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JMU Duke Dog
October 18th, 2005, 03:24 PM
I thought the use of instant replay in Division I-AA conferences would be a good topic of discussion. Here is an article I read from Harrisonburg's Daily News-Record. (No umassfan, this is not an attack on UMass.)


Replay In A-10 Unlikely
But after last week’s game at UMass, JMU coach Mickey Matthews would like to see it instituted.

By Mike Barber

Mickey Matthews would like to see instant replay in Atlantic 10 football games. The league says that won’t be happening any time soon.

What prompted James Madison’s coach to broach the subject were three close calls late in Saturday’s 10-7 loss at Massachusetts, a defeat that dropped the Dukes from fourth to 11th in The Sports Network’s Division I-AA poll.

"There would have been several plays Saturday that would have been reviewed," Matthews said Monday at his weekly press conference. "It was a hard call, all three of those. It wasn’t our day and all three went against us."

Matthews said Alvin Banks’ critical fumble at the 8-yard line with 10 minutes to go might have been caused by the ground and not forced by UMass defensive tackle Jason Hatchell. The fumble was recovered by Shannon James, costing JMU (4-2 overall, 2-1 in the A-10) a chance to kick a field goal. The game stayed tied, 7-7.

"I’ve looked at the TV copy and our end-zone [video] copy. It’s just too hard to tell," Matthews said. "It would have been reviewed if we were in the ACC. This is how close a call it was. I think if they had ruled him down and they reviewed it, there would not have been enough evidence to change it either way."

He said Isai Bradshaw’s big, blindside hit on UMass quarterback Tim Day – a shot that sent the ball to the turf – could have been called a fumble. Instead, it was ruled a forward pass.

Finally, Matthews questioned the accuracy of the official’s spot on a fourth-and-seven conversion inside of two minutes. UMass receiver Dom Stewart was met by JMU cornerback Clint Kent right at the marker and the spot resulted in a first down for the Minutemen (5-1, 4-0).

"There were three big calls at the end and they could have gone 50-50," Matthews said. "I do not think they were incorrect calls. We just got the short end of all three of them."

Matthews said there wasn’t much talk in the preseason about instant replay among A-10 coaches and officials, but Matthews thinks it could be doable now and expects some more discussion after this year.

"I don’t think everyone knew the whole world was going to it this year," Matthews said of Division I-A conferences instituting replay. "I think it’ll certainly be something that, on TV games, we consider. … I think with the advent of Tivo, it’s not that difficult to do right now. That’s really all they’re using. The same technology people have in their living rooms."

A-10 assistant commissioner Ray Cella said Monday there wasn’t much talk of replay because so few conference games are televised. Cella said only three A-10 games are produced by the conference, and it would be difficult to coordinate replays with other regional telecasts.

"It was mentioned briefly," Cella said. "We don’t have enough games on television to make it worthwhile. We’d be at the mercy of too many different entities."

He also cited the cost of using replay at non-televised games, which would involve installing the technology at conference stadiums.

"I-AA is a ways away," Cella said. "We’re definitely not going to put in the technology where if the game is not televised we could use replay."

At any rate, there certainly won’t be any replays available at Saturday’s road game at Delaware (3-3, 0-3), suddenly a crucial game for JMU. With two losses already, the Dukes probably can’t afford more than one additional defeat if it hopes to receive serious consideration for the I-AA playoffs.

After Delaware, the Dukes play three of their final four games at Bridgeforth. But the only road game is a tough one, a trip on Nov. 5 to No. 12 William & Mary.

Normally, losing to Delaware wouldn’t be a "bad" loss. The Blue Hens, however, are reeling. They’ve lost their first three conference games for the first time since 1987, all but eliminating them from the playoff picture. One more loss would certainly mean no postseason for Delaware for the first time since 2002.

For the second straight week, meanwhile, a JMU opponent’s playing surface is a concern.

Delaware’s game Saturday against Richmond had to be moved to the Spiders’ home stadium because heavy rains in Newark had rendered the grass field at Delaware Stadium unplayable.

Cella said Delaware is re-sodding the field this week for Saturday’s game.

