CFL To Unveil New Challenge ‘Command Centre’

01/07/2009 04:07

TORONTO - The CFL's new instant replay process this season will look very familiar to hockey fans.

The league has completely revamped its system for reviewing on-field officials' calls. When the CFL kicks off its regular season Wednesday, officials in a command centre at the league's Toronto head office will examine and decide on all on-field coaching challenges instead of the referee.

"The biggest change for fans is the replay boxes on the sidelines will be gone," said Tom Higgins, the former CFL head coach who is now the league's director of officials. "But I think our fans will truly notice the difference because the moment a referee does put on the headset, when we went through our trial runs we had the decisions made already.

"That's where we're hoping we'll be able to tighten our belts somewhat to get the play going a little bit quicker than they have the last couple of years."

The new process - which is identical to the one used by the NHL - will be in place for the league's season-opening games Wednesday night. The Toronto Argonauts visit the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (TSN, 7 p.m. ET) to kick off the '09 season before the Calgary Stampeders host the Montreal Alouettes (TSN, 10 p.m., ET) in a Grey Cup rematch.

On Thursday night, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are in Edmonton to face the Eskimos (TSN, 9 p.m., ET), with the Saskatchewan Roughriders hosting the B.C. Lions on Friday night (TSN, 9 p.m., ET) to round out the opening week.

In past years, when an on-field challenge was made the referee would go to an on-field monitor and examine the replays himself before rendering a decision. But the process could sometimes be timely with the video quality differing from stadium to stadium.

Now, the replay official - who will be none other than Jake Ireland, a 30-year CFL veteran referee who retired this off-season - will have high-definition monitors at his disposal. He will have access to the same TV replays fans can watch from home but be able to slow them down and isolate images to ensure the right call is made.

John Hufnagel, the head coach and GM of the Grey Cup-champion Stampeders, likes the new system.

"I'm in favour of anything that helps officials do their jobs as effectively as possible," he said. "The league obviously put a lot of thought into this and I'm confident it will work very well."

And the new process is expected to be quick. That's because staff at the command centre can immediately start reviewing a play from various angles and have a decision in the time it would usually take for the on-field referee to confer with a coach then reach the sideline video booth.

"The moment that challenge flag is thrown, now our fans know there is a process in place," Higgins said.

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SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:

So, let me see if I’ve got this correct . . . ex-referee Jake Ireland is going to make all of the decisions on disputed calls from a command centre in Toronto? Good luck! This is going to really be a lot of fun folks!