Upon further review

Since my beloved Michigan Wolverines just suffered their first really bad season since the Johnson administration, I’ve discovered that what fans do in this situation is review highlights from glorious seasons gone by.

Watching this replay of Desmond Howard’s fourth-down catch against Notre Dame, I’m struck by how much replay review has taken away from sports in terms of spontaneous ecstasy — not a small cost. If this play were to happen today, it would be reviewed for three minutes, while everyone watching held their breath and argued about what “indisputable” means, like a bunch of lawyers arguing in front of an appellate court.

I’m of two minds about whether in the end it’s worth it. I tend to think not — especially since the standard for overturning calls is so high that most arguably wrong calls aren’t reversed. But the biggest cost is the loss of pure moments like this one.