FanPost

First Down Line, Technology: Evolving the NFL




Technology has always influenced our favorite game. Remember instant replay being introduced in 1986? Yeah, I don't either because I wasn't born just yet. Many of you probably were and can remember football before footballs were even invented.

We all take football very seriously around here. I do too. In the back of our minds we know it is just a game. But in reality, it is so much more. It's more than a game. I won't get into that junk, but we all know football is the shiznit, and technology is only making it better. A lot of people don't enjoy change and I certainly don't to a point but in this day in age it is really inevitable. Change is good. But besides helmets that reduce head injuries, what else around the NFL could we change?

Could there actually ever be a smart field? A field that knows where the player was down, and if it really was a touchdown or not? Could we ever truly get rid of referees or do we need to keep them to have someone to blame? What if a game could be guaranteed 100% flawless. No missed calls, no blown calls. How different would that be? Would that make the game more of a sissy style game? All very debatable questions.

It's safe to assume that nothing like this is in reach, or if it was, even being talked about or available in the see-able future . But it's fun to think about. What about the ball? Could it actually 'think' and know exactly who caught it, how fast it traveled, and if it touched the field or not?

I don't really know what to think if all these changes ever did take place. All of the money involved for all the equipment, rule changes, etc would be ridiculous. It would take many, many, years for any or all of these things to come into play, if they ever did. But it appears the NFL is starting to head in that direction.

You know the yellow first down line we see on TV that is displayed on the field behind the players? My wife was very confused when I took her to her first Colts game. Her first question at the start of the game was "Where's the yellow line?". I laughed at her and explained that it was only on TV. But maybe we were just behind the times to what could be. The NFL is proposing buying equipment from a company that is going to bring the yellow line on the field with laser line technology.

I think it would be cool, if it worked. The details are still being worked out such as if the chain gang would still come out on the field, how it could work etc. But it looks like this technology is trying to expand into not only the NFL, but other sports as well.

The evolution of the game...is right before our eyes guys.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors.