Tag: sports-officiating

Can’t wait for robo refs? Be Careful what you wish for

Leave a comment

Disclaimer: I was an amateur sports official for four decades, so, yes, I might be a bit biased in regard to AI officiating.

“Dump the bums!” “Refs suck!” “We don’t need ‘em! ”

The same sentiments have probably been flying around since people first gathered to pit themselves against one another on the field of play. And, yet, if sports fans have their way and human officials are replaced by machines, it might be a case of be careful what you wish for. I’ll get to that in a moment.

Like many jobs in this evolving world of AI, sports officiating is on the road to automation. Analysts predict that by 2050 AI will be responsible for 90% of officiating tasks. The changeover is happening now with the Automated Ball-Strike System in Major League Baseball, Semi-Automated Offside Technology in Major League Soccer, electronic line calling which has replaced human judges in professional tennis, and AI use in both the NFL and NBA.

It’s important to note that AI “officials” are not infallible. Sometimes there are technical glitches that require humans to override the system. And our robot friends struggle to interpret subjective calls involving player intent. Was the hit the natural result of a legal play or a flagrant foul? Did the pitcher clock the batter on purpose or did the batter make no attempt to avoid the pitch?

Then there are the rules as opposed to the “spirit and intent” of the rules, a differentiation that is one of the first things young officials learn. The best example is holding in football. Most football fans can scream, “That’s holding!” on just about any play, despite the number of beers they’ve downed. And they’re probably right. However, is said holding a penalty? Not always. Officials must ask themselves if the holding occured at the point of attack, if anyone gained an advantage, if the defender did not attempt to break away, if the contact was brief? Only after such considerations can the yellow flag fly. So far, AI has trouble with these subtle distinctions.

Machines are also not adept at handling the human element of the games. Today, officials are needed to control game management. They communicate with coaches and players, break up fights, and manage the flow of the game. However, it’s certainly feasible that robo refs might eventually take over these tasks, so even though sports leagues claim they are not trying to replace officials completely, that seems to be the road we’re on.

But here’s the funny thing. A recent survey showed that almost 76% of Premier League soccer fans want to do away with Video Assistant Referees, known as VAR. And it has nothing to do with whether the call on the field was right or wrong. Roughly 92% of those fans said the automated officiating system takes too long to call the play and that they are being deprived of the thrill of spontaneous goal celebrations, making the game less enjoyable.

Imagine that.

And then there’s water-cooler syndrome. Might we lose something valuable when the last human official leaves the field, because without the men and women calling the plays, rabid fans would be relegated to blaming their beloved team for failing to win.

Not much fun in that, is there?

THE CASTLE

ANNE MONTGOMERY

Suspense/Thriller

Next Chapter Publishing

Ancient ruins. Haunted memories. A ruthless predator. Can Maggie survive the ghosts of her past – and the monster hiding in plain sight?

When she returns to her job as a National Park Ranger at “The Castle”—a Native American pueblo carved into an Arizona cliff—Maggie hopes the comfort of familiar ground will help her heal. Battling trauma and the grief of unimaginable loss, Maggie’s days are carefully measured, her life held together by the thinnest of threads.

But strange things are happening at the park. A mysterious child appears and vanishes without a trace. And a predator watches her every move, planning his attack.

With the help of friends, fellow survivors, and the land itself, Maggie begins to reclaim her strength. But the danger is closer than she knows, and soon Maggie will have to face a deadly threat… and her deepest fears.

UNIVERSAL BOOK LINK

AMAZON

APPLE BOOKS

BARNES & NOBEL

GOOGLE BOOKS

RAKUTEN KOBO

Bookstores, libraries, and other booksellers can order copies directly from the Ingram Catalog.

Praise for The Castle

“A deftly written and riveting read from cover to cover, “The Castle” effectively showcases author Anne Montgomery’s genuine mastery of the Romantic Suspense genre.” – Midwest Book Review

“A slow burn thriller, mixed in with a touch of mystical realism…A true five-star experience!” – Sara Steven Chick Lit Central

“A beautifully considered, sumptuous novel from a skilled storyteller.” – SaraRose Auburn Writing & Reviews

“This is a novel about good rage, about channeling the injustices of the world around us and fighting to do some good with both words and deeds. Lucky for readers, it was penned by a maestra like Anne Montgomery, so that we got a tense, powerful novel in the bargain too.” – Jennifer deBie-Rosie Amber Book Reviews

“Ms. Montgomery manipulates uncomfortable subjects and dark suspense into a gripping tale with hints of romance and humor carefully guiding readers on an informative journey of survival and self-discovery.“ Tonya Mathenia InD’tale Magazine

“Soul-stirring. A brilliant book…Truly a masterpiece.” – Anu Menon Thought is Free Book Blog

“I was gripped from start to end.” – Katherine Hayward Pérez Just Katherine Blog

“Ms. Montgomery has an almost magical talent to draw the reader into the worlds she creates through her words. Her characters are interesting, vulnerable and strong. While describing the locations in which her books are set, she weaves history with vivid images, immersing the reader in a hard-to-put-down story full of history, beauty and mystery.” – Margaret Millmore Author

The youth sports landscape is crumbling

4 Comments
We have forgotten the point of youth sports, and if we don’t alter our behvior someday there may be no youth sports at all.

