[nas] The clock (was Re: Rule changes,was Re: Men's College Cup Final)

Hey all,

   My thoughts on this subject interspersed below...

Quoting Chris Jerry:
>> The official rules state a 90 minute
>> game that is divided by two 45 minute haves. There is nothing in a
>> rule book that says almost 45 minutes give or take 5 or 10 minutes in
>> a half.

The value system of soccer doesn't seem to set imprecision as a goal - but  
it does attempt to incorporate an element of human judgement that other  
sports (esp. basketball) don't. Namely, the referee is instructed to add  
time to the end of each half to compensate for time lost to certain  
events. Its interesting to note what that list is - and is not:

* Goal celebrations
* Injuries
* Substitutions
* Time wasting(!)

However, time is not considered "lost" to the ball simply being out of  
play.

Now, the first three items on the list could be mechanically incorporated  
by a stadium clock. Stop the clock when the ball crosses the line, and  
start it on kick-off. Ditto for injuries and substitutions. However, how  
to compensate for time wasting? Or is that something which should not be  
compensated for? Frankly, that decision would significantly impact the way  
that teams play the game - so IMHO it would be better to leave that as  
part of the calculus.

I've heard it suggested that a linkage between the referee's watch and the  
stadium clock would be possible - and I'd be interested in seeing that as  
an experiment (within the structures set up by IFAB and FIFA). However,  
this also ties into a larger point:

Again, quoting Chris Jerry:

>> In the not
>> too distant future, I think we are going to see TV replays to help
>> determine some rulings on the field, and I do think the clock is going
>> to be another we'll see.

This is something which I oppose, frankly. The attempt to remove the human  
element from officiating, or to subject it to technological review,  
strikes me as foolhardy. There will always be decisions with which  
supporters don't agree - and it can seem as if a technological fix could  
give us more precision in some decisions.

However, the cost of achieving that precision works against other values,  
which I hold more dear:

* Consistency of sport - the game at the MLS level should be identical to  
the one I play on Sundays, and to the game as played in Kazakhstan, etc.  
Techhnological solutions are not possible consistently, and should thus be  
avoided.

* Continuity of play - the time taken to review a decision would impact  
how the game is played far more than the current system of snap decisions  
by a human.

* The importance of people - Even technological review will not remove the  
human element of other decisions (penalty or not? no foul, foul, yellow or  
red card?) - so its a Quixotic quest to begin with. Frankly, I enjoy sport  
because of its human elements, not in spite of them.

This also ties into larger questions of technology's role in human  
experience, but that's getting off-topic for soccer. :-)

Again quoting Chris Jerry:

>> Not to mention some really exciting
>> finishes when it was clear than time was running out and everyone,
>> including a keeper headed to the box in the dying seconds, unlike now
>> when maybe there is a few seconds left to try such desperate measures.

I've seen this happen enough times in the current system - perhaps we'll  
have to agree to disagree, but my perception has been that the "exciting  
finishes" have actually increased in a system of imprecision, partially  
because teams don't realize that its not possible to score in the 15  
seconds that remain. Instead, they push forward because they know they're  
almost out of time - and there might be time to score.

Thanks,
Matt
bernhardt.7@osu.edu
-- 
Matt Bernhardt, bernhardt.7@osu.edu
Webmaster  +  Fab  Lab  Coordinator
Knowlton  School   of  Architecture
The    Ohio     State    University
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