News: NFL rules videoboard will stay where it is. Jerry wins.

[YosemiteSam]

I'm not sure why you think "Cowboys win," and I am also surprised so many people here think it's great that the videoboard will remain where it is... so it can be hit during games. As a long time Cowboys fan, I believe it is in the best interests of everyone if the videoboard is raised, especially Cowboys fans. Do you really want to watch a game where play stops to address this issue? I don't. The stadium is beautiful, but it shouldn't affect the game. Hopefully now Jerry will raise the board on his own terms... now that no one will think that the league made him.

Because I've noted many times on the board that the video board cannot be hit unless you are trying to do it. I'm not going to explain WHY that is true again. You can just search the board and find it. (edit, it appears Hos stated the reasons after your post)

The whole mess is only because the everyone hates the Cowboys and just want to make a big stink about it. Jerry did something that no other NFL team would do and make a huge spectacle out of it, the Cowboys, and himself and it just rubs them the wrong way.

You know what I say to them. **** you!

 

[Hoofbite]

Well ...... someone looks stupid ...... but its not Jerry.

I think Jerry and the league share the responsibility. Not that it really matters, I doubt either are losing sleep over the public perception of the matter. Many fans are for some reason but the parties involved probably couldn't care less.

The only way either will look stupid is if it comes into play during a regular game and each tries to deflect blame to the other. In that case, they will both look stupid.

I truly hope in the event of such case that each will just admit their fault in the matter and commit to getting the problem fixed.

 

[burmafrd]

Its ONLY obvious that it SHOULD be raised if its hit numerous times during REAL games. Anyone saying otherwise NOW is a total joke.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I think Jerry and the league share the responsibility. Not that it really matters, I doubt either are losing sleep over the public perception of the matter. Many fans are for some reason but the parties involved probably couldn't care less.

The only way either will look stupid is if it comes into play during a regular game and each tries to deflect blame to the other. In that case, they will both look stupid.

I truly hope in the event of such case that each will just admit their fault in the matter and commit to getting the problem fixed.

If it comes into play, it will be done on purpose. No NFL punter would ever punt to the same airspace that the video board exists if it wasn't there during an actual game.

 

[burmafrd]

It is the LEAGUES responsibility since they bought off on the height and Jerruh even raised it over the minimum. So its THEIR problem.

 

[zrinkill]

I think Jerry and the league share the responsibility.

Jerry followed the guidelines set in place by the league.

 

[Hostile]

Its ONLY obvious that it SHOULD be raised if its hit numerous times during REAL games. Anyone saying otherwise NOW is a total joke.

I can agree with this because I don't think it will be. I don't think NFL Punters are as stupid as some people think. I hate the fools, but they aren't going to sabotage themselves.

 

[tomson75]

While agree with most points in this thread, I don't wholeheartedly agree that this isn't an issue. It's certainly not a big issue, but I still find it a rather silly one nonetheless.

I agree that the backup punter was deliberately trying to hit the board.

I agree that it would have to be a poor punt to hit the board...one that was miss-hit by the punter.

I agree that this has been way over-blown.

I do not agree, however, with the decision making process behind where the board was placed. I was one of the people that argued that this thing would never come into play because no one could possibly be stupid enough to spend that type of coin on something that extravagant, only to overlook something as trivial as to whether or not it could interfere with gameplay......well, I was wrong. Someone was that stupid.

IMO, it should have been made an 'impossibility' rather than an 'improbability'.

...and while it shouldn't interfere, and likely won't unless there are other errors involved.....here we are. This was easily avoidable, and it should have been.

Whether or not Jerry was right (and he technically was) isn't the important factor here, at least not to me.

...it's just more silly **** to take the concentration away from football. That's my 2 cents...and I'll leave it at that. I don't think this justifies any more of my time. Just think its pretty silly, that's all.

 

[Khartun]

I suspect that after it is raised for the U2 concert, it won't be lowered again.

I believe they will have to lower it again after that concert. It was stated that at the height they will be raising it the board won't function.

 

[BrassCowboy]

10 to 1 says the competition committee will change the rules in the off-season and the board will have to be raised next year.

Ten to 1 says there will be an NFL next year.

The point now is Jerry is right and the board stays.

