# Rule changes I'd like to see **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 28, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rule-changes-id-like-to-see/558670 "2010-10-28T15:53:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rule-changes-id-like-to-see/558670/21 "2010-10-28T21:18:14Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > For the second, why? Is it to prevent arbitrary spots on the goal line? Wouldn’t instituting sensors in the ball to determine location be better? I believe that Bob is advocating getting rid of the “completing the catch” portion of the rule that cost the Lions a touchdown earlier this season. ---
**Author:** ![ReticulatingSplines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rule-changes-id-like-to-see/558670/22 "2010-10-28T21:24:10Z")
Baseball: Anytime a batter is walked without at least one strike being thrown in the at-bat, he is awarded two bases instead of one. ---
**Author:** ![Intelligently\_Designed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intelligently_designed/32/20957_2.png) [@Intelligently\_Designed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intelligently_Designed)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rule-changes-id-like-to-see/558670/23 "2010-10-28T23:10:28Z")
TENNIS If a player bounces the ball on the ground more than two times before serving, he loses the point. And I wholly agree with the pitch clock in baseball. There should also be a rule stating that a catcher’s, or any other infielder’s, visit to the mound is counted the same as a manager’s or pitching coach’s. Two in the same inning and a pitching change is mandatory. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rule-changes-id-like-to-see/558670/24 "2010-10-28T23:28:24Z")
> [@KennerTheGreat](#): > > Hockey: No points for losing in overtime or the shootout. A win is a win is a win; a loss is a loss is a loss. Hear, hear! And no touch icing. BASEBALL: I wouldn’t mind seeing some way of penalizing pickoff attempts… maybe every third one’s a ball or something. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rule-changes-id-like-to-see/558670/25 "2010-10-28T23:39:30Z")
> [@Intelligently\_Designed](#): > > TENNIS > If a player bounces the ball on the ground more than two times before serving, he loses the point. > > And I wholly agree with the pitch clock in baseball. There should also be a rule stating that a catcher’s, or any other infielder’s, visit to the mound is counted the same as a manager’s or pitching coach’s. Two in the same inning and a pitching change is mandatory. Is tennis THAT tedious to you? While I agree a catcher visit should count, what if the infielders need defensive signals clarification? ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rule-changes-id-like-to-see/558670/26 "2010-10-28T23:44:02Z")
> [@President\_Johnny\_Gentle](#): > > Usually. It’s actually 30 yards from the spot of the kickoff. This came into play in the Vikings-Cowboys game last week. **The Cowboys were penalized for excessive celebration** , and then the kickoff went out of bounds. The Vikings were given possession of the ball at the Dallas 45. I just wanted to point out that that is hilarious. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2010, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rule-changes-id-like-to-see/558670/27 "2010-10-28T23:52:52Z")
The Excessive Celebration rule is really arbitrary also, elation is fine but taunting is not. The Lambeau Leap takes longer than any of Ocho Cinco’s phone calls. In my opinion no rule should be near arbitrary. ---
**Author:** ![KennerTheGreat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a8b319/32.png) [@KennerTheGreat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KennerTheGreat)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rule-changes-id-like-to-see/558670/28 "2010-10-29T00:13:23Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > BASEBALL: I wouldn’t mind seeing some way of penalizing pickoff attempts… maybe every third one’s a ball or something. Bill James agrees with you. Also, time will not be called once the batter is in the box (except for extenuating circumstances.) ---
**Author:** ![PopeJewish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@PopeJewish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PopeJewish)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rule-changes-id-like-to-see/558670/29 "2010-10-29T02:13:26Z")
Soccer needs an effin replay rule ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rule-changes-id-like-to-see/558670/30 "2010-10-29T02:31:48Z")
> [@ReticulatingSplines](#): > > Baseball: Anytime a batter is walked without at least one strike being thrown in the at-bat, he is awarded two bases instead of one. Don’t like that at all. I want to see runners run, not get skipped ahead. > [@KennerTheGreat](#): > > Bill James agrees with you. > > Also, time will not be called once the batter is in the box (except for extenuating circumstances.) Like those. ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rule-changes-id-like-to-see/558670/31 "2010-10-29T02:32:25Z")
Sprint Cup Series Racing–Get rid of the restrictor plates. With the SAFER barriers and the HANRS the track is already safe enough. Let the drivers race at 200+ mph without all the bump drafting. While I am at it, if there is a caution for debris on the track, one caution lap, two at the most, and the pits remain closed. Nobody comes to the track to see a bunch of laps with the pace car on the track and the green flag pit stop strategy makes for a better race. SSG § Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rule-changes-id-like-to-see/558670/32 "2010-10-29T02:56:04Z")
> [@KennerTheGreat](#): > > Bill James agrees with you. > > Also, time will not be called once the batter is in the box (except for extenuating circumstances.) Agreed. I’ve suggested it before and I don’t know why I forgot it now. Once a batter is in the box he should not be permitted to step entirely out of it without a good reason. Adjusting your batting gloves is not a good reason. If your batting gloves need adjustment that often, you are not wearing correctly sized batting gloves. I find it interesting people want a “pitch clock,” but it seems really obvious to me that the delay is almost always because of the batter. Without exaggeration I’d guess that out of every 100 times there’s a delay between pitches, 99 of them are the batter farting around with his gloves or his helmet or what have you. Pitchers generally want to work fast, and there is a reasonably strong correlation between working fast and effectiveness so they’re pushed in that direction anyway. It’s the HITTERS always calling time for no discernable reason. Now, having said that, I think the complaints about the length of baseball games are much overwrought; they really aren’t as long as people say. Still, if you can improve the pace a little, why not? ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rule-changes-id-like-to-see/558670/33 "2010-10-29T03:27:07Z")
