reza@ihuxb.UUCP (H. Reza Taheri) (11/29/83)
I have a question for you football experts. What is the rationale behind measurement for a first down? The ref isn't sure if the ball is past the first down marker. Standing next to the ball and trying to line it up with the marker isn't accurate enough, right? So they bring in the chain and measure on the field. Well how do they know where to put the "other" end of the chain? Isn't lining up one end of the chain with where the last first down took place just as inaccurate as standing next to the ball and seeing if it has passed the marker? I was introduced to football only 5 years ago and have never seen a game in a stadium, so no flames please (i.e. if the answer is too obvious). H. Reza Taheri ...!ihnp4!ihuxb!reza (312)-979-1040
glass@houxf.UUCP (K.GLASS) (11/30/83)
Placing and marking the football is an extremely inaccurate procedure and attempting to introduce precision (e.g. measurements) is ludicrous. Ken Glass houxf!glass
halle1@houxz.UUCP (J.HALLE) (11/30/83)
While it is correct that placing the markers at first down and spotting the ball are imprecise, with practice you can be amazingly accurate. The object is to go past the marker, not go 360 inches. Thus even a mis- placement of the sticks is not fatal. As to how they are kept in the same place as they are transported across the field, there is a little doodad clipped to the chain where it crosses a 5yard line. This marker is what is lined up, not the far stick.
more@ucf-cs.UUCP (Duane More) (11/30/83)
Although it is true that the measurement chains have the little "doodad' to put on the lines to line up the chains, my question is: How can the zebras be sure that the chain is parallel to the sideline? If the chain is off by say 5 degrees, then the measurement will be off by just under 3 inches, and we've all seen measurements closer than that. -- Duane N. More
zzz@mit-eddie.UUCP (Mike Konopik) (11/30/83)
I first thought like this (j.halle's explanation) that the objective is to pass the stick, and not really to go 10 yards. But then we get into the problem of whether the sticks were placed BEHIND the ball a few inches to start with, and thus a first down is not worth a whole 10 yards. For those teams that are forced to punt from 4th & inches at their 12 yard line, this is of great importance, no? (this discussion could go on forever...) -- -Mike genrad!mit-eddie!zzz (UUCP) ZZZ%MIT-OZ@MIT-MC (ARPA)
jmh@wnbpwb.UUCP (11/30/83)
halle1 is correct in saying that the 5-yard white stripe between the sticks is where the actual alignment is done.. If you watch when the officials measure, you'll see one official holding the chain where the stripe is (and the "doodad" is) when the chain is moved onto the field for the measurement. He then places it on the stripe again and the measuring stick is stretched to get the correct distance. True, it is still a bit arbitrary as to where the ball is placed in the first place, but at least the sticks are usually very close to where indeed ten yards is. Jon Hanrath (wnbpwb!jmh)
lab@qubix.UUCP (Larry Bickford) (12/01/83)
Before the chains are brought onto the field, a second official goes to the grid-line (one every 5 yards) nearest the former first-down point. He attaches his flag to the chain at a specific location relative to the line (which is about 4-6 inches wide). When the chains are brought onto the field, he places his flag down so the attachment point is the same on the field as it was on the sidelines. BTW, this is also used at the ends of the 1st and 3rd quarters when the teams change ends of the field. Larry Bickford, ihnp4!decwrl!qubix!lab