NFL Considering Microchip-Implanted Footballs (1 Viewer)

[KCC]

I hope this goes through. A little less human error in key calls would be a good thing.

ComputersNFL Considering Microchip-Implanted Footballsby Caleb Johnson — Aug 5th 2010 at 7:25AMReuters Canada reports that the NFL has spoken with a German manufacturer about placing microchips inside footballs in order to prevent blown calls by officials. The tight-lipped NFL, naturally, would not confirm or deny these reports, but Cairos Technologies sales director Mario Hanus told Reuters, "Yes, we are talking. There is a demand in American Football." The demand is getting touchdown, first-down, out-of-bounds and other calls correct without depending on human officials or instant replay. If microchip technology is implemented, an alarm would sound to let refs know when the ball crossed the goal line or other lines on the field -- rather than officials merely eyeballing it. A marriage between the NFL and microchip technology has been rumored for some time, so we're hesitant to believe (for now anyway) that this latest news means our refs will go robo anytime soon. [From: Reuters Canada]

 

[Kree]

Pretty much common sense. Lets hope it happens.

 

[Das Boot]

This could and should have been done years ago...

so maybe it's actually finally true.

 

[Carter_Can_Fly]

If this happens there would also have to be less challenges made by coaches throughout the course of a game. I hope this happens sooner than later.

 

[montana_grizzly_bears]

As long as there aren't red laser beams flying across the screen during games I'm good with this.

 

[de Tocqueville]

How could the NFL afford this? Or, how could they justify it financially. The whole collection of technology is probably extremely expensive and it might cost more than that of tennis due to the shape of the ball.

 

[Godsbrother]

I think it is a waste of time. A key component in any short yardge situation is when the player's knee, elbow, butt, etc. touches the ground and that will still be determined by humans. If you ask me planting a microchip in the football is only going to introduce more controversy because there will be cases when the sensor says the ball went past the 1st down marker or goalline but the ref was either too late or too early blowing the whistle.

Personally I think football was better before instant replay and having to watch 40 camera angles and frame-by-frame stop motion just to make a call. I understand the desire to get the call right but IR slows down the game tremendously and the way the NFL implements it is idiotic.

I have no doubt they would screw this up too.

 

[Islander]

I think it is a waste of time. A key component in any short yardge situation is when the player's knee, elbow, butt, etc. touches the ground and that will still be determined by humans. If you ask me planting a microchip in the football is only going to introduce more controversy because there will be cases when the sensor says the ball went past the 1st down marker or goalline but the ref was either too late or too early blowing the whistle.Personally I think football was better before instant replay and having to watch 40 camera angles and frame-by-frame stop motion just to make a call. I understand the desire to get the call right but IR slows down the game tremendously and the way the NFL implements it is idiotic.I have no doubt they would screw this up too.

I can see some Steelers fans being more in favor of judgment and less in favor of technology and precision.

 

[Godsbrother]

I think it is a waste of time. A key component in any short yardge situation is when the player's knee, elbow, butt, etc. touches the ground and that will still be determined by humans. If you ask me planting a microchip in the football is only going to introduce more controversy because there will be cases when the sensor says the ball went past the 1st down marker or goalline but the ref was either too late or too early blowing the whistle.Personally I think football was better before instant replay and having to watch 40 camera angles and frame-by-frame stop motion just to make a call. I understand the desire to get the call right but IR slows down the game tremendously and the way the NFL implements it is idiotic.I have no doubt they would screw this up too.

I can see some Steelers fans being more in favor of judgment and less in favor of technology and precision.

The Steelers have gotten their fair-share of bad calls over the years. The difference is they don't whine and blame losses on officiating as much as some other teams...

 

[Grigs Allmoon]

I think it is a waste of time. A key component in any short yardge situation is when the player's knee, elbow, butt, etc. touches the ground and that will still be determined by humans. If you ask me planting a microchip in the football is only going to introduce more controversy because there will be cases when the sensor says the ball went past the 1st down marker or goalline but the ref was either too late or too early blowing the whistle.Personally I think football was better before instant replay and having to watch 40 camera angles and frame-by-frame stop motion just to make a call. I understand the desire to get the call right but IR slows down the game tremendously and the way the NFL implements it is idiotic.I have no doubt they would screw this up too.

The thing is, with this they only have to watch one thing. The knee (et al.) being down. Currently, they have to watch for two things. Being down, and ball location. The next step is for the refs to have a button they press or something tied to the whistle to record the spot of the ball when they see a knee down.I have no doubt they'll even be able to go to IR, and go frame by frame, stopping the video on the exact moment a foot is out of bounds, etc. and knowing right where the football is.Sure, it's going to be different, but once streamlined, I don't see much downside.

 

[Godsbrother]

I think it is a waste of time. A key component in any short yardge situation is when the player's knee, elbow, butt, etc. touches the ground and that will still be determined by humans. If you ask me planting a microchip in the football is only going to introduce more controversy because there will be cases when the sensor says the ball went past the 1st down marker or goalline but the ref was either too late or too early blowing the whistle.

