# Professional sports rules you'd like changed **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 19, 2008, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-sports-rules-youd-like-changed/464348 "2008-09-19T18:56:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-sports-rules-youd-like-changed/464348/41 "2008-09-20T04:10:47Z")
I found a big hairy thread on another board once which dissected the offside [arrgh hate this new keyboard] to death-how games which were played without it turned out, ramifications every which way, etc. etc. I came away convinced that it was a necessary evil, absent other rule changes in concert with the legal offside. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-sports-rules-youd-like-changed/464348/42 "2008-09-20T14:01:08Z")
I think all you guys who want to change the NFL overtime rule are completely nuts. The coin toss winner is only slightly above 50% winning percentage, and that disparity is due to offense-only teams occasionally going to overtime and losing the coin toss. Any team that properly values defense is going to be fine with losing the coin toss. It certainly didn’t hurt the Giants in the NFC Championship game, for example. Hell, I was glad they lost that coin toss because I felt the Giants defense against Favre was the most favorable matchup in that spot. (Missing multiple game-winning field goals late in the 4th quarter will do that to you.) BY “properly values”, I don’t mean ignore offense. A 10-3 game is a snoozer more often than not because it usually involves inept offense. You can’t favor one side of the ball too much in your personnel strategy or you will have a weakness. The fact that the coin toss penalizes teams that shirk their defensive responsibilities to me is a huge plus of the format, not a negative. Also note that special teams is a third of the game. If you disallow field goals, why not just run 7 on 7 drills. For those who are suggesting alternatives to the sudden-death format:[list=#][li]What happens if the initial overtime kickoff is fumbled during the return, picked up by the kicking team and run in for a TD? Does the receiving team get to keep trying returns until their offense gets on the field?[/li][li]For that matter, what if the overtime kickoff is returned for a TD? Does that count as having the ball?[/li][li]What happens if during the first overtime drive, the offense throws an interception that the defender subsequently fumbles back to the offense. The defense has technically had possession of the ball. Does that count as their chance? If not, what if instead of fumbling it away they ran it in for a return TD?[/li][li]What happens if the first drive results in a safety? That’s only 2 points, and the team that scored them never had the ball. How does that impact a race-to-more-than-three format? And if both offenses are guaranteed a shot, does that mean the safety-scoring team now has to line up for one kneel-down play to make the win official?[/list]I have an idea. Instead of having to deal with these esoteric scenarios, how about NFL teams that don’t want the coin toss to determine their fate should spend an occasional high draft pick or big money free agent on defense. And maybe bring in a good defensive coaching staff while they’re at it.[/li] If you can’t make a stop, you don’t deserve to win. Period. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-sports-rules-youd-like-changed/464348/43 "2008-09-20T14:18:30Z")
NCAA football overtime. What a ridiculous, time-consuming, travesty - it can take as long as half the regular game, in the overwrought attempt to be perfectly fair. Just make it, and the NFL procedure too, sudden death, with the proviso that each team get at least 1 possession. Play overtime like it’s the game itself. Bring back the 5-yard facemasking rule in the NFL. Not grasping and twisting = not risking injury. It isn’t worth 15 when it happens. Celebrating scoring: Hell yes. If it isn’t taunting, no problem. The game is the entertainment industry, after all. What’s wrong with doing a little entertaining? Let the fans participate in the feeling of exultation a little more, and that will help. Baseball - quit glorifying closers and downplaying starters. Every inning matters. To do that: Eliminate the 5-inning rule for starters winning. Relievers can win without even throwing a pitch. That’s silly. And relievers can get wins after blowing saves. Why? They should be ineligible for the fruits of their failures. If a reliever blows a save, he doesn’t get the win, it goes to the guy who would have had it otherwise. I have so decreed. And what’s with saves being so ridiculously easy to get? A guy can come on in the 9th with a 3-run lead and nobody on, and all he has to do is not fuck that up to get a save. Make them a challenge to get again. Speed up the game, too. Enforce a rule requiring a pitcher to actually throw the ball within, say, 10 seconds after getting it, or else get a ball called. Call strikes on batters who step out more than twice in an at-bat. There is way too much standing around and staring in the game now. Play ball, dammit! ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-sports-rules-youd-like-changed/464348/44 "2008-09-20T15:25:07Z")
Sumo: Eliminate the “no foreigners” rule. Ok, so it’s actually “only two foreigners to a stable.” It’s still a bigoted kludge to cover up the embarrassing fact that the local kids are getting their asses handed to them. ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-sports-rules-youd-like-changed/464348/45 "2008-09-20T15:36:44Z")
> [@Rysto](#): > > The proposal is to change the icing rule such that the play is whistled dead the moment the puck crosses the goal line. That prevents the race from taking place which gets rid of the injury risk. My counter-argument is that > a) the offense negates the icing way more often than people think How often do you think it happens in a game? Once a game? I think it’s far less than you think and I’d be willing to keep track during a couple of games so we can get some actual data. This is one of those arguments that can go on forever because I’ve never seen any numbers supporting either side. BTW, I’m in favour of automatic icing. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-sports-rules-youd-like-changed/464348/46 "2008-09-20T15:39:05Z")
