Comments

  • Entertainment & Gaming

    MLB's Major Tech Woes

    By Posted on 6.19.2008 8 Comments

    A memo sent from Major League Baseball’s Umpires Union to its members last week suggests instant replay will be implemented by August 1st. In typical MLB fashion, the proposed plan is a decade late, ignores the potential provided by modern technology and will likely create more questions than answers. In the words of Yogi Berra, “This is like déjà vu all over again.” (see: steroid debacle). But fear not Red Sox Nation and Marlin fan! We've concocted an ingenious plan that will save baseball from its masochistic ways. Before PopSci rescues America’s Pastime, it’s important to detail the current plan so we might strip it naked and expose the deficiencies.

    6.20.2008 at 12:29pm - Comment by jmancine

    I'm no purist. Technology is a wonderful thing in many circumstances. But instant replay in sports is certainly not one of them. It is the human element that brings a level of uncertainty and unpredictability to sports, adding to the excitement, passion, and entertainment that make the games so special. Limiting or abating that uncertainty may produce a more "fair" game from a technical standpoint, but the result will eventually be a more watered-down and sanitized version of the game. As I said, technology is wonderful. Heck, we could replace all of the umpires, coaches, and players with robots that NEVER make mistakes or blow calls. But in the end it wouldn't be the same. It IS the human element that makes sports special. We can learn from the passion, the pain, the determination, and the mistakes. Any real sports fan should be opposed to any measures that abrogate the human element.

Flickr Block Header

Share your photos in the Pop Sci pool at www.flickr.com!
Current theme: Spooky Science
Our latest winner

Subscribe for 2 free issues!

POP_embeddedForm_cover_Dec08.jpg