ESPN Classic games

[trocared]

I love watching ESPN Classic college football games, especially late 80's & early 90's vintage.
Like most officials, I find myself watching the game officials work the game more than anything else. Absolutley no disrespect intended to the officials of that era, but mechanics wise, we have come a long way in a realitively short time.
Generally, todays officials seem to look more "fluid". Specifically the most obvious improvment, imo, is "dead ball" officiating. Many times you will see wing officials facing the field of play, marking the spot, instead of facing the action out of bounds.
....how did we evolve so quickly? Many conference assignors are nfl officials, who seem to train the conference officials in a uniform manner, simular, if not identical, to nfl mechanics. Is this a good thing?
College football has evolved just as quick, looking more like a nfl lite version of the game than the fulll backfield, grind it out game of the 80's. In short, is college football or the nfl better off because of this change?...both better?
I certainly have my own opinions, becuase as I was watching NFL highlights last week, my heart fluttered a bit as I saw a version of the wing T showing itself again on the biggest stage in America.
Thoughts anyone???
Cheers,
tro

[Jim D]

In the earlier era, there was much less coverage on TV and less film review by supervisors and crews. Films had to be developed, shipped etc. and multiple camera angles, etc. weren't available.

A lot of the changes are due just to how things look on TV and film. For example, squaring in requires an official to take an indirect route to the spot. It's done because it looks sharp on TV/film, but this change probably leads to poorer coverage.

Some changes, such as working wide are results of changes to the game - faster more athletic players, better fields, changes in the offensive philosphy.

Other changes are like out of bounds coverage may be due to prior problems that weren't noticed until more and better film review was available.

Overall, I think the tremendous increase in film review is the driving factor in most changes.

[ajmc]

Holy Cow, has, "especially late 80's & early 90's" become, "vintage" already? Mechanics, like everything else in an evolving environment, needs to adjust to keep pace.

So many facets of the game of football, from strategy, tactics, training, conditioning, team speed have changed significantly over those years, due in some large degree, to technology which may not have been previously readily available to many programs at various levels.

More and more levels (sadly not all) have recognized the changes and have increased the number of officials assigned to a greater levels of the sport, and the size of an officiating crew is a major factor in the mechanics employed.

Tremendously increased access to film, video, training materials, conditioning techniques, diet, exercise routines have brought techniques and practices previously enjoyed only by the elite programs to virtually universal availability at younger and younger levels.

Keep in mind, however, that football is still basically a game, of serious physical contact, played by participants between the ages of 6 and 60 and not all practices, policies and expectations developed for grown men possessing superior physical attributes apply themselves practically to growing teenagers, or younger, even though they may see themselves as being capable of adopting them.

[OverAndBack]

Originally Posted by ajmc

Holy Cow, has, "especially late 80's & early 90's" become, "vintage" already?

She hates time, make it stop
When did Motley Crue become classic rock?
And when did Ozzy become an actor?
Please make this stop, stop, STOP