By Nunyo Demasio Washington Post Staff Writer Tuesday, July 5, 2005; Page E02
Washington Redskins Coach Joe Gibbs recently decided against retaining Larry Hill, who was hired before last season as a full-time replay official, according to two sources with knowledge of the development. Hill's one-year contract expired last month.
The addition of Hill -- a former referee considered among the best in his profession -- initially was viewed as a typically innovative move by Gibbs: The Redskins were the sole NFL organization with a consultant whose main job was to attend every game and advise the head coach on replay challenges. Nonetheless, the Redskins lost most of their replay challenges, leading to clock mismanagement in certain games. (At one point, after a Nov. 21 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Redskins lost five of their first six challenges.)
However, according to one offensive assistant, the setup was flawed because Hill frequently was overruled when he recommended against a challenge. Gibbs publicly conceded unilaterally issuing a few replay challenges that were lost, but never disclosed a breakdown of Hill's decisions.
The Redskins are expected to use a traditional setup, with assistants having heavy input before Gibbs makes a final decision. Gibbs largely hired Hill -- who sat in the coaches' booth watching television feeds -- to avoid assistants becoming emotionally attached to plays.
Gibbs, who is on vacation, as is his staff, until July 25, was unavailable to comment. Hill couldn't be reached to comment.
According to a league source, new Miami Dolphins coach Nick Saban intends to hire a replay official with similar duties to Hill's. But Saban -- who has contacted the NFL for a pool of retired officials -- is seeking someone with an increased workload.
Hill's other duties included overseeing referees to work practices; monitoring penalty tendencies of players and meeting with Gibbs's staff to deconstruct calls. Because no other team had hired a former referee in such a capacity -- Hill was an NFL referee the previous five years, including the 2004 Super Bowl -- the Redskins received permission from the league office.
While Gibbs was on an 11-year hiatus before returning in 2004, the NFL underwent several changes, including replay challenges. Although the league had an instant replay system during Gibbs's first tenure, coaches weren't allowed to challenge calls. Now, coaches get two replay challenges per game. When ruled correct in challenging, the play is reversed. (Also, if the coach wins both times, he earns a third challenge.) But unsuccessful challenges result in a lost timeout.
Note: FedEx Field on July 28 will host a soccer game between D.C. United and Chelsea of the English Premier League. The game is scheduled to start at 8 p.m.
I remember being so confused on most of those challeneges. I just could not understand how Gibbs could challenge some of those calls that were so obvious that he should not challenge them.
However, according to one offensive assistant, the setup was flawed because Hill frequently was overruled when he recommended against a challenge. Gibbs publicly conceded unilaterally issuing a few replay challenges that were lost, but never disclosed a breakdown of Hill's decisions.
It was almost comical at times last season. I think that it was said that Hill rarely got a good look at the play before the call had to be made.
The calls should be made by head coach with the assistance of assistants on the field. There is hardly any time to allow anybody else to make a call from a booth. To be fair to Hill, it is very difficult to tell whether some of the worse challenges were called by him or by Gibbs under the advice of any other coach. Obviously Gibbs was not thrilled with the experiment.
Daniel Snyder has defined incompetence, failure and greed to true Washington Redskins fans for over a decade and a half. Stay away from football operations !!!
Redskin in Canada wrote:The calls should be made by head coach with the assistance of assistants on the field. There is hardly any time to allow anybody else to make a call from a booth. To be fair to Hill, it is very difficult to tell whether some of the worse challenges were called by him or by Gibbs under the advice of any other coach. Obviously Gibbs was not thrilled with the experiment.
"there is hardly any time to to allow anybody else to make a call" ? I made them fine from my living room watching Fox reply. I can't understand, with today's technology and communication capability, how they screwed up so many obvious calls. Give Gibbs a cell phone and I'll call them in from my living room.....for free!!
Redskin in Canada wrote:The calls should be made by head coach with the assistance of assistants on the field. There is hardly any time to allow anybody else to make a call from a booth. To be fair to Hill, it is very difficult to tell whether some of the worse challenges were called by him or by Gibbs under the advice of any other coach. Obviously Gibbs was not thrilled with the experiment.
"there is hardly any time to to allow anybody else to make a call" ? I made them fine from my living room watching Fox reply. I can't understand, with today's technology and communication capability, how they screwed up so many obvious calls. Give Gibbs a cell phone and I'll call them in from my living room.....for free!!
Nice! Now we can actually have someone reliable to do the job. I heard JGibbs' grandbaby is applying!
"I was on the sideline and guys were talking about the score, and then it hit me -- we won by 21. I came in the locker room and I yelled it out, and immediately I just kind of broke down in tears. Because I miss Sean, you know."
An ex-ref is not a person you want to consult on replays. They are wrong half the time anyway. I usually see the need for a replay during the live action. I wonder if he was watching the game on TV anyway. Standing on the sideline is also a very difficult perspective to judge that, so Gibbs shouldn't override the replay guy unless he sees the play directly in front of him.
Andre Carter wrote:Damn man, you know your football.
JSPB22 wrote: They are wrong half the time anyway.
That is why we should have only paid attention to him half the time! Only problem is... What half?
I am sure they will have a better system in place this year.
Daniel Snyder has defined incompetence, failure and greed to true Washington Redskins fans for over a decade and a half. Stay away from football operations !!!
i nearly lost my mind several times last year when challenges were being issued. Larry Hill pretty much failed his job for the team. wether or not Gibbs used some of his own opinion to make decisions, i bet you Hill screwed up several on his own.
"Never get less than 12 hours sleep, never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city, and never go near a lady with a tattoo of a dagger on her hand. Now you stick with that, and everything else is cream cheese." - Teen Wolf
i nearly lost my mind several times last year when challenges were being issued. Larry Hill pretty much failed his job for the team. wether or not Gibbs used some of his own opinion to make decisions, i bet you Hill screwed up several on his own.
"Never get less than 12 hours sleep, never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city, and never go near a lady with a tattoo of a dagger on her hand. Now you stick with that, and everything else is cream cheese." - Teen Wolf
Some of those calls were disgustingly retarded.
