LITTLE ROCK — Football referees may be used to irate fans calling them blind, but an Arkansas eye clinic is taking the traditional taunt over a perceived blown call a little further.
Fayetteville's McDonald Eye Associates is offering free vision correction to any field or booth official who worked the Razorbacks' loss Saturday to the Auburn Tigers, a game where several controversial calls earned the ire of Arkansas fans and an official review requested by the school.
The clinic said it is offering the free surgery, which is valued at around $4,000, largely because of two calls that went against the Razorbacks and led to Auburn touchdowns in the 65-43 loss.
Joel Nunneley, a managing partner for Medical Consulting Group, said the tongue-in-cheek promotion is a "sincere offer," but the clinic isn't expecting any officials to actually take advantage of the surgery.
"But you never know," he said. "If one of the officials shows up, we'll help them out at no charge."
The offer will expire in a couple weeks, Nunneley said.