Zebra
A game official
Example
How was that not a catch?!?
These zebras are blind out here!
Related Slang
NFL | National Football League |
NHL | National Hockey League |
ref | Referee |
FOMOF | Fear of missing out on football |
FOMOH | Fear of missing out on hockey |
SNF | Sunday Night Football |
MNF | Monday Night Football |
TNF | Thursday Night Football |
Zebra is a nickname given to an official of a sporting event, typically a football or hockey game. The name comes from the similarity between the official's black and white striped uniform and the stripes on a zebra.
The term is typically meant to be derogative, comparing the IQ of an official to the IQ of a zebra. It is commonly used when complaining about an official that missed a call or made a bad call. It is most often used in college or professional football or hockey. However, fans may refer to officials in any sport as zebras.
In football, there are usually seven officials on the field during a game. The different positions are referee, umpire, down judge, line judge, field judge, side judge, or back judge. In hockey, there are usually four officials, which include two referees and two linesmen.