While on the subject of umpires/referees is it my imagination or has officiating gotten WORSE in the technology age? I watch TONS of baseball, football and hockey and I have seen several issues that need to be addressed quickly. I think the Tim Donaghy debacle in the NBA really put the refs/umps under a microscope and perhaps these guys can't cope.

1) Be consistant, the same strike zone should apply for everyone. What ever happened to the letters to the knees rule of thumb? I realize better hitters and pitchers sometimes get a little more lattitude just be consistant so these people can do their jobs.

2) Replay. I don't want to hear these baseball "purists" talk about the traditions of the game, horse apples says I! Whatever happened to baseball tradition when they brought in the designated hitter? Or this now yearly debacle of inter-league play? Or letting the outcome of the All Star Game dictate who gets home field advantage for the World Series? Go back to the AL/NL switch every year like it was. If the players aren't taking it seriousily, who cares it's an exhibition game. If you got rid of the designated hitter 2 things would happen: 1) pitchers will have to be more accountabl for their control since THEY'LL HAVE TO BAT and 2) Makes these one dimensional players who can't play the field, go out to pasture to make room for others trying to make it. Bring instant replay to the game and put a time limit on it to get the calls right the first time. I was watching a phillies game this year where someone was stealing second and Rollins didn't come close to making the tag, in fact he missed by 2 feet, but the umpire called the runner out because he had a bad angle on the play. Bring in the replay for more then just homeruns…why not use the tennis cyclops for some of these foul ball determinations if there's a question?

3)Confrontational refs and umps. Someone needs to inform these knuckleheads that the fans didn't spend a small fortune to come to the game to see the zebras/umps. They came to see the players, stop being so sensitive, grow a thicker skin or GET OUT OF THE GAME. You've got a plum job that most sports enthusiasts would KILL/DIE for and you got to get all hair triggered on the field? Go rub some salve on that ego punk!

4)Mandatory retirement age for referees. I watch some of these old refs running around in football and it's like I'm supposed to believe this guy is capable of keeping up w/the game? This is not so much a problem in hockey as the refs have to be in tip top shape, football isn't so bad, but it's the speed factor can these guys keep up w/the modern athelete AND do they get tested regularly on their acumen when it comes to the interpretation and application of the rules? Baseball umpires forget about it, for the most part these guys look like the Krispy Kreme field reps at a snack food convention. I think as the athletes get bigger and faster there has to be some sort of happy medium between the technology and officials that get the calls right. I know in most sports a ref/ump's performance dictates whether they get to officiate in the post season and that's some major scratch.

Sorry had to get that off my chest.

No sorry needed, I agree! Almost no one talks about it though. And, myself included, we like to bag on the players for everything, when, in fact, sometimes it's not always them. The mandatory retirement age is absolutely needed. This is not a job where a mess up can be brushed off, you need every instinct possible to make the right call. You are making or breaking someone's career here.

Which brings me to my agreement about the replay. Why can't there be replay throughout the game? It makes no sense to me not to.

Argh. Frustrating.

And yeah, I will agree with you too the Hamels is tired. Maybe he should stay off the late night talk shows, huh?

Not a bad start, even though I know the shows are taped in the afternoon, Cole needs his nappy time apparently

I'm really annoyed that they never show Raiders on TV here any more. SRSLY? /dry.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

Up here in the Bay Area they're blacked out most of the time since they don't sell out the home games….it was touch and go for the chargers game on Monday night football even. I'm a little cross w/them right now because they don't cover the spread and as such cost me money. Check your cable and see if you get the NFL RED ZONE channel…you may be able to catch some coverage there!