September 17, 2003
Another TV Viewer For De La Hoya
Over at Slate, Allen Barra explains why those of us watching the De La Hoya-Mosely fight at home last Saturday had a more accurate view of reality than everyone sitting ringside:
So, what we're left with is a situation in which the combination of television, taped replay, and punch-stat counts give any TV-watching knucklehead more evidence to work with than is available to the judge or sportswriter sitting right there at ringside. Yet it's the opinion of the latter pair—the first on fight night, the second in the papers the next morning—that determines who "won" the fight and if and when there will be a lucrative rematch.
It's time for boxing to acknowledge what the National Football League was forced to admit more than 20 years ago: As technology grows more and more sophisticated, it gives fans more information and, more often than not, creates ugly controversy and very bad public relations. The argument in football used to be that if instant replay was used by officials it would take the "human element" out of the decision. But far from removing the human element, the NFL's instant replay, which routinely shows viewers what officials are in the worst possible position to see, is ideal for helping officials to do their job.
Bravo.
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.ericmcerlain.com/mt/mt-tb.cgi/2441
03:55 PM