NFL Network Super Bowl Replays

[JRutledge]

Have any of you watched these games? I have been watching Super Bowl XIII between Dallas and Pittsburgh. You know the game where Jackie Smith dropped the ball.

Well I am watching these mechanics and they are horrible. Well at least compared to today’s officials. I am wondering if anyone can answer a basic question. Where there any set mechanics or expectations as there are today? Or have in the last 20 years or so there was more of a structure? It seems like officials are just running around at the spots with no rhyme or reason. I know there was some positioning, but I am wondering was there any specifics on how to spot the ball or keep space from players like there are today. It seems like in today’s officiating has more structure as to how to move and when looking at these old games, they are just running around with like a chicken with their head cut off.

Peace

[NewGuy]

I was watching the same game earlier tonight and was thinking the same thing. The officials seemed to have certain places to start, but no particular mechanics after that. The high school players that help officiate youth ball around here have better mechanics than used back then. Being a young guy myself (22), I'd never seen an old game like this, I guess as an officiating group we have made hugs leaps in looking professional over a couple of decades.

[Texas Aggie]

I've noticed this about as long as there have been replays of older games, but mostly from the college level. Its amazing that the little things, like the stopping the clock signal done while running full speed when not necessarily, by these guys doesn't look good even though they've done it for 20+ years.

Things seem to look better from the mid-80s on, so your 20 year assessment is about right.

[Jim D]

The same basic coverage was there but the mechanics were much less choreographed than they are today. The current practices of sidestepping, squaring off and moves like that developed over the years, possibly in response to the video reviews by officials showing that certain moves looked better on film.

[HLin NC]

I watched it last night and noticed that they seemed real herky -jerky in their movements. In fact in older films I've noticed a lot of jumping over players to get the ball or spot.

It almost looked to me once that a side judge ran in and got a spot on a relatively short running play

I noticed the chains on the sideline and the HL working in some too.

Things have definitely changed.

[Jim D]

The chains worked on the sideline until the sometime in the 80's. Later they moved back about 6 " or so then finally they started the white marking around the field and they moved back to there. Ed Marrion was the HL who championed moving the chains off the sideline because he had a chain crew guy get hurt in a game he was working.

[FredFan7]

I recently was able to watch some NFL games from the early 80s. What I noticed was the deep officials (SJ, FJ, BJ) would let the play PASS them and chase the ball carrier to the endzone. It would often result in the HL and LJ running five yards behind the deep wings. The two wing officials on the same sideline would often converge on the goal-line on 10 yard TD runs and both would arrive at the goal-line at the same time and both signal TD.

I also noticed the wings angled to the dead ball spot and didn't square off coming in the get the forward progress. Then also would charge in to get the spot and not lay back and observe the action. I've seen games from the 60s where one offical actually STRADDLED a player to get the ball and the spot; the player couldn't get up!

Also, the referee would step off penalties and then make his signals. It took penalty enforcements over twice as long.

These officials were the best in their day (Cal Lepore, Fred Silva, Pat Haggerty, Jerry Bergman, Dean Look, Jack Fette, Bob Beeks, Burl Toler, Fritz Graf and more). However, the mechanics taught today are worlds better. It would have been fun to see those officials work with today's mechanics.

[JasonTX]

It makes you wonder what the officials 30 years from now will be saying about our mechanics of today.

[MJT]

Originally Posted by JasonTX

It makes you wonder what the officials 30 years from now will be saying about our mechanics of today.

I really don't think there will that many changes in the future. Mechanics have settled in pretty well. As long as it stays 7-man and the R or U are not moved to different locations. If either one of them are moved we'd have some major mechanic changes. I don't see happening.

[FredFan7]

The only change I could see in the future is a change in uniform (probably from knickers to pants) or next generation equipment (I don't know what that would be).

[Ed Hickland]

Changes in mechanics tend to come from on high, in this case meaning the NFL. As officials move up they bring back new and different mechanics.

Some of the mechanic changes in my time are: use of the beanbag, especially,to mark spots on loss of possession; the use of hand signals to indicate the number of players on the field; wingman signals to indicate players on or off the line.

As offenses and defenses become more dynamic at the high school level we will start to see more mechanics changes to cover these schemes.

[Forksref]

I started back in the day of black socks with no stripes. Knickers were baggier. I don't remember much instruction in mechanics, like we have now.

Looking at some old game films, I saw officials literally jumping off the ground as they threw their hands up to signal a TD. It looks so dramatic.

Things have changed for the better in terms of mechanics but I am opposed to the new stuff like blue bags, pants and goofy looking shirts.

[Jim D]

A lot of the mechanics changes over the last 10 - 15 years have come more from watching the game on TV or on film more than actual need. I'm not sure the coverage is better (it is from adding more officials, of course) but things like squaring off, etc. just look sharper. Habits like jumping just look goofy when you see them on film. Based on that, I don't think there will be as many mechanics changes in the next 15 years as there were in the last 15.

While new materials and styles will have some affect, I hope we all have stripes and white knickers forever.

[Ed Hickland]

One thing not mentioned was shorts. I think they look so tacky, especially, on some officials who seem to have last their way to the gym.

I was glad to see stirrup socks go as for me keeping them in my shoes was impossible. While it has just happened the flag hanging out of the back pocket is no longer done and, of course, the double shooter with a flag hanging from each pocket.

What I would like to see is abolishment of shorts. More comfortable shirts -- cotton is the best material for warm weather, Honigs had one this past season. Allowance for design on shoes.

Mechanics at the high school level moving coaches, players and chain crews off the sidelines leaving room for wings to work the sidelines without having to avoid them. And, I am still looking for a signal to indicate to teh crew that the clock stops at the end of the down -- the snapper protection signal used to be used for that purpose.