"Under the Officiating Microscope" - Time Out #167

As the 2018 football season winds down, and basketball begins its winter-plus run of many single games and tournaments, the numerous sports fans in Our Town and far beyond, will certainly turn to their television sets to watch the bazillion upcoming college football bowl games. Not too far in the distance is the National Football League playoffs, and, of course, eventually the granddaddy of all football games, the Super Bowl.

With all this upcoming sporting activity on the numerous video transmitting options available, please be prepared for several viewing delays, dear fans. Most of the obvious pauses are for the folks that pay for that very expensive advertising time in 15, 30 or 60-second time slots. The other interruptions aren't regularly scheduled, but have become commonplace many times during each game. The actual names are varied, but their impact is all the same; a disruption in the game's natural continuity/flow.

Instant replay, my friends.

After 52 years of high school football officiating, 30 years of basketball officiating, and 7 years of baseball umpiring, I never had to face this situation. The reason is simple, lack of money by member schools at those lower levels of play to purchase the necessary electronic equipment. Looking back on my lengthy officiating career. I can't imagine how much more complicated my games would have been had I had to officiate with the cloud of instant replay hanging over my head.

Why is instant repay such a part of our modern sporting environment today, and only getting more and more complex as each season goes forward?

In my humble opinion, it all boils down to one absolute factor---money, as in $$$.

Everything imaginable in sports from horseshoes to pickle ball, ultimately, have betting odds placed on winners/losers via Las Vegas or betting sports outlets all over Planet Earth. These legally recognized wagering opportunities, coupled with all the illegal betting action, put tremendous pressure on not just winning or losing, but the over/under (i.e., total points scored) of the athletic event. In addition to the betting element, the other non-secret today is just how much money is generated with successful (i.e., winning) sports programs, especially college football and college men's basketball. Lip service is paid to the so-called minor sports in all areas of athletics at all levels, but the financial bell cows are the 2 major sports previously mentioned.

So, is it ironic most of all the instant replay-type mechanisms have involved those 2 college and professional sports? I think not, dear readers.

Of course, as video viewers, we have also seen a large surge in broadcast experts (former officials in those sports) to give their opinions on the rulings, as we wait patiently in our various viewing location "sidelines". I will say these experts are a wonderful addition to our viewing experience, since they give the tuned-in audience the correct information; not to be confused on many occasions with the various play-by-play or color analyst that think they know the "answers", but simply do not give viewers the correct information.

All in all, it really doesn't matter what we think about instant replay, in my humble opinion, it is certainly here to stay. In fact, there is an excellent chance it will be more intrusive as the sports future unfolds. To be as hip and modern as possible, Our Town, instant replay simply is what it is.