Discussion: Should replay reviews by officials go or stay?
Watching one of the 150 years of college football "Greatest' episodes on the WWL, I was reminded how the end-of-game kick-off return by Cal over Stanford ("THE BAND IS ON THE FIELD") included a pitch by a player that was down. In the era of replay reviews, that play may have been overturned. Assuming they got it right on review.
There are a multitude of other plays that may have been reversed upon review - many that are part of the rich history that is college football, so with that in mind, do you like the reviews and would you keep it or was it better when officials didn't have it and you'd like to go back?
I'm of the mind that even with replay, they still get it wrong, so what's the point. Even with reviews, Charles White still scores. I'd rather have it be wrong live and move on, and keep the game moving.
What say you?
October 17th, 2019 at 11:28 PM ^
I do remember that play. Yeah, he got away with one that I thought should've been called. I don't think that one directly resulted in a turnover though, did it? I'm not sure it fits my model *cough* narrative. Admittedly I'm looking at this through Maize and Blue goggles, but they're prescription.
October 17th, 2019 at 11:33 PM ^
You're right, it didn't cause a turnover, but the Iowa RB might still be running. IIRC, there was a lot of open green on the other side of Lavert, and a couple blockers.
The earhole shot Zach took may have caused the fumble. And, hmm, no replay for targeting.
October 17th, 2019 at 11:08 PM ^
Remember the days when review was conference-by-conference? In non-conference games, the visiting team had the option to say no. Hence why Chad Henne couldn't score from around the 1-inch line four times against Notre Dame in 2005.
Not great, Bob.
October 17th, 2019 at 11:28 PM ^
I hate replay. It generally gets used to find an excuse to overturn a great play. If a dude lays out, brings the ball all the way into his chest, and then when he impacts the ground from 5 feet up it happens to jostle one inch, fuck overturning it. He made an awesome catch. Keep playing.
Or hell, just watch a few of the Lions games where the NFL uses it to award the game to the team that they think will drive ratings.
Yeah, I can live with a couple bona fide wrong calls once in awhile to shave 30 mins of standing around time that results in a net negative outcome.
October 17th, 2019 at 11:44 PM ^
Can you imagine if Bell's catch was ruled a catch after the booth review against Wisconsin? Can you imagine a camera angle clear on 4th down stop against tOSU in 2016. Even with both reviews, they don't always get them correct.
I'm not worried about the time it takes for reviews. I'm more concerned about the time it takes for any Fox affiliate to not add 30-45 minutes to a game because of media timeouts.
October 18th, 2019 at 12:11 AM ^
Replays are a good thing - we have the technology - now let's make them better. Penn State clearly had a TD taken away at Iowa last week. These refs need bigger screens or need to be able to see what we are seeing. It's kind of crazy how some calls get overturned when there is no clear evidence. It would at least be nice to hear the conversations that the replay refs are having during the process.
Also - the NFL absolutely needs to have replay for penalties - or at least give teams penalty challenges. If the game is moving so fast that it needs replay, then it definitely needs replay for the penalties that are moving just as fast.
October 18th, 2019 at 12:13 AM ^
Even with replay calls are still not correct. Do I think the Spartan Bob game would have ended differently with replay? Not necessarily. Jim Delany has an agenda against Michigan. There was a game against Illinois the same season as Spartan Bob. A-Train clearly fumbled but was called down. Michigan scored the game winning touchdown on the next play. However, Michigan has been screwed so many times by Delany that I am not sure replay would have changed any questionable calls in the past.
October 18th, 2019 at 12:16 AM ^
I'm surprised Patricia did not throw the red flag after the Packers DB tackled our WR before the ball even got there. That would have kept that last drive going and the Lions would probably run our the clock.
October 18th, 2019 at 12:48 AM ^
Though I didn't watch the second half, I think the reason is he had no TOs left by that time. So he couldn't challenge?
October 18th, 2019 at 10:57 AM ^
25 of 26 PI challenges have not overturned the call. Many of them are obvious PIs. Coaches aren't bothering with that challenge anymore.
October 18th, 2019 at 1:09 AM ^
I'm of the mindset that replays should become more widespread, and the refs should be held to greater account for their calls. The vast majority of replays I see in college football are obvious within the first replay, yet the refs look at the reviews for 5 minutes, which destroys pace of play. In addition, ref squads (John O'Neill, I'm looking at you) continue to call bad games without (seemingly) any punishment.
