High definition television has revolutionized the sports viewing experience. What it hasn't revolutionized is the SEC's ability to use high definition to help with instant replay review. That's because the televisions in the instant replay booth at SEC stadiums aren't in HD.
Yep, every time I think an SEC officiating error is going to surprise me, I get reminded that satirizing SEC officiating is really a hard business. Why? Because the satire writes itself. You, me, and millions of other people who watch games at home have a better view of controversial plays than the guys in the instant replay booth.
And the only thing worse than that is that the director of SEC officiating, Rogers Redding, doesn't think it would make much of a difference to have HD television. In fact, he wouldn't oppose making the change, but he won't fight for it either.
"The way I view [officiating] is, if this isn't broke, let's not fix it," he told the Birmingham News. "I don't see any sort of emergency, oh my God, we've got to fix something here."
Sigh.
Yep, when it comes to HD, the SEC is just like your parents.
At least if your parents are anything like mine. My dad and mom come over to help with my son on a regular basis. Sometimes, when my son takes an afternoon nap or when my wife and I head out for a movie, I return to find my dad and mom watching my HD television on the non-HD stations. Often, with my dad, he'll be watching a sporting event that is playing in glorious HD. Only he's watching it on the standard station.
"You can't see the difference between these?" I'll ask.
"No," he'll say, sheepishly.
I've basically given up with him.
Now when we come home and turn on the television after they've been over, my wife will say, "Why is it on this channel?"
Like she's come home and turned on Cinemax's excellent "Sexo Urbano: Lima." (Note: this rarely happens because usually I change the channel back to the Sprout network.)
The way I view [officiating] is, if this isn't broke, let's not fix it.
- Rogers Redding, SEC director of officials Now, the SEC feels the same way. Despite all the evidence to the contrary, their sterling officiating couldn't possibly be helped by HD feeds of the game. That's despite plenty of evidence to the contrary. In fact, when you watch the replays in HD, and then think what they might look like in standard definition, you can actually see why a call might not be made. Because, quite frankly, the official can't even see the play.
Currently, and this is no joke, you and I are better equipped to decide controversial plays from our living rooms than the SEC officials are from the replay booths in the stadium. This would be funny if your team wasn't getting screwed by the failure of the most competitive football conference in America to jump on the high definition "trend." And, of course, by "trend" I mean something that every SEC sports fan under 40 with a scintilla of disposable income -- and many without that -- already have had themselves for over half a decade.
In the meantime, SEC officiating has been slammed for the errors associated with having antediluvian equipment in their stadiums. Nick Saban, a man who has benefited from the errors made in favor of Alabama this season, even thinks we've been too harsh on the officials.
"If I was an official, and I was making what I made officiating because I love the game and I love doing it," Saban said, "and I was getting criticized by the media -- including our announcers on TV -- like these guys are getting criticized, I'd step back and say, 'I think I'll go to the lake this weekend. You can have this.' That's what I'd do."
It's nice of Nick Saban to come to the aid of all the men who have been messing up in his favor. That makes sense. Hell, I'd probably defend people who made errors in my favor too. For instance if banks kept doubling my paycheck every week I might say: "If I was a banker, and I was making what I made banking because I love the bank, and I love banking, and I was criticized by the banking media, I'd step back and say, 'I think I'll go to the lake this weekend. You can have this bank.' That's what I'd do."'
Because then you know what might happen if I said this? The bank might keep giving me more money.
But aside from Saban's self-serving defense, I don't think officials or instant replay officials should bear the brunt of this criticism. If they're not smart enough to stomp their feet and demand the best equipment, the league office should be. Yep, the mighty SEC that spent the offseason so worried about whether or not people were going to be tweeting or live-blogging from inside their stadiums, hasn't even bothered to make sure that they've given their officials the best equipment to make the correct calls.
Calls that, oh by the way, get magnified a thousand fold under the new multi-billion dollar television contract they've signed with CBS and ESPN -- both HD broadcasters. What's another reason, aside from increased media attention that these calls get magnified? Because such a fine line often separates winners from losers in conference play.
That's the real story here, officiating is under the microscope because the difference between teams these days is microscopic. If every game in the conference was decided by three touchdowns, a few missed calls here and there wouldn't be as significant.
But when many of the most high-profile games are coming down to a single play, failure of this magnitude is unacceptable. The difference between having HD in a booth and not having HD in a booth truly can decide the outcome of games, perhaps even champions. How in the world has this been allowed to continue?
