.

Last week I wrote about the obscene price of water at The Breakers -- $8 for a 33-ounce bottle of spring water. On Tuesday, I entered my room at the hotel and found five 33-ounce bottles of Fiji and two half-size bottles, along with a fruit basket and this note from David A. Burke, vice president of sales and marketing for the hotel: "Dear Peter, Read your story on the web this morning regarding the price of our water. Hope this helps a little! Other than our pricing, I hope that your stay with us has been a pleasant one. Please let me know if there is anything else we can do for you ... Regards, Dave Burke."

First of all, Dave, thanks so much for the water. Very nice of you. And I don't mean to bite the hand that hydrates me, I really don't. I am appreciative. But I would have been much happier if you wrote me a note that said: "Dear Peter, Thanks for your concern about the water. And, you know, we've thought about what you wrote, and we have to say we agree. So as of now, we're lowering the price of our water to $3 per bottle. Thanks for the suggestion! Regards, Dave Burke."

I can dream, can't I?

1. I think it was interesting to hear Browns president Carmen Policy talk so longingly at the meetings about the 10 prime acres of Napa Valley vineyard land he purchased with an adjacent plot to build his dream home. He's going to have his own Cabernet label soon. It made me wonder how much longer Policy will toil in Cleveland instead of on his beloved wine-producing soil. Two years? Two weeks? Not that he said anything about his imminent departure, but I got the impression from our chat that Policy could leave the Browns' front office very, very soon.

2. I think the most poignant point of the meetings for me last week was watching Art Modell say good-bye after 43 years in the league. I'm like everyone else, I suppose. I hate that he moved the Browns away from the most loyal fan base (or one of them) in the league. But I can't hate the man, ever. Modell is one of the most charming, accessible, funny, charismatic people I've ever met, in or out of football. Not sure I'd ever want to work for him, and I could never in a million years defend his decision to uproot the franchise. I feel for the people in Cleveland who had such heartache back in 1995, but Modell, in total, did an awful lot of selfless things for the good of the league. I can't tell you how many people walking the paneled hallways of The Breakers last week said, "It's going to be pretty strange without Modell around," or words to that effect. He's probably going to take $100 million or so in proceeds from the Ravens sale to Bisciotti into retirement, which is good, because he's always enjoyed spending money. (Heard a great story about the Browns going to the hamlet of Platteville, Wis., in '93 or '94 to scrimmage the Bears one summer, and Modell throwing around $100 tips to the startled civilians there.) The worst thing for Modell would be to be out of the loop, which is what I'm told he absolutely dreads about retirement. When I saw him Wednesday -- he's a bit infirm after several heart and stroke issues -- an aide was leading him by the arm around the hotel. He stopped, told me a bad joke, continued for the 58th time to harp on his feelings about the 1995 SI cover that caricatured him quite unflatteringly after he moved the Browns, looked me in the eyes and said: "Hey, call me. OK?"

3. I think we're about to see two interesting things happen during the negotiations for a new TV contract between the NFL and the networks:

a. Even though the contract expires after the 2005 season, the league has sent notices to all the network partners -- CBS, ABC, FOX and ESPN -- asking that negotiations begin now. The league thinks the financial time is right to get an increase. Maybe, say, $50 million per year per network.

b. I think you might see an upstart competitor, the USA Network, try to wedge itself into the negotiations. USA's parent is GE, which owns NBC. Interesting. There sure was a lot of enmity the last time NBC bowed out of negotiations to broadcast NFL games, and it would be a great story if a GE company got into the ring with the Murdochs and Disneys and tried to steal one of the packages.

4. I think everything you hear out of the mouth of any San Diego Chargers employee regarding the draft during the next 19 days is designed with one thing and only one thing in mind: to stir up as much interest as possible in finding someone to trade up for the first overall choice in the  draft. There is no question Marty Schottenheimer likes the kid quarterback from Miami of Ohio, Ben Roethlisberger, but last week he pumped him so much it seemed obvious to all listeners that, as one said, "Marty, you doth push too hard."

5. I think these are my non-football thoughts of the week:

a. I have to admit to a certain amount of hooky-playing last week. I spent 18 innings away from The Breakers during the meetings, a couple of towns up the coast, in Jupiter watching spring training. Two observations: I think Derek Lowe's going to have a bigger year than Pedro Martinez. And I think Ramon Castro's going to hit 30 home runs for the Marlins.

b. Montclair (N.J.) High School Softball Note of the Week: If it would ever stop raining, perhaps they could play a softball game. Senior southpaw Mary Beth King did manage to hurl six innings in a frigid scrimmage at Union High last week, and I did get the first softball letter of the season. It comes from Dave Tietjen, of Huntsville, Ala. He writes: "Do ya'll play real softball up there (i.e., fast-pitch), and how do you come up with enough money to rent an indoor stadium for a game?" Yes, Dave, it is fast-pitch; I'm not sure how many places in the country still play high school slow-pitch, but it's definitely not here. Good New Jersey pitchers will throw between 54 and 60 mph. Regarding the dough to rent the bubble at Giants Stadium, the Montclair Softball Booster Club raises money for things like that, and last time we used it we got the other team to kick in half the fee.

