NFL may get rid of 1st down chains

[Guest converge241]

The NFL is considering doing away with the chain gang first down crews and

using a laser line instead. Kind of like the one you see on TV, but this one

would be visible to the players and refs.

[Guest starvenger]

OK, I'm all for accurate readings, but the chain measurements are one of the great parts of football. Besides, has anyone actually COMPLAINED about this yet?

[Guest converge241]

the measurements are a great lil aspect of football but maybe they think it takes too much time

 

what happens in a measurement if they implement the laser? the ball turns red? it explodes?

[Guest Polish_Rifle]

They should leave the chains and do something about the accuracy of the refs.

[Guest phoenixrising]

I suppose next the refs will get GPS recievers in order to accurately place the ball on the right spot after every play.

 

I'm all for technology but this is too much. Besides, everyone loves the chain gang. The "laser gang" doesn't sound right. Plus "moving the chains" sounds better than "activating the laser".

[Guest redbaron51]

this sounds like an XFL idea

[Guest starvenger]

I suppose next the refs will get GPS recievers in order to accurately place the ball on the right spot after every play.

 

I'm all for technology but this is too much. Besides, everyone loves the chain gang. The "laser gang" doesn't sound right. Plus "moving the chains" sounds better than "activating the laser".

Well, maybe they're gonna do it Dr. Evil style "Activate the 'laser'".

 

Thinking a bit more about this, wouldn't this kinda technology would be better served to determine touchdowns? Maybe by adapting that 'Cyclops' eye they've got for tennis?

[Guest RenegadeX28]

Lasers? I really hope that one of them malfunctions or something, and delays the game.....

[Guest Eagan469]

this sounds like an XFL idea

well they did use the floating cameras for this past year's Super Bowl/Pro Bowl

[Guest Redhawk]

Why must the NFL do like the NBA and constantly fuck with everything? The chain gang is fine, unless they're just being cheap and don't wanna pay the extra few people it takes. (I don't even like the laser on TV, but that's my personal opinion). Overtime is fine, there's already too many teams, and they need to get rid of the salary cap. Stop ruining a good thing.

 

Besides, someone will get cancer and sue the shit out of them.

[Guest Eagan469]

Now that I think about it, it could probably help the running backs see where they need to get to for the first-down, which would be good.

[Guest the pinjockey]

I am surprised something like this hasnt been developed sooner. I expect in the near future a little transponder chip will be put in the ball to determine this type of things.

 

I am also waiting for the day in baseball when there is no more home plate umpire to call balls and strikes because they will have a computer setup where if the ball crosses the computer's eye it will call the strikes.

[Guest Eagan469]

I am surprised something like this hasnt been developed sooner. I expect in the near future a little transponder chip will be put in the ball to determine this type of things.

 

I am also waiting for the day in baseball when there is no more home plate umpire to call balls and strikes because they will have a computer setup where if the ball crosses the computer's eye it will call the strikes.

I thought about that too - wouldn't it be easier to have a chip in the football so that when a running back crosses the goal-line a sensor goes off, making it an official touchdown? Same for hockey pucks.

[Guest Tyler McClelland]

It'd be fucked since people often pick up the ball and run into the endzone to try to pretend he actually scored/got a first down.

 

But, I don't see what the fuss is about. Lasers are inherently more accurate than 60 year olds.

[Guest MarvinisaLunatic]

I think its a super idea, since it would be super accurate and they wouldn't have to measure for first downs as much.

[Guest fazzle]

So...how long until we get robot players? They're cheaper, and they play harder.

[Gert T 0]

But judging on the physiques of the chain gangs, this might be their only exercise all week!

[Guest Rob Van Dam]

Overtime is fine, there's already too many teams, and they need to get rid of the salary cap. Stop ruining a good thing.

Get rid of the salary cap?

Huh no, that is the great thing about football.

No salary cap in baseball is destroying it, I don't want teams like the Yankees in football.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

Make changes to the Salary Cap. Allow teams to resign their own players without taking the a cap hit. Kinda of like the NBA does.

[Guest Redhawk]

Overtime is fine, there's already too many teams, and they need to get rid of the salary cap. Stop ruining a good thing.

Get rid of the salary cap?

Huh no, that is the great thing about football.

No salary cap in baseball is destroying it, I don't want teams like the Yankees in football.