"I’m sure they’re going to do it right," Cella said.

When JMU played Montana in Chattanooga, Tenn., for the I-AA national championship, the field had been recently re-sodded and came apart, ripping up in large chunks during the Dukes’ 31-21 win.

"I anticipate another Chattanooga," Matthews said about Saturday’s game. "But that being said, I’m not a grass expert."

Last week, there was talk of moving JMU’s game at UMass to a nearby college with an artificial-turf field. The A-10, at Madison’s request, inspected the Minutemen’s field and ruled it playable.

Matthews said Monday he won’t ask the league to inspect Delaware’s field.

Ivytalk
October 18th, 2005, 03:39 PM
I voted no to replay. It makes us look like a cheap imitation of big-time TV-wh*re I-A schools.

bandl
October 18th, 2005, 03:41 PM
I voted no to replay. It makes us look like a cheap imitation of big-time TV-wh*re I-A schools.

I agree, somewhat. But what about a coaches challenge? Perhaps a 2 challenge limit per game? Or only in the last 5 minutes of each half? I'd just like to think there is something to be done if there is a blown call because the refs couldn't see the play (being half the size of most of the players on the field anyway) in it's entirety.

umassfan
October 18th, 2005, 03:43 PM
Human error is a part of the game... if you try making the game perfect then you make more areas of the game weaker... I dont like replay and wish the A10/CAA never has it.

JMU Duke Dog
October 18th, 2005, 03:55 PM
I think that instant replay should be looked as to keep the game as honest as possible as referrees are human beings and make mistakes like all human beings. I do also understand the difficulty as a lot of I-AA games are not televised.

JMUfan2008
October 18th, 2005, 03:58 PM
When we played Maine, there was an obvious fumble that one of our D LINEMAN ran back for a TD, but they said the QB was down. They replayed it on the screen on our scoreboard and it was obviously a fumble (the QB was still standing basically straight up). The crowd went nuts! We ended up winning pretty easily anyway, but it was a blown call. There are several other calls I've seen in our games that were bad, against us or for us. I think there should be a limited number, maybe 2 challenges a game, with a time-limit for the review. The human error in the game shouldn't be the ref's error, but the players. And if it's a game changing play that is obviously miscalled, I think there should be a chance to change it.

JMU Duke Dog
October 18th, 2005, 04:01 PM
Please don't respond to smack on the discussion board. Just report the post and ignore it.

Thanks Ralph! :bow:

DB_Atlantic10
October 18th, 2005, 04:03 PM
He's only trying to better the league and standards and if crying out loud is going to get someone's attention, then crying out loud is what he's doing. As far as he's concerned, Div-I ball is Div-I ball....and if the other teams are benefiting from it, then why shouldn't we! So why the double standard? Luckily he's willing to take the forefront as the leader in the A-10 to raise the question....and as other programs follow, it may just happen within the next couple of years.

If we are going to claim the the A-10 is the best conference in I-AA football, then lets start acting like it. Imagine that, being the first I-AA conference to implement instant replay......

GannonFan
October 18th, 2005, 04:05 PM
Nah, I'm against it at the IAA level - I love replay and think it should be in, but not every game is televised and even when the game is televised there is a wide range of how many cameras and angles you get. If you're going to us it it has to be used fairly equally throughout IAA (or at least the ones that go to the playoffs), otherwise it's not fair to those that don't have enough camera coverage of their games. If every game was televised and had a certain number of cameras I'd say yes - until then, no.

Note - I do have TiVo and did replay all three of those calls that Mickey brings up in the JMU/UMass game and I thought all 3 calls were correct on the field. Doesn't always happen that way but it did in those cases.

umassfan
October 18th, 2005, 04:06 PM
Please don't respond to smack on the discussion board. Just report the post and ignore it.Do you need to figure out what smack is? I think so because you have your finger on the delete button way too fast.

umassfan
October 18th, 2005, 04:07 PM
Nah, I'm against it at the IAA level - I love replay and think it should be in, but not every game is televised and even when the game is televised there is a wide range of how many cameras and angles you get. If you're going to us it it has to be used fairly equally throughout IAA (or at least the ones that go to the playoffs), otherwise it's not fair to those that don't have enough camera coverage of their games. If every game was televised and had a certain number of cameras I'd say yes - until then, no.

