Monday, September 9, 2013

How to rule on every NFL challenge in 60 seconds

I was just watching Monday Night Football and there was a pass in the backfield from Michael Vick to LeSean McCoy that was batted down by a defensive lineman.  Everyone gave up on the play except for 2 Redskins who picked up what they thought was a fumble (backwards pass) and then did the slowest 90 yard run for a touchdown ever.
Chip Kelly challenged the ruling on the field of a backward pass.
ESPN then showed the replay 3 or 4 times.  Then they cut to commercial.  They came back from commercial and showed the replay SIX MORE TIMES!
The refs still weren't done with their official review.  How is this possible?
I looked up the rules for review here and this is what it says:
NFL Rule Book - Rule 15, Section 9
See that highlighted part? It says the play on the field will stand UNLESS there is indisputable visual evidence that the call should be reversed.  Do you know how easy this makes things?  This means there is no other way to handle a review other than this:
How to rule on every NFL challenge in 60 seconds
You're welcome, NFL.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Please Hold

I've been getting this interaction a lot lately when calling places with operators ...

Person: "Hello, how may I direct your call?"
Me: "[Extremely clear answer where I also indicate who I am and why I'm calling]"
Person: "Okay ... please hold."
Me: "Okay."
[Hold music]

[Comes back.]
Person: "I'm sorry, this is my first day. Please continue to hold."
Me: "Okay."
[Hold Music]

[Comes back.]
Person: "Please continue to hold."
Me: "Okay."
[Hold Music]

[Comes back.]
Person: "How can I direct your call?"
Me: "I was already on hold waiting for [so and so]."
Person: "Please hold."
Me: "Okay."
[Hold Music]

[Comes back.]
Person: "Please continue to hold."
Me: "Yeah, I was holding. I figured that's what the hold music was meant to do ... have me continue to hold. Count me in for some more holding!"
[Hold Music]

[Comes back.]
Person: "Please hold."
Me: "Thank God you came back. In the last 15 seconds since I heard your voice, I was beginning to wonder if that hold music was trying to insinuate that I should hang up ... or worse."
[Hold Music]

[Comes back.]
Person: "Continue to hold."
Me: "Look. It's getting bad out here in Hold Land. Is the sun still shining where you are? Is there food? And laughter?"
[Hold Music]

[Comes back.]
Person: "Okay, here's [who you asked to speak to.]"
Me: "Chaos. Reigns."
[Phone clicks.]
Person: "Hi, Luke."
Me: "Oh, hey, Tom! Listen. About those TPS reports ..."

All I'm saying is ... I already agreed to hold. I don't care if it's your first day and I don't need all the check ins. I'll hold. That's what speaker phones are for.