What changes would you make in professional sports?
MGLICKER
Posts: 7,995 ✭✭✭
in Sports Talk
Lots of debate about team logos, sliding into home, slamming into the QB, Roids in baseball, letting Biggio into the hall......
List 3 changes that you would make to any professional sport(s).
1. Close the MLB hall of fame to new members. A new (modern era) hall could be built for the slime buckets.
2. End all the replay officiating from every sport. Hire the best umps and refs and let their calls stand.
3. Payment for NCAA* football and BB players. Yes, I know that they receive scholarships, but to many of them (sadly) these are worthless. First
rule would be, the team player payments must at least equal the pay of the coaching staff. I know the devil is in the details, but college sports
have gotten way to fat to not share the wealth with those that perform.
*make no mistake, NCAA sports are now professional.
List 3 changes that you would make to any professional sport(s).
1. Close the MLB hall of fame to new members. A new (modern era) hall could be built for the slime buckets.
2. End all the replay officiating from every sport. Hire the best umps and refs and let their calls stand.
3. Payment for NCAA* football and BB players. Yes, I know that they receive scholarships, but to many of them (sadly) these are worthless. First
rule would be, the team player payments must at least equal the pay of the coaching staff. I know the devil is in the details, but college sports
have gotten way to fat to not share the wealth with those that perform.
*make no mistake, NCAA sports are now professional.
0
Comments
<< <i>
1. Close the MLB hall of fame to new members. A new (modern era) hall could be built for the slime buckets.
>>
All modern players are slime buckets? No one else can make it in? A more reasonable change and one that actually makes sense would be to let the stats make the statement, and no more PED stigma. McGwire, Sosa, Clemens, Bonds, Piazza, Rose, all go in on the next vote, and we have an actual representation of the history of baseball instead of this mishmash of supposed 'integrity' of the game, and no more sticking our heads in the sand trying to pretend the PED era didn't actually exist.
<< <i>2. End all the replay officiating from every sport. Hire the best umps and refs and let their calls stand. >>
The dumbest idea ever. If anything, instant replay should be expanded, and the calling of balls/strikes should be relegated to pitch fx. No more 'human error' which only becomes more pronounced with each passing year. Computers are perfect, and not subject to home town favoritism for calls.
<< <i>3. Payment for NCAA* football and BB players. Yes, I know that they receive scholarships, but to many of them (sadly) these are worthless. First
rule would be, the team player payments must at least equal the pay of the coaching staff. I know the devil is in the details, but college sports
have gotten way to fat to not share the wealth with those that perform. >>
The only reasonable item on this list. Football players should receive a healthy cut of their school's football revenues. Period. And if they should be happy with getting an education and free place to live, we should make the coach coach for free too.
What else needs changing?
All voting for all awards, in all sports, have public ballots. Same with HoF voting. Make the idiotic voters who give votes to their friends or players who gave them good interviews stand up to the fire.
Get rid of the MLB all star game determining home field advantage.
Get rid of NBA divisions, just have 2 conferences.
Expand NCAA football playoff coming up from 4 teams to 16, and have a real tournament.
While we're at it, get rid of all preseason rankings.
Get a football team in Los Angeles.
No more football games in London.
No more Thursday night football games (except Thanksgiving).
18 week football schedule, remove 2 preseason games, and give all teams 2 byes during the season.
<< <i>Computers are perfect, >>
That made my day.
All Pink (bright, neon, glowing and overwhelming PINK), all the time to show everyone how compassionate and caring our sports industry is about fighting breast cancer.
<< <i>
<< <i>Computers are perfect, >>
That made my day. >>
I am sure it did, guy who wants to do away with instant replay.
<< <i>All sports at all levels should GO PINK
All Pink (bright, neon, glowing and overwhelming PINK), all the time to show everyone how compassionate and caring our sports industry is about fighting breast cancer. >>
Do men wearing pink intimidate you? Does raising money for breast cancer awareness offend you somehow? The only thing that should offend you is the NFL donates a paltry amount of money they raise to actual breast cancer research, but other than that, are you seriously that insecure in your masculinity that you find professional athletes wearing pink that offensive?
<< <i>All sports at all levels should GO PINK
All Pink (bright, neon, glowing and overwhelming PINK), all the time to show everyone how compassionate and caring our sports industry is about fighting breast cancer. >>
2. Disband the NBA.
3. Disband the NHL.
4. Disband NASCAR.
5. Abolish soccer.
If the above are not possible, remove all coverage from TV, newspapers, and magazines. Each game could have its own publication, but I no want to see any indication of the exiestence of any of them.
