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Mark:
"And I hate to say it, but television is one of the big reasons why."
I don't hate to say it. In fact, I've been expounding this for years. I have heard only one announcer who knows the rules of his sport. And that is Chick Hearn of the Lakers. I have never heard a baseball announcer (and the former player "color" guys are pitiful) who knows the difference between a "foul ball" and "foul tip". Just today, the Rockies announcer said a ball that was fouled off the catcher's feet was "foul tipped". That makes, at least, 1,000 times. Has anyone heard a football announcer who knows the difference between a "muff" and a "fumble" on a kick? Many years ago, I was listening to an L. A. Rams' pre-season game. The Ram QB dropped back into the end zone to pass, and one of the linemen held a defender in the EZ. The ref signalled a safety, and the announcer went berserk. "I've been announcing NFL games for seven years, and I never heard of this". Dick Bass (former Ram RB) was the color guy. He never saw such a horrible call in the time he played ball. Of course, neither of these clowns ever read a rule book. And, the big problem is, they believe they know more than the officials, and the general public also thinks so.
Now these TV watchers go to their kids' games and go by what they saw and heard on TV. And, even worse, they, and even HS coaches, don't know the difference between pro rules and youth rules. If it were my decision, no one would be allowed to announce any sport until they took a course in rules from certified officials. And get a passing grade.
Bob
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