> [@Kid\_A](#): > > How often do you think it happens in a game? Once a game? I think it’s far less than you think and I’d be willing to keep track during a couple of games so we can get some actual data. I would say that more than one time per game an icing gets negated either because the offense reaches the puck first or the goaltender is forced to play the puck because the offense is clearly going to reach the puck first. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-sports-rules-youd-like-changed/464348/47 "2008-09-20T15:44:35Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > And what’s with saves being so ridiculously easy to get? A guy can come on in the 9th with a 3-run lead and nobody on, and all he has to do is not fuck that up to get a save. Make them a challenge to get again. How 'bout this: 2 save points for protecting a one-run lead for at least an inning, or protecting a 2 run lead for at least two innings. 1/2 save point for for protecting a three-run lead. Negative five save points for every blown save. All other situtations, the same save rule as now. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-sports-rules-youd-like-changed/464348/48 "2008-09-20T15:50:45Z")
> [@Ichbin\_Dubist](#): > > Bill James has a bunch of suggestions for changing the rules of baseball in the _Historical Baseball Abstract_, but one I really like is that a pitcher gets one throw to a base per inning, and after that he’s charged with a ball. It would speed up the game quite a bit and probably result in more stolen base attempts, which I think is a good thing. I believe his rule was two throws per baserunner. It’s not a shabby idea, and would add some interesting strategy to the game. You would get more aggressive baserunning, but on a 2-1 count you might pick some dude off by surprising him with your third attempt. In baseball, I’d - Simplify the appeals rules - Move the batter’s box back a little from the plate - Eliminate the silly “fourth out” situation - Change the rules for awarding wins. I’d go further than ElvisL1ves and actually allow the scorer to take wins away from relievers and give them back to starters. - Disallow stepping out of the batter’s box unless there’s a good reason. I suspect this rule change alone would speed games up enough; it’s generally not the pitchers holding things up. Hockey: - No touch icing - All games decided by nonstop overtime ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-sports-rules-youd-like-changed/464348/49 "2008-09-20T16:06:37Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > stepping out of the batter’s box Here’s a great example of a useless waste of fans’ time, totally discretionary on the part of the unpire. Every time I see Mike Piazza or derek Jeter at the plate holding an imperious top hand backwards at the ump (signalling “Don’t allow the pitcher to throw the ball until I’m set at the plate, have myself dug in good, and am feeling totally comfortable”) I want the ump to yell “Ball’s in play!!” and see that arrogant fucker get buzzed with a 98-MPH heater. Actually stepping out of the box is even worse–there’s no reason on earth the ump can’t signal that the ball’s in play, wherever the batter has decided to stand for a few minutes to stretch, adjust his batting gloves, jockstrap, apply pine tar, whistle a happy tune or whatever the fuck he want to do. If he’s not in the box, and the ball is in play and it’s called a strike, too bad. What? He wants to strategize for a moment while adjusting his underwear? Also too bad. He had 45 minutes since his last at-bat to think about what he’ll do if the pitcher gets ahead of him with fastballs or gets behind him with breaking stuff. If you need extra time during an at-bat to mull things over, you need more time on the bench to get your head screwed on tight. Like maybe a week. Smarter batters will cope with this, and we’ll all get to go home earlier as you learn to concentrate on your profession better. PLAY BALL!!! ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-sports-rules-youd-like-changed/464348/50 "2008-09-20T18:37:19Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > Actually stepping out of the box is even worse–there’s no reason on earth the ump can’t signal that the ball’s in play, wherever the batter has decided to stand for a few minutes to stretch, adjust his batting gloves, jockstrap, apply pine tar, whistle a happy tune or whatever the fuck he want to do. If he’s not in the box, and the ball is in play and it’s called a strike, too bad. I couldn’t agree more. It’s gotten totally out of hand. If you have to adjust your batting gloves after taking a pitch, there is something wrong with your batting gloves. Players should receive one warning, and every pitch thereafter it’s a strike. If the batter keeps insisting on adjusting his gloves or his helmet, he should be given one chance to replace them with properly fittinf equipment or be ejected from the game if it happens again. I’m quite confident a major league baseball player should be able to afford batting gloves that fit. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-sports-rules-youd-like-changed/464348/51 "2008-09-20T18:48:10Z")
