10 questions with Pete Morelli

St. Mary's High School principal Pete Morelli, 55, has been an NFL official for 10 years. He has been a referee, which oversees the officiating crew working a game, since 2003. (Under terms of a six-year contract signed in 2001, 10-year officials made $63,900 in 2006, and referees made an additional $10,000)

Pete Morelli

Morelli graduated from St. Mary's, where he played football and baseball. He also played baseball at St. Mary's College in Moraga.

Morelli and his wife, Cynthia, have two grown sons, Matthew and Daniel. Cynthia Morelli is a teacher at Larson Elementary in Lodi.

Q: When and where did you get your start in officiating?

A: I started officiating high school football with my father and uncles in San Joaquin (County) in 1970.

Q: You worked Super Bowl XXXVI in 2002 (Patriots-Rams). What was that experience like?

A: It was an exciting experience and an intense game. It was the culmination of a career in officiating to reach the pinnacle game.

(The game) was different in the fact that every play was played 100 percent. Some games players may take plays off. It was a very difficult and intense game (to officiate). You have to really concentrate and you can't relax. You have to be focused.

Q: You made a controversial call in the Steelers-Colts playoff game last season when you overturned an interception by Pittsburgh's Troy Polamalu and ruled it an incomplete pass. (The NFL issued a statement later that week saying the wrong call was made; the Steelers still went on to win the game).

Later that week, someone threw a rock through the front window of your home. Were you surprised at the reaction and were there any other repercussions, such as hate mail?

A: I was surprised, to that extent (someone throwing a rock through his window). There were minimal e-mails. On the flip side, I heard from a lot of Steelers fans who were disappointed in that behavior.

Q: During that time did you ever consider quitting?

A: No, I made an error and just moved on. I learned from it.

Q: Looking back, what did you learn from that experience?

A: You learn to work ... it's team work. With replay, besides the referee, it's the people up there (in the booth). You learn to communicate better.

Q: What's the best call you've ever made, and did it bring any positive exposure?

A: During my first year I was officiating a game between the (Minnesota) Vikings and (Detroit) Lions when the Lions had Barry Sanders.

With eight seconds to go and the game in Minnesota, I called a pass interference in favor of Detroit that put the ball at the 1-yard line. On the next play the Lions scored on a touchdown catch by Herman Moore and won the game.

After the game, officiating supervisor Jerry Seeman came in and congratulated me on making the correct call. It was the right call.

Q: What's the funniest thing a coach or player has said or done to you?

A: Well, Brian Urlacher told me my partner stunk and I was very good.

In my first preseason game, Emmitt Smith tried to untie my shoes while I was standing along the sideline. I was tense and concerned with the game and he almost tied my shoestrings together. He said, 'Welcome to the NFL, rookie.'

Q: What do you think of the new referee uniforms? (The NFL switched from the traditional vertical black-and-white stripes to wide white stripes and thin black stripes that flare around the shoulders).

A: Basically, the material is very nice. The short-sleeve (shirt) is light-weight and good on hot days. I don't know about the design. The numbers are hard to see.

The long-sleeve (shirts) need some work.

Q: As a principal, would you like to carry a flag and penalize students when necessary?

A: No. That's kind of funny, but it's not necessary.

Q: What's your Super Bowl pick?

A: I don't know. I like underdogs.

One team is better on offense, and one better on defense. I had them both this season.

Peyton (Manning) is a pretty nice man. He always comes up and says hello. (Marvin) Harrison doesn't say anything. Lovie Smith is a very nice man.

First published: Friday, February 2, 2007