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TIME has released its 50 Best Inventions of 2008 list and the creation that comes in at No. 38 -- right after smog-eating cement and before enhanced fingerprints -- is of interest for our sporting purposes:
38. The Baseball Instant ReplayPerhaps I missed something, but I’m fairly certain baseball did not invent instant replay, nor did they invent the idea of using it to get calls correct during a game. In fact, they were so far behind the curve, it took a tidal wave of backlash before MLB finally decided to use replay for home run calls this season. And TIME is giving them credit? English physicist John Bond and his enhanced fingerprints have got to be pissed about this.Introduced for this season's stretch run, replay allows teams to contest controversial home-run calls for the first time. Using ballpark monitors, umps can review a play from every possible angle. This may add minutes to a game that already suffers from slowness, but that's a small price to pay for making the correct call.
For what it’s worth, my favorite invention on the list: No. 8, Bullets that shoot bullets. Bad. Ass. It’s technically more like missiles that shoot RPGs, which I think makes it even more awesome, actually.
This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.
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What a joke. A stolen idea implemented a decade late is considered an invention. Perhaps they will tell me that they invented irrelevant lists? That i might believe…
by a-roid on Nov 27, 2008 2:55 PM EST reply actions
Ahhh … an english lesson here is in order I believe. Just guessing, but it stands to reason, what TIME is referring to is the use of instant replay during the television broadcast. Instant replay must have been first introduced by one of the networks as a visual aide.
The irony in this post is that instant replay has become such a common place occurance it’s been totally taken for granted. People today don’t realize that games were once televised live with no instant replay.
by unbelievable24 on Dec 7, 2008 11:08 PM EST reply actions
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