Bills kicker Tyler Bass is now famous for missing a game tying field goal late in the divisional playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Long time fans immediately flashed back to Scott Norwood’s missed kick in Super Bowl XXV which would have been a championship winner. But this post isn’t about those two errant boots. I’m revisiting a different wide right.
NFL referees have become discussion fodder on the same level as the players in today’s game. Unlike posts about players which are often calibrated to bring out point-counterpoint “discussion”, referee chatter is usually one-sided with the zebras being accused of incompetency and having their calls driven by the power of Las Vegas. Cries of “Scripted!” and “Rigged!” abound on Facebook and TCFKAT, TheCompanyFormerlyKnownAsTwitter.
Referees under scrutiny is nothing new, however. This article appeared in the January 1999 edition of a free tabloid called “Niagara Frontier Sports & Leisure.”
This cartoon paired with that article. I had forgotten all about it until Andrew N., a Facebook follower, asked me, “Did you ever find that “field goal” with the pigeon?”
Andrew’s good memory prompted me to find this story and cartoon in my collection of unlabeled attic boxes. His timing was pretty good with Artificial Intelligence making inroads into just about every industry. It’s already on the sidelines and in the press box giving rapid fire analytics on what to do and what to say. Will AI along with machine vision technology make its way into on-the-field officiating? Robo Ref was a gag concept in 1999. This cartoon scenario could make you gag in 2029. Or sooner.
