Officiating being handed over to off-field judges or AI? (1 Viewer)

[Hastur]

With officiating being talked about in a negative way year over year, what are the chances the reins of power are turned over to off-field officials? There are only so many officials being on the field before they start disrupting the game. Having a few dozen people in a booth looking at every camera angle might be the way we're headed.

How about AI?

 

[Bri]

There's been a lengthy thread about officiating

 

[BassNBrew]

With officiating being talked about in a negative way year over year, what are the chances the reins of power are turned over to off-field officials? There are only so many officials being on the field before they start disrupting the game. Having a few dozen people in a booth looking at every camera angle might be the way we're headed.

How about AI?

The same AI that writes rental listings for me that violates fair housing laws or the AI that will handle my calendar and set up showings with no understanding that my time and gas have value?

Given that there a foul on most plays, I feel like the system in place is pretty good. Improving the officials skill sets would be the route I would go.

 

[Hastur]

There's been a lengthy thread about officiating

I knew there had to be, but my search came up empty.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

With officiating being talked about in a negative way year over year, what are the chances the reins of power are turned over to off-field officials? There are only so many officials being on the field before they start disrupting the game. Having a few dozen people in a booth looking at every camera angle might be the way we're headed.

How about AI?

The same AI that writes rental listings for me that violates fair housing laws or the AI that will handle my calendar and set up showings with no understanding that my time and gas have value?

Given that there a foul on most plays, I feel like the system in place is pretty good. Improving the officials skill sets would be the route I would go.

Agreed, plus quick consultations and overturns of egregiously wrong high-impact calls (flagrant PIs, roughing the passer calls that weren’t, etc).

 

[Ignoratio Elenchi]

I've long been a proponent of more technology being used to officiate games in all sports. It's silly, for example, that we have guys running onto the field with two sticks connected by a long chain to determine if a player made a first down. AI isn't ready yet but there's probably a place for it in the foreseeable future. But as the years go by I'm leaning more back the other way, that we just need to let it be what it is.

I agree with BNB that right now what we need is to upskill our existing officials (including just making it a full time position as opposed to a side gig for most of these guys). I also think we need to reset our expectations as viewers. It's never going to be perfect. I used to argue that we needed video replay to make sure the calls were correct every time and now I'm so tired of it I'm in favor of scaling it back, to the point that it should only be used to correct the most obvious errors. Refs get like 20 seconds under the hood, if it's not immediately obvious from the first or second angle that the call on the field was wrong, the call stands and we move on. If it turns out there's a fourth angle where you can see in super slo-mo that the player's kneepad actually brushed a blade of grass before one of the dimples on the ball crossed the goalline, we'll live with it.

 

[BassNBrew]

I've long been a proponent of more technology being used to officiate games in all sports. It's silly, for example, that we have guys running onto the field with two sticks connected by a long chain to determine if a player made a first down. AI isn't ready yet but there's probably a place for it in the foreseeable future. But as the years go by I'm leaning more back the other way, that we just need to let it be what it is.

I agree with BNB that right now what we need is to upskill our existing officials (including just making it a full time position as opposed to a side gig for most of these guys). I also think we need to reset our expectations as viewers. It's never going to be perfect. I used to argue that we needed video replay to make sure the calls were correct every time and now I'm so tired of it I'm in favor of scaling it back, to the point that it should only be used to correct the most obvious errors. Refs get like 20 seconds under the hood, if it's not immediately obvious from the first or second angle that the call on the field was wrong, the call stands and we move on. If it turns out there's a fourth angle where you can see in super slo-mo that the player's kneepad actually brushed a blade of grass before one of the dimples on the ball crossed the goalline, we'll live with it.

Agreed.

I do like the coach's challenge aspect. It does bring into some strategy by the coach when to use it and it the upside is worth the risk. I can live with 2-3 longer delays to throughly review a call if the coach decides it's warranted.

