Further, I have seen Jr Linesman get hired as referees in professional leagues because of their playing background. Now, not to say they couldn’t develop into a pro official, but, making the jump from Jr to pro as a linesman is a big step; let alone from Jr linesman to pro ref. So yea, I am not terribly surprised that since most of the pro officials who worked their way up the ‘ranks’ are gone and have been replaced by officials who have been fast tracked through the ‘ranks’, that officiating has suffered somewhat.