NFL announcer apologizes for demeaning officials

An announcer criticized the NFL’s outdated technology during last week’s preseason game between the Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles. Yes, the NFL is an early implementation of Sony’s Hawk-Eye technology, but that won’t go into effect quite yet.

Late in last Friday’s preseason showdown between the Ravens and Eagles, backup quarterback Tanner McKee tried to sneak his way for a first down. It was a close call, and the officials needed to break out the chains for a final measurement.

That drew the ire of Ravens play-by-play voice Gerry Sandusky.

“This is one of the things — as you look at the replay, think about this,” Sandusky said. “We have the technology to put a GPS tracker on Mars. But we still use a bunch of older guys on the sideline with sticks to measure whether a ball carrier got a first down or not. Nothing against the older guys with sticks.

“It just seems absurd that in a game where they have GPS trackers on player’s shoulder pads, they have 19 different levels of algorithms to measure everything in the NFL, we still use guys with glasses who are no longer what you’d call physically fit trotting out a pair of sticks to measure first downs.”

“They each trot in an eye where they think the ball is and then mark it with their feet,” added Sandusky. “We’re not talking surgical precision here.”

And while Sandusky didn’t care for the chain gang, others didn’t care for his comments.

Sandusky’s comments were not well received, so he offered an apology on his personal X account a day later.

“In last nights Ravens broadcast I commented on the use of a chain gang instead of technology on measurements,” Sandusky wrote. “I did not intend to demean any individual. I apologize to the members of the chain gang for what I said. I recognize they are doing an important job as professionals.”

Sandusky’s remarks may have ruffled some feathers, but they also served as a reminder of the human element that persists even in the age of high-tech sports. He’ll likely be a little bit more mindful the next time the chain gang comes out during a Ravens game this season.

[ Gerry Sandusky ]

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