kve820
12-09-2005, 03:01 PM
http://www.geocities.com/kve820/minipsh4nm.png
Instant Replay...Love it or Hate it? or just leave it.
For many seasons now the NFL has had "Instant Replay" as a officiating help tool. Several times in games before instant replay showed up their were questionable calls that would have made huge differences in the games outcome. Hence something had to be done, That is where instant replay comes in.
A brief history of a few games where instant replay may have changed NFL History. The Immaculate Reception in Pittsburgh, well this one is still a toss up because at the game the Camera coverage never really showed any conclusive evidence that it wasn't a catch so this one will be debated forever.
Raiders at Bronco's AFC Championship Game 1978, it's known as the Faux Fumble, Runningback Rob Lytle of Denver was running to the goal line from the 2 when met by Jack Tatum of the Raiders who knocked the ball loose and was picked up by Raiders Linebacker Mike McCoy who returned it all the way for a apparent touchdown, but the officals had a long discussion and ruled no fumble, Denver scored shortly after. Now this was a 14 point swing in a title game and when it was over the Broncos won 20-17 sending them to their first Super Bowl appearence. A replay of the play shown on National Television clearly showed a fumble, but no replay was in affect at that time period in the NFL. If it had been the call would have been reversed and the Oakland Raiders would have went to the Super Bowl XII not Denver.
http://www.geocities.com/kve820/lytle_fumble-small.jpg
Here's another, 1969 Kansas City Chiefs versus the Oakland Raiders, boy the Raiders have been involved with so many calls in the league, Quarterback Len Dawson threw a pass for a first down to Otis Thorpe, but when you look at the replay , Thorpe was clearly out of bounds. He caught the ball with one foot out of bounds and then ran for more yards afterwards. This was a big momentum changer in the game.
http://www.geocities.com/kve820/thorpe_catch-small.jpg
These are some of games of the past before instant replay was around as a tool. And believe me there are plenty more. Now lets look at some games since the instant replay was a part of the game. Interesting results in my opinion.
Do you remember the Jets and Seahawks game in 1998? When Jets QB Vinny Testaverde's 5 yard TD run helped the Jets pull out a 1 point victory. The problem was Vinny was stopped short of the goal line and clearly shows the ball at least a football length short of the goaline. Referee claims afterward he thought the Helmet of Testaverde was the football. That call cost the Seahawks the game.
http://www.geocities.com/kve820/jets-98.jpg
Everyone has heard about the Tom Brady and the tuck rule. A huge play and we all know the outcome there. But do you remember the Cleveland Browns and the Jacksonville Jaguars game in 2001? I felt bad for the Browns after this call. They really got "messed over", to put it lightly, in this game.
They were trailing by 5 points with the ball at the 12 yard line of the Jag's, Tim Couch hit Quincy Morgan on a fourth and 2 pass , Morgan made the catch for the first down, Couch and the Browns came to the line of scrimmage and spiked the ball. Then things got WEIRD, the Ref stopped the Browns before they could run another play, their 2nd play after the catch of Morgan not first. The ref , Terry McAulay, said the Instant replay booth had buzzed him and another ref before the Browns spiked the ball. Now on replay it clearly shows no ref making a attempt to stop play. The play is reviewed and overturned , Morgan's catch was ruled incomplete and this ended the playoff hopes of the Browns. Things got worse when the Browns fans started throwing stuff on the field and ref Terry McAulay called it a game with .48 ticks left on the clock. A call from the commish said to "finish the game". So they did. Now I said earlier the Browns got messed over on this , and heres why, the refs allowed a play to take place after the play in question hence shouldn't be reviewed, replay clearly shows no attempt by refs to stop play during the next play only after the play was concluded.
How about the Titans and Bill's playoff game? Was it a lateral? To this day there is debate whether it was or not. On some angles it looks like a lateral and on others it looks like a forward pass. This kinda reminds me of a saying I used alot about religion," those that what to believe will, those that don't want to believe, won't. So unless there is absolute proof others can't and will not be swayed either way. Then there will be those in denial no matter what.
http://www.geocities.com/kve820/r_dyson.jpg
How about the Phil Luckett "coin toss" thanksgiving game several years ago.
Now the answer is given before the toss in the air. And at least 3 more refs are to be present for the toss. But you can bet that a replay and a discussion between refs someday will decide it again, now that would be funny to use a replay of the coin toss before the game even begins, what are we coming to?
This only a small sample of games that replay has had or should have had a affect on. There are many more games that have been affected good for one team or bad for another.
But I really do not believe instant replay has changed the game that much. We still have disputed calls after replay, the tuck rule being the most discussed as of late and will be for years to come, not unlike the Immaculate Reception when there was no instant replay.
I believe Instant Replay should be canned or changed to allow "Everything" to be reviewed. I am sick and tired of seeing a play that was a game changer , " oh well the Whistle blew, can't be reviewed" , or a bad call on a DB for interference when the replay shows otherwise. I was taught as a child growing up if your going to do something do it right the first time because if you have to go back and change it your weren't right in the first place.
Instant replay has been modified several times and it will never be perfect, heck the game itself isn't perfect, the referees have a tough job, I wouldn't want that job if it were the only job left in the world. Now with the human factor we all heard it before, he/she is only human, well anything made by humans can we say " it was made by humans so there is some flaw built in"? Can we use this tool really ? There needs to be a way to keep things in check. There will always be disputed calls, that will not change, with or without instant replay's.
In closing, Instant Replay I'm afraid is here to stay. Some day that might change but I believe anytime something viewed as techically advanced like the Instant Replay Equipment is, most feel it is a step backwards. Will it someday become a monster of our own creation? I feel it hasn't made the game any better or worst and it never will either, it is what it is and if you live where I live , it aint what it aint neither.
