Comments from the referee on the first down call

[Reality]

Asked why he used the index card, Steratore said: "Didn't use the card to make the final decision. The final decision was made visually. The card was used nothing more than a reaffirmation of what was visually done. My decision was visually done based on the look from the pole."

How did it reaffirm?

"That was already finished," Steratore said. "The ball was touching the pole. I put the card in there and as soon as it touched, it was nothing more than a reaffirmation. The decision was made based on my visual from the top looking down and the ball touching the front of the pole."

 

[Verdict]

Asked why he used the index card, Steratore said: "Didn't use the card to make the final decision. The final decision was made visually. The card was used nothing more than a reaffirmation of what was visually done. My decision was visually done based on the look from the pole."

How did it reaffirm?

"That was already finished," Steratore said. "The ball was touching the pole. I put the card in there and as soon as it touched, it was nothing more than a reaffirmation. The decision was made based on my visual from the top looking down and the ball touching the front of the pole."

I'm just glad it was a first down. I think in reality that wasn't a very good spot for us.

 

[xwalker]

Asked why he used the index card, Steratore said: "Didn't use the card to make the final decision. The final decision was made visually. The card was used nothing more than a reaffirmation of what was visually done. My decision was visually done based on the look from the pole."

How did it reaffirm?

"That was already finished," Steratore said. "The ball was touching the pole. I put the card in there and as soon as it touched, it was nothing more than a reaffirmation. The decision was made based on my visual from the top looking down and the ball touching the front of the pole."

He is saying the card was a Bit (act). He was dramatic when he announced the 1st down.

Maybe Goodell said the Cowboys could get a few fair calls if Jerry dropped his objections to Goodell's new contract...

 

[Reality]

He is saying the card was a Bit (act). He was dramatic when he announced the 1st down.

Maybe Goodell said the Cowboys could get a few fair calls if Jerry dropped his objections to Goodell's new contract...

I have a feeling the head of the referees will be sending out a memo to all referees to not use that method going forward even for "reaffirmation"

 

[Floatyworm]

Asked why he used the index card, Steratore said: "Didn't use the card to make the final decision. The final decision was made visually. The card was used nothing more than a reaffirmation of what was visually done. My decision was visually done based on the look from the pole."

How did it reaffirm?

"That was already finished," Steratore said. "The ball was touching the pole. I put the card in there and as soon as it touched, it was nothing more than a reaffirmation. The decision was made based on my visual from the top looking down and the ball touching the front of the pole."

Right....

 

[Reality]

Right....

That view is from an angle back behind the line because the first down marker pole is to the left of the football, not in front of it. That's what people don't get. If you move left, which would put you perpendicular to the field and football, there would be no gap.

 

[Floatyworm]

That view is from an angle back behind the line because the first down marker pole is to the left of the football, not in front of it. That's what people don't get. If you move left, which would put you perpendicular to the field and football, there would be no gap.

The nose of the football isn't touching the white line....the yard markers are...

 

[JBell]

@Floatyworm clearly doesn't understand how angles work

@Floatyworm the type to meet a girl off a
dating website and wonder why she looks 50 pounds heavier in person

 

[BAT]

I'm just glad it was a first down. I think in reality that wasn't a very good spot for us.

It was a bad spot, knew it as soon as they spotted it. Even the Raider fans around me were saying they got an Oaktown spot.

 

[AzorAhai]

So how long before they install levels on the sticks?

 

[River82]

The nose of the football isn't touching the white line....the yard markers are...

The front end of the pole is touching the white line, the back end was not. The front end of the ball is past the point of the back end of the yard marker = first down.

 

[River82]

That view is from an angle back behind the line because the first down marker pole is to the left of the football, not in front of it. That's what people don't get. If you move left, which would put you perpendicular to the field and football, there would be no gap.

The technical term is "parallax error"

 

[Reality]

The nose of the football isn't touching the white line....the yard markers are...

That's the same view, just from above. If the view were even (perpendicular), the line on the field would be vertical in the image.

 

[Reality]

Right....

That view is still not perpendicular. You are looking at it from the right toward the left at a small angle which accounts for the gap.

 

[Reality]

The nose of the football isn't touching the white line....the yard markers are...

A = gap from that angle
B = gap from that angle
C = no gap, first down

 

[theebs]

@Floatyworm clearly doesn't understand how angles work

@Floatyworm the type to meet a girl off a
dating website and wonder why she looks 50 pounds heavier in person

he also is one of these people that is mad Dallas won when he is a Dallas fan.

 

[cowboysfaninmichigan]

That view is from an angle back behind the line because the first down marker pole is to the left of the football, not in front of it. That's what people don't get. If you move left, which would put you perpendicular to the field and football, there would be no gap.

Correct, but a lot of these folks aren't too swift so save your breath.

 

[Reality]

he also is one of these people that is mad Dallas won when he is a Dallas fan.

It must be "kellen" him

 

[cowboysfaninmichigan]

he also is one of these people that is mad Dallas won when he is a Dallas fan.

Self loathing Cowboys fans are the WORST. Risen is another....the chief Dak hater.

 

[csirl]

Steratore did what his training told him to do. I did some officiating in a past life and we were told to do this in these circumstances - put the penalty card between ball and pole.