A new risk on the NFL field

[wiffleball 4,796]

I didn't stay up to see this game, anybody see this?

 

SEATTLE—Talk about bad omens. An overhead NBC television camera mounted on wires collapsed onto the turf during a timeout early in Sunday night's game between the New Orleans Saints and Seattle Seahawks, almost hitting two Seattle players and causing a 10-minute delay.

The Saints had just called timeout with 11:24 remaining in the first quarter when the camera slumped and then fell a few yards from quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and the rest of the huddling Seahawks. After the camera was righted somewhat off the ground, it fell again—and nearly hit Bobby Engram as the receiver was walking to the sideline.

 

Game officials then cleared both teams from the middle of the field while the network got the camera back up to normal height. As the camera moved up and down the field for testing, Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren looked up at its every move with his mouth agape. When the camera moved to the sideline, Seattle's players all cleared out from beneath it.

 

"That's total access right there," Hasselbeck said. "It wasn't our night, I guess."

 

Guess not. Seattle went on to a 28-17 loss that had the home crowd booing the three-time defending NFC West champions.

 

"I thought it was going to hit Matt," running back Shaun Alexander said. "You kind of wanted to laugh. But at the same time you were like, 'What else can happen?'"

 

After a 10-minute delay, the game resumed with the camera parked above the Seahawks bench area—with players and coaches making sure they did not stand under it.

 

"I'm going to talk to my lawyer and get back to you," Hasselbeck joked.

 

"I just feel really fortunate it didn't hit me."

 

Just before the game resumed, referee Jeff Triplette announced: "If any live ball were to touch the wires overhead, there will be a replay of the down, by rule."

 

And, how high are those wires?