Instant Replay

[mountainman]

Look, guys. From where I sit, this whole instant replay thing is getting a little out of hand.

What can be so difficult about somebody setting up in a booth and watching a replay of a close play. They may have to do it a couple of times from different angles, but the conclusive evidence to uphold or overturn a call made on the field is either there or it isn't.

Having the coaching staff's throwing red flags or having to use time outs in order to give the replay guys time to make up their minds is ridiculous. There job is to coach ... not officiate.

Since the objective of the whole replay thing is to "get it right", then give the guys in the booth and the officials on the field time to get it right. If the officials on the field or the guys in the booth have reason to believe a play needs to be reviewed then they should be 'buzzing' each other. The officials on the field should be able to ask for help from the replay guys. An official on the field knows whether or not he got a good look at a play. They are allowed to ask each other, so why not check with the booth guys instead of making the call and then being buzzed?

They say they don't want to slow the game down or extend the time it takes to play a game, but you can't have your cake and eat it too. Especially since the whole idea is to get it right.

[Spence]

That is how it works most of the time. If a play is really close most "reply" officials buzz for play to be stopped. Since they don't use replay in the sunbelt conference, the guy they had doing replay must of just been watching as a fan.

The time it takes to do it hasn't been a problem and for the most part it has worked pretty well. In the end, though, what ever the officials do or don't do is up to them and the teams must accept the final results and move on.

[Eric]

I agree with Mountainman, if there is anybody who thinks their call was questionable, it would be the referees. I think there needs to be some change, some of these rules are nonsense.

[mountainman]

Actually what was reported, by ESPN, to have happened was that the buzzer from the booth to the game official wasn't working. Once they found it out and fixed it things went better.

I believe they rules guys ought to consider having the buzzing going both ways. The booth guys can buzz the officials and the officials can buzz the replay guys. I know I'm repeating myself, but just in case that point wasn't clear.

Eric, I was just adding fuel to the fire when teasing about Coach Carr. The officials should have let him have his time out back though since it was a technical error with the buzzing system.

By the way, most seem to have forgotten about the desperation Hail Mary pass Penn State pulled off to beat Northwestern.

[mountainman]

I am so pleased.

On Monday, Division 1-A coaches voted against the use of a coach's challenge at the American Football Coaches Association convention.

Atta boy, coaches.

[Spence]

I am so pleased.

On Monday, Division 1-A coaches voted against the use of a coach's challenge at the American Football Coaches Association convention.

I am too. I wasn't the biggest fan of replay, but it seemed to work pretty well under the current rules, so I'm in their corner on keeping it. If they can get it right they should do it, but coaches challenge would add gamesmanship into the equation and add time to the games. If the replay official see sufficiant reason to stop and check that's fine, but other then that let them play.

Replay will never take the place of having good officials. The Outback bowl proved that we should make sure the guys in stripes know what they are doing in the forst place.

[Yeofoot]

It would solve a whole lot of problems if we just had better refs. Most of these guys ref as a hobby, they have other jobs they do during the week. Maybe it's the capitalist in me speaking, but pay them more, we pay the refs more, we attract better refs and retain good refs. Throw money at the problem. Maybe go with ref-cams, so we see what they see in the replays. Then again, no matter what happens with the refs, they are the easiest people to blame when your team loses, much like the USC fans keep trying to do. It's funny, they're kinda political about it. "I totally congratulate Texas on a great game, but c'mon, those refs, and that goofball pitch by Bush". It's like the stages of loss, first is Denial. It's okay though, we won. Oh yeah, the other one I hear a lot of "Texas didn't beat us, Vince Young did." No, Texas did. Texas did what a lot of teams couldn't, they believed in a kid, and gave him a chance. A lot of people wanted Mack Brown to move VY to receiver, a lot of them wanted to make him change his style. Any other team, VY would have been wasted, Mack Brown brought out the best in him, his lineman certainly helped also.

[mountainman]

There certainly are a couple of items that need attention and to be fixed:

1. Officiating, especially bowl officiating, has to improve.

2. College football absolutely needs to get a grip on instant reply.

These have been two of the biggest grips all season and need to be addressed before next season gets underway. Training or re-certification classes, add another official to deal with replay communication, get a replay system that actually works and is tested before each game and maybe even has a back-up ..... I don't know what all the problems are, just the results, but these things need to be improved ....

[Spence]

I believe that for the most part the officiating is pretty good. If my team loses I can always point to something the official did or didn't do that cost us. In the end, though, teams generally lose because they don't score enough points.

[mountainman]

Spence, are you drinking again on a Tuesday?

"In the end, though, teams generally lose because they don't score enough points."

Really?


P.S. I gotta learn how to use that quote thing !!!

[Spence]

Sometimes the simple answer is the one that is the best answer.

Quote - Highlight what you want to quote, then click on the quote box. That should do it for you.

[mountainman]

Thanks for the tip, I'll give it a try next time.

Generally the one that scores the most points wins ....... Geeeez

By the way, I see where CBSportsline has the Buckeyes rated #1 going into the '06 season.

Everybody in the Big Ten is already dissecting the Buckeyes while looking for a way to beat 'em next season, but I suspect you already know that.

[Spence]

People are too in love with our offense. Ohio State has to prove something on defense to DESERVE being ranked that high. As bad as we played in the Fiesta Bowl, I guess because we beat the great Charlie Weis qualifies us to be favorite to win it all next year. All I know is that for as long as I can remember, if you don't have a good defense - you don't win the B-10. I hope we gel early on defense, but I can't help but think these guys who do the preseason polls have no knowledge of the teams they vote on. I would love to be wrong, but I think we lose 2 or 3 next year.

MM, I always here people blame the officials when they lose. Even if it is fair, in the end it is up to the team to overcome it. I will have another beer thought.

[mountainman]

Something went 'bump in the night' and I lost the reply I was writing.

I'm to lazy to retype it, but in a nutshell, I understand and know what you mean.