Wednesday, April 16, 2008

The Great Debate: Replays in Baseball

After recently watching a Phillies-Cubs matchup this past weekend, where a foul ball was mistakenly called a home run, wouldn't instant replay be beneficial to the National Pastime?

The Topic: Instant Replay in Baseball

Point: It would help avoid controversy calls by umpires and let then review any game-changing calls and judgements.

Counterpoint: It would slow down the game, and baseball already takes long enough as if.

Point: Replay would not feel right in baseball because of it's storied history and represenative of the America's National Pastime

Counterpoint: If the technology is available...why not use it? It would be like solving a math problem without a calculator or writing a hand letter to someone, when an e-mail will do the trick.

Conclusion: I would be in favor of putting replay in baseball but with certain restrictions. I would not make it available to all situations and/or scenarios. Similar to the NBA, in that you can only review a basket at the end of quarters, I would only restrict replay to home run calls. Calls that can not be seperated from foul or fair territory. There may be need for this replay once or twice a series and would hardly slow down a game.

...til next time

-E

Podcast the Interviews

All of the interviews from my radio show The Steak, Crab, & Curry Show can be downloaded at

http://edelash.podbean.com

They can also be downloaded through iTunes by searching the iTunes store at Steak, Crab, Curry.

Interviews include:
-Stan Kasten -- Nationals Team President
-Marc Zumoff -- Sixers Announcer
-John Buccigross - Sportscenter Anchor
-Pat Forde - ESPN
-Gene Wojciechowski - ESPN

and more!

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

NFL Draft Schedule Released Today !!

Ok, so the NFL is releasing the schedule today for the 2008 season...big deal? In previous years, No. This year, yes...why? Good question. In the ever growing overexposure of the NFL, ESPN is hosting a TWO HOUR SPECIAL this afternoon to reveal the schedule for every team in the NFL...1 by 1.

Personally, I feel it is a bit over the top broadcasting 4 days straight of the combine, but then again it is on NFL Network so people have to go out of their way to order that to watch it. But the NFL Schedule, Really!? Considering the fact that...

* 6 games every year are pre-determined by division rivals

*another 4 games are determined by your opposite conference rotation (for example, NFC East plays AFC North this year, AFC East last year)

* 3 other games are determined by what place you finish in, in the division (1st place in the NFC East plays 1st place from North, South, and West)

*The Final 3 games are a similar rotation system through your same conference.

So in the end you already know all 16 opponents! Why is it such a big deal to know when you play each opponent?

This is not necessarily anti-schedule release day post, but rather an overkill of the NFL. Why is it that NFL Live is the only specialized program that runs every day of the year and not Baseball Tonight or NBA Fast Break?

The NFL season is now becoming a 12 month a year season. It was fine when after the Super Bowl, you had maybe one big week of free agency, then the Draft, and then Training Camp in August.

It is also not really like you can predict all of the games for your favorite team considering the fact the Draft still has to take place and there are several other "Cut Days" left before the season begins.

Eh, I guess they need something to air on tv during the day.

...til next time

-E