I've been wondering

Naw, you got it all wrong. The ref has a clear plastic divining rod made from the same material as the clear teleprompters many speakers use and he is looking for the water that a ball pulls out of the ground as it passes over the sideline.

 

So how does all of that work when dealing with windy games? All the explanations make sense but seems like that assumes the ball travels in a straight line. Most of the time it does unless you're In oh say ...Chicago.

 

I think it’s a great question coco and one I’ve wondered about for years. I always surmised that the guy sitting the ball was just guesstimating. Now I’m learning that a guy even farther away from the spot where the ball went out of bounds is guesstimating.

 

Things that make you say hhhmmmm......
Nah naw nope. It's all from Elon Musk's Starlink system. He has satellites looking down above every football game just for that reason. Thus the high number of rocket launches these days. All you need is a smartphone to access a live view from space at the moment the ball travels out of bounds. What else do you think the refs are looking at when they go over to see the replay on the sidelines. That is if you can actually trust the refs know what they are looking at.

 

Whew.

 

You ever watched daredevil? It’s like that.

 

Exactly. I'm getting a headache.

Are they using dead reckoning? LOL!! In that case, perhaps we should give them a sextant.

Those spots could easily be off by two yards or more; I'm guessing that they are routinely.

When the refs are lined up dead on the line of scrimmage, they still miss it by almost a yard at times.

 

All true but still a pretty fair way to judge. Starting field position at the 28 or 29 may not have a huge impact on a game. Could it? Sure if you end up 4th and 1 at the 1. Make you want that yard. No one ever says “if only they spotted that on the 29…..”

 

That's why they get away with that complete joke of a spotting system. They think it doesn't matter, because fans apparently don't either.

Anyone that thinks a ref positioned behind the punter can spot at what yard line the ball-while still in the air- went out of bounds fifty yards downfield, has rocks in their head.

 

Just curious: who is this "somebody's head on the sideline" who the refs trust who then raises his or her arm to let the refs know where the ball went out?

Whose sideline?

 

Just any random person on either sideline.

I’m still going with echo location.

 

So..I'm guessing they won't buy my sextant.

 

Yeah, but from where he stands he could easily be off by 5 to 10 yards. Doesn’t account for spin or arc of the ball (especially if it was a shank). I’m actually surprised they challenge the spot (if it’s even allowed)

 

It's not an exact science as there is always human error. We have to live with it, it's all part of the sport.

 

Loved math, mom was a math major and taught high school in Melrose, back in the day.