RustyBourneHorse
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Long post warning (mods, please change Title to VAR in the NFL)
In yesterday's game and against the Philadelphia Eagles a few weeks ago, Dak did a QB sneak in which, using the overhead angle, the replay officials could have clearly seen that the ball had broken the plane. Thus, the plays should have been a touchdown. For some reason, the NFL doesn't seem to realise that there are easier ways to help make sure a properly scored touchdown is awarded to the team that scored it.
So, why do I have European football and the World Cup in my title? Well, wonder no more! Let me take you back in time a bit to the Summer of 2010 in South Africa. Germany and England were playing in a Group of 16 match. For those that do not follow Euro football (aka soccer) or World Cup football, this is the stage after the group stage and is the first of the elimination rounds. Think of it like the Wild Card round of the playoffs. Germany was leading 2-0 when one of the England players fired a long range shot that hit the crossbar and landed in the goal before the keeper grabbed the ball and proceeded to throw it to a teammate. For clarification purposes, unlike in American Football where only part of the ball must break the plane in order for a touchdown to be awarded, the entire ball in association football must be beyond the goal line (does not have to hit the net) in order for a goal to be awarded. If any part of the ball is touching the white line, the goal is disallowed. However, in this case, the ball was clearly in for a goal. However, the ref did not realise this and did not award a goal for England. Germany would go on to win the match 4-1 before falling to the eventual World Cup Champion Spain that year in the Semi-final round. This caused great uproar from England because it was believed that this moment stole potential momentum away from England, which could have resulted in a different outcome.
After this match and because of the uproar (rightfully so), football began using VAR which is essentially similar to the review system in the NFL. The ref, who has an ear piece to listen and a microphone to speak to the referees in VAR and the refs upstairs in case something is missed, will use the jumbotron or has a booth like the NFL to review a play to see if a goal should be awarded, should a penalty shot be awarded, red cards, etc. Additionally, a chip was put into the ball to make it easier to determine if the ball has crossed the line completely. In that series in which the ball may have crossed, the VAR officials can quite literally make the ball invisible to mark where the ball's shadow was in reference to where it is and where the line is to see if a goal should be awarded. Now, there has been a bit of blowback because VAR can call things too tightly, but it goes by the letter of the law. For example, if a player reached slightly and the ball glances off his hand, it's an automatic handball, which happened to I believe Tottenham a few years ago. Caused a lot of uproar, but, by the letter of the law, it was correct even if the handball was unintentional. However, as it is going by the letter of the law in terms of what happens, it'd at least make sense since it's at least clearly a rule, and everyone can see what VAR is looking at.
So, why do I bring up association football on the main forum for a Cowboys thread? Because this system could help the NFL. Firstly, in a sport like American Football where the ball only has to break the plane to score, the NFL should put a similar chip into the ball to where the replay officials upstairs can see where the ball is in conjunction to where the goal line is. If the chip registers that the ball has indeed broken the plane, it's a touchdown period end of story. If it did not, no touchdown is awarded. This would prevent the TD situations with Dak between Philly and the third down play yesterday.
Also, I think VAR should be introduced to the NFL. In football, the coach can ask for VAR, but VAR pretty much is automatically checked in any critical situation regardless. The NFL's Replay system is a bit outdated imo. I think they should upgrade to a VAR system of their own. Yes, keep the coaches challenges, but use VAR to say, right, a touchdown was not awarded, but the system and chip are recording a TD, so let's check VAR. Ref watches the enormous jumbotron with everyone else, and they can see if it was indeed a Touchdown. If a Pass Interference situation is in question whether called or not, VAR! Check VAR to see if there was indeed PI or was there something that would indicate that it's tricky tacky. For example, a few weeks ago, the Browns and Chargers played. They called DPI on Grant Delpit. Problem was 1. Delpit had no part of that play, and 2. The WR and CB were hand fighting the entire way, and the rules analyst for CBS didn't think DPI should have been called. Thus, if VAR was around, they could look at VAR without a challenge from a coach and see that perhaps that wasn't DPI.
These are just a few ways that the NFL could fix the problems and make sure that the officiating is better. The officiating has been atrocious around the league, and not just with us, as stated. FIFA fixed the problem. It's time the NFL does too. We have technology. The NFL should use it like FIFA and the Premier League do.
