We have the technology to replace the officials of pro sports games. I am sure many of you have seen an umpire behind the plate call an outside pitch a strike, an inside pitch called a ball just because the batter jumped back as if the ball was going to hit him, but was plainly over the plate. A number of years back, I was watching a pre-season game. There was a strike zone super-imposed in front of the catcher. I saw an umpire call strike three on three batters in a row that the super-imposed strike zone plainly showed the pitches to be ball's. How many runners have been called out at first base in a close call that should been given to the runner? How many times have you seen a second baseman throw to the first baseman, without touching second base, for a double play and have the second base umpire call a double play ? How many times have you seen a second baseman catch a ball on the bounce, shuttle the ball to the short stop and the short stop throws to first for a double play, yet neither the second baseman nor the short stop touched second base with an umpire standing right there. The same thing in the outfield. How many "trapped" balls are called a catch? How many caught balls are called "trapped?" Every one of these situation's can be shown as a complete or incomplete play -- safe or out with the simple use of a few sensors on the players, possibly in their gloves, in the ground on the base line, in the bases and where ever needed. How many times have you seen a player argue with an umpire behind the plate early in the game and watch him get called out on strikes the rest of his time's at bat? If a pitcher complains to the home plate umpire that he is not calling his pitches as strikes when the pitcher thinks they are strikes, that pitcher is going to get a lot of pitches called as balls. It's human nature! How many times have you seen a punter for a football team punt the ball for the "coffin corner" and watch an official run down the sideline and stand on the one yard line as the ball passes over his head some fifteen feet in the air? A group of us tried this once, Three of us would follow a punted ball and point to the spot where the ball crossed the line. After as many as twenty tries, we never could agree to a spot any closer than two feet. A sensor in the ball and a wire in the ground is all it would take. You have the ball on the "6 inch line,"goal to go. The offence tightens up for a possible quarterback sneak. The ball is snapped. With the halfback and fullback in tight,it is impossible to tell who has the ball. If the defence is moved back a foot, the head linesman will normally give the offence the score. The ball carrier may well have crawled forward on his knees without an official seeing him. An official may have kept his eyes on the helmet of the quarterback and believing he had the ball decides that the quarterback did not have the forward progress to cross the goal line. No touchdown is awarded. A simple matter of a sensor in the ball and a wire in the goal line, and possibly sensors in the knees of all elgible ball carriers. Sensors in the defensive player uniforms would tell of fumble recovery by the defence. Sensors in the uniforms of offencive players to detect movement before the ball is snapped. Basketball does not require the sensors of base ball and football. Possibly to catch hidden fouls, to catch "traveling" with the ball. I personally would like to see the basket raised to twelve (12) feet. Cut down on some of the wild scoring and force the players to play a better defencive game. I know some of you "purists" will not agree with me on this. That is fine with me. I want to see the individual play his game. I don't like to see an official take a win away from a team. SMILE IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY
I might remind that very few modern changes in the rules of pro sports favor the defensive game. I understand MLB's insistence on the human element in the officiating, even to the degree of reprimanding the umpire who reversed his call on instant replay. However, when I recall the Alomar spitting incident of a few years ago, I also remember that the strike zone had been ridiculous all year. It had seemed arbitrary. Some games may well have been decided on the umpire's desire to get to the hotel and grab a burger. But of the constantly-horrible NBA officiating, I might mention that half of 'em were indicted a few years back for fraud. On the other hand, basketball's referees handed a number of games to Jordan that year. Of the NFL, all I can say is that I hope Phil Luckett burns in whatever eternal fire they reserve for career-ending morons. I mean, sure, Dennis Erickson was stumbling badly as a coach, but Testaverde never got anywhere near the goal line, and the owner admitted that it was Erickson's failure to win that game that cost him his job. I feel bad for Erickson 'cause he got fired, but Luckett also helped us seal Holmgren, so some things work out. But as long as Phil Luckett burns, I'll wait for it to get worse than referees trying to blind players. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! thanx, Tiassa Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! ------------------ We are unutterably alone, essentially, especially in the things most intimate and important to us. (Ranier Maria Rilke)
How about we use the ancient Sumo wrestling method where if the official makes a bad call he has to commit hari-kari?
I'm down with that. If we apply the Aztec (I think) method of killing the losing team and feeding their hearts to the crowd, we might do something about those hideous athlete salaries, as well. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! --Tiassa Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! ------------------ We are unutterably alone, essentially, especially in the things most intimate and important to us. (Ranier Maria Rilke)
