Obsolete Officials on the Field?
 

Have been watching the Cal vs Auburn game on TV. The announcers (and this is not the first game for this) question umpires' calls, even to the point of saying they are wrong. Why do we have officials on the field? Why not just let the announcers make all the rulings. Specifically, on a play at the plate, the PU ruled that the catcher juggled a ball while attempting to tag a sliding runner. The announcers disagree, saying "the catcher regained control of the ball". That's what I saw, too. I also saw that the tag was made with the glove, with the ball in control of the bare hand.

Are you saying the umpires sucked?

Or are you saying the announcers were wrong?

Are you arguing for all robot umpires?

I think the umpires were fine. It seems that announcers (pick your sport) have a tendency to dissect and analyze the officiating. Well, I guess if we really think about it, they do the same with coaching. Later in the Cal vs Auburn game, the Cal catcher caught a runner at first base napping and picked her off. The male announcer said the umpire missed the call because the tag was late. The female thought the call was correct. Then we were treated to a defense (with replays, of course) between pitches and plays of each announcers view.

No, I am not arguing for robot umpires but we certainly see how "technology" is enhancing our game experience. Take, for instance, the superimposing of the strike zone box in MLB. And in football, was the pass complete or not? Did the ball carrier step out of bounds? Was it a fumble? Was the knee down? Let's send it to the review booth and show two dozen replays. I don't understand how we have enjoyed these games for years without R2D2 or C3PO letting us know exactly what happened.

Too bad technology isn't making most announcers better

Watch the Yankee broadcasts. Many a time I've heard the announcers correct themselves after someone off air looked up a rule.

Baseball mentality when it comes to a "late" or "high" tag as if those were consideration as to whether the runner is safe or out.

I saw it often in softball with baseball players. The arguments seemed to linger over the location of the tag, not the fact that it WAS before the runner contacting the base.

+1

The reason why you cant take officials off the field is that anytime there is a "play", you'd have to stop play at each action. Things would turn to chaos and go forever, if you'd have to wait to the end of the playing action before rulings are made. There's not a single sport that I can think of off the top of my head that you could pull officials off the field, hockey would be close in some areas)