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Bring Back Instant Replay A few weeks ago I was referred to MadFan, a Web page supporting the return of instant replay. Greg Colburn, a 49ers season ticket holder, has gone the extra mile to express the views shared by tens of thousands of NFL fans across the country. Greg supports his views with not only startling pictorial evidence of critical blown calls, but also provides a terrific suggestion as to how to implement a new system. Most recently, Greg has posted blown calls in all of the playoff games, including the Patriots game at Pittsburgh, and the Conference Championship games. Perhaps Greg's solutions are not the answers, but what the league and it's owners need to realize is that this is the fans game, and when over 80% of the fans want replay, it is foolish not to bring it back. Year in and year out, I am horrified with all the bad calls I have seen which changed the momentum and/ or outcome of a game. Whether the calls have favored the Pats (4th and 2, Bledsoe to Coates, @Jets, 1996) or gone against them (4th and "game", "Sugar Bear" Ray Hamilton 15 yards for roughing Ken Stabler, Divisional Playoffs, @Oakland, 1976), there is no excuse for ever blowing a call when the league has the technology to get them right. There were problems with the old system, but if the league can formulate rules for expansion, revenue sharing, and television contracts, all huge league money makers, why can't they work out a good plan for replay? There is simply no excuse. As a diehard fan of the game and of the New England Patriots, and as an annual season ticket holder paying thousands to the owners, it sickens me that my voice, along with Greg Colburn's and thousands of others, continues to be ignored. Please support the return of instant replay by signing Greg's Replay Petition - it will be forwarded to the NFL owners' meeting in March. As Greg notes, this is not about calling the officials incompetent; they simply have an impossible job. Thank You!
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