NFL Refs Make A Triumphant Return To Football- Dirty Laundry

The NFL's regular referees returned to the gridiron last night to thundering applause from the crowd. They even got a personal welcome-back hug from Ray Lewis.As you know by now, the NFL reached a deal yesterday with the real refs ending the lockout.

As the entered the field for the Ravens-Browns match up, the refs each tipped their caps in a show of appreciation for fans' support. Referee Gene Steratore, a 10-year NFL veteran, donned his No. 114 and strode onto the field to cheers.

"You know we always pride ourselves in being a face without a name," Steratore told The Associated Press about an hour before kickoff. "This will be a little different, but I don't expect it to last too long. And that's the goal is that we can let them get through that portion of this. It's happy to be back, it's happy to be appreciated. But then as soon as the game starts, it's happy to disappear again and let the entertainers entertain."

Now it's only a matter of time before they screw up a call and we can trash them too.

Oh by the way, Joe Flacco threw 356 yards and a touchdown as the Ravens knocked off the browns 23-16 last night.