It has been an interesting autumn for observing sports officials and the criticism they too often receive.

• After several well-publicized missed calls, Major League Baseball talked more about expanding the use of instant video replay to review certain situations.
• Then the highly-regarded replay procedures of college football generally, and the Big Ten Conference specifically, were called into question when the criteria for confirming or overturning on-field calls seemed themselves to be overturned.

So, it is with some trepidation that the MHSAA may bring limited video review to its 2010 basketball tournaments.

As a result of change adopted last spring, the national basketball playing rules now allow state high school associations to use a replay monitor during the state association championship series to determine if a try for goal at the expiration of the fourth quarter or overtime period should be counted and, if so, determine if it is a two- or three-point goal.

On Dec. 4, the MHSAA Representative Council will act on a staff recommendation to adopt this provision for the Semifinal and Final games only, effective with the 2010 Girls and Boys Basketball Tournaments at MSU’s Breslin Student Events Center.