March 1995
An official called the magazine to find out why one of the members of his high school crew was not included in the NFL roster published by Referee. The easy answer was that Stephen Peterson wasn’t on the league staff.
Peterson, who bore a resemblance to NFL head linesman Aaron Pointer, had hoodwinked his friends, the local newspaper, fellow residents of Shawnee, Okla., and even his family into believing he was hired by the NFL after attending a camp in Minot, N.D.
Peterson agreed to an interview and he finally acknowledged his deception. Despite the threat of being ejected for trespassing, a photographer hired by Referee was able to snap a photo of Peterson and his crew before a high school game. That was just another facet in one of the more fascinating stories this magazine has ever encountered.
- 1990s
