Rash of questionable replay decisions cast doubt on utility of replay review

Is replay review working?

Replay officials are tarnishing sporting events by altering the outcomes of games with inaccurate, subjective determinations.

Calls made by officials on the field are supposed to stand on replay review unless the calls are refuted by indisputable video evidence. Conversely, calls and non-calls on the field are supposed to be reversed when indisputable video evidence demonstrates the calls were incorrect. Unfortunately, however, the "indisputable video evidence" standard has proven elusive to replay officials.

For college football, the objective review standard is set forth succinctly in the NCAA Football Instant Replay Coaches Manual: "There must be indisputable video evidence for an on-field call to be changed by the Instant Replay Official."

The comparable standard of review applied by replay officials in Major League Baseball provides that on-field calls are only to be reversed due to "clear and convincing evidence."

Despite these clear, strict, mandatory standards, replay officials regularly spark controversy by rendering seemingly standardless determinations. A bevy of such controversial replay determinations impacted sporting events on Saturday, Oct. 5.

In the seventh inning of Game 1 of the Kansas City - New York AL divisional series, Yankees' third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. attempted to steal second base. As he slid foot-first, Royals' second baseman Michael Massey applied a tag, but the umpire on the field ruled Chisholm safe. Kansas City challenged the call, and the call was upheld despite video evidence showing separation between Chisholm's cleat and the bag while Massey's glove was on the cleat.

Viewing video footage of the play, TBS announcers Bob Costas and Ron Darling said the call would be reversed because Massey applied the tag when Chisholm's cleat was off the bag. However, the replay officials allowed the on-field safe call to stand. Later in the inning, Chisholm scored the game-winning run.

Former Royals player Eric Hosmer sharply criticized the replay ruling on X (formerly Twitter).

Other enigmatic replay determinations were made in college football games involving ranked teams.

In an ACC clash between SMU and Louisville , the Mustangs benefitted from a perplexing replay reversal. With the score tied in the fourth quarter, SMU's running back Brashard Smith fumbled in Louisville territory, and the Cardinals recovered the ball. The on-field call was a turnover. However, despite a lack of indisputable video evidence to justify reversing the call, the ACC replay crew in Charlotte, N.C. did precisely that.

ESPN rules analyst Matt Austin told the ESPN broadcasters that the reversal was improper.

"Yeah, I don't see how they got there. You really can't see the ball. The shin does go down, but you can't tell if the ball's coming out at that point."

The ACC replay crew then served up a nightcap of botched replay review in Miami's 39-38 comeback win over Cal. In a game-altering decision, replay officials allowed an on-field non-call to stand in the fourth quarter when Hurricanes linebacker Wesley Bissainthe delivered a brutal blow to Golden Bears quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

Trailing by 25 points in the third quarter, the Hurricanes had cut the deficit to 38-32 at the time of the controversial play. With under two minutes remaining, it would have been difficult for Miami to finish the comeback had targeting been called and Cal awarded a first down.

Replay review was instituted to help rid sports of incorrect calls that impact the outcomes of games. Instead, we're often left with more questions than answers, with controversial officiating remaining fron and center across sports. Replay officials need to get it right. Otherwise, what's the point?