Friday, 29-March-2024 13:05
 
no comments in "Sci-Tech"
Sci-Tech
Sunday, 10-September-2006
By Gary Myers(New York Daily News)- - The NFL is always trying to find the newest technology to improve the game, but by eliminating the coach-to-referee buzzer system for instant-replay challenges last season, it left it all to a red flag, which could have cost the Miami Dolphins in the season opener Thursday night.

Miami coach Nick Saban took way too much time throwing the flag with 6:11 remaining after Steelers tight end Heath Miller scored on an 87-yard touchdown to give Pittsburgh what would be a 21-17 lead. Replays clearly showed Miller's leg out of bounds around the Miami 1. On close plays, officials are instructed to wait 40 seconds to spot the ball instead of putting it down immediately. Then the 25-second clock is started. By the time the Steelers kicked the extra point, 22 seconds were off the clock, meaning there were 62 seconds between plays.

By the time Saban got word from the coaches' booth to challenge the call, the snap was imminent and officials had their backs to him to watch the extra point, and thus didn't see when he threw the flag. He clearly tossed it before the ball was snapped. Saban could have run out of the coaches' box to get the officials' attention, but he tentatively and almost sheepishly threw the flag.

"I didn't realize that no one would see me throw the flag at that time," Saban said Friday. "I promise you that I do have the speed and athleticism to get to them, so I have nobody to blame except me. But that's not why we won or lost the game."

If the NFL had perfected the buzzer system, Saban would not have to get the officials' attention with the flag. He could have buzzed them. The system was in effect from 1999-2004, with the flag as the backup.

"We had too many false buzzes and accidental buzzes," Mike Pereira, the league's vice president of officiating, said Friday. "Most coaches were throwing the flag anyway and not relying on the buzzer. It was impractical. We felt going to the flag was the best method."

How could Saban have gotten the attention of the officials when they had their backs turned to him? "He is allowed to run down the field," Pereira said. "We can't have him run across the field. He can, however, go as far he needs to go out to get the attention of the officials."

As for whether the officials should have just gotten the call right on the field, "It's a tough call to make on an 87-yard play when you're not standing on the goal line," Pereira said. "It's a tough judgment call to make. In real time, it's very difficult."

More from "Sci-Tech"

Other titles:
Tuesday, 17-October-2017
The United Arab Emirates acknowledged on Tuesday that two of its pilots were killed when their military aggression plane crashed over Jawf province, a military official said

The official added that the aggressive crashed plane was an apache that was
Tuesday, 17-October-2017
Three citizens were killed and four others wounded in two Saudi air strikes hit Majza district of Saada province, an official said on Tuesday.

The strikes hit a citizen's car in al-Jamalah area in the district, the official added.
Tuesday, 17-October-2017
Artillery of the army and popular shelled a gathering of Saudi-paid mercenaries in al-Moqadra area in Serwah district of Marib province, a military official said on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, dozens of Saudi-paid mercenaries were killed and others injured in Wadi al-Theek in the district, the official added.
Monday, 16-October-2017
The army and popular forces carried out on Monday unique military operations in Taiz province.

A military official said that a number of Saudi-paid mercenaries were killed at the hands of the army and popular forces in al-Jazami Hill in al-Kadaha area in al-Ma'afer district.
Monday, 16-October-2017
A Saudi aggression fighter jet targeted a citizen's car driving in Fara area of Kutaf district in Saada province overnight, killing the driver and injuring his friend, a security official said on Monday.
Monday, 16-October-2017
The army artillery and popular committees launched a fierce attack on Saudi-paid mercenaries' sites in Jawf province, a military official said on Monday.

The attack destroyed a military vehicle belonging to the mercenaries and killed all on board in Sabran area in khab and shaaf district.
Sunday, 15-October-2017
Scores of Saudi enemy soldiers were killed and injured on Sunday when the army and popular forces repelled a Saudi military attempt to sneak into Shurfah site in the border province of Najran, a military official said.

The operation was accomplished successfully against the Saudi
Sunday, 15-October-2017
The army and popular committees have killed a total of 18 Saudi-paid mercenaries in sniper operations over the past hours in the central province of Marib, a military official said on Sunday.

Ten mercenaries were killed in Nehm district and eight others were killed in Serwah district, said the official.
Saturday, 14-October-2017
Saudi aggression warplanes have launched more than 49 airstrikes over the past hours on several residential areas across Yemen, a security official said on Sunday.
The airstrikes targeted the areas of Malahiz and Husama in Dhahir district, and areas Thuban, Masahif and Sdad in Bakim district of northern Saada province.
Thursday, 12-October-2017
The army and popular forces carried out an operation attack on Saudi-paid mercenaries' sites in al-Hawal area in Nehm district.

A local official said that the operation attack resulted in killing and injuring mercenaries, adding they also incurred heavy losses at their ranks

who we are     |    Advertising     |    contact us
All rights reserved © Almotamar Net, Developed by