The silliest thing in football

[Penguin]

It has to be the 10 yard chain. It's freaking hilarious when you think about it.


I love seeing them measure for a first down. They slowly stretch the chain out, while all of the officials are staring at the ball, hanging chad-style. They try to stick an index card to see if there is any daylight between the nose of the ball and the stick. I swear, one day they'll be using lasers to measure it.


The thing that gets me is that 3 plays before, when they actually marked the first down, the official on the side just eyeballs it. "Yep, that's about where the ball is."

If we are soooo precise to measure for the first down, why aren't we just as precise when marking the first down? It's pretty half-assed if you ask me.

[sanantoniosooner]

I swear, one day they'll be using lasers to measure it.

If we are soooo precise to measure for the first down, why aren't we just as precise when marking the first down? It's pretty half-assed if you ask me.
1- GPS locator in the ball.

2- because the start of the 4 downs is not as critical as the finish of the 4 downs. It's more a matter of reaching the end of the chain than it is a literal 10 yards as a practical matter.

[OKC-SLC]

Agreed. I have long thought this.

[Penguin]

http://lonestartimes.com/images/Benzion/March_06/Hanging_Chad.jpg


First down!

[mdklatt]

If we are soooo precise to measure for the first down, why aren't we just as precise when marking the first down? It's pretty half-assed if you ask me.

Get out of my head!

[sanantoniosooner]

You guys are pathetic.

The beauty of the game is not in the start, it's in the finish.

You're overthinking.

[mdklatt]

1- GPS locator in the ball.



GPS isn't accurate enough.

[sanantoniosooner]

GPS isn't accurate enough.
a location chip is probably a better description.

If the field were wired, the chip, like the puck Fox had for hockey play, would be a very accurate way of calling yardage.

[Penguin]

a location chip is probably a better description.

If the field were wired, the chip, like the puck Fox had for hockey play, would be a very accurate way of calling yardage.


I never thought about that. Maybe the chip could send out an electrical shock at random intervals just to make things interesting.

[mdklatt]

If the field were wired, the chip, like the puck Fox had for hockey play, would be a very accurate way of calling yardage.

You could also wire the uniforms of each team so that you knew who touched the ball and where. :mad:

[sanantoniosooner]

If the ball exploded when the whistle blew, we'd know for sure who had possession.

Reserves would get more playing time also.

[OUinFLA]

2- because the start of the 4 downs is not as critical as the finish of the 4 downs. It's more a matter of reaching the end of the chain than it is a literal 10 yards as a practical matter.

I dont agree with you.
Now that's a first!
If they screw up the eyeballed beginning of the chain, then the offense might only have to go 9.5 yds for a first..............or 10.5.

Didnt seem to matter too much tonight though.

[OUinFLA]

you modern technogeeks are so 50 yrs behind the game.

http://www.mrtoys.com/miggle-toys/pics/Original-Electric-Football-6071-sml.jpg

[sanantoniosooner]

I dont agree with you.
Now that's a first!
If they screw up the eyeballed beginning of the chain, then the offense might only have to go 9.5 yds for a first..............or 10.5.

Didnt seem to matter too much tonight though.
the likelihood of being 18" off is very slight. Being 6" off is very likely.

Thats why the yard marker is important.

I'm positive that thoughout history teams have reached 1st downs with less than 10 actual yards and came up short with more. As long as it's not and intential cheat or horribly poor job I have no problem with the slight inaccuracy.

Again, that's part of the beauty of the game to me. There are moments when an inch is meaningless, and there are moments it decides games.

[afs]

You could also put names on the back of the jersey's so it's easier for the part time fan to keep track of the game.

[sanantoniosooner]

I also would like to see a coaching option similar to throwing the flag out and calling for a replay.

In this case, a coach would have a designated sniper, and you would get 1 paintball per half. If you were able to accurately hit the opposing player on a breakaway play, it would be brought back.

[OUinFLA]

There are moments when an inch is meaningless, and there are moments it decides games.

my wife, who knows almost nothing about football has made a similar statement.

[sanantoniosooner]

my wife, who knows almost nothing about football has made a similar statement.
So, you are saying that she has a natural grasp and you struggle?

[OUinFLA]

Of course.
:D

[mdklatt]

So, you are saying that she has a natural grasp and you struggle?

I don't think she was really talking about football....

[TUSooner]

I thought this thread was about Michigan State. What a bunch of chumps.

[Vaevictis]

GPS isn't accurate enough.

It can be with the correct equipment :)

(you can issue a corrective signal on site that can get accuracy that would be good enough for football. In fact, Fagan at the ECE department has been doing research for the FAA where they use this for automated landing of airplanes.)

[mdklatt]

It can be with the correct equipment :)

(you can issue a corrective signal on site that can get accuracy that would be good enough for football. In fact, Fagan at the ECE department has been doing research for the FAA where they use this for automated landing of airplanes.)

WAAS is good enough to land a plane, but it's not accurate to the standard you would need for football.

[Blue]

Dude, I have no idea.

[Fraggle145]

You guys are pathetic.

The beauty of the game is not in the start, it's in the finish.

You're overthinking.


Not to be a prick, but do you mean like last week. . .:pop:

the beauty of the game is in the Crimson and Cream kicking someone's ***.

the beauty of the game is in the being able to accept defeat when youve played your heart out but still been beat.

the beauty of the game is the fans going home hoarse...

etc

etc

college football, I love you.

[Ike]

GPS isn't accurate enough, but you don't need to talk to sattelites...only the field...so, an RFID chip might be more appropriate with multiple RFID 'readers' placed around the field. these could probably give a very good measurement of where the ball is.

Also, if they can be made small enough (and I think they can) a small accelerometer in the ball can give a signal when an outside force is applied to a ball....like for instance, somebody batting the ball before 10 yards on an onside kick, or tipping the ball at the line prior to pass interference....

[12]

I was just thinking that exact same thing, Ike.

Weeeeiird...