Personally I think football was better before instant replay and having to watch 40 camera angles and frame-by-frame stop motion just to make a call. I understand the desire to get the call right but IR slows down the game tremendously and the way the NFL implements it is idiotic.

I have no doubt they would screw this up too.

You forgot the... AND STAY OFF MY LAWN! ...part.

I guess I do come off as a crabby old man. I just don't see how the chip is going to help when you still have a human blowing the whistle to stop the play.

As far as the rest of IR I think the NFL's challenge system is dumb. I think college football does it much better.

 

[Hooper31]

The difference is they don't whine and blame losses on officiating as much as some other teams...

Do you really want to get into a pissing match with giant generalities over large groups of fans acting as a single entity? How about we agree there is an equally toolish faction representing each team, and we leave it at that?

 

[Hooper31]

I just don't see how the chip is going to help when you still have a human blowing the whistle to stop the play.

Seems it would provide an obvious answer in some situations when trying to figure out whether or not a ball traveled the correct distance (goal line), or perhaps too far (sideline). I don't think anyone is suggesting the technology would solve every problem (like your reference to the whistle), but it could resolve some problems.

 

[Godsbrother]

The difference is they don't whine and blame losses on officiating as much as some other teams...

Do you really want to get into a pissing match with giant generalities over large groups of fans acting as a single entity? How about we agree there is an equally toolish faction representing each team, and we leave it at that?

No I don't want to get into a pissing match -- I was just giving a toolish response to what I thought was an unwarranted attack.Definitely agree that every team has their fair share of whining and idiot fans.

 

[Godsbrother]

I just don't see how the chip is going to help when you still have a human blowing the whistle to stop the play.

Seems it would provide an obvious answer in some situations when trying to figure out whether or not a ball traveled the correct distance (goal line), or perhaps too far (sideline). I don't think anyone is suggesting the technology would solve every problem (like your reference to the whistle), but it could resolve some problems.

I understand that but the position of a player's body is critical in most of those situations and that is going to be determined by an official. Seems like you would need sensors in a players shoes and uniform to make it work right.

 

[Hooper31]

I just don't see how the chip is going to help when you still have a human blowing the whistle to stop the play.

Seems it would provide an obvious answer in some situations when trying to figure out whether or not a ball traveled the correct distance (goal line), or perhaps too far (sideline). I don't think anyone is suggesting the technology would solve every problem (like your reference to the whistle), but it could resolve some problems.

I understand that but the position of a player's body is critical in most of those situations and that is going to be determined by an official. Seems like you would need sensors in a players shoes and uniform to make it work right.

I agree, but sensors in the ball don't have to answer every question, only questions that relate to the position of the ball achieving enough forward progress might make it worth while. If the ball never makes it to the goal line, it can't be a touchdown. I hear your argument with regard to knees and such, but this technology doesn't address that issue.Example: In 1998 QB Vinnie Testeverde was awarded a controversial TD against my Seahawks. The ball never made it to the goal line. You might remember the only thing that crossed the goal line was his helmet. The one play being reversed would have put Seattle in the playoffs that year and it cost Dennis Erickson his job. That one play more than any other led the NFL bring back replay.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football...eplay_rule.html

Quarterback sneak by Vinny Testaverde in 1998 opened door for coaches to request video replays

BY Gary Myers

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Friday, June 4th 2010, 4:00 AM

Vinny Testaverde is not likely to ever be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but the Jets helmet he wore in a 1998 game against Seattle should be sent to Canton.

Testaverde's helmet, more than anything else, is responsible for the NFL voting in 1999 to bring back instant replay (it was voted out after a spotty six-year run from 1986-91) with a new twist, the highly successful coaches' challenge system. It has dramatically improved the quality of the game without slowing it down.

The NFL's use of instant replay would have overturned Jim Joyce's blown call at first base with two outs in the ninth inning Wednesday night that deprived Detroit's Armando Galarraga of a perfect game. The evidence was indisputable.

On Dec. 6, 1998, the Jets trailed the Seahawks 31-26 with 27 seconds remaining at Giants Stadium. On a fourth and goal from the five, Testaverde checked off to Green 99 at the line of scrimmage - a quarterback sneak.

It worked and it didn't work. Testaverde and the ball were clearly stopped a foot short of the goal line, even though his helmet wound up crossing the plane. It was ruled a touchdown. There was no instant-replay system in place to review the call. The touchdown, with 20 seconds remaining, gave the Jets a 32-31 victory with three games left.Seattle went 2-1 in the final three weeks and finished 8-8, but even at 9-7 would have lost out to New England on a tie-breaker for the last AFC wild-card spot. Coach Dennis Erickson was fired after the season. In the aftermath of the game, Erickson received a call from supervisor of officials Jerry Seeman. "He said the guy saw the helmet go across the goal line and he thought it was the ball," Erickson said.

That play caused a huge uproar in the NFL and nearly prompted league owners to bring back replay on a limited basis for the playoffs that season. But the competition committee voted 7-1 against bringing it back for the playoffs and 6-2 to bring it back for the regular season. Replay had been voted down prior to the 1998 season.

