[NU Sports] Potential Football Rules Changes

[Jeff Beamsley]

The engineer in me says that the game should be perfect.  The only way to do
that is to eliminate the human element.  Instant replay is the first step in
that direction.  There are probably technical solutions to ball position
(end zone or otherwise).  It wouldn't be much harder to identify ball
position when a particular player's knee touched the ground.

The competitor in me, however, says that the games aren't supposed to be
perfect BECAUSE they are played by people.  The refs are part of the
equation just like the players.  This introduces yet one more element of
chance into the equation.  It is part of the celebration of our humanity.   

In the same vein, I applaud the fact that baseball has resisted automating
ball and strike calling.  The technology not only exists, but is regularly
used for TV broadcasts.  

I think that the refs (umps) have to be viewed as part of the game.  Their
mistakes (phantom touchdowns, phantom passed balls, etc.) are often what
make particular games memorable.

Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com] On
Behalf Of Dennis W. Brandt
Sent: Friday, February 10, 2006 10:52 AM
To: nwu-sports at tssi.com
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] Potential Football Rules Changes

They forgot some real rule changes, two of which will speed up the game by
eliminating reviews.

1. Use the NFL rule that states that a ball carrier who falls to the ground
without being touched may get up and continue the play.  If this rule exists
to reduce injuries, I have seen no evidence that injuries have occurred in
the NFL due to the absence of the rule.  It's dumb to say, "Oops!  You
slipped.  You're down.  Play over."  The idea is for the opposition to stop
you.

2. NFL, you also listen up:  LET THE GROUND CAUSE A FUMBLE!  It used to, and
it worked just fine.  It is ridiculous to say that a ball carrier hits the
ground, loses possession, but - oops! - his knee was down 3 nanoseconds
before, or he hits the turf headfirst, the ball pops out, and voila! 
Maintain possession.  The result of the rule is to lengthen games with
reviews because it is often impossible for refs to discern events at real
speed and/or amid a gang of tacklers.  Either the ball carrier maintains
possession or he doesn't.  This includes the endzone.

3. Likewise, listen up NFL:  Zap the "breaking the plane" rule.  If we
needed yet more evidence of how dumb that rule is, think no further than
Roethlisberger's phantom touchdown in the Super Bowl, just the last of
thousands of such examples.  Once more, the game halted while the refs
looked at the replays again and again and again.  If Big Ben had to have
actually gotten a knee into the endzone, the call was easy.  No TD.  Yes, it
contradicts the position-of-the-ball-when-the-knee-touches rule.  Use it out
in the field, but make the ball carrier actually enter the endzone for a
score.  Inconsistent?  I don't care. 

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