In yesterday's game and against the Philadelphia Eagles a few weeks ago, Dak did a QB sneak in which, using the overhead angle, the replay officials could have clearly seen that the ball had broken the plane. Thus, the plays should have been a touchdown. For some reason, the NFL doesn't seem to realise that there are easier ways to help make sure a properly scored touchdown is awarded to the team that scored it.
So, why do I have European football and the World Cup in my title? Well, wonder no more! Let me take you back in time a bit to the Summer of 2010 in South Africa. Germany and England were playing in a Group of 16 match. For those that do not follow Euro football (aka soccer) or World Cup football, this is the stage after the group stage and is the first of the elimination rounds. Think of it like the Wild Card round of the playoffs. Germany was leading 2-0 when one of the England players fired a long range shot that hit the crossbar and landed in the goal before the keeper grabbed the ball and proceeded to throw it to a teammate. For clarification purposes, unlike in American Football where only part of the ball must break the plane in order for a touchdown to be awarded, the entire ball in association football must be beyond the goal line (does not have to hit the net) in order for a goal to be awarded. If any part of the ball is touching the white line, the goal is disallowed. However, in this case, the ball was clearly in for a goal. However, the ref did not realise this and did not award a goal for England. Germany would go on to win the match 4-1 before falling to the eventual World Cup Champion Spain that year in the Semi-final round. This caused great uproar from England because it was believed that this moment stole potential momentum away from England, which could have resulted in a different outcome.
After this match and because of the uproar (rightfully so), football began using VAR which is essentially similar to the review system in the NFL. The ref, who has an ear piece to listen and a microphone to speak to the referees in VAR and the refs upstairs in case something is missed, will use the jumbotron or has a booth like the NFL to review a play to see if a goal should be awarded, should a penalty shot be awarded, red cards, etc. Additionally, a chip was put into the ball to make it easier to determine if the ball has crossed the line completely. In that series in which the ball may have crossed, the VAR officials can quite literally make the ball invisible to mark where the ball's shadow was in reference to where it is and where the line is to see if a goal should be awarded. Now, there has been a bit of blowback because VAR can call things too tightly, but it goes by the letter of the law. For example, if a player reached slightly and the ball glances off his hand, it's an automatic handball, which happened to I believe Tottenham a few years ago. Caused a lot of uproar, but, by the letter of the law, it was correct even if the handball was unintentional. However, as it is going by the letter of the law in terms of what happens, it'd at least make sense since it's at least clearly a rule, and everyone can see what VAR is looking at.
So, why do I bring up association football on the main forum for a Cowboys thread? Because this system could help the NFL. Firstly, in a sport like American Football where the ball only has to break the plane to score, the NFL should put a similar chip into the ball to where the replay officials upstairs can see where the ball is in conjunction to where the goal line is. If the chip registers that the ball has indeed broken the plane, it's a touchdown period end of story. If it did not, no touchdown is awarded. This would prevent the TD situations with Dak between Philly and the third down play yesterday.
Also, I think VAR should be introduced to the NFL. In football, the coach can ask for VAR, but VAR pretty much is automatically checked in any critical situation regardless. The NFL's Replay system is a bit outdated imo. I think they should upgrade to a VAR system of their own. Yes, keep the coaches challenges, but use VAR to say, right, a touchdown was not awarded, but the system and chip are recording a TD, so let's check VAR. Ref watches the enormous jumbotron with everyone else, and they can see if it was indeed a Touchdown. If a Pass Interference situation is in question whether called or not, VAR! Check VAR to see if there was indeed PI or was there something that would indicate that it's tricky tacky. For example, a few weeks ago, the Browns and Chargers played. They called DPI on Grant Delpit. Problem was 1. Delpit had no part of that play, and 2. The WR and CB were hand fighting the entire way, and the rules analyst for CBS didn't think DPI should have been called. Thus, if VAR was around, they could look at VAR without a challenge from a coach and see that perhaps that wasn't DPI.
These are just a few ways that the NFL could fix the problems and make sure that the officiating is better. The officiating has been atrocious around the league, and not just with us, as stated. FIFA fixed the problem. It's time the NFL does too. We have technology. The NFL should use it like FIFA and the Premier League do.
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