Recently, I found out that a long-time sports reporter friend is, for now, hanging up his microphone.

“Lately the landscape has had its share of toxicity, with overzealous parents and poor leadership coupled with unsavory social media standards, which has now led to me taking some time away from broadcasting! My decision,” he said in a Facebook post.

This man spent 45 years covering sports, especially high school sports.

While I am saddened that he’s stepping down, I understand his frustration. Amateur sports, especially youth sports, has become a mess in the last decade or so. Why? There are a number of reasons.

First, I’ll blame parents who have ridiculous expectations. The number of adults who believe their child will earn a DI scholarship and go onto the pros borders on the bizarre. Less than two-percent of high school athletes will play at NCAA Division I schools, and just one percent receive full-ride scholarships, funds that are awarded for just one year, so if a kid breaks a leg or struggles in the classroom, bye-bye sports dreams.

And then what? Parents who put their kids on the year-long, one-sport merry-go-round, spending what could amount to college tuition on personal coaches, deny their children the chance to branch out and grow. Maybe play an instrument, or perform in a play, or even participate in a different sport, things they should be doing throughout high school. This single-mindedness will doom their children when they can no longer participate in the single thing that occupied their lives. Every athlete has to stop playing at some point. Something that tends to happen when we’re young. As I often mentioned to my students who insisted they would one day be professional athletes, “What happens after that? The average professional career lasts between three and six years. What will you do then?”

Before I go on, note that I spent 40 years officiating amateur sports. I called ice hockey, soccer, and basketball games, but spent the vast majority of my time on football and baseball fields. I realize today how lucky I was that much of my career came before the advent of social media, which has made calling games a nightmare. It used to be that when I made a mistake—Yes, all officials do, just like players and coaches.—the hysteria and verbal assaults were pretty much over when I left the field. Today, however, fans splash video and photos of calls they dislike all over the Internet, often implying the official made the errant call intentionally to benefit a team. Trust me. No official wants to make a bad call. We just do. Sometimes we’re tired from working our day jobs, or we’re hungry, or we just blink. Those of us in the amateur ranks only get one look at a play. There aren’t replay officials or nine-camera angles to check. And yet, we are required to be perfect, which is simply impossible.

Recent studies show that approximately 45% of officials say they have feared for their safety because of the behavior of administrators, players, and fans. One in three officials have received threats or felt unsafe at a game, something I understand since I have, on occassion, required a police escort to my car. So, is it any wonder that roughly 50% of new officials quit within their first two years? Myriad games are being cancelled at youth levels because of a dearth of officials. And this trend will get worse.

Here’s what needs to happen, though I won’t hold my breath. We need to remember the real purpose of kids sports. Children learning teamwork and punctuality, how to follow rules, goal-setting, social skills, and resilience. And, perhaps, most importantly, leadership skills. All of which will make them better human beings.

Maybe, if we adults adjust our expectations the miasma surrounding youth sports will clear. And then my friend will once again pick up his microphone and go back to the thing he loves.

Your Forgotten Sons

Inspired by a true story

Anne Montgomery

Bud Richardville is inducted into the Army as the United States prepares for the invasion of Europe in 1943. A chance comment has Bud assigned to a Graves Registration Company, where his unit is tasked with locating, identifying, and burying the dead. Bud ships out, leaving behind his new wife, Lorraine, a mysterious woman who has stolen his heart but whose secretive nature and shadowy past leave many unanswered questions. When Bud and his men hit the beach at Normandy, they are immediately thrust into the horrors of what working in a graves unit entails. Bud is beaten down by the gruesome demands of his job and losses in his personal life, but then he meets Eva, an optimistic soul who despite the war can see a positive future. Will Eva’s love be enough to save him?

Release Date: June 6, 2024

Pre-Order your copy today

Amazon

Apple Books

Barnes & Nobel

Google Books

Kobo

Review a copy early by going to NetGalley. Sign in here.

Bookstores, libraries, and other booksellers can order copies directly from the Ingram Catalog.

Anne Montgomery’s novels can be found wherever books are sold.

Goodreads

Amazon