I asked the SEC offices what it would cost to implement HD feeds for instant replay in every SEC stadium. They didn't get back to me. Convenient. But I'll give you the answer, an awful lot less than missing a big call costs in public perception. Tens of millions less than that, in fact.
All of us watching in HD saw LSU's Patrick Peterson intercept Alabama's Greg McElroy in the fourth quarter of the Tide's eventual 24-15 victory. In regular definition who knows what it looked like? I don't, and you don't either. But you know who does? The SEC's instant replay official.
In the meantime, my dad doesn't see what the big deal is about HD for games. "What is the HD button again?" he asks, channeling the SEC corporate offices.
I'll reiterate my offer to commissioner Mike Slive that I made on Saturday, consider my HD television to be at your disposal, give me a ring if you need help with a call. After all, I and millions of other SEC fans will have a better view of the play than your instant replay officials.
Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Millions dont have HIDEF and millions still see the calls..Lets not make excuses
Considering all of the money invested in cameras, I'd imagine they could spend a few extra bucks on monitors...that's just plain dumb! I'm tired of the SEC being slammed constantly, when every conference out there is guilty of exactly the same thing. They are just scrutinized more closely due to having so many top teams and competitive games. I watched Big-12, Big-10, and Pac-10 games over the weekend where there were 5 or 6 calls where the announcers were POSITIVE that the call would go one way, and then they went the opposite...almost every one of them lead to undeserved points or unearned momentum shifts (I guess they don't have HD monitors either). But when the games are 63 to 50, people are less likely to complain about questionable calls. When the final is 13 to 11, then EVERY call and point is extrememly vital. At least the SEC is trying to do something about questionable calls. I can guarantee that the officiating in the SEC will be the most scrutinized and likely most accurate in all of college football come next year because of it. What is your conference doing to improve itself?
thank you
Nothing is as poor and obviously bias as the SEC officiating for FLA and ALA.... sorry dude, but you are wrong on this one.
Clay,
I understand that you are a Tennessee Homer, but give it up. Yes the calls have been bad, but to cry conspiracy when they happen to go for the two teams that you were bred to hate? I guess it's always easier to look for excuses than to accept that you were outplayed.
I ASK AGAIN WHY ISN'T PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THE BAD CALL ON BAMA'S RECIEVER BEING IN BOUNDS AT THE START OF THE GAME WHEN EVEN THE THE MEN IN THE BOOTH CALLING THE GAME SAID HE WAS IN BOUNDS. IT SHOWED HE WAS IN BOUNDS ON THE INSTANT REPLY.. PEOPLE CHOOSE THEIR PLAYS TO ARGUE AND THEY'VE ALWAYS CHOSE AGAINST BAMA IT SEEMS TO ME .... BAMA ROSE ABOVE THAT BAD CALL AND SCORED LATER... LSU COULD HAVE DID THE SAME THING... BUT THEY WERE WHIPPED WAY BEFORE THAT LAST CALL.. THEY JUST COULDN'T MOVE THE BALL ON BAMA BY THEN AND YOU PEOPLE KNOW IT.. THEIR QB GONE, THEIR RUNNING BACK GONE,BOTH SIDES OF THEIR GAME WAS JUST WORE DOWN BY THEN.. BAMA 452 YARDS AGAINS THEM WORE THEM DOWN.. DID ANY OF YOU SEE THE BAD CALL ON BAMA ARE NOT?????
Every defending the SEC. YOU ARE WRONG! The SEC has the most blown calls. The SEC has the most overrated teams too, because of it. These are facts. The south is always behind everyone else. You guys thought slavery was a good idea. You still vote to the right wing of hate, when the rest of the world lives in the left wing of love. You still don't have simple HD TVs for your replays? Come on, stop living in the past. It is really sad.
Jeez Clay, can you get over this? This is like the third damn article in the last week that you're writing about the same damn thing. And since when has hi-def revolutionized any viewing event?
As a life-long Gator fan, I have seen year after year of horrible officiating by the SEC crews. I dread playing FSU every other year when the game is called by SEC referees as opposed to the much more competent ACC refs. The fact that this year the calls are FINALLY falling UF's way doesn't make me feel any better. This has always been the weakest conference in terms of management/officiating and will continue to be so until major changes are made.
Until then, keep screwing up in the Gator's favor!!!!
Sorry to disappoint, but the SEC officials are no worse than those in other conferences. I watch Pac 10, Big 12 and Big 10 games and calls get blown just as much as they do in the SEC. Due to the ESPN contract, the SEC is plastered all over television so a bigger deal gets made out of these bad calls.The officials are human and bad calls are bound to occur.
