Interference - Cowboys Lions

[hbk314]

Originally Posted by ajmc

Considering the unbelievable success of football, at all levels, especially the NFL, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" sounds like good advice even to those nit pickers who strive for some imaginary perfection.

Football is a game planned by humans, played by humans and currently officiated by humans all of which are subject to error and mistakes, which as long as they are honest and unbiased, are part of the challenge that makes the game so popular.

Humans aren't perfect meaning all levels of Judges aren't perfect, why would anyone realisticly expect sports officiating to be perfect. The clamor about "mistakes" comes largely from fans (short for fanatics) who usually have little actual knowledge about what they are complaining about, Coaches, who by definition and purpose are clearly biased and Sportscasters and other Pundits whose job it is to babble.

Having the ability to turn EVERYTHING into video games doesn't mean it will be a good idea. Enjoy the game, as it is, with all it's challenges, twists, turns and occassional questions, that people choose to NEVER agree about. We all need to be really careful about messing with any Goose that lays golden eggs, year after year after year.

But what's your opinion on my proposed implementation if it got to that point? I wouldn't want it to change how plays are officiated, leading to flags being thrown because they can "fix" it on replay.

I brought it up because it's been talked about over the last few years. The only other thing I could see adding to review would be the illegal hits on defenseless receivers.

[ajmc]

Originally Posted by hbk314

But what's your opinion on my proposed implementation if it got to that point? I wouldn't want it to change how plays are officiated, leading to flags being thrown because they can "fix" it on replay.

I brought it up because it's been talked about over the last few years. The only other thing I could see adding to review would be the illegal hits on defenseless receivers.

Personally, I don't think it will add any benefit to the game. The field official views the action between the players and determines, based on his knowledge of the rule and its intent and experience developed over his career when, and if, contact between players provides either with a disadvantage or unfair advantage that may, or may not, be a result of the contact, which it seems more often than not, there is some degree of.

Perhaps some day the result will be achieved by a show of hands from spectators viewing precise slow motion videos, but I hope we never get that far as it will not help the game.

[hbk314]

Originally Posted by ajmc

Personally, I don't think it will add any benefit to the game. The field official views the action between the players and determines, based on his knowledge of the rule and its intent and experience developed over his career when, and if, contact between players provides either with a disadvantage or unfair advantage that may, or may not, be a result of the contact, which it seems more often than not, there is some degree of.

Perhaps some day the result will be achieved by a show of hands from spectators viewing precise slow motion videos, but I hope we never get that far as it will not help the game.

That's why I would have the calling official(s) be involved in the process. They know why they threw the flag, and replay will either confirm that reason for them or not.

[bisonlj]

Originally Posted by hbk314

That's why I would have the calling official(s) be involved in the process. They know why they threw the flag, and replay will either confirm that reason for them or not.

I don't like it, but I assume we'll eventually have it. Then we'll review all personal fouls because they are 15-yard penalties. Then they'll want to look at all holding fouls. Then eventually anything and everything will be reviewable. Anything that could have been a downgrade by a grader could be reviewed and corrected in real time. Why wait until after the game? And I don't like it.

[ajmc]

Originally Posted by hbk314

That's why I would have the calling official(s) be involved in the process. They know why they threw the flag, and replay will either confirm that reason for them or not.

Every job entails some level of review and accountability, but if that effort becomes nitpicking and debating everything someone does, the result is intimidating to the employee and eventually negatively affects their performance.

There will never be pure perfection, no matter how much the results are examined, not is pure perfection a reasonable, or even necessary, requirement. Weighing the alleged benefit versus the potential damage suggests, "When it ain't broke, don't fix it".