Rethinking Replay Review

Confusion reigned.

My niece had just driven an outside pitch for an opposite-field, two-run homer to put her college softball team ahead by a run in the second inning. After the excitement and high-fives, we noticed the other team's coach talking to the umpires on the field.

What was this about?

Several minutes passed until a concerned look came across my brother's face, "Who knows - they are probably challenging the play."

"Challenging what?" I said.

 "Instant replay. The runner on first might have left the base before the pitcher released the ball. If you're the other coach, you might as well use a challenge here - it's worth two runs."

"Instant replay? College softball?"

"Yup."

My brother was right. The three umpires jogged toward the outfield fence, leaving the field to enter a makeshift tent to review the video.

Ten minutes passed as the teams and fans anxiously awaited the verdict.

Even if the umpires kept it a home run, the fun had already been sucked out of the play. That ship had sailed.

As the umpires walked back to the field, I dreaded the impending call.

The head umpire clenched his fist, signaling that he had overturned the home run and the runner was out. The girl on first base had left too early. A loud cheer rose up from the other team's dugout.

Three outs, end of inning, change sides.

No home run.

Our family sat silently in the bleachers, stunned at the turn of events. And then it hit me.

I turned to my brother and said, "You know how to fix this nonsense? If the coach is wrong on a challenge, THE COACH LOSES A FINGER. The umpire cuts it right off."

We laughed as we worked to push through the frustration.

But in a country where it's more important to verify a sports play than to check the credentials of people streaming across our border, IS THIS REALLY SO CRAZY?