# How would you speed up your favorite sport? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 26, 2007, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-speed-up-your-favorite-sport/424074 "2007-10-26T04:40:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-speed-up-your-favorite-sport/424074/21 "2007-10-26T16:23:06Z")
Track. Make 'em run faster. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-speed-up-your-favorite-sport/424074/22 "2007-10-26T16:33:19Z")
Umpires should enforce the time between pitchers, only if the pitcher is really milking it. I’m fine with the pitcher setting the pace of the game, but it gets ridiculous sometimes. Plus it’s rough on the guys behind him. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-speed-up-your-favorite-sport/424074/23 "2007-10-26T16:34:52Z")
Basketball-- get rid of the first 3 and 3/4 quarters and just play the last hour of the game. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-speed-up-your-favorite-sport/424074/24 "2007-10-26T16:42:03Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] An automatic yellow for every (perceived) dive would surely slow things down? [/QUOTE] Not a chance. You think there’d be people writhing on the ground for 2 minutes if they were going to get a yellow for it? ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-speed-up-your-favorite-sport/424074/25 "2007-10-26T16:55:06Z")
[QUOTE=RickJay] God, yes. You don’t need any more rule changes if you do this. I’d like to see the umpires get the batters back into the box a little faster, though; their habit of stepping out after every pitch to adjust this and that is tiresome and slows the game. [/QUOTE] I don’t think the inning changes are the worst. I think the slow pitching and hitting are the worst. Pitchers have to throw to the plate faster (not velocity - time between pitches) and batters have to prepare faster. If the pitcher throws and the batter is unprepared…automatic strike. If the pitcher doesn’t throw in time…automatic ball. Pitchers can still stall when runners are on base by throwing to the bag, but I think this would make the game move faster. No more batters fixing their batting gloves after ever g-d m-f pitch, even if they didn’t swing. I go to a lot of games, and I much prefer the 2.5 hour game over the 4+ hour game because it feels the game is moving. Spending more time in a cramped seat doesn’t make me feel like I got more for my money. On preview…yeah, what **CJJ** \* said ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-speed-up-your-favorite-sport/424074/26 "2007-10-26T16:59:05Z")
It’s not really my favourite sport, but I’ve had an improvement of football in mind for several years now. It’s so simple, and would make the sport so much more interesting. Ready? Two balls. There’d be more action (no more flippin’ draws after 90+ minutes of play), a sackful of new strategic dimensions, and whole new skills needed. That’s the kind of sport even I might sit down to watch. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-speed-up-your-favorite-sport/424074/27 "2007-10-26T17:00:44Z")
I don’t think baseball should be sped up at all. It works fine just the way it is. Really, does the entire freaking world have to move at light-speed? I **like** slow, lazy afternoons watching a ballgame. It gives me time to relax, get a beer, scratch the cats, and not be afraid I’m going to miss something every second. People who want to speed up sports really need to dial down their caffiene comsumption a notch or three. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-speed-up-your-favorite-sport/424074/28 "2007-10-26T17:03:18Z")
[QUOTE=Snarky\_Kong] Not a chance. You think there’d be people writhing on the ground for 2 minutes if they were going to get a yellow for it? [/QUOTE] Ummmm, they can get a yellow for play-acting already. And there’s the slight problem of somebody getting an automatic yellow, tell him to stand up, come on, oh hang on a minute, he’s actually injured…send for the lawyers… And even on video replays, it’s not always certain whether or not somebody has dived. There doesn’t need to be contact for them to fall, and sometimes it can be both a legitimate and a deliberate action, to avoid a broken ankle from a bad tackle. ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-speed-up-your-favorite-sport/424074/29 "2007-10-26T17:18:05Z")
[QUOTE=Beware of Doug] Lemme get this straight. Your screen name is also a sport? [/quote] Hangovers may affect post formatting. > [@](#): > > And so is beer pong? It’s even got its own [World Series](http://www.bpong.com/index.php?pg=wsobp)! ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-speed-up-your-favorite-sport/424074/30 "2007-10-26T17:23:00Z")
[QUOTE=Ferd Burfel] It’s not my favorite sport, but in basketball, I would like to see a rule where a field goal made from a teams own end line would be equal to a point value sufficient to tie the score. [/QUOTE] … but not less than 3 points, right? I have thought that half-court shots should be worth more than 3. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-speed-up-your-favorite-sport/424074/31 "2007-10-26T17:24:51Z")
