Over the last decade, instant replay in sports has evolved greatly and has become a normal part of most sports, especially football and basketball. Instant replay has changed the way games are watched, played, and most importantly, officiated. Sports can now be viewed from a variety of different angles, speeds and zoom, allowing officials and viewers watching television an unparalleled perspective of true in game action frame by frame. Instant replay has slowed game play down in sports like football where every scoring play is reviewed. Coaches can now challenge an official’s ruling on the field with instant replay and get a call overturned. What happened to the idea of sport officials and referees being the judges of a game in which their calls during competition are made from their own personal decision? Is this not the point of having referees in a game? With instant replay becoming the ultimate judge and jury during competition, there have been strong arguments for both sides of instant replay.
With the recent emergence of instant replay in baseball, there has been much controversy over what and how much instant replay should be used. The game of baseball is known as “America’s Pastime” and for over a century the game has seen little change to its rules. Baseball games have always been called by an umpire’s judgment and never been allowed to be overturned --- until now. Instant replay has now allowed umpire’s to look at close calls during a game and overturn them with substantial evidence from replay. A homerun, or a bang-bang play at first base or home plate, can all now be seen and called one hundred percent correctly through the all-seeing eye of instant replay. In my opinion, the idea of taking away an umpire’s authority and their judgment call during a game takes away from the excitement and passion of the game. The reason umpires are on the field is to call the game fairly…as they see it…no matter if it is the right call or not…that is their job.
Baseball is “Americas Pastime” for a reason --- the tradition and consistency it has held for over a century. Baseball has seen the least amount of rule change within the sport out of all mainstream sports and bringing instant replay into baseball is neither needed nor necessary for making baseball better.
When I watch football and baseball I always wait for the instant replay so I can see, in my opinion, if the referee or umpire made the correct call. But everyone has a right to their own opinion. I think referees and umpires should not have the opportunity to look at instant replay, but if the fans are able to see it and the official clearly didn’t make the correct call then the fans are going to be furious. Some teams in the big leagues and in little leagues have very dedicated fans and in some instances the officials’ lives become threatened because according to ‘Jim’ they didn’t make the right call and cost his team the game. However, some officials don’t always call the game fair because they didn't see the play or because they are trying to make their least favorite team lose. I think we need instant replay so we can call the game fair and see exactly what happens, but I also think we don’t need it because it takes up too much time and it takes away the passion and intensity of the game.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great topic of discussion. As a current baseball player, this issue hits home. Though the instant replay is not able to be used for bang-bang plays, it may be used for fair or foul home-run calls, and fan interference calls determining whether home-runs are counted or not. Personally, the current amount of replay I feel is appropriate for the game, but no more than this will I support. As an athlete who trains hard to acquire good stats, I want what really happened to be credited to the situation. Hypothetically, whether the call goes for or against me on a home-run call, I want truth. That could be the difference in winning and losing. The boundaries of fair, foul, or far enough are distinct parameters of the game i.e. the sharply drawn foul lines, or the outfield fence. I want to be responsible and held accountable for what, in fact, happened.
ReplyDeleteI must say that I enjoyed reading your blog. You chose an interesting topic to write your blog about. Instant replay really has made a big impact on how officials officiate games. I’m glad that sports have adapted to using instant replay to make sure the officials make the correct calls. I don’t think instant replay takes away from the game, I think it makes sports fair; if an official makes a wrong call it can be reviewed and the correct call can be made. I bet officials are thankful for instant replay because if they accidentally made a mistake about a call, then they have instant replay to assist them with making the best and most accurate calls. Officiating a game is not an easy task by any means. I actually ref intramural flag football and basketball, and there were times when I would be looking at the ball instead of the action. I made a few bad judgment calls because my focus would sometimes be on the ball and the movement of the players would be so quick that I missed some calls. I feel like officials are more comfortable about calling a game because they have instant replay to help them call a fair game.
ReplyDeleteI understand your perspective and you make a valid point, but I see it in a totally different light. Today’s sports have become deeply involved in everyday life and people really live by the term ‘diehard fan.’ I agree with you when you ask what happened to the umpire making the call and that being the final decision. But when those referees or umpires make a wrong call and camera’s spot the mistake and replays the error nationally over and over, these craze fans turn into crazy lunatics and threatens the safety of those referees! It also, could turn into a psychological problem for these refs if that call affected the outcome of the game, which is the unspoken rule for any referee no matter what level of competition. So, I agree with the use of instant replay. I’d rather get the call right than put all the pressure on the referees. Nobody is perfect!
ReplyDeleteMy personal option is that instant replay (IR) should not used from every play that might cause controversy between teams. I see IR as being a crutch for referees and umpires to lean on. It gives them the opportunity to not have to make correct calls. It gives them a leeway in having to make the right call. Let’s say it’s the end of a football game, and it comes down to this last play to find out who wins or loses. The ball is thrown and caught, but as the receiver is coming down with the ball in the end zone he steps out of bounds. It is up to the referees to make the game changing call. So knowing that the game is on the line and he knows the play can be challenged. He calls the receiver inbounds and the touchdown is good. Even thou he knows it was not, he knows it will be reviewed by the use of IR. This is an extreme example and it might never happen, but with the use of IR it gives this opportunity to the referees and officials.
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