Note - I do have TiVo and did replay all three of those calls that Mickey brings up in the JMU/UMass game and I thought all 3 calls were correct on the field. Doesn't always happen that way but it did in those cases.
Maybe you should call up Matthews and tell him hes wrong!

DB_Atlantic10
October 18th, 2005, 04:12 PM
Note - I do have TiVo and did replay all three of those calls that Mickey brings up in the JMU/UMass game and I thought all 3 calls were correct on the field. Doesn't always happen that way but it did in those cases.


I have to agree, they were too close to overturn with replay. Although the QB throw call should have been a intentional grounding vice a fumble... he threw the ball once he realized he was hit, but everyone was so bent on it being a fumble, they totally didn't see that. Once he got hit, he tried to get rid of the ball on the way down....

umassfan
October 18th, 2005, 04:29 PM
Calling schools, coaches, players, and anything else derogatory names is smack unless you have rational reasons for it. Now please cool it.
So a crybaby is a derogatory name? :rolleyes:

Cap'n Cat
October 18th, 2005, 04:51 PM
Nah, I'm against it at the IAA level - I love replay and think it should be in, but not every game is televised and even when the game is televised there is a wide range of how many cameras and angles you get. If you're going to us it it has to be used fairly equally throughout IAA (or at least the ones that go to the playoffs), otherwise it's not fair to those that don't have enough camera coverage of their games. If every game was televised and had a certain number of cameras I'd say yes - until then, no.

Note - I do have TiVo and did replay all three of those calls that Mickey brings up in the JMU/UMass game and I thought all 3 calls were correct on the field. Doesn't always happen that way but it did in those cases.



Agree 10,000%, GF.

Cap'n Cat
October 18th, 2005, 04:52 PM
So a crybaby is a derogatory name? :rolleyes:


Chill, Massie. Chill.

MR. CHICKEN
October 18th, 2005, 09:02 PM
even my toddler knows the answer to that question. :rolleyes:

I say bring on Instant Replay for everyone!

INSTANT REPLAY...YEAH!.............THE PLAYERS AN' COACHES PUT TOO MUCH TIME AN' EFFORT INTA FOOTBALL........COACHES DO 80 HOUR WEEKS...DURIN' DUH SEASON..........AN' RECRUITIN' TRIPS...OFF SEASON......PLAYERS WORK-OUT YEAR ROUND.....FO' JES' ELEVEN GAMES UH YEAR...............LET'S GET DUH CALLS RIGHT......AN' BE FAIR..TA EVERAH-ONE INVOLVED!.........:nod:........BRAWK!

KEELER TALKS 'BOUT BAD CALLS JES' 'BOUT EVERAH WEEK ON HIS RADIO SHOW........HE HAS EVEN HAD REFS ADMIT.....DAT UH CALL WAS BLOWN....BUT NO REVERSAL... UH COACH NEEDS TA BE ABLE TA CHALLENGE...PLAYS!........:nod:...BRAWK!

UNHknowledge
October 19th, 2005, 10:41 AM
I'm w/ mr. chicken and the other replay fans...tired of seein the kids get screwed. Whats with football officials being so old too in such a fast pace game? If theres not gonna be replay...atleast have conditioning tests for officials when they come back in the fall. Its not right to see the young kids get screwed by old guys that cant move to get into proper position.

DB_Atlantic10
October 19th, 2005, 10:50 AM
I'm w/ mr. chicken and the other replay fans...tired of seein the kids get screwed. Whats with football officials being so old too in such a fast pace game? If theres not gonna be replay...atleast have conditioning tests for officials when they come back in the fall. Its not right to see the young kids get screwed by old guys that cant move to get into proper position.

I don't think their age has anything to do with it....we are just not perfect as human beings period....while times has changed and technology such as instant replay allows us to catch those very close game changing calls. Those refs are in better shape than half the young kids running around at the college age screaming at them.... Most of those guys are pretty buff for their age.....