<< <i>18 week football schedule, remove 2 preseason games, and give all teams 2 byes during the season. >>
This from the guy worried about too many injuries at home plate.
Name all professional teams after human skin colors.
Do away with all west coast teams because they start too late for those of us on the east coast.
Implement a don't ask, don't tell policy for all professional athletes.
Rename the MLB Hall of Fame to Arod's Pad.
Have Keith Olbermann broadcast all future Super Bowls and World Series games.
Hire popcorn girl to do the halftime show at the Superbowl. Just her and a bag of popcorn.
Did I miss anything ?
Let Tony LaRussa into Arod's pad.
You are off the mark.
What really annoys me about all of the "Pink" shows, towels, wrist bands, etc. that are showing up in professional sports and non professional sports is..................
the intensity of the Pink used in these items.
It is intense, neon and almost glowing. It is distracting to my eye as I watch the games (in person and on television). It clashes with the other colors present on the players and field (uniforms, helmets, grass, etc.).
An an audio analogy to how annoying the intense, neon almost glowing pink color is to my eyes is the sound made by the dragging of fingernails across a chalk board. It is almost painful to listen to. The color pink is almost as painful to look at.
Nothing more than that. My wife loves pink and she wears pink sock, sweaters and nail polish at times. It looks great, particularly since she does not choose to wear the intense, neon almost glowing pink that is present in today's sports.
Satisified?
Give baseball a salary cap.
Close the baseball Hall of shame
At least 8 teams in NCAA Championship Football Tournament.
Do away with the DH in MLB
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Ralph
2) Cut time between innings by at least 45 seconds per half inning in MLB
3) 2 bye weeks per NFL team
4) Get rid of the DH
5) Get rid of the shootout in the NHL and go back to the old system of ties - but with a 10-minute overtime of 4-on-4.
6) Along with #5, a 3-2-1 system for points in the NHL - 3 for win, 2 for OT win, 1 for OT loss/tie
7) 20 game suspensions for any player leaving his position/bench to fight in MLB
8) Love the idea of public ballot results for all voting in MLB, NCAA, HOF, etc.
9) Some kind of payment to NCAA athletes - at the very least a cut of the sales of their likenesses & jerseys and being allowed to sell their own autograph
10) Computerized ball/strike calls, along with a bigger strike zone
11) Nets in NHL - make 'em a foot wider and 8" taller
12) Make NFL refs actually call offensive pass interference
13) Figure out a way to get rid of the ridiculous "intentionally underthrow a 50-yard bomb to draw a pass interference penalty" play - or at least minimize the yardage given. Maybe a two-tier interference penalty like the old facemask penalty used to be.
14) NBA - 1 timeout in last 2 minutes.
That's a good start off the top of my head.
I really like the 10-minute of 4 on 4 and 3-2-1 system. Rather than increase the size of the next, I'd further reduce the size of goalie equipment. They do not need padding that big to stay safe, especially with the technology that exists today.
I mentioned it in another thread, but pass interference HAS to get addressed. It is ruining the game. Stop throwing the flag on incidental contact, and make it a 15-yd max penalty.
As much as I like replay in other sports, I think it might be a disaster in baseball. Think about it. What happens when an outfielder seemingly makes a catch against the wall, but in reality the ball bounced off the wall and ricocheted into his glove. The ump immediately calls out. The play is challenged and reversed. If runners were on 1st and 2nd, where do you put the runners? Is the hitter rewarded with a single or a double?
I would only add plays at bases to the current system, and that's it. Plays in the outfield would not be reviewable. No challenges, there would be a 5th umpire in the booth. By the time the next hitter gets to the plate and is ready to hit, the 5th ump could look at the play in question at least twice. If he thinks it deserves a closer look, he buzzes down to the ump to halt play.
<< <i>...and return NFL overtime to the way it was, sudden death. Apply the same overtime rule to the NCAA. >>
I like college OT better. Its more exciting.
<< <i>Lots of debate about team logos, sliding into home, slamming into the QB, Roids in baseball, letting Biggio into the hall......
List 3 changes that you would make to any professional sport(s).
1. Close the MLB hall of fame to new members. A new (modern era) hall could be built for the slime buckets.
2. End all the replay officiating from every sport. Hire the best umps and refs and let their calls stand.
3. Payment for NCAA* football and BB players. Yes, I know that they receive scholarships, but to many of them (sadly) these are worthless. First
rule would be, the team player payments must at least equal the pay of the coaching staff. I know the devil is in the details, but college sports
have gotten way to fat to not share the wealth with those that perform.
*make no mistake, NCAA sports are now professional. >>
I don't know where I stand on #1, but am 100% behind #2 and #3.
I miss the Patrick division.