Completely agree about the delays caused by batters stepping out of the box. It’s maddening. **RickJay** , why would you move the batters box back from the plate? Is this a strategy for reducing a player’s ability to crowd the plate while wearing protective gear (David Ortiz comes to mind), or is there another reason? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-sports-rules-youd-like-changed/464348/52 "2008-09-20T19:11:42Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > I think all you guys who want to change the NFL overtime rule are completely nuts. The coin toss winner is only slightly above 50% winning percentage, and that disparity is due to offense-only teams occasionally going to overtime and losing the coin toss. Agreed. The college system is interesting and the occasional 56-55 game is fun, but it’s not how I want to see the pros play the game. I don’t want to see a ball automatically spotted anywhere to start a series. I **HATE** the NCAA’s possession arrow. Hate it, hate it, hate it. What the hell is this “taking turns” shit? It’s ridiculous. There is no reason whatsoever for it. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-sports-rules-youd-like-changed/464348/53 "2008-09-20T19:22:09Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Agreed. The college system is interesting and the occasional 56-55 game is fun, but it’s not how I want to see the pros play the game. I don’t want to see a ball automatically spotted anywhere to start a series. But the people in this thread who want to change the NFL overtime rule have not asked for a college-style place-the-ball system. In fact, i specifically called the college system “ridiculous” earlier in the thread. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-sports-rules-youd-like-changed/464348/54 "2008-09-20T19:23:39Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > But the people in this thread who want to change the NFL overtime rule have not asked for a college-style place-the-ball system. In fact, i specifically called the college system “ridiculous” earlier in the thread. I know, I was just adding to what **Ellis Dee** said about the college system. But I disagree with you that the coin toss gives either team an unfair advantage or that both teams should get the ball. And it plainly is not true that whoever wins the coin toss wins the game. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-sports-rules-youd-like-changed/464348/55 "2008-09-20T21:02:14Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > **RickJay** , why would you move the batters box back from the plate? > > Is this a strategy for reducing a player’s ability to crowd the plate while wearing protective gear (David Ortiz comes to mind), or is there another reason? Not **RickJay** , but that would be my reasoning. More to the point, players are hovering so close to the plate that pitchers can throw inside strikes and still end up hitting the batter. I think that this is technically supposed to be called a strike, but it’s never called that way. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-sports-rules-youd-like-changed/464348/56 "2008-09-20T22:31:25Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Hockey: > > - All games decided by nonstop overtime Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. Out of pity I could be convinced to give them period breaks, but conceptually I’m in total agreement. The “overtime loss” point offends me. Since more than half the teams make the playoffs, it’s highly likely that somebody with a .500 record or worse will get in. An overtime loss point is the equivalent of .500, so it is mathematically possible to outright lose all 82 games and still makes the playoffs. That’s just wrong. I’m talking brother and sister french kissing wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-sports-rules-youd-like-changed/464348/57 "2008-09-21T10:20:51Z")
**Illegal Formation** What’s really stupid is if the offense doesn’t have enough men on the line of scrimmage…the WR takes one step forward and now it’s a legal formation. ONE STEP!!! NOW IT’S LEGAL??? WTF? Make a “Minimum 5 men on the line of scrimmage” to maintain the traditional LT, LG, C, RG, RT, and let everyone else line up where ever the hell they want. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-sports-rules-youd-like-changed/464348/58 "2008-09-21T13:02:46Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Hockey- All games decided by nonstop overtime Not a chance. Regular season is enough of a grind and dragging games out into double/triple overtime would wear players down more and increase the odds of an injury especially considering the number of back to back games teams play. I’m no fan of the OTL point either, but this is a _really_ bad idea. ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-sports-rules-youd-like-changed/464348/59 "2008-09-21T22:21:13Z")
I’d get rid of the bench warnings the umpires seem so ready to give almost every time a pitch comes in high and tight. Batters get hit on accident, and a previous warning should not cause the pitcher and manager to get ejected. Batters also get hit on purpose and I say the players know when it happens and how to take care of their own. Sure, you have to toss a few players after an actual brawl, but I’ve seen too many “warnings” after innocuous pitches, or pitches that serve up a message but do no real harm. The warning actually allows things to fester, sometimes until the next season, rather than having things settles out on the field, by the players. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-sports-rules-youd-like-changed/464348/60 "2008-09-21T23:15:37Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > **RickJay** , why would you move the batters box back from the plate? > > Is this a strategy for reducing a player’s ability to crowd the plate while wearing protective gear (David Ortiz comes to mind), or is there another reason? I’d rather see pitchers allowed to throw brushbacks again without automatically getting The Warning. It would be worth seeing some pseudo “brawls” once in awhile again if it meant restoring some of the game’s now-forbidden guts. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-sports-rules-youd-like-changed/464348.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-sports-rules-youd-like-changed/464348.md?page=4)