There is no way that guys like Junior Seau, Emmitt Smith, Jerry Rice and Dan Marino should be getting cut because their teams need the cap space. And the reason baseball has teams like the Yankees is because the other owners are cheap. Besides, the Yankees don't win every year, and even if there was an NFL equivalent, would that be so bad? Remember the 49ers? The Cowboys?

[Guest Spaceman Spiff]

Dan Marino never got cut because of cap reasons.

[Guest Goodear]

And Emmitt got pushed out because The Cowboys didn't want him anymore.

[Guest Bosstones Fan]

And Emmitt got pushed out because The Cowboys didn't want him anymore.

That's not entirely true. The Cowboys didn't want Emmitt back at the amount of money he was asking for. Jerry Jones has stated that if Emmitt had been willing to play for the veteran minimum (which is all he's worth now), then he would still be a Cowboy. Emmitt wasn't willing, so Emmitt's gone. (And fuck him, by the way.)

 

In fact, the ONLY team willing to give Emmitt more than the veteran minimum was Arizona, a franchise that is RAPIDLY gaining ground on Cincinnati as being the worst in all of pro sports (LA Clippers excepted).

[Guest Bosstones Fan]

Besides, the Yankees don't win every year, and even if there was an NFL equivalent, would that be so bad? Remember the 49ers? The Cowboys?

I don't think it would be so bad. As a die-hard Cowboys fan, it pleased me to no end to listen to other fans whine, bitch, and complain incessantly about anything related to the 'Boys when they were on top back in the 90's.

 

Having a team that is hated by most fans can be a very good thing for any league, as people are more likely to tune in just to watch a particular team lose than watch a couple of teams they aren't passionate about (one way or the other) play a mediocre game.

 

A perfect example (at least for me) was watching the Yankees go down the last two years. I have absolutely no reason to root for the Diamondbacks, but when Luis Gonzalez's blooper landed out in shallow center field and Jay Bell scored the Series-winning run -- wow. I can't remember another time when I was so happy to see a team lose. A similar feeling swept through my living room last year when the Angels took 'em down as well.

[Guest The Czech Republic]

I thought about that too - wouldn't it be easier to have a chip in the football so that when a running back crosses the goal-line a sensor goes off, making it an official touchdown? Same for hockey pucks.

It's been attempted and abandoned in the NHL. They had microchips embedded in the puck to make it visible on TV. Everybody hated them for one reason or another, my reason of choice was that its position somehow resulted in Jeremy Roenick having a glowing blue head.

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

Oh leave those old guys with the chain at the sideline. For Pete's sake, NFL refs aren't even full-time employees. I'm sure the league can come up with the financial resources to pay a few more people to stand around by the field. Our government does it with road construction crews...

[Guest DrTom]

The NFL is considering doing away with the chain gang first down crews and

using a laser line instead. Kind of like the one you see on TV, but this one

would be visible to the players and refs.

I'd really like to know where you heard this.

 

There's a very simple problem with laser beams: they're not visible under most circumstances. Sure, you can pick up your optical mouse and see the beam ending on your desk, but can you see its path to the desk? Lasers are visible when reflected onto something, or when viewed against a background of smoke. I guess they could set up a bunch of mirrors and actually make a visible line across the field, but I get the feeling the power level required of the light would make it unsafe.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Not to mention the extreme weather late in the season would make this idea virtually impossible.

[Guest The Tino Standard]

I am surprised something like this hasnt been developed sooner. I expect in the near future a little transponder chip will be put in the ball to determine this type of things.

 

I am also waiting for the day in baseball when there is no more home plate umpire to call balls and strikes because they will have a computer setup where if the ball crosses the computer's eye it will call the strikes.

I would absolutely LOVE for baseball to have a computer set up for balls and strikes. They have the technology in place already. Fox Sports Net uses that to show the location of pitches and ESPN has the "K Zone" too.

 

Unfortunately, the umpires union is so strong and stubborn that they'll never allow it. One more good idea in baseball that has been shot down because the game is so old and "that's the way we've always done it, so that's the way we'll always do it."

[Guest DrTom]

I would absolutely LOVE for baseball to have a computer set up for balls and strikes.

What a dreadful idea. The human element is part of officiating in sports. I have no problem with things like instant replay to lend a hand, but replacing people with computer/laser setups... holy hell no.