NFL, technology, and the future

[PantherBrew]

This Saints/Rams debacle has got me thinking about the future of the NFL.  

Now, one could argue very convincingly that the NFL is super excited about this past weekend. The drama! The arguments! The attention.  Why would they want to change any of that?  Well, they have made some changes with technology over the years, with replay being the most glaring.  

My questions are:

• What technology would you like to see implemented?  
• How would it change the game? 
• What are some potential problems (think about what motivates the NFL [viewers] and if it would hurt the drama or action)'
• What do you think the chances are your hope happens.  

Ill go first.  

 

I want to see technology where ball spotting, touchdowns, and first downs are all done by computer tracking.  I feel like this is an area where there is the most potential for corruption or incompetence.  Whether this needs to happen with lasers, computer chips, or whatever I would love to see it be known in an instant where the ball is spotted and what is needed.  Now, I think this is harder than it sounds for ball spotting.  It might be difficult to know when a player is technically down.  But this is where the officials come into play.  They need to have a clicker on hand that is pressed when the runner is thought to be down or progress stopped.  This could also be reviewable in important situations.   But the main thing would be the chip in the ball and the spotting would be base on what computer info tells the officials.  Also to go with this, I think there should be more real-time communication with officials in the box and officials on the field for all replay instances.  Lets help these guys out!  I think there is a very good chance of something like this happening over the next ten years.  

[trueblade]

I posted this in another thread, but it's more appropriate here.

 

 

[PantherBrew]

4 minutes ago, trueblade said:

I posted this in another thread, but it's more appropriate here.

 

 

Thank for posting that.  That definitely relates.  I totally agree about college review being soooo much better.  

I really wouldnt mind if the head ref was wired to someone in the box with the best views of it, and could instantly be like "Bill, thats a catch". Done. In seconds, instead of the annoying minutes we spend looking at the official manually review it.  Maybe that free time could be used on subjective penalty calls. 

[bababoey]

13 minutes ago, PantherBrew said:

This Saints/Rams debacle has got me thinking about the future of the NFL.  

Now, one could argue very convincingly that the NFL is super excited about this past weekend. The drama! The arguments! The attention.  Why would they want to change any of that?  Well, they have made some changes with technology over the years, with replay being the most glaring.  

My questions are:

• What technology would you like to see implemented?  
• How would it change the game? 
• What are some potential problems (think about what motivates the NFL [viewers] and if it would hurt the drama or action)'
• What do you think the chances are your hope happens.  

Ill go first.  

 

I want to see technology where ball spotting, touchdowns, and first downs are all done by computer tracking.  I feel like this is an area where there is the most potential for corruption or incompetence.  Whether this needs to happen with lasers, computer chips, or whatever I would love to see it be known in an instant where the ball is spotted and what is needed.  Now, I think this is harder than it sounds for ball spotting.  It might be difficult to know when a player is technically down.  But this is where the officials come into play.  They need to have a clicker on hand that is pressed when the runner is thought to be down or progress stopped.  This could also be reviewable in important situations.   But the main thing would be the chip in the ball and the spotting would be base on what computer info tells the officials.  Also to go with this, I think there should be more real-time communication with officials in the box and officials on the field for all replay instances.  Lets help these guys out!  I think there is a very good chance of something like this happening over the next ten years.  

To do what you suggest is possible.  But each ball would cost a hell of a lot more money and you better believe the NFL will not want the players then handing the balls to fans.  No more Sunday giveaways.  That would take some of the fun out of a game that the NFL has tried to take all the fun out of the game that they can for a while.

[Mr. Scot]

I'm honestly torn on this.

I know everybody hates when bad calls affect a game, but I'm just not one of those people that believes the game absolutely has to be perfect.

It's getting to the point where I think we're nearing overkill.

[PantherBrew]

1 minute ago, bababoey said:

To do what you suggest is possible.  But each ball would cost a hell of a lot more money and you better believe the NFL will not want the players then handing the balls to fans.  No more Sunday giveaways.  That would take some of the fun out of a game that the NFL has tried to take all the fun out of the game that they can for a while.

Yeah I guess that would be true.  Not sure how much the ball price would increase.  The ball would only need a small tracking chip, which is in pretty much everything now.  Maybe that makes the balls go from $75 to $200 - 300.  I think that would be worth it and i dont think that would keep Cam from giving them away. 

