It's the same bind in sports everywhere

by IrishGuard, Sunday, October 12, 2025, 09:10 (2 days ago) @ Bryan (IrishCavan)

Referees have somehow become shit all over the world.

On one hand is our technological ability to go frame by frame in high definition and see exactly what's happening, which no referee can compete with in real time. This is coupled with a desire to "get it right." On the other hand is frustration over stopping the game constantly for review, which diminishes the fun of watching the game--which is why the game exists in the first place--plus a respect (or nostalgia) for the "purity" of the game and the role of the referee. Hence always the bias for the call on the field and the burden proof falling on the review team to overturn the call.

But calls like in England to ban the use of VAR, for example, because it sucks the life from the game--while totally understandable--are really only credible because VAR is in use; if it was to be banned, we wouldn't go a week before a goal was dis/allowed contrary to clear and unimpeachable video evidence. Then we'd be back to people arguing for it to be used. Same dynamic with football here, clearly.

People tend not to want to give up powers once they've been acquired. It's like with cell phones; everyone knows they're socially ruinous, but who's going to give up google maps or the ability to keep track of your child after school? So anyway, refereeing isn't getting any worse, it's just that now we can see exactly how bad it's always been.