It really doesn't matter what sport it is anymore. In every game it has become a fixture; the officials grouping together to discuss a call and then, because of their desire to get the call right, they head for the monitor. It's a double-edged sword. The monitor is a blessing of new technology and a curse for various other reasons. Cameras are every where these days and slow-motion replay can slow plays down to unbelievable speeds, allowing referees and fans to see exactly what happened frame-by-frame. It's a beautiful thing isn't it? Maybe not. In a year where it seems officials can do nothing right, the monitor has actually become something like the evil sidekick to the big, bad villain that is the referee.
Before anything really negative is said about monitor reviews it's worth noting that the technology is obviously a good thing for the games. Countless amounts of plays have been overturned because the officials saw the replay and realized their error. That's a good thing for the game and it's a necessary tool in today's world when the technology is easily available.
However, lately the monitor has become an annoyance. Turn back the clock to March when the NCAA Tournament was in full force. It's the best college basketball of the season, but the stoppages of play were almost unbearable in some games. In the final 10 minutes of a basketball game it's no secret that it will crawl. Between the television timeouts, the coaches calling timeouts and dozens of free throws, the game slows in pace. Add in the two or three monitor reviews that officials were using and sometimes it felt that a game would never end.
Why is this a bad thing? Well, maybe it's not. On one hand, you appreciate the fact that the officials want to get the calls right, but on the other hand the stoppages sometimes create unfair advantages. Take the Marquette-Davidson first round game as an example. Davidson led by one with 11 seconds left and proceeded to throw the ball out of bounds. Marquette had no timeouts and should have had to attempt a game-winning shot without being able to draw up a play. However, the officials went to the monitor to check the time and that allowed Buzz Williams to draw up a play for the Golden Eagles and Vander Blue nailed the game-winner out of the "monitor timeout."
In baseball, the monitor has provided the year's most upsetting error and perhaps, umpires' most arrogant mistake ever. By now, almost everyone has seen it and, if not, the video link is included above. The Oakland A's were trailing the Cleveland Indians by one run in the ninth and Adam Rosales hit what should have been a game-tying home run. The ball clearly hit the facade above the yellow line, but the umpires came out and still declared that Rosales hit a double. There is no explanation for such a horrible judgement call.
The worst part about it is that the entire A's team had to be in the clubhouse watching the television replays and fully expected for the umpires to rule it a home run. It was clear to see, but apparently not. Rosales had to stay at second and the A's ended up losing the game. Wouldn't it be a shame if they missed the playoffs by a game?
Mistakes are part of the games we play in America. Officials get paid to call it as they see it, but the problems set in when technology is utilized and they choose to ignore it. The overuse of the monitor is also something that has to be considered. The games are at excruciatingly slow paces and have allowed unfair advantages for teams. Technology is a great thing, but only if it's harnessed and used properly. As years go by this will become less of a problem, but for now it has become an issue.
Proof that too much of a good thing might not be a good thing.