 

[ghostguy123]

I'd much rather just keep things as is and continue to complain

 

[Gally]

I think the biggest bang for the buck is to add an eye in the sky as part of the crew. He is an official that reveiws plays and replays real time and can radio down to the head guy to correct blatant missed calls. It can happen within a few seconds without the need for a coaches challenge or havin g the head guy run over to some tablet to review the play.

You can keep the challenge structure for other calls if coaches want in depth review of a certain play. I think this would solve 90% of the blatant missed calls.

 

[Ignoratio Elenchi]

I spend a fair amount of my focus at work trying to eliminate areas of "administrative bullpoop." There's so much that people do that can and should be replaced by technology and automation. I think the same thing applies in almost every field, including probably NFL officiating. Running up to an official and rubbing your chest or whatever to declare yourself as an eligible receiver which the on-field official then needs to relay to the defense (and the PA announcer?) as the play clock is counting down is the kind of administrative bullpoop that seems like should be done away with these days (same with running down the sideline making a "T" with your hands and hoping an official sees it to call a time out, etc.) Of course the officials are going to screw this up sometimes, it's a stupid archaic practice. There are definitely better ways to do this that will allow the on-field refs to focus on the more important things.

 

[FarFromHome]

Went to my first NFL game in a long time Christmas eve. One thing that was comical to me was the PA announcing player 68 eligible on nearly every play. It filled the stadium. Over and over. 4th quarter comes along and the drunk people around me kept shouting throw it to 68. Over and over. Seemed silly. The entire process seems silly. They should simply have a eligible receiver screen where players and coaches can glance at near the time clock. Doesn't need to be announced it needs to be visible. Player and coaches can glance over to see who is eligible. Ball boys are sent by coaches to run over to eligible player table, where the crew puts the number on the screen. Seems simple.

 

[Snotbubbles]

Went to my first NFL game in a long time Christmas eve. One thing that was comical to me was the PA announcing player 68 eligible on nearly every play. It filled the stadium. Over and over. 4th quarter comes along and the drunk people around me kept shouting throw it to 68. Over and over. Seemed silly. The entire process seems silly. They should simply have a eligible receiver screen where players and coaches can glance at near the time clock. Doesn't need to be announced it needs to be visible. Player and coaches can glance over to see who is eligible. Ball boys are sent by coaches to run over to eligible player table, where the crew puts the number on the screen. Seems simple.

Or just do away with ineligible lineman being allowed to be eligible.

 

[brettdj]

I think an added TV/Sky box official is the next step. The logistics of getting the flag out and the limits/keys seem difficult.

Most of you have no idea about officiating. You think you do, but until you have had the training, read the rulebook, and been on the field; you have very little knowledge.

There is a need for officials on the field. They keep the players from fighting without flags.

The notion that there is a foul on every play is crazy. I can look at 95% of the plays from any game and not find a foul to call.

 

[Rubi]

Right now I'd be in favor of using a Magic Eight Ball to officiate.
Just have someone not associated with the league stand on the sidelines and use the "ball" to determine if there was a penalty or not.
Magic Eight Ball was that pass interference?...Yes...No...It would seem so...Could be...Maybe...I don't know...

 

[Tanner9919]

they need to do something with the PI calls down the field, late in games. it's like an automatic 75 yard play, first down in FG range. it's pathetic. make it less punitive.
find a way to let the players play and make sure the pass is catchable before throwing a flag. or, let them players beat the snot of out each other jockeying for position down the field.
nfl has turned out to be as cowardly and silly just like soccer is. what next, flopping and not determined end of game except at refs discretion? ( what a silly sport soccer is).

 

[rockaction]

The word "upskill" was used in this thread.

I knew him, Ignoratio.

 

[eighsse2]

Right now I'd be in favor of using a Magic Eight Ball to officiate.
Just have someone not associated with the league stand on the sidelines and use the "ball" to determine if there was a penalty or not.
Magic Eight Ball was that pass interference?...Yes...No...It would seem so...Could be...Maybe...I don't know...

An alternative option, maybe just for primetime games, would be to loop the first 10 seconds of the Malcolm in the Middle theme song on a tv and have a monkey with a remote control press "pause" whenever he chooses.

