Quote:
Originally posted by MJT
I could see something like a chip being used at some point. What I am suprised we have not already seen is a laser of some sort used to measure for 1st downs. When a new LTG has been established, a mark exactly 10 yards downfield is set and then when the officials place the ball down it is obvious, quick, and easy to tell if the LTG is reached, or how much is needed for a 1st down. This seems like an easy thing for the NFL to do and it would speed up the game, which they are always interested in doing.
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10-yard chains are imprecise at best, especially at lower levels. And even if they're accurate, spotting the ball is hardly an exact science (though I try my best) - heck, half the time I'm told to spot it on a yard mark whenever close. (See that one commercial from 2004(?) for further commentary on this idea.)
BUT - the NFL will pretty much never get rid of them, for the simple reason that they provide dramatic tension. Replay is a technology that works for the mass market because it serves to increase suspense, and with coaches' challenges, it adds another element for fans to second-guess after the game. A line-to-gain laser would take away the moment just as the chain is being stretched where every pair of eyes in the stadium is fixed on that one spot.