Can't wait till I get that sort of situation in my next game, so I can explain to a Captain or Coach that I am giving the O a 1st Down because of Euclidean geometry..... ;)

But seriously, when I work the chains, I make sure my WH doesn't do a measure in that sort of situation by reminding him we started on (eg) the 20.

I also have a problem with HL's who allow the chain crew to be lazy and set up 6 feet back rather than set up on the sideline for accuracy, then move back for safety. If I'm assessing, that's a surefire ding on the HL.....

Thanks...that (was the bat legal under NCAA rules) was actually part of the reason I posted, but I was not clear about that. It was certainly not meant of a criticism of the officials.

As R, I see the ball touching the 30 and we have a first down, no measurement. As mentioned above, common sense! Also, U's use the field markings not your stride in marching off penalties. I had a U once on a 1/10 mark off two consecutive encroachments on the D and he still was short of the LTG! :)

All lines *MIGHT* be straight, but 2 weeks ago I had a straight line going from the 30 on the guest sideline to the 35 on the home sideline... Fun!

Exactly! What makes anyone think the line the chain was put on was any straighter than the one the ball reached?

The whole system we use is only accurate if all lines we use do not elbow anywhere, and they are all parallel or perpendicular where required.

In addition, when measuring, the links have to parallel to the sideline.

That's why I'm thinking about developing a system to remove the need for the chain crew to come out: have 4 transceivers at the back corners of the EZ. The U has a clicker (something like a baseball counter) and when a measurement is needed, simply places the clicker at the front of the ball, and the 4 transceivers quadangulate the position of the ball and tell you if it's a 1D or not. Accuracy is 100% guaranteed.

Exception - Wormhole

Pronunciation: \ˈwərm-ˌhōl\

Function: noun

Date: 1593

1 : a hole or passage burrowed by a worm

2 : a hypothetical structure of space-time envisioned as a long thin tunnel connecting points that are separated in space and time ;)

Note: the second definition probably does NOT date from 1593.

Also, I think JR explicitly referred to Euclidean space, where his claim is correct and is exceptionless. Whatever space-time is, it's almost certainly not Euclidean. ;)

Who can bend space time? Hiro Nakamura.

See the baseball forum, search for rising fastball... :eek:

Now you've done it... :eek:

There has been way too much freaking math on this forum today. :)

I'm gonna tell you what...it may sound crazy, but I'll bet they figure out a way to do it in the next 10-15 years.

The question is, would you want it? Would it make your job easier or play with your mind?

By "too much," do you mean twice as much as there should be? 3.5 times as much?