 

[Big Dakota]

Anyone know how wide the board is? I know it's 60 yards long, but wondering how much field it takes up from sideline to sideline.

 

[adbutcher]

I do not have DallasEast's graphics abilities so I am going to use Danny White's sig pic and Matt McBriar's commentary to make a point.

http://img.***BLOCKED***/albums/v321/Schenk/Seatsignature.jpg
​

Look at the size of the cheerleaders on the field and the height of the video board. Bottom line the BACKUP Punter for the Titans knew he was not likely to make the team. He has a dubious future in the NFL, but he could at least put his name to a controversy. Maybe he becomes a trivia answer. That was his motivation.

In other words, he hit the video board on purpose. No one will ever tell me differently and convince me.

I want you to think about this. What kind of moron punts down the middle of the field? According to Matt McBriar a good Punter always tries to pin the ball inside the 20 yard line. The sidelines are a Punter's friends.

It is extremely rare and questionable to punt to the middle of the field where an elusive return man has a wide open field to either side to try and elude tacklers. It is also rare to try and punt the ball straight up in the air. So straight up in the air and down the middle of the field?

That equals either stupidity or intent to hit the board.

I was discussing this with Star-Man yesterday. How many of us used to try and punt the football over the power lines when we were kids? When you did it you felt like you had made the NFL yourself. Folks those lines are about 30 feet above the ground. Multiply that accomplishment from your childhood by 3. That is how high up the video board is.

I openly expressed doubts it could be hit. I was wrong. I still maintain the only way that this causes an issue is if the Punter tries to hit it on purpose and if he does then he's just a really stupid football player.

Let the mouth breathers whine. They were going to anyway.

 

[Cowboys22]

I like the decision but it leaves one issue open. It was brought up the other day that a QB could intentially hit the board in order to get a do-over down if he doesn't think he has any Wrs open on the play. Think last play of the game hail mary attempt, the QB drops back, no one open, play not developing, launch one into the board, do-over.

So is it possible for a QB to hit the board intentionally? I think another rule my be needed to make hitting the board with a thrown pass a penalty or incompletion.

 

[Doomsdayblitz]

While agree with most points in this thread, I don't wholeheartedly agree that this isn't an issue. It's certainly not a big issue, but I still find it a rather silly one nonetheless.

I agree that the backup punter was deliberately trying to hit the board.

I agree that it would have to be a poor punt to hit the board...one that was miss-hit by the punter.

I agree that this has been way over-blown.

I do not agree, however, with the decision making process behind where the board was placed. I was one of the people that argued that this thing would never come into play because no one could possibly be stupid enough to spend that type of coin on something that extravagant, only to overlook something as trivial as to whether or not it could interfere with gameplay......well, I was wrong. Someone was that stupid.

IMO, it should have been made an 'impossibility' rather than an 'improbability'.

...and while it shouldn't interfere, and likely won't unless there are other errors involved.....here we are. This was easily avoidable, and it should have been.

Whether or not Jerry was right (and he technically was) isn't the important factor here, at least not to me.

...it's just more silly **** to take the concentration away from football. That's my 2 cents...and I'll leave it at that. I don't think this justifies any more of my time. Just think its pretty silly, that's all.

Thank you!!! A voice of reason among "homers". I love this team like no other. Have for over 44 yrs. I don't like a lot of what Jerry Jones does. Just the fact that he spent $40M+ on this video board, and didn't make sure that the greatest punter of all time, (Ray Guy) wouldn't even be able to hit it was just plain dumb. If the rules, which are obviously inadequate, say 85 feet, hang it 120 feet. It not only would keep out of the field of play, but from what I saw, would give more fans a better view of the field.

This is going to be an issue until Jerry raises the thing. Young punters trying to make a name for themselves all over the league will be aiming for it every chance they get...and if a backup who, as a poster put it, "probably has no future in the NFL", can hit it with regularity, what about even stronger ones? This is an issue that should never have been one.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Anyone know how wide the board is? I know it's 60 yards long, but wondering how much field it takes up from sideline to sideline.