"If I say something in the woods and my wife isn't there to hear it.....am I still wrong?"
My Washington Quarter Registry set...in progress
<< <i>Yes, I know that they receive scholarships, but to many of them (sadly) these are worthless. >>
Is this because the athlete is usually not intelligent enough to use it?
<< <i>
<< <i>Yes, I know that they receive scholarships, but to many of them (sadly) these are worthless. >>
Is this because the athlete is usually not intelligent enough to use it? >>
Different reasons for different athletes.
1. No sporting events on holidays.
2. Televise sports on cable channels on the weekend. Leave the networks for other programing. Exceptions can be made for Big events such as Super Bowl, etc.
3. Don't televise out of season. Example; I'm watching golf now and she says it is not golf season.
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Ralph
People's feelings get hurt when they see fighting, and we don't want to offend those people.
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>Yes, I know that they receive scholarships, but to many of them (sadly) these are worthless. >>
Is this because the athlete is usually not intelligent enough to use it? >>
Different reasons for different athletes. >>
A scholarship is not worthless to anyone. Maybe it is wasted, but surely not worthless.
Eliminating tailgating at all sporting events, which was once a way for fans to get together now is nothing more than a race to get as wasted as possible before going to the game and drinking even more. NFL games are by far the worst offenders of this, and cutting off alcohol sales before halftime of NFL/NHL/NBA games, and before the fifth inning of baseball games.
The wholesale elimination of discriminatory and racially insensitive logo/names/mascots. Redskins, Indians, Chief Wahoo, the others, all gotta go. There's no shortage of alternatives which are (a) much more original and (b) much less offensive.
Get rid of MLB umpires calling balls and strikes, and replace with pitchfx. No human error should ever be tolerated when it can be eliminated, and the idea of a person able to accurately call a ball from a strike from a position already off center is ridiculous. Leave the home ump there to call plays at the plate. Pitchers and hitters alike would *love* the idea of a consistent strike zone.
While we're at it in baseball: one warning for a pitcher throwing at a batter, with immediate ejection and 5 start suspensions for another issue in the same game. Batters charging the mound get the same treatment. Any player joining the fray be it on the field, from the dugout or bullpen faces the same discipline.
Managers given 2 replay flags per game, and any manager which goes out to argue a call is immediately tossed and suspended a week. These plays do NOTHING but hold up the game, and attempt to show up the umpire.
With balls and strikes never needing review, allow any and all plays to be subject to the two reviews per game flag.
The playoff model of 6 umpires per game followed for the entire season, and umpire reviews (which are currently private) to be made fully public. Umpires which fall below a predetermined score are automatically moved to the minors and the best of the best minor league umps are promoted. This gives an out for bad umpires (I'm looking at you Joe West) and the influx of quality umpires from the minors will vastly improve the umpiring class.
NFL overtime will be a 10 minute quarter that is an extension of the game, with no special rules. It's ridiculous that there are different rules in overtime than in the regular game. 10 minute period, 2 timeouts per team. If the period ends in a tie, it's a tie, in the postseason, you play 10 minute periods until a winner is determined.
NCAA players that want to transfer schools no longer have to sit out a year. Coaches are able to move schools and coach the following year, so either let players do the same thing or make coaches wait a year to coach another school. If you're going to make coaches sit out a year, still make players eligible to transfer and play the following year if their coach quits or gets fired.
<< <i>1. No sporting events on holidays. >>
Please define "holidays".
No contacting of head coaches or either of their top two assistants (i.e. offensive and defensive coordinators) by another school at any time from the start of their season's practice until the very last game of their sport's season has been played whether that be a bowl game, a championship or whatever. Sorry Big Time U, you'll just have to wait until the second week of January to contact that hot coordinator from Mid-Sized State for your vacancy. And that means no 3rd party contacts or contacting the guy's agent, none of it. Penalty for first offense is something really, really serious - loss of half of all scholarships or 10-year bowl ban or something. Make it really, really painful to go messing with another school's coach.
2) Salary cap in ALL sports.
3) Get rid of this awful Thursday night NFL football and London games. Sunday only except for Thanksgiving.
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>Yes, I know that they receive scholarships, but to many of them (sadly) these are worthless. >>
Is this because the athlete is usually not intelligent enough to use it? >>
Different reasons for different athletes. >>
A scholarship is not worthless to anyone. Maybe it is wasted, but surely not worthless. >>
Define it as you will.
<< <i>3) Get rid of this awful Thursday night NFL football and London games. Sunday only except for Thanksgiving. >>
I agree with the London BS but really like Thursdays.
Breaks up the week. You can only watch so many games on Sunday.
