PITTSBURGH (NewsRadio 1020 KDKA) – The 2012 NFL season will kick off with part-time and fill-in referees, at least for the first game of the season, thanks to a lockout of the league’s regular refs.

As the leagues and the referees fight over contracts and pensions, we will witness football officiated by inexperienced refs that some say are slowing down the game and making bad calls.

KDKA-AM’s Larry Richert talks to former NFL referee and Pittsburgher Sanford Rivers about why the lockout continues and how it could affect regular season play.