The side video boards (on the ends) are 50 feet wide. The middle of the whole setup isn't as wide as the end boards.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Thank you!!! A voice of reason among "homers". I love this team like no other. Have for over 44 yrs. I don't like a lot of what Jerry Jones does. Just the fact that he spent $40M+ on this video board, and didn't make sure that the greatest punter of all time, (Ray Guy) wouldn't even be able to hit it was just plain dumb. If the rules, which are obviously inadequate, say 85 yds., hang it 120 yds. It not only would keep out of the field of play, but from what I saw, would give more fans a better view of the field.

This is going to be an issue until Jerry raises the thing. Young punters trying to make a name for themselves all over the league will be aiming for it every chance they get...and if a backup who, as a poster put it, "probably has no future in the NFL", can hit it with regularity, what about even stronger ones? This is an issue that should never have been one.

So what you're saying is to spend $40M on a video board a put it in a place that makes it more difficult to view?

The point is, have you tried to watch flat screens from a sharp angle? They don't look that good. That is what Jerry was trying to prevent. He placed the board within the guidelines that gives the best view of this $40M video board.

He did exactly what he should have done given what he wanted done and the guidelines he was given.

 

[spindoc]

Because I've noted many times on the board that the video board cannot be hit unless you are trying to do it. I'm not going to explain WHY that is true again. You can just search the board and find it. (edit, it appears Hos stated the reasons after your post)

The whole mess is only because the everyone hates the Cowboys and just want to make a big stink about it. Jerry did something that no other NFL team would do and make a huge spectacle out of it, the Cowboys, and himself and it just rubs them the wrong way.

You know what I say to them. **** you!

Will your opinion change if you are wrong (I know that sounds crazy) and the videoboard is hit in every game? Maybe you enjoy watching NFL games with additional game breaks... that is your choice. For me, there are already too many breaks in the action. The bottom line is that Jerry and crew made a mistake... it happens. If the videoboard continues to get hit, Jerry will raise the board under his own terms.

 

[BrassCowboy]

I still say play it off the board just like the end zone net in the AFL

hell why not shape the bottom to look like a upside down roof (*something a little like this: \/ ) so that if it hits most likely on the angle, the ball would slide up and aim toward the sideline causing an out of bounds. then it could be a designed part of the punter's game

j/k glad to see it stay. I was reading something the other day where McBriar was trying a whole lot of punts he would do in gametime situations and never hit the thing.

That punter for Tennessee purposely hit it for the spotlight.

 

[igtmfo]

Norm Hitzges got the skinny from an unnamed Cowboys official, I'll try to paraphrase it below and hope I get it right. It's kind of counterintuitive though ..

1. The board's electronics and supports were designed to be permanently set at 90 feet.

I think I heard Norm musing that the board can be lowered (it was raised up there, right?) AND operational for other events: the Final Four, conventions etc. - I'm hazy if this last part was Norm's thought or the Cowboys' word.

But ... owing to the design of the electronics, it would not be operational if you move it ABOVE 90 feet as it stands now (doesn't seem right, but that's what I gathered). They are working up a temporary fix (meaning ... less than completely safe?) for U2 to move it physically up, but to do this they'll have to disable the electronics and they won't be operational during the U2 concert, even if U2 wanted to use the screens for viewing (I think) ..

2. A permanent solution to hoist it another 10-20 feet up would cost millions just as far as the supports go, and take time to execute ... (hm, maybe the NFL was told this, that it couldn't be done in just a week- or two-weeks time between home games anyway .....)

3. There has been no previous study on the "sightlines" if it were moved up .. because the 90-foot height was thought to be permanent, integral to the design of the stadium I guess ...

 

[tomson75]

So what you're saying is to spend $40M on a video board a put it in a place that makes it more difficult to view?

The point is, have you tried to watch flat screens from a sharp angle? They don't look that good. That is what Jerry was trying to prevent. He placed the board within the guidelines that gives the best view of this $40M video board.

He did exactly what he should have done given what he wanted done and the guidelines he was given.

Uhhhh...you really think that moving a video board that size 10-15 feet higher in the air is going to change the viewing angle so much that you'd notice?

No, it isn't...and no, he didn't. If he had, we wouldn't be talking about this right now.

If the board's view would've been obstructed for some seats, then it should have been smaller.

...but by no means was this exactly what should have been done. It shouldn't even be an issue.

IMO, of course.