Story By Tracy McDannald, Daily 49er Sports Editor

Today’s technology needs to be taken advantage of in the sports world. I’m a strong believer that referees and umpires can change the outcome of a game.

I’m not saying calls are being blown on purpose. I understand that an official might have a bad angle on a play. But it’s not an excuse to blow off making an attempt to correct a call that can affect the outcome of a game.

Baseball

Major League Baseball finally realized it’s not the 1960s anymore and made disputed home run calls available for review, at the umpire’s discretion.

The first use of replay occurred Sept. 3, when Alex Rodriguez’ home run down the left field line was upheld in a game against the Tampa Bay Rays. It took just two minutes, 15 seconds to review the tape, so the argument that it would drastically slow down the game isn’t valid, either. Managers argue calls and get kicked out of games, which usually delays the game even longer.

Commissioner Bud Selig should at least look into expanding the use on instant replay and try to come up with a set of other reviewable calls — such as plays at the plate or diving plays/traps in the outfield — and come up with a limited number of challenges for managers to use, like the NFL utilizes. Controversial calls in the ninth inning should be reviewable at an umpire’s discretion, just like the NBA reviews any baskets at the end of quarters and the NFL has the power to review plays in the last two minutes of each half.

Just ask the 1985 St. Louis Cardinals if replay would’ve helped in the ninth inning of the World Series. Google the name Don Denkinger and you’ll instantly find what I’m talking about.

For instance, there are countless times when a ball is hit into the outfield, hits the ground before an outfielder could stretch out to make a catch (or vice versa), but an umpire signals an out was made.

Balls and strikes should never be reviewed, however, since the strike zone isn’t clearly outlined. I’m not crazy.

College Sports

Replay shouldn’t just be exclusively used on the professional level. College basketball and football already use limited forms of instant replay, but those can’t be the only sports that technology would benefit.

I’ve covered my share of volleyball matches where a ball would hit the antennae or land in play, but the wrong call was made. Help the referees out, instead of making them the victims of an angry home crowd, players and coaches.

Even as recently as Sunday, the women’s soccer team lost, 1-0, to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas on a controversial penalty kick call near the goal in the 77th minute of a scoreless match. Blowing the whistle changed the game.

Athletes and coaches can talk about playing through bad calls all they want and not wanting to look like a team searching for excuses, but there are times a blown call just stings — knowing a quick look at a replay would reverse a call. There’s a sinking feeling when you know a victory was ripped away from you.

If the people who run the Little League World Series can institute instant replay, then there’s no excuse for higher levels of competition to not attempt to get the call right.

What Long Beach State coaches and players are saying …

“For tennis, where they use the replay [system] ‘Hawk Eye’ to review the line calls, it has been great. Unfortunately, even at the majors it is not available on every court. That inconsistency seems to frustrate some players. But for tennis it has been a plus.”
–Jenny Hilt-Costello, Women’s tennis head coach

“In key situations — whether it’s like the deciding factor of a sport, or the outcome of the game — I believe it should be used. [In baseball], it could be a home run to end the game, or a home run judgment call — [to determine] whether it’s fair or foul — and that’s probably it.”
–Jordan Casas, Dirtbag outfielder

“Me personally, I like instant replay because situations, like what happened in our game [against UNLV], can totally be looked at again. It was obvious that I didn’t foul the girl — she tripped over the ball. Only [replay] for fouls in dangerous spots, like around the goal area. Not so much in the middle of the field because that wouldn’t really make a difference.”
–Marissa “Bo” Rael,  Women’s soccer defender

“It depends on the situation. We’re at a point we want to perfect every call in sports, and I don’t think that’s possible. I don’t even think it’s a good idea. Obviously, egregious errors you want corrected. People make mistakes in judgment and that’s part of being an official. I think that’s kind of a part of sports. A game like basketball, the pace is up-and-down with so many plays being made.”
–Mary Hegarty, Women’s basketball head coach