You’re Missing A Good Game!

Both the NFL and MLB have a problem.

I’m not sure about the NHL and NBA because I don’t watch enough anymore, but it seems to me that professional sports, in general, are becoming too hard to officiate.

And it’s always been that way to a certain extent in any and all sporting events.

The refs, umps and linesman have always been public enemy number one.

They’re an easy target.

If your team loses a big game the default position is to say:

“The umps/refs screwed us!”

And sometimes it’s true.

It makes me yell at the television from time to time, and I even yell when the call is horrific and it benefits MY team. 

Hate to see a game decided by a blown call.

The other night Cole had loaded the bases with 2 outs in a game the Yankees were losing 1-0.

His 2-2 pitch was right down the middle and everyone on the field took a couple of large steps towards the dugout.

Even the batter!

The ump called it a ball.

I was fuming! Yelled at the television. 😡 😤 

“He gives up a hit here and I’m going through the screen to choke that ump.”

Cole struck him out on the next pitch.

On Sunday the whole world went nuts when a roughing the passer call was whistled in the Bucs-Falcons game.

“Brady gets all the calls!!!” A million people whined on Twitter, Facebook and on their front porches.

(Just seems that way, by the way, stats don’t bear it out - but he’s roundly hated - so if he gets one call it’s national news).

But the problem?

The officiating is getting worse and my theory is that the sports are too fast now.

Pitchers all throw 95-100 mph.

When we were kids Nolan Ryan was the only guy who could reach triple digits. 

Now there are pitchers who throw 93 mph breaking balls!

Five guys in every team can hit 100.

As for football, the players are bigger and stronger. There are quarterbacks who can run over linebackers.

Now a linebacker tries to tackle a quarterback and there is an automatic whistle for unsportsmanlike conduct.

The Bills QB, Josh Allen, breaks 5 tackles on every run. Against the Ravens he was wrapped up and taken down cleanly.

The flag was thrown.

“That’s a horrible call,” I said.

The game was tied. The Bills were facing 3rd and 15. Instead the got 15 yards and a first down.

It essentially won the game for them.

“It’s a horrible call,” each of my kids said, “But I’ll take it.”

And that’s why it never gets fixed.

The team that benefits from blind refs “takes it” when it works in their favor.

Truth is…it has to be fixed.

It ain’t life and death, but there is a lot on the line for fans and gamblers.

I’ll end this discussion with a story about Andre Dawson the baseball great.

He was tossed from a game for arguing a called 3rd strike. He was also fined by the league.

Dawson paid the fine by check.

In the memo line he wrote:

“Donation for the Blind.”