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Instant replay is the correct call

The first thing I do when I get my latest issue of Sports Illustrated is read the column on the back flap. Then I go to the letters from the readers. This week, old school baseball enthusiasts fought against the use of instant replay, claiming it took the "human element" out of the game.

As a fan, if my team is on the wrong end of a game-changing call that could have been corrected via instant replay, I'm not going to be happy. And I'm just a fan. I can only imagine how players and managers feel. Technology is becoming so advanced that the game needs to change with it.

It's like watching a horror movie in the theater. You know the killer is coming to get the girl, and you scream at the screen. But she can't hear you ... and BOOM, she's dead. You can see the call is wrong on the replay, and you scream at the umpire, telling him to change the call ... but sorry, the call stands. Your team is killed.

The writers to SI claim the games are too long, and instant replay would only add to the length of games. Here's a few solutions: speed up pitchers, don't allow batters to lollygag in between pitches (that means keeping David Ortiz from spitting on his hands every 9 seconds) and shorten the time between innings. But baseball will lose out on some advertising dollars!??!

Tough. It's better than losing this fan and millions like me.

Fight night

To the best of my knowledge, soccer riots aren't too prevalent here in the U.S. But Rhode Island College had one on its hands Sunday night during and after the Division IV high school girls state championship game between Woonsocket and Tolman. For those who haven't seen the footage, click above.

As a semi-responsible adult, part of me feels like I should get up on my soap box and decry such behavior. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't find this fight pretty entertaining and amusing.

Now, if I'd had any ties whatsoever to the game, I might have another opinion. Say, for instance, if it had been Rogers, or another team I cover regularly, playing in that game (which nearly happened) I'd be disappointed that either, A. Rogers' state championship was marred by a silly fight, or B. Rogers players behaved in such a way when they were losing.

Unfortunately for me, I covered the game that immediately preceded Woonsocket-Tolman. Not that I didn't enjoy seeing the Tiverton girls win the D-III title, but I'd love to be able to say I saw the melee in the D-IV game.

Some might wonder how these girls could get so worked up over a Division IV girls soccer game. And I did, at first, too. But after looking in the mirror, I get it. Hell, I can get pretty psychotic on the basketball court in the Newport Recreation Department men's over-30 league. And there's pretty much nothing at stake there. In a high school championship game, no matter the level, there's a lot of emotion, and tempers can flare.

The pushing and shoving that broke out in the stands between fans of the two teams, though, is completely inexcusable, and just plain stupid.

By no means am I excusing the actions of any of the players involved, which, based on the video, looks like pretty much all of them. I'm just saying, I understand.

Week 9 R.I. high school football poll

Barrington's big victory over La Salle vaulted the Eagles to the top spot in the poll. Now, La Salle, Barrington and East Providence all have one loss. Bishop Hendricken has two losses, and Portsmouth has three, but the Patriots own the head-to-head tiebreaker. Portsmouth, which has to beat Rogers this Friday, needs East Providence to beat Hendricken.

Middletown, which rebounded from its first loss of the season, jumped up two spots to No. 15, while Tiverton is receiving votes and hoping to get back into the top 20.

Team Points Last week
1. Barrington (6) 139 3
2. La Salle 128 1
3. East Providence 125 2
4. South Kingstown 122 3
5. Hendricken (1) 113 5
6. Mount Hope 102 6
7. Woonsocket 94 8
8. Ponaganset 87 7
9. Portsmouth 84 9
10. Coventry 83 12
11. West Warwick 58 13
12. Cranston East 57 10
13. Moses Brown 52 14
14. Westerly 45 11
15. Middletown 43 17
16. Johnston 36 16
17. Lincoln 29 NR
18. Cranston West 17 15
19. Classical 13 20
20. Exeter-W.G. 11 NR

Dropped out (rank): Cumberland (18), Hope (19).

Others receiving votes: Cumberland 8, Central 2, Hope 1, Tiverton 1.

Participating publications: The Chariho Times, The Coventry Courier, The Cranston Herald, The East Greenwich Pendulum, The Narragansett Times, The Newport Daily News, The Northeast Independent, The North Kingstown Standard Times, The South County Independent, The Warwick Beacon. Note: The Westerly Sun did not vote this week.

Gostkowski adds another three

Thanks to Stephen Neal being off-side, the Pats didn't go on fourth-and-inch(es) and let Gostkowski kick a 41-yard field goal to give NE an important 10-point spread.
And Pats win 27-17 to assume even more control of AFC East.

Henne's pass to Ginn on fourth-and-long with less than three minutes to go over the middle looked catchable, if difficut.
Maybe that's why he's been benched at times as a wideout.
Now New England should be able to get close enough for another field goal, which would cement Gostkowski's dominance over Ginn today.

Looks like Tom Terrific got the D a bit too pumped up. Miami had the choice of two defensive penalties, including a roughing the passer, on third down.
Miami converts on another third down on a pass by Henne, then it's back to White and the Wildcat running for 2 yards.
Thomas ends the third quarter with a bang! He blows up a Miami reverse. Then Henne throws the ball away on third-and-long because the Pats have sniffed out a short pass to the left for wide receiver Davone Bess.