At the league meetings in March of 1999, a new replay system passed 28-3: Two challenges per game by each coach with a timeout being charged if the call was upheld. If a coach doesn't have a timeout remaining, he can not issue a challenge. In the final two minutes of each half and in overtime, the challenge is initiated by the replay assistant in the booth. All decisions are rendered by the referee after review on a sideline monitor.

The system was amended in 2004, allowing a third challenge if a coach's first two were successful. In the 2009 regular season, covering 256 games, there were a total of 328 reviews, 228 by coaches' challenges with 126 reversals. In the playoffs, 15plays were reviewed with six reversals.

When the NFL brought back instant replay in 1999, it was designed to correct game-changing calls. It would have bailed out Joyce.

 

[Godsbrother]

I agree, but sensors in the ball don't have to answer every question, only questions that relate to the position of the ball achieving enough forward progress might make it worth while. If the ball never makes it to the goal line, it can't be a touchdown. I hear your argument with regard to knees and such, but this technology doesn't address that issue.Example: In 1998 QB Vinnie Testeverde was awarded a controversial TD against my Seahawks. The ball never made it to the goal line. You might remember the only thing that crossed the goal line was his helmet. The one play being reversed would have put Seattle in the playoffs that year and it cost Dennis Erickson his job. That one play more than any other led the NFL bring back replay.

I agree that a microchip would help determine if the ball broke the plane of the goal or first down marker. If it is only a matter of that then I have no problem with it.However in most close plays the ball does cross the first down marker/goal line (though often late). And in these situations I can see the chip opening up a can of worms because players/fans will be complaining the ref either blew the whistle too soon or too late. In the cases of sidelines and endzones, the position of the player(s) is as much or even more critical than the ball's position and so the chip won't address help that. It just seems like a lot of trouble for not much gain.

 

[Clifford]

I think it is a waste of time. A key component in any short yardge situation is when the player's knee, elbow, butt, etc. touches the ground and that will still be determined by humans. If you ask me planting a microchip in the football is only going to introduce more controversy because there will be cases when the sensor says the ball went past the 1st down marker or goalline but the ref was either too late or too early blowing the whistle.Personally I think football was better before instant replay and having to watch 40 camera angles and frame-by-frame stop motion just to make a call. I understand the desire to get the call right but IR slows down the game tremendously and the way the NFL implements it is idiotic.I have no doubt they would screw this up too.

besides that these typically are the calls they get right. It's the pass interference, fumbles, and other more human-centered calls they screw up. Besides, after watching the World Cup I have a renewed appreciation for the accuracy of NFL officiating.

 

[fatness]

A microchip in a football isn't going to resolve much of anything. Due to the odd shape of footballs they'd require multiple microchips to tell if any part of the ball touches the goalline.

 

[Donnybrook]

I still recall how Gene Steratore's refused to overturn the Ravens' failed two-point conversion in New England because he lost sight of the ball for a split second. Everybody watching knew that it had to have crossed the plane even though the ball was not visable. There was no way the ball could not have crossed the plane and still ended up in McGahee's arms. Yet Steratore used the vanishing ball trick to uphold his terrible call. The Microchip could definitely help in that situations. It would confirm that Steratore is a Jackass.

 

[Grigs Allmoon]

A microchip in a football isn't going to resolve much of anything. Due to the odd shape of footballs they'd require multiple microchips to tell if any part of the ball touches the goalline.

I'm sure they thought of that.

 

[Defenze]

I think it is a waste of time. A key component in any short yardge situation is when the player's knee, elbow, butt, etc. touches the ground and that will still be determined by humans. If you ask me planting a microchip in the football is only going to introduce more controversy because there will be cases when the sensor says the ball went past the 1st down marker or goalline but the ref was either too late or too early blowing the whistle.Personally I think football was better before instant replay and having to watch 40 camera angles and frame-by-frame stop motion just to make a call. I understand the desire to get the call right but IR slows down the game tremendously and the way the NFL implements it is idiotic.I have no doubt they would screw this up too.

 

[fatness]

Let's go to the replay radar!

 

[Carter_Can_Fly]

I think it is a waste of time. A key component in any short yardge situation is when the player's knee, elbow, butt, etc. touches the ground and that will still be determined by humans. If you ask me planting a microchip in the football is only going to introduce more controversy because there will be cases when the sensor says the ball went past the 1st down marker or goalline but the ref was either too late or too early blowing the whistle.Personally I think football was better before instant replay and having to watch 40 camera angles and frame-by-frame stop motion just to make a call. I understand the desire to get the call right but IR slows down the game tremendously and the way the NFL implements it is idiotic.I have no doubt they would screw this up too.

I stfongly disagree that football is better off with not being able to over turn blown calls and although the system in place is far from perfect, at least it is a way to get it more right.

 

[PlasmaDogPlasma]

I'm kind of pissed off that they have a German company doing this for NFL football.