Education, politics, and anything else that catches my attention.
Monday, April 26, 2021
Elections
Only in America will we stop a football game, drag out measuring chains and look at a play 15 times from 6 different angles to make sure we make the right call, but won't verify the integrity of an election of the highest office in our nation.
Football chains have always been one of the stupidest thing ever. After a 1st down, they solemnly move the chains. Then, they run out with them, eyeball their placement against the sideline with pinpoint accuracy, and pull the chains apart; and somehow this is supposed to be better than just eyeballing the sideline without the chains? Modern tech has made it even sillier. They are a facsimile of accuracy. Measurement theater.
It's really more nuanced than that Auntie Ann. The start of a series is often on a yard line (purposefully done). But the theater comes when the sideline official tries to choose where the spot of the ball will be after a close play, or if the previous 1st down was NOT on a yard line. IF (all caps) the spot is correct, the R (white hat) usually knows if it is a first down or not, but to appease the masses, they drag those dumb chains out there. And yes Mr. RotLC, replay has made a joke of sports. Why have officials at all? Especially in baseball. 99% of the plays everyone in the building knows the call. The 1% - they go to replay most of the time anyway. It may be sooner rather than later that we end up this way since the number of youth/HS officials is dwindling each year, and COVID didn't help.
4 comments:
Football chains have always been one of the stupidest thing ever. After a 1st down, they solemnly move the chains. Then, they run out with them, eyeball their placement against the sideline with pinpoint accuracy, and pull the chains apart; and somehow this is supposed to be better than just eyeballing the sideline without the chains? Modern tech has made it even sillier. They are a facsimile of accuracy. Measurement theater.
Interesting!
It's really more nuanced than that Auntie Ann. The start of a series is often on a yard line (purposefully done). But the theater comes when the sideline official tries to choose where the spot of the ball will be after a close play, or if the previous 1st down was NOT on a yard line. IF (all caps) the spot is correct, the R (white hat) usually knows if it is a first down or not, but to appease the masses, they drag those dumb chains out there. And yes Mr. RotLC, replay has made a joke of sports. Why have officials at all? Especially in baseball. 99% of the plays everyone in the building knows the call. The 1% - they go to replay most of the time anyway.
It may be sooner rather than later that we end up this way since the number of youth/HS officials is dwindling each year, and COVID didn't help.
I've long considered being a high school football official when I retire from teaching. Such fun!
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