Is Instand Replay in Football Worthless?

[eagle eye]

I just had to start this thread because I am becoming less and less enamored with instant replay in college and pro football. I suppose the replay system itself is okay but it's getting to the point where the guys who run the replay system can't get it right. Dallas has been robbed in 4 of the 7 weeks they have played games this season. It's not just Dallas but a lot of teams can have the same complaint that even with replay the refs are getting it wrong. The ACC suspended the whole officiating crew including the replay official for the game when they totally botched the final play of the Miami (Fla)- Clemson game last week. The replay clearly showed the ball carrier with his knee down and the play should have been disallowed as a TD because of the replay. Not only that but there were several clear blocks in the back by Miami on the play that were never called. This isn't just any game between Division I wannabes. Clemson was undefeated and had to be in the discussion for the NCAA playoff rankings. This oversight has caused the Clemson Tigers a spot in that playoff discussion not to mention millions of dollars in revenue for the school. The refs at that game shouldn't be suspended, they should be drawn and quartered in the center of town. The refs in general have become a focal point in games as a whole throwing flags like sorority girls in a pillow fight. It's not uncommon for there to be upwards of 20 flags thrown in any given NFL game every week and college is not much better. The discussion of what a catch is in the NFL has turned into a freaking joke and the NFL league office for officials is a bunch of gutless fucks who won't admit it when the refs on the field screw up and there is absolutely no consequence I have ever seen if ever they did. NFL coaches and players are forbidden to bitch about the refs lest they get fined but what happens when a ref blows a call, or calls, big time? Nothing, that's what. The suspensions of the refs by the ACC is a revelation and actually quite refreshing to know that at least the ACC has some balls when it comes to the officials. These guys have got to have some accountability. It's getting to the point I look for that little yellow "Flag" note by the score on the TV screen after every single play. The ticky-tack penalties that are called on DBs and WRs is ridiculous. This is my rant on Tuesday but it's been a gripe of mine for a while now. I am all for respecting the refs but the refs are people and they make mistakes and that is why replay was brought into the NFL in the first place but when the people who do the replay screw it up there needs to be a consequence for that. God bless you ACC for holding the refs accountable when such an egregious mistake is made that can be considered nothing less than incompetence. I think the NFL has got to stand for something other than the National Football League. How about the Non-stop Flag League? Take the refs out of the game and have the balls to admit a mistake and correct it. I have zero respect for the head of NFL officiating Dean Blandino. Talk about a gutless yes man. The NFL needs to make a stand and clean this mess up because there is way too many of the officials that are bogging down games with ticky-tack calls and they are missing the important ones, even on replay.

[coachacola]

It's not worthless. It allows the networks to run more commercials while the refs up in the booth pretend to be reviewing the play. I bet instant replay is bringing in extra millions each week for the NFL.

[eagle eye]

I have to admit I made a mistake in the original post. It wasn't Miami (Fla) vs Clemson it was Miami vs Duke. Duke was undefeated at the time and they are the ones to suffer as a result of the refs. I agree that money is a driving force in a lot of ways but for goodness sake, is it too much to ask for the refs to have some level of competency? I know college refs are volunteers and don't make a lot of money but it doesn't mean we can't expect them to be, you know, good at their job. It may be time to hire full time refs in both college and the pros and develop a set of guidelines that include punishment for blowing calls. I'm not saying every single call but blatant game changing calls should be right and in the case of the non time out situation in the Dallas game the refs didn't even know the rules stopping play for a time out called by Seattle when they didn't have the right to call a time out the refs should have ignored the request and allowed the play to continue which would have resulted in a penalty on Seattle for too many men on the field. The ref in the end zone had actually already thrown the flag for that. The refs stopped play which allowed Seattle to get their extra player off the field and negated what would have been a 1st down for Dallas as a result of the penalty that should have been called. In the 3rd quarter the referee went up to Jason Garrett and apologized because they blew the call on the play in the first half. Fat lot of good that did the Cowboys at the time. It's inexcusable to not know the rules and apparently it was not reviewable so there was no way to get it right at the time. It is no consolation when a ref comes up and tells you he's sorry for screwing you later in the same game. Again, no consequences for the refs in that game. I'm still pissed about this issue.

