The naked, unsightly truth about TMOs
OPINION: It was meant to be the end! The end of the controversy, end of the arguments, end of the fights at home in front of the telly. In the dark days, many a team’s hopes had been destroyed and careers ruined, all for the want of a better angle.
But we saw the light in endless replays! Video refs would solve all our problems in slow mo! But alas, it now feels like someone has hidden the remote.
It’s hard to know who to blame; the TMO, the third umpire, the VAR (video assistant referee) or even the VR (video referee) if you are short on time. And we are short on time, because it takes rather a lot of it to go through the zillions of angles.
Is it worth it? After another exhausting week of controversy, fans are not so sure. Just when one sport sort of gets the hang of it, another sport takes the plunge.
This time it’s English football. For so long it played hard to get and now fans are wishing The Video Assistant Referee would put its clothes back on and go home.
It was farcical in Manchester United’s 2-0 win over Huddersfield in the FA Cup. Juan Mata’s goal was disallowed when he was ruled offside by a graphic line so wobbly it looked to have been drawn by a drunken Terriers fan.
It was later revealed the VAR had straighter lines than viewers at home. Manchester United guru Jose Mourinho laughed it off, then tempted fate by saying: ‘‘I am close to winning the best-behaved manager in the Premier League, so nothing that can make me lose that trophy this season.’’ He then smiled, although that may’ve been another video glitch.
It was the Americans who started all this in the NFL in the 1980s. Rugby league got in on the act in 1996 although I’m convinced that was just to see who swung first in the State of Origin brawls.
Cricket has certainly benefited with cameras policing the no-ball line and wickets from every angle, which is nice when you want to see the latest dodgy bowling action in all its glory. And now in Twenty20 they’re putting it on every player and piece of equipment. I’m holding out hope they’ll lodge one between David Warner’s teeth.
I miss the days when the attacking team was given the benefit of the doubt and yes, I know I might set Gatland off again but losing to England at rugby when you’re Welsh with All Black undertones, does something to the brain.
But is brain fade World Rugby’s excuse for telling Wales that television match official (TMO) Glenn Newman made a mistake in not awarding a try to Gareth Anscombe.
Doing that was more puzzling than Dan Biggar’s kicking style. England coach Eddie Jones was right to be angry, saying it undermines officials. I agree with him, which is even more worrying.
I know you haven’t forgotten the revised penalty that didn’t decide the Lions tour. And I’m sure tears will form when I mention the name Wayne Barnes. Fans live in the past.
Sometimes it’s a necessity, if you’re an Australian rugby supporter searching for a Bledisloe win. But we don’t want every referee mistake, with or without video, to be used as a convenient excuse when we’re a bit annoyed.
Mourinho ordered his minions not to tell the players what had happened at halftime so they focussed on winning, not being hard done by.
The moaning and whining should be left to the professionals, the fans. That’s why there’s a comments section on stories.
Maybe one day the video ref system will be perfect because it will be run by artificial intelligence. The unpredictable humans and their unreliable eyesight will be banished.
Finally, we’ll get rid of all those human mistakes and … actually, let’s get rid of the coaches and athletes because they make mistakes too. And fans. Let’s start afresh.
Ahhh yes, that’s why we like sport, for its predictability, consistency and perfection.
By the way, that was sarcasm. I couldn’t resist. I am only human after all.