Instant Replay

I'm all in favor of getting the call right and if you have the technology why not use it, but the FA should pay attention to MLB and the abject disaster instant replay has been so far;

• There is no transparency. All anyone knows is that there is an "umpiring crew' in NYC that watches the games and gets buzzed (maybe they are getting buzzed waiting for a call bscene-drinkingbuddies: ) when a challenge is made. Who are these "umpires"? What kind of television equipment is used? My second question is semi-sarcastic in nature since in 13 games the Angles (admittingly my team) have had 2 calls that were clearly wrong go against them by the...replay "umpires". One the real umpires got it right on the field, but were overruled by the NYC morons, and second was a bang-bang play at first base where a tie did NOT go to the runner apparently. Boston got hosed on a replay so egregious against the Yankees that MLB had to come out and admit they got the replay wrong. :shock: That call was so bad, one wonders if the replay "umpire" had an uncle, cousin's, best friend's brother with a betting slip in Atlantic City or Las Vegas.

• Unintended delay. Every team has a monitor in the tunnel a few steps from the dugout where a close play can be reviewed by a bench coach. The managers have been walking slowly to the on-field umpires and talking all the while turning around to see if they should challenge the play. :angry-banghead:

• Unintended change to the sport. Arguing with umpires is as old as the game itself. It can be seen as a tool used by the manager to accomplish multiple goals aside from the obvious of feeling aggrieved by a bad call. Trying to light a fire under the team, showing you have a certain player's back, or trying to change momentum in during bad streak in a long season. It's been strange to see a manager who wants to argue, but since it's someone sitting in a studio in NYC they are stuck in the dugout looking confused on a course of action.

How this relates to the Prem, MLS , or whatever league is probably no more than a cautionary tale, but I do want to pose a couple of questions. What calls do you think should be allowed to be 'reviewed'? e.g. offsides, foul location (inside or outside of the box), etc..How should it be implemented? Manager challenge? Do you have faith in the Hawkeye system? I don't follow tennis, but I know they use it there. The reason I ask, is after watching the Heitinga shot against Newcastle a handful of times, I honestly don't think the animation had the ball in the proper location. Maybe it's the animation that bothers me.

 

that's blatantly poor.

last week the diamondbacks had a runner called out at second base in an attempted steal against the giants that was clearly safe. after the replay challenge, the umps ruled the call on the field correct. my old man and I were watching and couldn't believe the call wasn't overturned - the baserunner's hand was on the bag before the tag. the replay showed he was safe. thus far, not so good - but I'm probably missing the calls that were corrected properly.

and please, don't ever, ever, bring up the tuck rule again.

as for the prem, the slightly askew technology viewpoint may take away some goals that may be deserved, but having goalline technology is an improvement over some schlepper on the sidelines to judge from 50 yards away and who may or may not have been paid off.