[eagle eye]

Did you all see the crap officiating in the Monday Night game between Buffalo and New England? Holy crap, how are these refs getting away with this constant barrage of missed, blown and wrong calls in games. This is the NF-freaking-L for God's sake. Of course it's not just the pros, college can use some oversight as well but it doesn't seem as blatantly bad as the pro officiating. It seems like this whole 2015 season is rife with piss poor officiating and there doesn't seem to be any accountability for the refs. I believe the fat cat NFL could, and should, hire full time refs that can be governed and monitored. Everyone thought the replacement refs a couple of years ago would be so terrible but they don't hold a candle to the so-called regular refs for ineptitude. It's my opinion that the vice president of officiating, Dean Blandino, is a gutless tool bag who spends most of his time trying to justify the crap job the refs do each week. Sometimes you wonder it the men in the striped shirts have even read the rule book. I only know one thing, if I sucked at my job as much as a bunch of the NFL refs do I wouldn't be employed long.

[eagle eye]

Did you all see the crap officiating in the Monday Night game between Buffalo and New England? Holy crap, how are these refs getting away with this constant barrage of missed, blown and wrong calls in games. This is the NF-freaking-L for God's sake. Of course it's not just the pros, college can use some oversight as well but it doesn't seem as blatantly bad as the pro officiating. It seems like this whole 2015 season is rife with piss poor officiating and there doesn't seem to be any accountability for the refs. I believe the fat cat NFL could, and should, hire full time refs that can be governed and monitored. Everyone thought the replacement refs a couple of years ago would be so terrible but they don't hold a candle to the so-called regular refs for ineptitude. It's my opinion that the vice president of officiating, Dean Blandino, is a gutless tool bag who spends most of his time trying to justify the crap job the refs do each week. Sometimes you wonder it the men in the striped shirts have even read the rule book. I only know one thing, if I sucked at my job as much as a bunch of the NFL refs do I wouldn't be employed long.

[eagle eye]

A long time ago former Houston Oilers and Atlanta Falcons head coach Jerry Glanville once told a ref over a disputed call, "This is the NFL and that stands for 'not for long' when you talk about my job status when you make calls like that." That was the good old days before replay and the refs seemed to actually do a good job for the most part. I can remember replay after replay in games that actually confirmed the refs were getting the calls right most of the time even though it didn't look like it in real time. Ahhh, those were good days. Now, you just hold your breath when you team makes a good play or pray for a flag when they don't because you can bet that more often than not a little yellow hanky will come flying into the picture. Even when it shouldn't. Ask Titans head coach Mike Mularkey how he feels about a defensive holding call that literally cost the Titans the game against the Raiders last Sunday. Replay showed there was no contact down the field as called and the play was so blatantly clear the NFL league office apologized to the Titans for the mistake. Big freaking whoop, right? Remember that "not for long" thing? That inadvertent loss could actually cost Mularkey his job. It certainly doesn't make the players feel better with yet another "L" by their record. I vote for some sort of public humiliation, possibly caning the offending crew by the strength and conditioning coach of the team victimized by the refs poor performance. Maybe make the refs put on swim trunks and right after they emerge from a pool of water give them 5 swats with a paddle from that S&C coach mentioned above. I have had that done to me back in Jr High and it hurt like hell but I never jumped into the pool without permission again either. I sure hope this situation is addressed in the off season because it's clear nothing will be done during the season. The refs should not be deciding games, the players should do that. I'd love to see that day come again soon.

[eagle eye]

In an article from NFL.com today Roger Goodell stated that the NFL refs "...do an extraordinary job.". He tries to spin it in favor of the refs and he says they appear to suffer because of replay. Poppycock. They are missing calls, blowing calls, making calls that are not done and they are blowing calls because they don't know the rules. In 2015 the refs suck. No matter how Goodell tries to spin it, the refs suck. The only punishment I have heard about was the crew that blew a call in the Tennessee-Oakland game have been reassigned from the Monday night game with Dallas and Washington to a less high profile game. Big whoop. That's showing them Roger. Crack that whip, break your momma's back and whip it, whip it good. Okay, I'm sorry to go all Devo there but PUH LEEZ, Roger, do something about this mess.

[eagle eye]

Mark this on the calendar. This may be the first week in the 2015 season there wasn't a major botched call or an equally heinous missed call all weekend. Of course, there is still a chance tonight but this seems to be something worth noting considering how bad the officiating has been this season.