THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, January 10, 1995 TAG: 9501100427
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: COMMENT
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines
For three years, the National Football League had done an effective job of keeping the public at arm's length on the issue of instant replay.
Until Sunday in San Diego, that is.
That's when its reliance on human judgment - and human error - in deciding the game America loves was exposed for the fraudulent concept it is.
Exhibit A: Charger Natrone Means, who'd make the perfect human cannonball if he wasn't so adept at carrying the football, clearly stepped out of bounds at the Miami 1 on a critical fourth-quarter run. But with a valiant, desperate lunge, he stretched the ball into the front corner of the end zone before losing control.
Side judge Tom Fincken, steamrolled by Means and pursuing Dolphins, signaled touchdown on his way to the turf.
``I wouldn't have been surprised if they didn't call it,'' Means said later. ``When I got close, I knew I was going out of bounds so I just stuck the ball out before I fell out of bounds. It was a good call.''
No, it wasn't. It wasn't even close to being the correct call, as instant replay would have proven - conclusively. Given the problems the Chargers had scoring inside the red zone Sunday, who's to say San Diego wouldn't have had to settle for a field goal? That four-point swing would have made the difference in what turned out to be a 22-21 Chargers victory.
By the same token, the refs gaveth and the refs tooketh.
Exhibit B: Later in the game, Chargers quarterback Stan Humphries hit receiver Shawn Jefferson in the end zone with a pass that should have given the Chargers the lead. However, line judge Jeff Bergman ruled that Jefferson did not get both feet down although television replays indicated the opposite.
That the Chargers managed to come back and win with a last-minute touchdown saved the NFL the embarrassment that comes when integrity is questioned. The calls, made by the league's best officials and men who earned their way into the postseason off their regular-season performances, were that bad.
It was more than Dolphins coach Don Shula could take. After the game, he called for the reinstitution of instant replay.
The NFL should go back to using it.
Yes, Instant Replay I was a huge pain in the rear, a drain on America's patience. Old geezers sat in booths, surrounded by technical equipment they appeared incapable of operating, waiting for the referee on the field to signal them into action.
About 20 minutes later - or ``upon further review'' - a decision was rendered. Often, there was inconclusive evidence and the play stood as called. But often instant replay proved the officials had made the right call. Our confidence in them and in the integrity of the game was bolstered.
And that, to me, is what's lacking now. Confidence that officials are competent. Confidence that the better team will receive its just reward that day. Confidence the NFL is fully committed to putting forth the best product possible, not just the action on the field, but in how that action is policed.
So when league bigwigs meet this offseason to determine how to improve the game, here's a second to Shula's suggestion that all that video equipment be reinstalled in NFL stadiums from Atlanta to Seattle.
With a caveat or two.
Determine a finite number of times instant replay can be used during a game. Three times a side sounds reasonable.
And make it imperative for the coach who thinks he's been wronged to call for the second look.
If the coach already has exhausted his complement, but wants to invoke replay, charge him a timeout for the privilege.
Set a time limit for the replay. How about a three-minute maximum, during which the networks would air commercials?
The stakes in the NFL have never been higher.
The caliber of officiating has rarely been lower.
It's time to close the gap between the two, before a team that should advance to the next round of the playoffs by virtue of its performance is left behind. by CNB