> [@KennerTheGreat](#): > > Hockey: A team can send any player, star or scrub alike, to the minors for two weeks without waivers. The player would still be paid his NHL salary if on a one-way contract. > > After two weeks, the team may bring him back up without waivers. If the team wishes to leave him there, he must clear waivers. If he clears waivers, he can stay in the minors, and if the NHL team wants to bring him back up, re-entry waivers apply. > > Edit: Couple more, relating to the on-ice product. Shorthanded teams may not ice the puck without impunity (the face-off being brought back inside the zone.) And minor penalties last the full two minutes, even if six power play goals are scored on the same power play. Any NHL player coming back from injury can be sent down without waivers. Your last 2 ideas have been talked about by the NHL but I don’t think they are likely to happen. Now with the no player change rule on icing it would be very tough to kill off a power play if you could not ice the puck. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rule-changes-id-like-to-see/558670/34 "2010-10-29T03:27:47Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > I don’t understand the purpose of either of these. For the first, are you just trying to get rid of “icing the kicker”? If so, why aren’t you letting the defense at least stop the clock in case they might need the time to score upon possession? For the second, why? Is it to prevent arbitrary spots on the goal line? Wouldn’t instituting sensors in the ball to determine location be better? 1- I want to get rid of the nonsense of calling a time out just instants before the snap. If you want to ice the kicker, you can do it earlier in the play clock. 2- I don’t like the idea of scoring by extending the ball over the goal line. I say if you and the ball can’t both get in the end zone, it shouldn’t be a score. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rule-changes-id-like-to-see/558670/35 "2010-10-29T03:28:05Z")
Intercollegiate sports games of all types are forbidden to be televised. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rule-changes-id-like-to-see/558670/36 "2010-10-29T03:32:58Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > 2- I don’t like the idea of scoring by extending the ball over the goal line. I say if you and the ball can’t both get in the end zone, it shouldn’t be a score. For this rule do you mean the guy’s whole body has to be over the goal line? Or just \>50% of their body? That would be very tough to see in a big pile. ---
**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:** [October 29, 2010, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rule-changes-id-like-to-see/558670/37 "2010-10-29T03:43:22Z")
> [@SSG\_Schwartz](#): > > Sprint Cup Series Racing–Get rid of the restrictor plates. With the SAFER barriers and the HANRS the track is already safe enough. Let the drivers race at 200+ mph without all the bump drafting. > > While I am at it, if there is a caution for debris on the track, one caution lap, two at the most, and the pits remain closed. Nobody comes to the track to see a bunch of laps with the pace car on the track and the green flag pit stop strategy makes for a better race. > > SSG (P) Schwartz As much as I’d like to agree with you, I can’t. The danger from the higher speeds isn’t to the drivers (so much), but to the fans. In a recent 'Dega race (April ‘09), Carl Edwards’ car almost went into the stands, which would have made Le Mans 1955 look like a pleasant weekend stroll. That’s in addition to a similar wreck by Bobby Allison in 1987 at the same track (virtually the same spot), other examples of cars getting air, and Mario Andretti almost clearing the TOP of the fence at Indy while testing about 10 years ago. Tho it would probably cost bukku bucks, a better idea would be to cut down the banking at both tracks (Daytona is due for a resurfacing soon BTW). Oh, I’d love to see them zip along at 220, breaking up the big packs in the process, but it’s Murphy’s Law waiting to happen with all that extra momentum. ---
**Author:** ![CJJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@CJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rule-changes-id-like-to-see/558670/38 "2010-10-29T03:53:40Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I want to get rid of the nonsense of calling a time out just instants before the snap. If you want to ice the kicker, you can do it earlier in the play clock. I agree, but if the NFL were serious about this, they could do it now. The defense calls time out ~1 second before the snap, then the linemen from the team that knew they were calling time out smacks into the offense linemen during a dead ball. That’s a personal foul, 15-yard penalty. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rule-changes-id-like-to-see/558670/39 "2010-10-29T05:14:25Z")
NFL 1. I think field goal kicking has become too big a factor in the game. I’d limit it as an option. No team can score with a field goal if it has a lead of more than seven points. Exception: Any team can score with a field goal in the last two minutes of a half. 2. I don’t like sudden death overtime. Play a full quarter. 3. No more bye weeks. 4. I’d completely revise the playoff system. No more divisions and conferences. The eight teams with the best regular season records would go to the playoffs. They’d be seeded by their records and play a standard series of match-ups. This would hopefully result in the top two teams in the league meeting in the Super Bowl on a regular basis. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rule-changes-id-like-to-see/558670/40 "2010-10-29T05:26:08Z")
I’d like to see Formula One engineers have to design a car without all the wings and winglets and venturis and diffusers, and whatever other aerodynamic doodads they put on the cars these days. Two problems to overcome: I don’t know exactly how that would be written in the regulations, and it would be a massive expense to implement before finding out if it resulted in good racing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rule-changes-id-like-to-see/558670.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rule-changes-id-like-to-see/558670.md?page=3)