c. Coffeenerdness: Apropos of nothing dept.: At the six-seat coffee bar at the North Palm Beach Starbucks last Wednesday, I had my laptop out and was writing some SI stuff. I probably sat there for an hour or so. A man sat next to me, stared ahead at the activity behind the counter, said nothing. He drank his coffee, talked to no one, read nothing, did nothing. For an hour. He reminded me of Seinfeld's David Puddy, the episode where Elaine and Puddy are flying home from Europe and Puddy just sits there the entire length of the flight, not doing anything or reading anything, just staring straight ahead. That is not something I can do.

d. I found a really fun TV show the other day. Airline is a sort of reality show about the fun and adventure and bitching and moaning of flying Southwest Airlines. It's on A&E, in prime time, on Monday night. I never would have believed they could make me care whether some old lady is allowed to fly from Chicago to Las Vegas without oxygen, but I've got to admit, there's a chance here in the offseason that I could get hooked. What is absolutely amazing is how Southwest allows cameras to show customers blistering its agents. I guess it's a plus for the airline to show how responsible and patient the agents are. Whatever, it's a pretty accurate view into some of the weird things that happen at airports and on airplanes.

e. Anyone have any ideas what to do about the two-minute, 40-second traffic lights around U.S. 1 in and around West Palm Beach? I thought Lincoln Tunnel traffic was bad.

f. I don't get ESPN's Dream Job, particularly when I see the winner of the show announced on the crawl on the bottom of my TV screen, interrupting the scores. If that's entertainment, then I'm an old, old 46 right now.

g. NPR, you're making a big mistake reassigning Bob Edwards from Morning Edition to some gobbledygook role as "senior correspondent." He's been the voice in my kitchen for 20 years of breakfasts. He's done nothing wrong. He's one of the best interviewers God ever put on the planet. Give us some reason for making this change. I beg you.

6. I think the issue that flew under the radar last week, amid the Clarett court ruling and the instant replay stuff, was the NFL Trust. The control of the league's logos and merchandising, pooled equally for years, had to be renewed when it expired last Wednesday. And it was, by a 26-3 count, with three abstentions (Miami, Dallas and Washington). Although the NFL Trust does not apply to TV revenue, what scared some in the league was that if the Trust dissolved, would some maverick owner -- Dan Snyder, perhaps -- one day challenge the arrangement that splits TV money equally between the 32 teams? The Trust divvies up money that might account for maybe $4 million or $5 million per year per team, but by extending the Trust for 15 years, the league takes away the chance that the TV deal will be threatened any time soon.

7. I think I am torn about the NFL Network and its access. On the one hand, I'm bitter that I've covered the league meetings for the last 21 springs and never had the access the league gave the network last week at the meetings. On the other hand, I was very interested in the network's six-minute piece that featured cameras inside the debate over instant replay. It's stuff I've always wanted to see, like Houston GM Charley Casserly, a replay devotee, saying: "Our game is a made-for-TV sport. If we don't have replay, we're still gonna have replay. We'll be second-guessed forever." Great point. Replay was approved for a five-year term. Coming out of the video inside the meetings, NFL Network host Rich Eisen said: "It's like NFL C-Span."

8. I think the reason NFL writers' jobs are going to be harder -- and the non-NFL Network media people will have a more difficult job being insightful -- is that once the season starts, coaches and players are going to set aside only so much time for the press, and most guys are going to be inclined when they have a choice to choose the NFL Network, which will portray them as white knights. Example: Last week, during a session with a few reporters, Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden found himself in a cluster with the NFL Network, ESPN's Chris Mortensen and FOX information czar John Czarnecki. Gruden pointed at the NFL Network fellow and said: "All access." He pointed to Mort and said: "Some access." He pointed to Czarnecki and said: "No access." Everyone laughed. I'm not sure how funny that's going to be when the affable Gruden shuts off the media spigot after spending a big chunk of time with the NFL Network this fall.

9. I think, speaking of Gruden, it was funny (and telling) to hear Al Davis talk about Gruden's legendary 3:17 a.m. wakeup calls and insanely early office hours. You realize, Davis said, that Gruden spent the first two hours of the day talking on the phone to people on the East Coast. Al chuckled. Maybe he was kidding. I'm not sure.

10. I think Corey Dillon goes to Oakland or Dallas on draft day for a fourth-round pick. Probably Oakland.

Sports Illustrated senior writer Peter King covers the NFL beat for the magazine and is a regular contributor to SI.com. Monday Morning Quarterback appears in this space every week.