By: Derek “Hotel” Hottell

I am an avid college football fan, and as those who have listened to the show previously can attest, a fairly rabid University of Louisville supporter, so I will admit that I am certainly biased. But, I completely and utterly hate instant replay. While it does enable the referees to correct some missed and/or mistaken calls, instant replay just as often enables officials to over officiate.

A recent example can be taken from the Friday, November 14, 2008, University of Louisville football game against the University of Cincinnati. With under four minutes in the fourth quarter, Louisville trailed by eight points, but they were driving down the field. On third down, Louisville quarterback Hunter Cantwell completed a pass in the flats to running back Brock Bolin who was immediately tackled by a Cincinnati defender. The initial ruling on the field was that the ball had crossed the threshold for the first down when Bolin’s forward progress was stopped. Louisville fans cheered, and hope still existed in Mudville, but then the most dreaded words in football were heard, “Play Under Review.”

When you hear those words, and you are a college football fan, you should just be prepared to be screwed because that is what is going to happen. So, of course, upon further review the play was not ruled a first down, and the officials actually spotted the ball a full yard back, which wasn’t even a possibility, but I digress.

Here is my primary issue with the situation, and what this situation brings to light. Instant replay is a crutch that officials more often than not misuse.

First, what is reviewable and why? If on the same play being reviewed for the spot of the ball, the official sees that the defender actually committed a facemask. Do they call the face mask? Well, of course not because that is judgment. But, isn’t the spot of the ball judgment as well.

Second, the instant replay has changed the way referees call the game. Now, if there is a questionable circumstance between if a quarterback fumbled or threw an incomplete pass, it is always a fumble because they know they can just review it. That doesn’t seem so bad, though, right? Wrong! Because it takes conclusive evidence to overturn the call. What if this evidence isn’t available because of a camera angle or a player blocking the view of the play? They haven’t solved the problem. They have just shifted responsibility from an individual who is paid to ensure the rules of the game are followed to the camera man, a fat guy who probably didn’t play football because he was in the audiovisual club.

Ultimately, instant replay doesn’t aid referees in calling the game. It just acts as an impediment or a crutch. And, as a U of L fan, it seems like it is a crutch that always hits me squarely in the balls.