I love football especially the NFL. But like most people I have things that I would change about the NFL that are just plain stupid, like their instant replay system. So follow along as I highlight the things I would change as commissioner of the NFL.
Instant Replay
The NFL's replay system is simply horrible. They expect the referee, the leader of the crew, to go under the hood and review the calls of his guys and sometimes himself and then say that they maybe blew it the first time around? Now I'm not saying I believe there shouldn't be instant replay, I'm saying a member of the on field officiating crew shouldn't be the one reviewing the calls. The other thing that drives me crazy is the whole coaches challenge being the only method of requesting a review (outside of the last two minutes). There are clear situations where the call on the field is so wrong that the coach shouldn't have to throw the flag.
My solution: Adapt a similar model to that of college football. Move the replay decisions to the press box. Replays are initiated by the officials in the booth at all points in the game and the coaches have the ability to request a challenge once a game.
Illegal Contact
One of the worst game play rules that exist. These are professional wide receivers here, we don't need to baby them. If they can't get free from press coverage/contact by a defensive back then they don't deserve to be playing.
My solution: Get rid of the rule and make wide receivers get open on their own.
TV Commercial Breaks
Why do we go to commercial break after a team scores, come back watch the kick-off and then take another commercial break. No wonder the games always run long.
My solution: The NFL dictates when commercials will occur not the television networks. Let's get some continuity to the game play.
Overtime
A coin flip to determine the winner of the game if it makes it to overtime? Are you serious? When something like 80% of all coin flip winners win a game in overtime you know you've gotta change your rules. The other problem with playing a overtime as just another quarter is that it promotes boring football. Each team is overly cautious and plays to get just enough yards to kick a field goal. What can be worse then that?
My solution: Alternating possesion starting at the 30 yard line. Teams must go for two starting in the second overtime. This gives each team a chance with the ball and a 47-yard field goal isn't a gimme.
Television Schedule
Ever wonder why your local FOX station is showing some horrible movie at 1pm (et) when you know there's a football game on FOX on that time? What about bonus coverage that all of a sudden stops at 4:15 (et)? Yeah, so do I and the answer lies in the NFL's television rules, which are more complex then the tax code. Basically the rules only allow one network to have a doubleheader a week with the network who has the doubleheader alternating each week. The NFL also prevents the single game network from broadcasting games live after 4:15 (et) to maximize viewership for the late game. More on these rules can be found here.
My solution: Screw the whole idea of market area's and allow both CBS and FOX to show two games a day and let the local affiliates pick the games they want to air in that local. There's no reason that if there is football being played that it can't be on TV. Pretty simple I know. Oh and CBS needs to get their act together and get all games in HD, there's no excuse not too.
Obviously there's more I would do, but these are the things that really drive me crazy.
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Starting Things Out Right... College Football
With the Ohio State-Michigan game ending in a 3 point victory for the Buckeyes, the question to ask is what now? Do the Wolverines get another chance at OSU? If there is a rematch and Michigan wins a close, do they win outright or do the two share the title (AP could still vote OSU)? If not Michigan, who?
Now, I have no doubt in my mind that Ohio State and Michigan are the two best teams in the country (I've thought that since early on and Saturday didn't change things), but I do have mixed feelings about a potential rematch between the two in the National Championship. On one hand, being a HUGE fan of the Big 10 as a whole, it would be awesome for it's two biggest schools (from a football standpoint) to play in the National Championship and guarantee the conference a title. But, I would also like to see each school take on somebody else and win to demonstrate to the rest of the country how good they truly are, which isn't entirely possible with a rematch.
So, who should line-up opposite Ohio State in the National Championship? There's still a lot of football left to be played, but right now I think that honor is gonna reside with USC. They still need to beat Notre Dame and UCLA, but with non-conference games against Arkansas, Nebraska and Notre Dame they at least tried to make-up for the fact that most of the country views the Pac-10 as a weak conference. That's not saying that I want them to be in the game, just that I think they will end up there.
So what about Florida or Arkansas? Well, if Arkansas get past LSU and then beats Florida how do you let them in ahead of the team that absolutely dominated them earlier in the season? The answer is you can't, so that eliminates them. As far as Florida goes, with the exception of "big" games against conference opponents they haven't played ANYBODY worthwhile in the non-conference and that includes their upcoming game against FSU. So they beat Georgia, Tennessee, LSU and Alabama with the exception of Tennessee beating CAL none of those teams played ANYBODY out of conference either so the supposedly tough SEC is based on the fact that they beat up on each other. I would buy into the SEC as a great conference if it's great teams played stronger non-conference opponents.
And don't get me started on the Big East, ACC or Notre Dame.
Here's how I see things shaking out:
Rose Bowl: Michigan vs. Florida
Orange Bowl: Georgia Tech vs. West Virginia
Fiesta Bowl: Texas vs. Boise St.
Sugar Bowl: Arkansas vs. Notre Dame
National Championship: Ohio State vs. USC
Now, I have no doubt in my mind that Ohio State and Michigan are the two best teams in the country (I've thought that since early on and Saturday didn't change things), but I do have mixed feelings about a potential rematch between the two in the National Championship. On one hand, being a HUGE fan of the Big 10 as a whole, it would be awesome for it's two biggest schools (from a football standpoint) to play in the National Championship and guarantee the conference a title. But, I would also like to see each school take on somebody else and win to demonstrate to the rest of the country how good they truly are, which isn't entirely possible with a rematch.
