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Slow Motion Replays

+10 HS
NoVAsmitty's picture
January 1, 2020 at 4:12pm
34 Comments

So, I've moved on to the acceptance stage, but something that Rod Gilmore said while he was color commenting during the Minnesota vs Auburn Outback Bowl game.  I didn't catch his entire commentary, because my son was saying something to me, but he was talking about the Fiesta Bowl and why (a) Fuller's scoop and score should have stood, and (b) why Shaun Wade should not have been tossed.  Gilmore is a smart guy - Stanford grad and Cal Berkeley law grad.  From his comment, he must do some criminal defense work, because he referenced a University of Chicago study of the use of slow motion video replay evidence in criminal trials and that it can distort criminal responsibility.  See here.  https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-36940475  Essentially, when we see Shaun Wade tackle Trevor Lawrence in slow motion, it distorts Wade's intent.  It appears to us that he "is leading with the crown of his helmet," when in real-time (i.e., reality) it's a bang bang play.  He commits to the tackle and has no intent to do harm (i.e., target or lead with the crown of his helmet), but also in an instant Lawrence readies himself for the tackle.  Watching in slow motion, and the tackle looks of bad intent, when it never was and that bad intent is not something that comes across in real time replay.  Be sure to read the last two paragraphs of the posted article.

In addition, during one of the Minnesota TDs, which was upheld, the ESPN "rules official" made an interesting, and erroneous comment to which Rod Gilmore put him in his place (politely).  The "rules official" said "you have to get the call right" to which Gilmore essentially said no you don't, you have to see if there's any indisputable evidene to overturn to call on the field.  It got me thinking that there's a certain amount of time or number of times to watch a replay.  Beyond that, I've got to think that the human mind is now trying to talk itself into finding what isn't there.  As a rule of thumb, I'd say if you can't find the indisputable evidence after three viewings of the replay (once you get the best angle for viewing), the replay official has past the point of asking is there indisputable evidence and to the point of correcting the call.  The point of replay is not to correct a call on the field.  The point is to determine is there indisputable evidence to overturn the call on the field.  And, watching a replay 5, 6, 7, 10 times likely increases the likelihood that the human official is going to correct the call in the replay official's mind, as well as by watching in slow motion will distort the replay official's perception of either or both the intent of the player and the field official.  Something the game referee said after the game in his press conference is very troubling - I thought the replay official was supposed to review in real time, not slow motion, but Williamson admitted they looked at both real time and slow motion video.  

Anyway, I've moved on, but when Gilmore brought up this study in the context of the Fiesta Bowl and then with what the ESPN "rules official" say about "have to get the call right" (no you don't), I thought I'd post this.

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