As for the Florida Arkansas game, yeah Florida got a call go its way. But they still converted points on that call. The Arkansas defense could have stopped them and they did not. Besides, who is to say the Gators would not have scored anyway. As an avid Gator fan since 1997, I have seen a lot of bad calls go against Florida, and most of those games Florida still ended up winning. So, I don't want to here any griping!
After years and years of watching my Gators take the brunt of the horrible calls made by inept SEC referees, I'm so happy to see that their ineptitude is finally working in our favor. There is no grand conspiracy to make sure that Florida is undefeated. Face it. SEC referees SUCK and always have. I have spent years watching the FSU vs. UF game, begging for ACC referees, because then I knew that the game would at least be called correctly. As much as I would love to disagree with Clay UTravis, he is right on the money with this one. Hopefully, they keep screwing-up in Florida's favor for at least 2 more months. GO GATORS!!!!!!!!!!
ROLL TIDE LOL
Roll Tide indeed. I hope to be be partying my A&% off in Mid-Town Atlanta with a bunch of pissy GT and UGA fans come 12/5 around midnight. Look for me. I'll be the drunk, obnoxious guy with the orange and blue on, yelling, "repeat, repeat" at the top of my lungs!
Clay, unless you have "ASKED AGAIN WHY ISN'T PEOPLE TALKING" and wondering whether any saw the "BAD CALL ON BAMA ARE NOT" pseudonymously as a pretty good joke, then we can assume Bamagandy is a real person. In that event, I think you'll need to create some entire new classification of award for comment authors related to your posts and name the award a "Bamagandy." That comment is a treasure trove. It would take several hours of concerted effort to explore and relish in the nuance of the layers of meaning conveyed.
"“A firm rule must be imposed upon our nation before it destroys itself. The United States needs some theology and geometry, some taste and decency. I suspect that we are teetering on the edge of the abyss.” I.J. Reilly
I see you Padin----- If the SEC is so over rated why can't the Big Ten beat them or the Big 12 beat them for the title..
Besides I live in Michigan and even the Big Ten people say they too don't have HD monitors... Neither do any other conferences ... Talk about saying the South is prejudicious, you are yourself, for your way of thinking... I'll bet you never even watch a SEC game other than when your team loses to one.. So how do you know so much about the SEC if you think they are over rated then don't watch them..
Hey Padin...news flash. You are just as prejudice and backwards as the people that you are judging. If southerners are so dumb, then why do a majority of presidents come from the "backwards" South? Just admit it...you aren't smart enough to function in Alabama or the rest of the deep South...they would laugh your retarded ass out of town. To me...THAT is the scary part. SEC is the most competitive football in the land, and they consistently beat the Big 12, ACC, and Big 10 HANDILY! Haters keep on hating, but you know you couldn't keep up if you wanted to. The SEC may not be as strong as they usually are this year, but to say that they are "always overrated" is just purely ignorant. As soon as the SEC wins again this year, I'm sure you'll be the first to say that the refs were bought off, or any other excuse your little brain can muster. You really are pathetic. I thought you should know that about yourself!
Composed by a proud southerner with a degree and a HD TV (that's against slavery)...ROLL TIDE!
I can't wait to see Tebow and the gators kick the Tides' Ass in Atlanta. Saban showed his true colors when he bailed on the dolphins, after repeatly saying he had no intentions of leaving before his contract was up. Chomp...Chomp...the tide will get ROLLED, count on it!!!
This is one of the most unbelievable things I have ever heard. The SEC gets ripped because the SEC is the biggest, fattest target. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" is a comment that is beyond laughable and perfectly represents the problem with not just the SEC, but the entire power structure in D-1 football. The old guard tries so hard to convince us that the status quo is for the best, while quietly cashing massive, gigantic checks and enriching themselves even further through television and corporate sponsorship deals, all on the backs of "amateur" athletes. This is just another feather of stupidity to place in their cap right next to the gigantic one that reads "BCS."
Rogers Redding is right the SEC officiating is already fixed. Everthing is just as planned,The athletic director will help make out next years schedule with the assistance of Urban Myer.They have seven home games and a jacksonville game which is essentially a home game. Appalachian state, USF and Kentuckey and Miami of Ohio are 4 of the seven home games. The pollsters ( A$$ kissin media will make them the preseason #1 and follow this years formula. While the rest of the nation wacks each other florida is all the rave with there victory over Vanderbilt. Remember they only have 1 top 20 Win.
If I was a coach playing in a Bowl game I wouldn't want a SEC crew. Well unless I was an SEC team.