tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post3375455228752569274..comments2024-02-13T10:20:04.888+00:00Comments on David Hepworth's blog: Why Television Match Officials are not going to make sport any betterDavid Hepworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05973053694541321308noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-61351757345642198692009-03-13T20:57:00.000+00:002009-03-13T20:57:00.000+00:00For my sports of choice - rugby and cricket - refe...For my sports of choice - rugby and cricket - referral have made not a jot of improvement to the games. It's becoming increasingly tedious watching umpteen angles of a 'try' or lbw/catch appeals. And in the case of cricket it further slows the test game, which is in danger of being swollen whole by 20/20.<BR/>I think this does detract from the role of a referee/umpire. in the vast majority of cases instinct is correct. For those that are in question video playbacks can often confuse rather than resolve the question.PhilClarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08410689123753693397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-78571269070957153932009-03-11T14:13:00.000+00:002009-03-11T14:13:00.000+00:00The solution (in my head) is to think of there bei...The solution (in my head) is to think of there being a difference between 'sport' and 'games'. Sport involves 'sportsmanship'. Games involve 'gamesmanship'. Footy = game. Expectations are thus lowered, preventing endless harping on about penalties and offsides. Done, and dusted.Andre Carlos Raposahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03505003184440024971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-31246658750248693682009-03-11T09:31:00.000+00:002009-03-11T09:31:00.000+00:00I'm not entirely sure I agree with your assertion ...I'm not entirely sure I agree with your assertion that all players cheat instinctively, but I know what you mean.<BR/><BR/>The thing is, the sheer amounts of money at stake in football now mean that footballers at the top level are always highly unlikely to behave honourably. Their employers and fans are unlikely to appreciate it when they do.<BR/><BR/>Take Ryan Babel against arsenal in last year's champions' League quarter final. he went down incredibly easily under a challenge to win an incredibly dubious penalty to snatch the game for Liverpool. these things happen in football, but the impact of such an act can hardly be measured, either in terms of potential income for the club, or the prestige they win by going a round further and having a chance of making the final.<BR/><BR/>Babel's was an act of cheating, but you can be absolutely sure it earned him great appreciation from all at the club. No doubt he would do the same thing every time, as would the vast majority of footballers.Andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06170574944537866579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-10284636638164978752009-03-11T08:43:00.000+00:002009-03-11T08:43:00.000+00:00Absolutely right David, about the double standards...Absolutely right David, about the double standards. Players whinge about bad decisions yet spend the whole game challenging, intimidating and deceiving the referee, thereby making his job infinitely more difficult. They also conveniently forget all the incorrect decisions which go in their favour.Huwhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14743262251212584449noreply@blogger.com