 

[Runkle]

Huh weird. All I ever hear is people complaining that they can't enjoy football because you have to wait until after a play is over and look around everywhere for yellow flags before you celebrate. Plus it is too slow in determining simple things like 'what is a catch'.

I figured the consensus would be to remove officiating entirely. Just let them play, if the ball is caught it's good and if it isn't it isn't. Easy peasy. Don't need refs for anything, whatever happens in real time stands.

 

[Anarchy99]

I am all in favor for whatever can be done to improve consistency. Even with an eye in the sky, my fear is that will still fail to accomplish that. They still can't agree on what a catch is. They already have problems determining if a player was down and where to spot the football. Sometimes a play is deemed a turnover in one game but a similar play is ruled down by contact in another game. Pass interference and holding gets called or ignored differently within the same game. And some plays QB are off limits but on other ones breathing on them is roughing the passer.

I don't even care that the rules are different from week to week or game to game. I just want things called the same within the same game. IMO, refs that ignore hand checking and some inappropriate contact or grabbing for 58 minutes should not throw a flag inside the two-minute warning on contact that was less egregious then what went on all game.

I suppose baby steps would be having a booth official calling out DPI in the GB / KC game or the tripping call in the DET / DAL game.

 

[rockaction]

I suppose baby steps would be having a booth official calling out DPI in the GB / KC game or the tripping call in the DET / DAL game.

They already tried something like that and the officials refused to call any instance of it. Not to pick on you—I just remember it and it was an egregious sit-down strike.

 

[Anarchy99]

I suppose baby steps would be having a booth official calling out DPI in the GB / KC game or the tripping call in the DET / DAL game.

They already tried something like that and the officials refused to call any instance of it. Not to pick on you—I just remember it and it was an egregious sit-down strike.

Oh, I am well aware that they tried that and solidary among the refs led them not to overturn much. But this thread was asking if there should be an eye in the sky, which is why I replied.

 

[Ignoratio Elenchi]

Huh weird. All I ever hear is people complaining that they can't enjoy football because you have to wait until after a play is over and look around everywhere for yellow flags before you celebrate. Plus it is too slow in determining simple things like 'what is a catch'.

I figured the consensus would be to remove officiating entirely. Just let them play, if the ball is caught it's good and if it isn't it isn't. Easy peasy. Don't need refs for anything, whatever happens in real time stands.

I'd be all for that but like, what is a catch? You wouldn't make it through the first half of an NFL game before there'd be disagreement about it.

 

[Runkle]

Huh weird. All I ever hear is people complaining that they can't enjoy football because you have to wait until after a play is over and look around everywhere for yellow flags before you celebrate. Plus it is too slow in determining simple things like 'what is a catch'.

I figured the consensus would be to remove officiating entirely. Just let them play, if the ball is caught it's good and if it isn't it isn't. Easy peasy. Don't need refs for anything, whatever happens in real time stands.

I'd be all for that but like, what is a catch? You wouldn't make it through the first half of an NFL game before there'd be disagreement about it.

It's pretty cut and dry, apparently, if the guy catches it it's a catch. At least according to the loud contingent that hates review and having to look for flags before celebrating.

 

[Runkle]

The easy solution is to just get rid of ineligible receivers altogether; it's outdated, lame, and difficult to explain to new fans.

This is football. Anyone should be able to catch a pass. Are we really concerned it's an unfair advantage to the offense if they want to give the ball to some 300 pound lineman who can barely waddle 4 mph? Just let everyone play. Backyard rules.

 

[TheWinz]

Right now I'd be in favor of using a Magic Eight Ball to officiate.
Just have someone not associated with the league stand on the sidelines and use the "ball" to determine if there was a penalty or not.
Magic Eight Ball was that pass interference?...Yes...No...It would seem so...Could be...Maybe...I don't know...

An alternative option, maybe just for primetime games, would be to loop the first 10 seconds of the Malcolm in the Middle theme song on a tv and have a monkey with a remote control press "pause" whenever he chooses.

Can you repeat the question?