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How do the refs decide where the ball is placed?

ElPatron1

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I never understood this..They basically just decide where the ball should be, and it always looks like some made up bs. Why don't they use a computer to place the ball exactly where it lands. They can tell where the ball hits exactly in tennis, so they can do it in football as well.
 

Dr. Strangelove

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Tbh, the majority of the time they get that right and now with the eye in the sky and the expedited review, it gets corrected quickly when they do miss it. I think it's the least of their problems at the moment. Honestly, I have a bigger issue with these idiot coaches wasting a challenge for an inch or two when it's 3rd down.
 

NWPATSFAN

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I never understood this..They basically just decide where the ball should be, and it always looks like some made up bs. Why don't they use a computer to place the ball exactly where it lands. They can tell where the ball hits exactly in tennis, so they can do it in football as well.
Do we really want to slow the pace of the game down even more?

Overall they do a pretty good job of spotting the ball.

Focus on fixing DPI/OPI and what is or is not a catch. Those are the big game changers.
 

Beaker

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Honestly, spotting the ball is probably the part of the job the refs are best at. A few times every game I see them spot it and thing to myself "bullshit!" then when they show the replay, 95% of the time they nailed it
 

Balljim55

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I never understood this..They basically just decide where the ball should be, and it always looks like some made up bs. Why don't they use a computer to place the ball exactly where it lands. They can tell where the ball hits exactly in tennis, so they can do it in football as well.
It is placed not where it lands but rather where it is when a player’s body part (other than a foot or hand) touches the ground.
overall they do a good job of it.
 

Dr. Strangelove

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Do we really want to slow the pace of the game down even more?

Overall they do a pretty good job of spotting the ball.

Focus on fixing DPI/OPI and what is or is not a catch. Those are the big game changers.
As much as I hate the PI stuff, for me, roughing the passer is at the top of my list.
 

NWPATSFAN

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As much as I hate the PI stuff, for me, roughing the passer is at the top of my list.
That definetly needs addressing as well. I think they need to officiate that on intent as subjective as that may be. I hate the inadvertant head touch that gets an auromatic 15.
 

Used 2 B Hu

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I think the chain gang is the dumbest holdover from the pre-modern era of football. And I don't think using updated tech would slow the game down at all.

Refs are going by eyesight all game long, and suddenly when it's close, they make a big show of dragging those markers and chains all the way over from the sidelines. Those guys are just shuffling out there with no precision at all, and then when they get there, they look back to the sidelines to see where they should set the marker.

It's all ridiculous.
 

jarntt

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I never understood this..They basically just decide where the ball should be, and it always looks like some made up bs. Why don't they use a computer to place the ball exactly where it lands. They can tell where the ball hits exactly in tennis, so they can do it in football as well.
The ball doesn’t necessarily even hit the ground and even if it does that isn’t necessarily where it should be spotted
 

ElPatron1

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Do we really want to slow the pace of the game down even more?

Overall they do a pretty good job of spotting the ball.

Focus on fixing DPI/OPI and what is or is not a catch. Those are the big game changers.

Depending on the angle you are looking from, it could be a totally different spot. Same with kickoffs when it goes out of bounds at an angle. They would have to have a way to do it fast tho, i agree, like something that sent down the exact spot to the line judge instantly. Tennis and now Baseball is moving towards this...
 

fightinfunbags

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Depending on the angle you are looking from, it could be a totally different spot. Same with kickoffs when it goes out of bounds at an angle. They would have to have a way to do it fast tho, i agree. Tennis and now Baseball is moving towards this...
You can’t spot a ball with technology the way you can in tennis or baseball though. You can use technology to mark where a ball is located but it has to be synchronized still with when a body part hits the ground or lands out of bounds.
 

ElPatron1

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You can’t spot a ball with technology the way you can in tennis or baseball though. You can use technology to mark where a ball is located but it has to be synchronized still with when a body part hits the ground or lands out of bounds.

I am assuming they could get that too, but you are right it would be tougher to do.
 

BigKen

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I never understood this..They basically just decide where the ball should be, and it always looks like some made up bs. Why don't they use a computer to place the ball exactly where it lands. They can tell where the ball hits exactly in tennis, so they can do it in football as well.
It's not always where the ball is. A knee, elbow or ass is where the ball gets spotted or where the ball is located when one of those touch ground. Sideline judge is usually the one who makes the call unless another official is in a better position. Ever notice two officials are usually running to the center of the field? They miss a few, but are pretty damn close most of the time.

It ain't easy. If you're willing to take the courses, you can make a couple hundred bucks every weekend doing AAU and AYF leagues.
 

fightinfunbags

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I am assuming they could get that too, but you are right it would be tougher to do.
There may be some way to sync the technology in the ball with camera technology that can log the instant a body part hits the ground.
 

fastforward

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I will never understand how a pass completion process can be completed AFTER the player touches out-of-bounds. If the process isn't completed before that happens then it's not complete.
 

MrS

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I agree with OP, they should automate as much of the ref's job as possible and locating the ball on the field is low hanging fruit.
 

Thruthefog

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I agree with OP, they should automate as much of the ref's job as possible and locating the ball on the field is low hanging fruit.

As old as most of the refs are, I suspect they all have low hanging fruit.
 

ElPatron1

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I agree with OP, they should automate as much of the ref's job as possible and locating the ball on the field is low hanging fruit.

Especially for easy things like crossing the goal line for a TD. It would make it easier than the way they do it now by looking at a thousand different angles which takes forever like they did in the Cincy game today...
 
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