So, who should line-up opposite Ohio State in the National Championship? There's still a lot of football left to be played, but right now I think that honor is gonna reside with USC. They still need to beat Notre Dame and UCLA, but with non-conference games against Arkansas, Nebraska and Notre Dame they at least tried to make-up for the fact that most of the country views the Pac-10 as a weak conference. That's not saying that I want them to be in the game, just that I think they will end up there.
So what about Florida or Arkansas? Well, if Arkansas get past LSU and then beats Florida how do you let them in ahead of the team that absolutely dominated them earlier in the season? The answer is you can't, so that eliminates them. As far as Florida goes, with the exception of "big" games against conference opponents they haven't played ANYBODY worthwhile in the non-conference and that includes their upcoming game against FSU. So they beat Georgia, Tennessee, LSU and Alabama with the exception of Tennessee beating CAL none of those teams played ANYBODY out of conference either so the supposedly tough SEC is based on the fact that they beat up on each other. I would buy into the SEC as a great conference if it's great teams played stronger non-conference opponents.
And don't get me started on the Big East, ACC or Notre Dame.
Here's how I see things shaking out:
Rose Bowl: Michigan vs. Florida
Orange Bowl: Georgia Tech vs. West Virginia
Fiesta Bowl: Texas vs. Boise St.
Sugar Bowl: Arkansas vs. Notre Dame
National Championship: Ohio State vs. USC
Monday, November 20, 2006
Welcome...
Welcome to my blog, All Things Nothing, where I'll share my thoughts and random ramblings on all things sports, TV, music, movies, world affairs and more, but mostly sports. So, if those things interest you stop by every once in awhile and share your thoughts in the comments on my thoughts.
In order for you to get an idea of where things are headed, let me give you a run-down of things I like, dislike and where I stand on the age old question; if a man speaks and there are no woman around to hear it is he still wrong?
Likes
College Football: Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin (never really Alvarez), Big Ten, whoever is playing Notre Dame (in that order)
College Basketball: Wisconsin, Iowa (don't like Alford), Big Ten, whoever is playing Duke
NFL: Packers, whoever is playing the Colts, Giants and Cowboys (and in the case of Giants-Cowboys, a tie)
NHL: Red Wings
MLB: Brewers and Red Sox
NBA: Not an NBA fan, but I check-up on the Bucks every once in a while.
Music: Rap (Favs include Tupac, Snoop Dogg, Notorious BIG and DMX), R&B (112, Jagged Edge, Dru Hill, Ne-Yo) and a little pop and a little rock
Movies: I'll watch almost anything and hardly completely dislike anything. My movie collection sits about 500.
TV: 24, Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, House, Monk, Survivor, Real Word, Road Rules/Real World Challenge
Dislikes
College Football: Notre Dame, USC, Oklahoma, Charlie Weis, Steve Spurrier
College Basketball: Duke, UCONN, Duke, Kansas, Duke
NFL: Colts, Giants, Cowboys, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Archie Manning (sensing a theme here?), Terrell Owens, Mike Holmgren, Joe Buck and NFL Instant Replay (among many rules I hate in the NFL)
NHL: Colorado Avalanche (see likes if you don't know why)
MLB: Yankees, White Sox, Barry Bonds, Bud Selig, Joe Buck and Tim McCarver
NBA: Lakers, Pistons and Pacers. Larry Brown.
And to help explain things, I grew up in Wisconsin, went to the University of Iowa and now live in Kansas City. And yes, this initial list is heavily populated with sports, but the rest will get fleshed out over time.
As for the question, if a man speaks and there are no woman around to hear it is he still wrong? The single me would say no and I'll leave it at that...
In order for you to get an idea of where things are headed, let me give you a run-down of things I like, dislike and where I stand on the age old question; if a man speaks and there are no woman around to hear it is he still wrong?
Likes
College Football: Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin (never really Alvarez), Big Ten, whoever is playing Notre Dame (in that order)
College Basketball: Wisconsin, Iowa (don't like Alford), Big Ten, whoever is playing Duke
NFL: Packers, whoever is playing the Colts, Giants and Cowboys (and in the case of Giants-Cowboys, a tie)
NHL: Red Wings
MLB: Brewers and Red Sox
NBA: Not an NBA fan, but I check-up on the Bucks every once in a while.
Music: Rap (Favs include Tupac, Snoop Dogg, Notorious BIG and DMX), R&B (112, Jagged Edge, Dru Hill, Ne-Yo) and a little pop and a little rock
Movies: I'll watch almost anything and hardly completely dislike anything. My movie collection sits about 500.
TV: 24, Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, House, Monk, Survivor, Real Word, Road Rules/Real World Challenge
Dislikes
College Football: Notre Dame, USC, Oklahoma, Charlie Weis, Steve Spurrier
College Basketball: Duke, UCONN, Duke, Kansas, Duke
NFL: Colts, Giants, Cowboys, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Archie Manning (sensing a theme here?), Terrell Owens, Mike Holmgren, Joe Buck and NFL Instant Replay (among many rules I hate in the NFL)
NHL: Colorado Avalanche (see likes if you don't know why)
MLB: Yankees, White Sox, Barry Bonds, Bud Selig, Joe Buck and Tim McCarver
NBA: Lakers, Pistons and Pacers. Larry Brown.
And to help explain things, I grew up in Wisconsin, went to the University of Iowa and now live in Kansas City. And yes, this initial list is heavily populated with sports, but the rest will get fleshed out over time.
As for the question, if a man speaks and there are no woman around to hear it is he still wrong? The single me would say no and I'll leave it at that...
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