We’re putting in something new this year. We’ve generally got a bunch of ideas for little things that would make for borderline stand-alone posts. Now on a (hopefully) weekly basis, we plan to empty our brains and paper scraps of those items in a “Zoneblitz Notebook.”

This will give us an opportunity to feature not only a few more of our own blurbs, but also a chance to feature other works from around the Internet that we find interesting. We’re still tinkering with the format, but in general we’ll pick two or three main topics and several other items with links to supporting source materials. If you run across something that might be an interesting addition to the notebook, please feel free to drop us a line or a link in the comments section below. In the meantime, here’s the first installment of the Zoneblitz Notebook.

Replacement refs overblown: It’s not all that often that I agree with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, whose team has been more or less irrelevant since he ran out Jimmy Johnson. But he’s right in his observations regarding the league’s referees, who will be locked out through at least the first week of the regular season.

He noted last week on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas (which was picked up by ProFootballTalk.com) that he isn’t terribly concerned about winning or losing games because of referees in part because the mistakes generally even out and that the permanent refs make mistakes too.

“As long as it’s consistent, then how it affects the games may not be as much,” Jones told the radio station, according to PFT.
I think the rancor surrounding replacement referees is a little blown out of proportion. Yes, the replacements looked goofy several times during the preseason. Sure, during the preseason, they made some embarrassing and obvious gaffes, particularly with respect to spotting the ball, calling pass interference penalties and other mess-ups.

But I think this is just an issue on which the NFL teams are going to have to suck it up. Both teams have to deal with them. In all likelihood, they won’t be around for long. And if they are, their performance is likely going to improve as they get accustomed to the game.

It’s not like the officiating from week to week with the permanent refs is spotless. And I also find it unlikely that the replacement refs are going to miss something so blatant that it is going to cause a major injury, as has been speculated in some places.

Don’t get me wrong, I hope permanent referees do ultimately get a deal done soon. The game is definitely smoother when they are in there. But if the lockout results in at least some of the permanent officials becoming full-time refs, then I think it’s a stance worth taking for the league.

In with the new, out with the bad: Seven head coaches will be leading new teams this weekend, four of them getting their first chances at the top job in the NFL. Kickoff Wednesday also starts the inevitable countdown for coaches on the hot seat. At least a half-dozen enter the season with jobs on the line. Here are my top six at-risk coaches as the season starts:

6. Andy Reid, Philadelphia – It’s obvious he’s on the hot seat. Owner Jeffrey Lurie made it clear heading into camp that another lackluster season was not going to be tolerated. Thing is, I think the Eagles have solved many of the problems that plagued them last season. The Giants are good and the Cowboys can’t be discounted. The Eagles will be in the mix. Win and Reid likely stays. Lose and there will be a new head man in Philly for the first time in quite awhile.

5. Pat Shurmur, Cleveland – I don’t think this will be a warranted sacking. Cleveland’s talent-level has improved immensely the last two seasons. But there’s a new owner in town. There have been rumblings that the entire front office could be on the way out. If it does, Shurmur will catch on elsewhere, but it’s likely he’ll be looking.

4. Leslie Frazier, Minnesota – Frazier seems like a great guy and it isn’t like he caught a big break with the roster he inherited. Two things will cost him. He’s made some game day coaching decisions that have stuck with him. And Rick Spielman was named general manager during the offseason and I have a hunch he is going to want “his guy” starting next year.

3. Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys – Garrett was groomed by Jones to take over as head coach while Wade Phillips was running things in the Big D. I’m not convinced Garrett is a bad coach, but he hasn’t gotten the job done so far. And it’s not like Jones is going to fire himself. Unless the Cowboys overcome a few early injuries and make a run into the playoffs, I would expect Garrett will be packing his bags at the end of 2012, if not sooner.

2. Rex Ryan, New York Jets – This guy’s bravado is going to catch up with him. Despite two conference championship game appearances in his first two seasons, he’s shot his mouth off so much that he’s even more visible – and as such vulnerable – coaching in the huge New York market than he would have been had he kept his mouth shut. A bad offense will doom his season and cost him the job.

1. Norv Turner, San Diego – this team has chronically underachieved. And they’re not as good as they have been in recent years. Turner is a great coordinator but I would be surprised if he is patrolling the sidelines in San Diego at the start of the 2013 season.

Strahan replaces Regis: In news that might matter little to football fans, Michael Strahan has become the permanent co-host with Kelly Ripa on what will be known as the “Live with Kelly and Michael” show. Fans haven’t necessarily been missing the lug. He’s still slated to be on the Fox NFL pregame show. Now you can watch him every morning during the week as well. The show has been teaming temporary replacements with Ripa since the retirement of Regis Philbin. … At least I think it has. I can’t say I’m a regular viewer.

Life well lived: We’ve been seeing a lot of reporting on the post-football lives of a lot of former players in recent months. This is rightfully so, given the problems many are having with depression, memory, brain damage and other symptoms likely tied to head injuries suffered while playing the game. I came across this obit today on a guy who apparently suffered none of those post-career effects.

In fact Len Gardner Tuffy McCormick apparently lived a fascinating life before, during and after his playing days. That life included tours during World War II and the Korean War and, success in the oil business and as a lawyer. McCormick was friends with the likes of Barron Hilton and Frank Sinatra, according to his obituary, and was a pallbearer at the funeral of J. Edgar Hoover, founder of the FBI. This guy leaves the Earth after a life well lived.

Wacky Wednesday Night: The NFL usually doesn’t play on Wednesday. Tonight’s game was moved due to conflicts with President Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention. But it isn’t the first time the league has played on Wednesday. New York Giants’ blog Big Blue View had a post yesterday that looked into the history of Wednesday games. In honor of the fast-approaching kickoff, enjoy the read.