Instant Replay...Love it or Hate it? or just leave it.
For many seasons now the NFL has had "Instant Replay" as a officiating help tool. Several times in games before instant replay showed up their were questionable calls that would have made huge differences in the games outcome. Hence something had to be done, That is where instant replay comes in.
A brief history of a few games where instant replay may have changed NFL History. The Immaculate Reception in Pittsburgh, well this one is still a toss up because at the game the Camera coverage never really showed any conclusive evidence that it wasn't a catch so this one will be debated forever.
Raiders at Bronco's AFC Championship Game 1978, it's known as the Faux Fumble, Runningback Rob Lytle of Denver was running to the goal line from the 2 when met by Jack Tatum of the Raiders who knocked the ball loose and was picked up by Raiders Linebacker Mike McCoy who returned it all the way for a apparent touchdown, but the officals had a long discussion and ruled no fumble, Denver scored shortly after. Now this was a 14 point swing in a title game and when it was over the Broncos won 20-17 sending them to their first Super Bowl appearence. A replay of the play shown on National Television clearly showed a fumble, but no replay was in affect at that time period in the NFL. If it had been the call would have been reversed and the Oakland Raiders would have went to the Super Bowl XII not Denver.
http://www.geocities.com/kve820/lytle_fumble-small.jpg
Here's another, 1969 Kansas City Chiefs versus the Oakland Raiders, boy the Raiders have been involved with so many calls in the league, Quarterback Len Dawson threw a pass for a first down to Otis Thorpe, but when you look at the replay , Thorpe was clearly out of bounds. He caught the ball with one foot out of bounds and then ran for more yards afterwards. This was a big momentum changer in the game.
http://www.geocities.com/kve820/thorpe_catch-small.jpg
These are some of games of the past before instant replay was around as a tool. And believe me there are plenty more. Now lets look at some games since the instant replay was a part of the game. Interesting results in my opinion.
Do you remember the Jets and Seahawks game in 1998? When Jets QB Vinny Testaverde's 5 yard TD run helped the Jets pull out a 1 point victory. The problem was Vinny was stopped short of the goal line and clearly shows the ball at least a football length short of the goaline. Referee claims afterward he thought the Helmet of Testaverde was the football. That call cost the Seahawks the game.
http://www.geocities.com/kve820/jets-98.jpg
Everyone has heard about the Tom Brady and the tuck rule. A huge play and we all know the outcome there. But do you remember the Cleveland Browns and the Jacksonville Jaguars game in 2001? I felt bad for the Browns after this call. They really got "messed over", to put it lightly, in this game.
They were trailing by 5 points with the ball at the 12 yard line of the Jag's, Tim Couch hit Quincy Morgan on a fourth and 2 pass , Morgan made the catch for the first down, Couch and the Browns came to the line of scrimmage and spiked the ball. Then things got WEIRD, the Ref stopped the Browns before they could run another play, their 2nd play after the catch of Morgan not first. The ref , Terry McAulay, said the Instant replay booth had buzzed him and another ref before the Browns spiked the ball. Now on replay it clearly shows no ref making a attempt to stop play. The play is reviewed and overturned , Morgan's catch was ruled incomplete and this ended the playoff hopes of the Browns. Things got worse when the Browns fans started throwing stuff on the field and ref Terry McAulay called it a game with .48 ticks left on the clock. A call from the commish said to "finish the game". So they did. Now I said earlier the Browns got messed over on this , and heres why, the refs allowed a play to take place after the play in question hence shouldn't be reviewed, replay clearly shows no attempt by refs to stop play during the next play only after the play was concluded.
How about the Titans and Bill's playoff game? Was it a lateral? To this day there is debate whether it was or not. On some angles it looks like a lateral and on others it looks like a forward pass. This kinda reminds me of a saying I used alot about religion," those that what to believe will, those that don't want to believe, won't. So unless there is absolute proof others can't and will not be swayed either way. Then there will be those in denial no matter what.
http://www.geocities.com/kve820/r_dyson.jpg
How about the Phil Luckett "coin toss" thanksgiving game several years ago.
Now the answer is given before the toss in the air. And at least 3 more refs are to be present for the toss. But you can bet that a replay and a discussion between refs someday will decide it again, now that would be funny to use a replay of the coin toss before the game even begins, what are we coming to?
This only a small sample of games that replay has had or should have had a affect on. There are many more games that have been affected good for one team or bad for another.
But I really do not believe instant replay has changed the game that much. We still have disputed calls after replay, the tuck rule being the most discussed as of late and will be for years to come, not unlike the Immaculate Reception when there was no instant replay.
I believe Instant Replay should be canned or changed to allow "Everything" to be reviewed. I am sick and tired of seeing a play that was a game changer , " oh well the Whistle blew, can't be reviewed" , or a bad call on a DB for interference when the replay shows otherwise. I was taught as a child growing up if your going to do something do it right the first time because if you have to go back and change it your weren't right in the first place.
Instant replay has been modified several times and it will never be perfect, heck the game itself isn't perfect, the referees have a tough job, I wouldn't want that job if it were the only job left in the world. Now with the human factor we all heard it before, he/she is only human, well anything made by humans can we say " it was made by humans so there is some flaw built in"? Can we use this tool really ? There needs to be a way to keep things in check. There will always be disputed calls, that will not change, with or without instant replay's.
In closing, Instant Replay I'm afraid is here to stay. Some day that might change but I believe anytime something viewed as techically advanced like the Instant Replay Equipment is, most feel it is a step backwards. Will it someday become a monster of our own creation? I feel it hasn't made the game any better or worst and it never will either, it is what it is and if you live where I live , it aint what it aint neither.