Replay

PHILADELPHIA -- It was a once-in-a-lifetime defensive play, so perfect and pure that all Ben Smith could do once he reached the end zone was stand and rejoice as the crowd at Veterans Stadium shrieked."

Maybe it's time to listen to Brian Billick and throw the NFL's ridiculously flawed instant-replay system out with the bathwater. I'm guessing that anyone who saw the inexplicable interpretation of the supposed fumble by Joey Harrington that led to the Detroit Lions' second touchdown yesterday is going to agree. Wait a minute. Did I say inexplicable? Obviously, it wasn't inexplicable because an NFL official rushed to explain it to CBS broadcasters Gus Johnson and Steve Tasker just as referee Mike Carey was upholding a ruling that flew in the face of all visual and video evidence.

Disputes between players and managers take place all the time in the heat of battle. They're usually hidden behind clubhouse doors, however, not captured by television cameras and broadcast over the airwaves.In this case, the images served a useful purpose. They showed Terry Mathews just how inappropriate his reaction was to being removed in the 15th inning of Friday's 7-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays at Camden Yards.Mathews had a 1-0 count on Shawn Green with a runner on second and one out when manager Ray Miller popped out of the dugout and signaled for Norm Charlton.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The instant-replay proponents aren't going to take no for an answer.Minutes after replay fell two votes shy by a 21-9 margin yesterday at the NFL owners meetings, Charley Casserly, the general manager of the Washington Redskins who has led the charge to bring back replay, said, "We'll be lobbying for Cleveland's vote next year."Cleveland will become the 31st team in the league next year.That guaranteed that replay will be back as an issue at next year's annual owners' meeting in Phoenix as its supporters keep trying to bring back some form of a system that was used from 1986 to 1991.

If given the chance - and based on the history of the Ravens under coach Brian Billick, he will get it one way or the other - quarterback Anthony Wright already knows what the team wants him to do. Whether Wright starts Sunday's game at Miami in place of Kyle Boller, who is likely out for the season with a torn right quadriceps, or backs up Chris Redman, his instructions are simple. "The thing for a quarterback in this league is to not lose the game, at worse," Wright said. "I feel like, at worse, that is what I can do, not lose the game.

The Ravens may have lost the statistical battle, but they won the ones that counted. It didn't matter if Jacksonville had a sizable edge in total offense because the Ravens maintained control of their 15-10 victory over the Jaguars on Sunday by going 2-for-2 on instant-replay challenges in the third quarter. One ruling allowed the Ravens to keep a lead and the other helped them expand it. The first challenge occurred midway through the third quarter when quarterback Tony Banks threw out of his end zone and was intercepted by Jaguars end Tony Brackens.

CBS Sports made a good call Sunday in not showing a halftime replay of a gruesome injury to Louisville guard Kevin Ware. The injury took place in the first half of Louisville's Elite Eight matchup with Duke. But the network did show it in slow-motion replay while Ware lay on the court attended to by trainers and medical personnel. To its credit, the network had one of the game announcers warn viewers before they showed it. I saw the play live, and I did not notice Ware's fall.

On a day when the rest of the AFC North failed to escape with last-minute comebacks, the Ravens survived in the end by delivering a familiar - if not excruciating - replay. Whether they were going on memory or might yesterday, the Ravens forced three turnovers in the fourth quarter, including Ray Lewis' interception with 44 seconds left, to sidestep an upset and ring up a 24-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Just like last Sunday, another big play by Lewis and fourth-quarter turnovers were the major difference.

Maybe my Southern California roots are showing again, but I think the Los Angeles Angels should have been kicking and screaming all the way back to Anaheim after that phantom third strike Wednesday night cost them a chance to take a commanding lead in the American League Championship Series. If you didn't see it, Chicago White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski swung and missed at what appeared to be the final pitch of the ninth inning in Game 2. Home plate umpire Doug Eddings signaled that the third out had been recorded.

George Washington vs. Maryland 7:30 p.m. [MASN] With the two favorite NFL teams of the fan base for both teams playing tonight, maybe this basketball game can draw an audience for part of the first half. However, you can always catch the replay at 11 a.m. tomorrow.