Post by VBCOACH on Sept 7, 2006 0:03:18 GMT -5
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Time to change this rule — quickly
By Lindsey Willhite
Daily Herald Sports Writer
Posted Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Please tell me there’s a way to repeal stupid rules changes.
During the season. Right now. Today, if possible.
The college football rules committee’s off-season decision to run the clock at the start of every kickoff and shortly after every change of possession has robbed the game of, well, the game.
Give it back. Now.
Is this too much to ask?
For those curious about what I’m babbling about, here are some numbers.
Last year, the 67 Big Ten games played using instant replay lasted an average of 3 hours and 18 minutes. Big Ten games averaged 145.7 plays from scrimmage, not including punts.
Now, in the wake of the stupid rule change, here’s how the Big Ten’s first week of games played out:
The 11 games lasted an average of 2 hours and 58 minutes. They squeezed out an average of 126.2 plays per game.
That’s a difference of 20 minutes and 19.5 plays per game. I want those plays back.
Northwestern’s first half at Miami (Ohio) lasted a whopping 66 minutes. The teams combined to run 25 plays from scrimmage in the first quarter … and that includes punts.
On some Saturday afternoons, I could have sworn ex-Northwestern quarterback Brett Basanez tried 25 pass attempts in the fourth quarter while directing the Wildcats.
I want the chance to see more rallies like that. Give me back my game.
Just in case no one understands why the rules committee monkeyed with the game, Minnesota coach Glen Mason cut through the snot Tuesday.
“The whole reason we’re doing this is to shorten the game for TV, let’s face it,” Mason said. “It’s not about the game, it’s not about the players.”
Preach it, Brother Mason.
This is Major League Baseball deciding to play eight innings instead of nine.
This is college basketball running the clock while the players huddle around the coach during 30-second timeouts.
This is something that’s going to mess with the record books and skew all the statistics too low.
By dropping from 145.7 plays to 126.2 plays per game — presuming this trend holds up for the rest of the season — we’ve sliced away 13.4 percent of the action.
Let me guess: Athletic departments aren’t going to slice off 13.4 percent of the ticket prices — never mind the annual “grants-in-aid” donations that ensure the ability to buy tickets.
And have the TV poohbahs given back 13.4 percent of their commercial time? Don’t make me laugh.
Now that games are averaging 2:58, they’re already thinking of ways to persuade the conferences to give them those leftover two minutes so they can show more ads.
Just in case I’m in the minority here, I decided to research others’ opinions across the country.
Turns out not many feel like me.
“If you assume your first-team players are going to have to play a full game, that means in the course of the season they would play 11 games (instead of 12). So the wear and tear on players is going to be different. For the players, it’s a very positive thing.”
Guess who said this? Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, who obviously doesn’t understand why players work out 12 months a year. Here’s a hint: It’s not to play fewer plays.
Now that I’ve learned Carr and I are on opposite sides, I’m even more sure I’m right.
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dailyherald.com