[PantherBrew]

1 minute ago, Mr. Scot said:

I'm honestly torn on this.

I know everybody hates when bad calls affect a game, but I'm just not one of those people that believes the game absolutely has to be perfect.

It's getting to the point where I think we're nearing overkill.

Would you rather them do away with replay all together or expand it? No middle ground. 

[Ricky Spanish]

2 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

I'm honestly torn on this.

I know everybody hates when bad calls affect a game, but I'm just not one of those people that believes the game absolutely has to be perfect.

It's getting to the point where I think we're nearing overkill.

And I disagree.

We have the technology to improve accuracy tenfold, why not implement it? It's the same argument Baseball had for years and it cost teams and individuals for no reason other than old people don't like change.

I'd rather they get the call right. I can stomach a loss on an overturned play if the call is right. I can't stomach a loss when some BS human error causes you to lose. 

I fail to see how something incorrect and preventable is the better option than something correct in the first place.

Vaccines are available to prevent illnesses and the spread of diseases. A handful of dumbasses are choosing not to because they're frigging idiots and they're ruining heard immunity for the rest of us

Technology to get this stuff right is available. A handful of dumbasses are choosing not to use it because they think human error makes the game better... for reasons. 

 

[Mr. Scot]

11 minutes ago, PantherBrew said:

Would you rather them do away with replay all together or expand it? No middle ground. 

I don't agree with applying it to every play. That's crazy.

[bababoey]

10 minutes ago, PantherBrew said:

Yeah I guess that would be true.  Not sure how much the ball price would increase.  The ball would only need a small tracking chip, which is in pretty much everything now.  Maybe that makes the balls go from $75 to $200 - 300.  I think that would be worth it and i dont think that would keep Cam from giving them away. 

A few years ago they talked about this and the said the price then, about 4 or 5 years ago, would be at least $500 a ball.  They could charge $1000 a player for giving away the ball but that would be a terrible PR move and the NFL does not need any more bad PR if it can help it.

[PantherBrew]

3 minutes ago, Cracka McNasty said:

And I disagree.

We have the technology to improve accuracy tenfold, why not implement it? It's the same argument Baseball had for years and it cost teams and individuals for no reason other than old people don't like change.

I'd rather they get the call right. I can stomach a loss on an overturned play if the call is right. I can't stomach a loss when some BS human error causes you to lose. 

I fail to see how something incorrect and preventable is the better option than something correct in the first place.

Vaccines are available to prevent illnesses and the spread of diseases. A handful of dumbasses are choosing not to because they're frigging idiots and they're ruining heard immunity for the rest of us

Technology to get this stuff right is available. A handful of dumbasses are choosing not to use it because they think human error makes the game better... for reasons. 

 

If I was gambling playing black jack, and I lost a $100 or a $100,000 bet because of a dealers "human error".  I would freak out. 

[Mr. Scot]

4 minutes ago, Cracka McNasty said:

And I disagree.

We have the technology to improve accuracy tenfold, why not implement it? It's the same argument Baseball had for years and it cost teams and individuals for no reason other than old people don't like change.

I'd rather they get the call right. I can stomach a loss on an overturned play if the call is right. I can't stomach a loss when some BS human error causes you to lose. 

I fail to see how something incorrect and preventable is the better option than something correct in the first place.

Vaccines are available to prevent illnesses and the spread of diseases. A handful of dumbasses are choosing not to because they're frigging idiots and they're ruining heard immunity for the rest of us

Technology to get this stuff right is available. A handful of dumbasses are choosing not to use it because they think human error makes the game better... for reasons. 

 

I get the analogy, but to be fair dude vaccines are a lot more important than football.

[PantherBrew]

1 minute ago, bababoey said:

A few years ago they talked about this and the said the price then, about 4 or 5 years ago, would be at least $500 a ball.  They could charge $1000 a player for giving away the ball but that would be a terrible PR move and the NFL does not need any more bad PR if it can help it.

Use the money from the NFL fines to pay for the balls.  Honestly, money especially of this sort, is not the issue. 

[Ricky Spanish]

2 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

I get the analogy, but to be fair dude vaccines are a lot more important than football.

Football is life Scot, I saw it on a T-shirt once.

You going to tell me that T-shirt lied?