Upon Further Review...

The 2004 NCAACF season marked the coming-out of instant replay at the collegiate level, with the Big X (XI) using a tweaked version of the popular NFL system; in 2005, it was unveiled to the world. Rarely does the topic lack opinions, and there is no exception here. First let me say that the point of this article is not to argue whether the game is better or worse or – heaven forbid I say it – fairer with instant replay. That being said, it’s important to at least list out the pros and cons of replay (in general) so that all are on the same page:

Instant replay makes the game worse because:
1) It slows down the game
2) It holds officials to an unrealistic standard – to be able to call a play after seeing it one time, in real-time, and from one vantage point with the same accuracy of seeing it many times, frame-by-frame, and from every angle imaginable…except coincidentally from the best angle
3) It attempts to take human error out of officiating which, fair or not, at least adds a little spice and controversy to the game which, c’mon, is the main reason we are all addicted to sports
4) It will NEVER be infallible

Instant replay makes the game better because:
1) It (from time to time) results in the correction of an incorrect call
2) It (from time to time) provides fans with assurance that the correct call was made on the field
3) It adds more spice and controversy than human error could ever add alone (note: human error still remains and is still spicy)
4) It…boy…there really should be something else here…

From this point forward, lets just all assume that instant replay is here to stay, but that the details of the system are “up for review.” Note: the system "under review" is the Big X (XI) system which was used for bowl season.

I guess I’m already way ahead of instant replay, in that I was able to watch the season, evaluate the system, and decide that further evaluation is required…AND I did it all of that before the first snap of next season!

But first things first, can the NCAA please step in, evaluate the scattered and mildly dissimilar conference systems, and establish a consistent NCAA Instant Replay System? If the NCAA has authority to regulate individual schools’ names, mascots, and traditions – whether or not having anything to do with collegiate athletics (expect additional blogs on this issue) – then it ought to have authority to regulate the GAME itself!

Second, just push the damn button! I’m a seasoned veteran at sitting on my ass and watching college football games, and I can tell you it usually doesn’t take but half a glance to know that something fishy just happened. No that I have DVR (and know how to operate it), I can tell you it takes about 5 additional seconds to spot fishiness in the rare occasion that you missed it the first time. As long as the “booth guys” (they don’t deserve the title of “officials”) have the authority to stop play and take another look, then they need to do just that! Not after seeing the replay to confirm that they should look at the replay, or after seeing the replay twice to confirm that they should look at the replay, or even seeing the replay thrice to confirm that they should look at the replay…but as soon as the play happens. Half of the time they should be pushing the button before the play in question is even finished (ref. Alamo Bowl [Michigan-Nebraska] finale that still might be going on). To expect that coaches should waste timeouts (for which ,unlike in the NFL, they are not reimbursed) in order to give the “booth guys” more time to sit on their respective asses and watch replays until they’re blue in the face at which point to decide whether or not they need to sit and watch more replays, is absurd. It’s also the entire reason that coaches were not allowed to challenge as in the pros: because it’s not fair for teams to lose timeouts in order to get questionable plays reviews (again ref. Alamo Bowl when Michigan was forced to use all but 0 timeouts to “encourage” the “booth guys” to do their job). This happens far too often – not coaches using timeouts to get plays reviewed (they just started to figure that out late in the season), but questionable plays not getting reviewed in time. Listing all the examples would take most of the off-season. The sad part is that there are only 3 reasons for this (and none of them understandable):
1) the booth guys just missed it
2) the booth guys weren’t sure and were gun-shy to push the button
3) the technical staff could not provide the replays to the booth guys
and all three (even #3) were exposed during this season’s grande finale – the highest rated college football game in like 500 years. Note: as long as I’m on that game, expect an additional blog on what constitutes a lateral/backward pass and what constitutes a forward pass…seems like a simple concept, but apparently “needs further review.”

Well, you should be happy to know now that I’ve finished my ranting. Further more, I’ve almost finished my article…

Third, don’t reverse calls which where not clearly (I like the NFL’s “indisputably”) called incorrectly on the field.

Fourth (and actually a responsibility of the field officials – if they have such a thing anymore), don’t blow the whistle until the play is dead…meaning: dead, dead, dead…i.e. in the Alamo Bowl finale, dead would have been when the player with the ball was tackled by the 2 safeties at the 10 yard line whom, from that play alone, should both be inducted into some-sort of “Heads-up Hall of Fame.”

Fifth, and finally, don’t always rule reviewed plays in favor of the home team. I’m not employed by the NCAA so I don’t expect to be fined (and any American must just accept that they may at any time be fined by the NBA) so I can go ahead and suggest home-field favoritism in the system (to the overdramatic, that means suggesting “conspiracy”). All I’m really saying is that I, for one, would like to take a look at the numbers to see what percentage of replay reviews were ruled in favor of the home team. Then, and only then, would I entertain a discussion about the fairness that the system brings to college football. There’s quite a bit of time now before the next play, so maybe someone with a competent technical staff (rules out ABC) would be able to conduct such a review and provide those numbers…and maybe without even needing to push the button.