Refs have been shown to be corrupt in various layers of various sports for a variety of reasons. Subjectivity should be taken out of penalty calling, and all subjectivity should be reviewed by objective observers in an evaluation of a refs performance.
October 18th, 2019 at 6:08 AM ^
the refs should be held to greater account for their calls.
This should be the case with or without in-game replay.
October 18th, 2019 at 6:06 AM ^
I hate all replay reviews. Shoot it into the sun.
There are some systems that I could live with and not hate with a passion but I can’t think of any that currently exist.
October 18th, 2019 at 7:21 AM ^
Keep the reviews. Even though it is far from perfect. It's the only defense to horrible officiating that fans can hope for.
October 18th, 2019 at 7:42 AM ^
Keep the reviews. Get rid if the John O'Neils.
October 18th, 2019 at 7:59 AM ^
You know what would be great here: some data.
How many calls are made per game?
How many right, how many wrong?
How many does replay change?
Check the numbers, and then decide.
I do agree, though - they ruin the flow of the game and the fun of celebration.
October 18th, 2019 at 8:28 AM ^
Replay has only made sports worse. Nobody knows what a catch is anymore. It makes the games take longer. It's time to end it. I would rather live with the occasional blown call than the constant stoppage of game flow.
October 18th, 2019 at 8:29 AM ^
I'm of the mind that even with replay, they still get it wrong, so what's the point. Even with reviews, Charles White still scores.
Out of curiosity, why do you think Charles White still scores if Official Review was available in 1979?
That's a play that screams for keeping review around.
October 18th, 2019 at 9:07 AM ^
Keep it, but just do it quickly. Replay should be for obvious mess ups. Move replays up to a ref in the booth, so we are not wasting time with the on field refs running over to a small screen. The replays can only be conducted within one minute, using full speed tape.
It's either obviously right, obviously wrong, or 'tie goes to the call on the field'.
October 18th, 2019 at 9:43 AM ^
Isn't that how they do it now? There is a separate replay official in the booth isn't there?
October 18th, 2019 at 9:15 AM ^
They can keep it if they would just improve some of the targeting calls... and SPEED IT UP!!!
October 18th, 2019 at 9:28 AM ^
We have an obligation to get it right. There is too much at stake to play the game otherwise.
It wasn't a first down...ask Wormley. White didn't have the ball. Yada yada...
Beat PSU!
October 18th, 2019 at 9:33 AM ^
Keep the reviews. Nothing's perfect but it's good to work to get things better.
October 18th, 2019 at 9:41 AM ^
Keep the reviews, but somebody needs to reiterate to the replay officials what indisputable and conclusive actually mean. Too many calls this year being overturned that were not close to being conclusive. Bells catch against Wisky, Penn State's td last week against Iowa, etc.
October 18th, 2019 at 10:34 AM ^
Get rid of reviews. They suck and have resulted in a worse product in a variety of ways.
October 18th, 2019 at 11:10 AM ^
One of the major problems with replay is the inconsistency of camera numbers, angles and placement. For the Lions' TD on Monday night, the overhead shot showed Johnson clearly broke the plane, until you realized the camera was at the 3 yard line and not directly overhead. Games with major network coverage have more cameras and angles than BTN games. Should each stadium have cameras that are dedicated strictly to replay? Three on each goal line, two from each pylon and one directly overhead? What about coverage for other areas of the field such as sidelines? Use drones with cameras?
I predicted this chaos when replay was first introduced. We're getting down to arguments over "what is the meaning of 'is'?" I'm waiting for an official to rule that the receiver's foot was inbounds, but he's really our of bounds because the paint line on the sideline isn't straight, it has a bow in it where the foot came down. Or the white-painted grass grew and flopped into the playing field so he was really inbounds. They're searching for perfection where perfection is unachievable. Thus no one knows what a catch truly is.
October 18th, 2019 at 12:51 PM ^
As with all referees, replay officials need to be more impartial and more skilled. The chances of that happening? Virtually nil.
But yeah, there needs to be replay. Just make it faster, and more correct. When the replay officials are getting calls wrong, there's a problem. But common sense takes a back seat to trying our best to send a Big Ten team to the CFP.
Right, Delaney? (you fuck....)