Special:Badtitle/NS90:First-Hand talk:My Recollections: Development of Football's Virtual First Down Line/Email thread - Initial comments by others who also worked on the project

The email thread below concerns initial comments to this article. The people participating in this email dialogue, (except me, John Vardalas), were all part of Sportvision and had some part in the First-and-Ten Yellow Line . They have given me permission to post these email exchanges. Some of the participants in these email exchanges have posted their own personal accounts on the IEEE GHN of other broadcasting innovations at Sportvision.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ From: John Vardalas Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2012 10:06 AM To: ken.milnes; stan.honey; rickcavallaro Subject: JR's account of the First-and-Ten Yellow Line   Stan, Ken and Rick,   I finally got JR to contribute a nice first-hand account of his participation in the First-Ten line. See link John +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ From: Ken Milnes To: John Vardalas, stan.honey, rickcavallaro Cc: marvin.s.white Sent: Tue, 30 Oct 2012 10:39:48 -0800 Subject: RE: JR's account of the First-and-Ten Yellow Line Hi John.   I don’t have any pictures.   Nice article from JR.   Ken   ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ From: Rick Cavallaro Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2012 16:17 To: ken.milnes; 'John Vardalas'; stan.honey; JRG Cc: marvin.s.white Subject: RE: JR's account of the First-and-Ten Yellow Line   An excellent account.  The one thing JR failed to mention is that he personally leaned on Bill a couple of times/day until Bill finally relented and admitted a first down line could potentially offer at least some marginal revenue to hold us over.   The other point I didn't recall was that JR had proposed a red line.  By the time we were showing it to Jed in the truck, I know some of us had been completely sold on yellow - and Jed insisted on scrutinizing every other color in the spectrum before finally agreeing to take a look at yellow.   Rick C. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ From: Stan Honey To: 'Rick Cavallaro', ken.milnes, 'John Vardalas', 'JRG' Cc: marvin.s.white Sent: Tue, 30 Oct 2012 17:46:55 -0800 Subject: RE: JR's account of the First-and-Ten Yellow Line I recall that we were all wondering about colors and one day Michael Gough from Quokka was getting a demo and simply said, “it has to be yellow.”  Of course it was up to Jed but it’s interesting that Michael was so convinced.   Stan    Stan Honey Director of Technology America's Cup Event Authority

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ From: Rick Cavallaro Date: Tuesday, October 30, 2012 5:53 PM To: Stan Honey, Ken Milnes, John Vardalas, JR Gloudemans Cc: Marvin White Subject: RE: JR's account of the First-and-Ten Yellow Line   It may well be that Michael was the one that said yellow was the way to go.  My recollection is that once he did, and we looked at it, we all agreed.  I remember suggesting it repeatedly to Jed before he finally gave it a try.   RC

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From: White, Marvin S. To: Rick Cavallaro, Stan Honey, ken.milnes, John Vardalas, 'JRG' Sent: Wed, 31 Oct 2012 00:17:56 -0800 Subject: Re: JR's account of the First-and-Ten Yellow Line   Very good memory you have, JR!     Here are a couple of things I remember a little differently: Bill Squadron should be listed with Stan and Gep as founder, because he really convinced the others to take the leap and got the initial funding.  I recall Stan needing a fair bit of convincing.  Maybe Stan remembers differently, though. Jed originally wanted the line to be kind of day-go orange to match the pad the chain gang put on the sideline at the first down line.  I also recall Michael Gough just declaring yellow was it. Marv

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On Wed, Oct 31, 2012 at 3:41 AM, Rick Cavallaro wrote: >> Bill Squadron should be listed with Stan and Gep as founder, because he really convinced the others to take the leap and got the initial funding.    Agreed.  But JR gets as much credit for badgering Bill to pursue the 1st down line as Bill gets for badgering Stan into doing Sportvision.     >> I recall Stan needing a fair bit of convincing.    Yes, I think Stan was wisely having 2nd thoughts. If only he'd gone with his gut!  :)   >> Jed originally wanted the line to be kind of day-go orange to match the pad the chain gang put on the sideline at the first down line.  I also recall Michael Gough just declaring yellow was it.   Interesting.  I couldn't remember who suggested yellow (I would have guessed JR, but clearly that's wrong).   But my recollection is that we were immediately sold, and initially had a hard time convincing Jed.   RC

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From: John Vardalas Sent: Thursday, November 01, 2012 20:25 To: rickcavallaro; Marvin.S.White; stan.honey; ken.milnes Cc: JRG Subject: Re: JR's account of the First-and-Ten Yellow Line   Guys, This is a wonderful thread, with lots important historical info. If I could find a way, would mind if I posted the entire thread as Discussion item attached to JR's article? John +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ From: Stan Honey To: 'John Vardalas rickcavallaro, Marvin.S.White, ken.milnes, 'JRG' ] Sent: Sat, 03 Nov 2012 16:28:45 -0800 Subject: RE: JR's account of the First-and-Ten Yellow Line John, Rick, and group.   Ok with me to post the thread but check with the others.   I also recall that Rick and I failed to convince Tim H. that keying would be possible to keep the graphics “under”  the athletes in football, so we were delighted that JR was willing to give it a try.   And my recollection is that Rick and I first proposed to David Hill a super-telestrator to allow Madden to draw on the grass under the players, and Hilly’s reaction was, “you idiots, just draw the first down line.”   I think that is one of the reasons why Hilly was on the first down line patent.   Stan

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ From: Rick Cavallaro Date: Saturday, November 3, 2012 7:14 PM To: Stan Honey John Vardalas, Marvin White, Ken Milnes, JR Gloudemans

Subject: RE: JR's account of the First-and-Ten Yellow Line

It's certainly OK with me if it's OK with others.

Of course my memory should be taken more or less as you would a horoscope.

RC

to Rick, Stan, me, ken.milnes, JRG

OK with me too.

Marv ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++