[QUOTE=Flander re Beer Pong] It’s even got its own [World Series](http://www.bpong.com/index.php?pg=wsobp)! [/QUOTE] And its own FAQ, where the question _What is Beer Pong?_ does not even appear (although the question _What is Beer Pong vs. Beirut?_ does.) :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-speed-up-your-favorite-sport/424074/32 "2007-10-26T17:25:28Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] Ummmm, they can get a yellow for play-acting already. And there’s the slight problem of somebody getting an automatic yellow, tell him to stand up, come on, oh hang on a minute, he’s actually injured…send for the lawyers… And even on video replays, it’s not always certain whether or not somebody has dived. There doesn’t need to be contact for them to fall, and sometimes it can be both a legitimate and a deliberate action, to avoid a broken ankle from a bad tackle. [/QUOTE] A yellow is given about what percentage of the time for obvious play-acting, in your estimate? It’s well under 10% for sure. I think that easily 5 or so more legitimate yellows should be given per game if the diving and exaggeration rules were enforced properly. You’d almost certainly see a player sent off every match if they didn’t change their ways, I’m positive you’d see a drastic reduction in diving. Regarding actually being hurt. If you can continue play, you’re not that hurt. Quit being a pussy and suck it up. Yes I’ve played competitive soccer, no not just school soccer. I know how much things hurt, I think my assertion is pretty accurate. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-speed-up-your-favorite-sport/424074/33 "2007-10-26T17:34:45Z")
[QUOTE=Snarky\_Kong] A yellow is given about what percentage of the time for obvious play-acting, in your estimate? It’s well under 10% for sure. I think that easily 5 or so more legitimate yellows should be given per game if the diving and exaggeration rules were enforced properly. You’d almost certainly see a player sent off every match if they didn’t change their ways, I’m positive you’d see a drastic reduction in diving. [/quote] I think you’re really exaggerating the amount of diving that actually goes on. > [@](#): > > Regarding actually being hurt. If you can continue play, you’re not that hurt. Quit being a pussy and suck it up. Huh? I was talking about somebody on the ground, hurt, getting a yellow for faking it. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-speed-up-your-favorite-sport/424074/34 "2007-10-26T17:35:27Z")
[QUOTE=Shoshana] Inline skates on the dogs. [/QUOTE] Long distance sled dogging is a favorite of mine…going up the Yukon might be easier if the dogs wore regular hockey or speed skates… 😃 SnowDogsGo tsfr ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-speed-up-your-favorite-sport/424074/35 "2007-10-26T17:41:37Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] I think you’re really exaggerating the amount of diving that actually goes on. Huh? I was talking about somebody on the ground, hurt, getting a yellow for faking it. [/QUOTE] Maybe we’re watching different games. I don’t see why my comment doesn’t apply to a guy on the ground getting a yellow. If he can continue to play and he was down, rolling around and yelling, he should get a yellow. If he can’t continue play he shouldn’t get a yellow, understand? Also, getting in the ref’s face and arguing a call for a couple minutes. Start showing yellows and you don’t get a 10 minute break with a ref trying to get order. In American football, when there’s a fumble there’s usually a pile-on. You always get guys come in after the play to try to get in there and get the ball. That should be a penalty ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-speed-up-your-favorite-sport/424074/36 "2007-10-26T17:48:33Z")
[QUOTE=Snarky\_Kong] Maybe we’re watching different games. [/quote] Yep! > [@](#): > > I don’t see why my comment doesn’t apply to a guy on the ground getting a yellow. If he can continue to play and he was down, rolling around and yelling, he should get a yellow. If he can’t continue play he shouldn’t get a yellow, understand? No. The ref gives the yellow, and only after waiting for the guy to get up realises his mistake…and you can be sure the team will be blaming the ref, and the rule, for exacerbating the injury. > [@](#): > > Also, getting in the ref’s face and arguing a call for a couple minutes. Start showing yellows and you don’t get a 10 minute break with a ref trying to get order. Ten minutes? We are _definitely_ watching different games. And rarely will nobody get a yellow when they start arguing in the way you describe. None of this really speeds the game up much, though, because these aren’t things that are happening over and over in single match. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-speed-up-your-favorite-sport/424074/37 "2007-10-26T17:50:17Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] No. The ref gives the yellow, and only after waiting for the guy to get up realises his mistake…and you can be sure the team will be blaming the ref, and the rule, for exacerbating the injury. [/QUOTE] Uh, the ref can wait to give a yellow you know. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-speed-up-your-favorite-sport/424074/38 "2007-10-26T17:54:03Z")
With baseball, it has got to be the pitching changes. Especially if the DH is used and there is no pitcher’s spot in the lineup to worry about. I’d limit it to one per inning. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-speed-up-your-favorite-sport/424074/39 "2007-10-26T17:58:53Z")
[QUOTE=Snarky\_Kong] Uh, the ref can wait to give a yellow you know. [/QUOTE] I thought the whole point of the discussion was cutting out wasted time? ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-speed-up-your-favorite-sport/424074/40 "2007-10-26T18:02:24Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] I thought the whole point of the discussion was cutting out wasted time? [/QUOTE] Er, if the guy’s down nothing is going on anyway, what time is being wasted? Also, everything I suggested wouldn’t really save time at the moment. It would save time in that it would change the strategy of cynical play. Carding a faked injury isn’t going to speed up that game, it’s going to reduce diving in future games which will cause them to be sped up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-speed-up-your-favorite-sport/424074.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-speed-up-your-favorite-sport/424074.md?page=3)