"If I say something in the woods and my wife isn't there to hear it.....am I still wrong?"
My Washington Quarter Registry set...in progress
<< <i>Get rid of MLB umpires calling balls and strikes, and replace with pitchfx. No human error should ever be tolerated when it can be eliminated, and the idea of a person able to accurately call a ball from a strike from a position already off center is ridiculous. Leave the home ump there to call plays at the plate. Pitchers and hitters alike would *love* the idea of a consistent strike zone. >>
You have been playing too many video games.
<< <i>
<< <i>Get rid of MLB umpires calling balls and strikes, and replace with pitchfx. No human error should ever be tolerated when it can be eliminated, and the idea of a person able to accurately call a ball from a strike from a position already off center is ridiculous. Leave the home ump there to call plays at the plate. Pitchers and hitters alike would *love* the idea of a consistent strike zone. >>
You have been playing too many video games. >>
Why? Because I want to replace one of the most irritating and inconsistent aspects of a sport and replace it with one that has been proven time and again to be infinitely more accurate and consistent? Because I want to harness technology that exists and has existed for years to replace the most common calls (balls and strikes)?
We (rightfully) howl at NFL officials who blow a call, but somehow it's considered endearing when the human element gets in the way of accurately calling balls and strikes?
No, I've not been playing too many video games, I just want my sports called correctly.
<< <i>We (rightfully) howl at NFL officials who blow a call, >>
I do not. There were two bad calls at the end of Saturdays Arizona-Michigan BB game. I shrugged and watched the game.
<< <i>
<< <i>We (rightfully) howl at NFL officials who blow a call, >>
I do not. There were two bad calls at the end of Saturdays Arizona-Michigan BB game. I shrugged and watched the game. >>
Sucks to be you, to sit there and accept mediocrity and failure when a simple use of technology available to most anyone can make the right call.
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>We (rightfully) howl at NFL officials who blow a call, >>
I do not. There were two bad calls at the end of Saturdays Arizona-Michigan BB game. I shrugged and watched the game. >>
Sucks to be you, to sit there and accept mediocrity and failure when a simple use of technology available to most anyone can make the right call. >>
You will understand better in a few years when you grow older and move out of the folks basement. Not all in life is cozy, cushy and perfect.
Why leave it at sports being called correctly?
I want my sports played correctly. Humans, even top tier athletes, make mistakes. This is unacceptable. We can do better. One day robots will become so advanced that they can and should replace human athletes. Sports performances will be better than the human bases performances we have today. Human error will be removed from the sports product I, the fan, pay for to see. Am I not entitled to perfection in return for the price I pay for admission?
Further, post game interviews with robots will be better because robots can be programmed to not say "You know" twenty times in a one minute interview.
Further injuries to human athletes would be eliminated and that is a good thing because we must protect those who are unwilling or unable to protect themselves, especially the children.
Because I want my sports pleaded correctly, bring on the robot athletes and ban the human athletes.
"Pleaded" should be "played".
My typing error evidences a need to have a robot replace me as a typist on my iPhone. My fine motors skills, big fingers and small keyboard prevent me from typing correctly, to the detriment of those who read this thread.
Bring the typing robot so we can have my typing be correct.
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>We (rightfully) howl at NFL officials who blow a call, >>
I do not. There were two bad calls at the end of Saturdays Arizona-Michigan BB game. I shrugged and watched the game. >>
Sucks to be you, to sit there and accept mediocrity and failure when a simple use of technology available to most anyone can make the right call. >>
You will understand better in a few years when you grow older and move out of the folks basement. Not all in life is cozy, cushy and perfect. >>
Wow the parents basement? Pathetic.
Asking for existing technology to be used to make our sports more enjoyable isn't wanting it cushy it makes the product better. Just because you're either too old or too ignorant to appreciate the tech doesn't mean it shouldn't be used. What's sad is you honestly think imperfect calls somehow make sports better. Because in the supposed good ole days they made mistakes. Your call to get rid of instant replay is proof you choose ignorance.
No, the march towards improving our sports through tech is already here. Either get on the train or get off the tracks because you're going to get obliterated.
<< <i>What's sad is you honestly think imperfect calls somehow make sports better. >>
It makes them quicker. Long NFL games with endless challenge flags (and pink shoes and socks), is getting unwatchable.
<< <i>Because I want my sports pleaded correctly, bring on the robot athletes and ban the human athletes. >>
You are not far off, Sanction. Nearly as much pleading not guilty as playing lately in pro sports.
Sorry, but I have to agree with 1985fan on the replacement of the HP UMP with the computer. Why are so many so in love the the human touch at calling balls and strikes! All you have to do is watch ANY game that shows the computer ball placement on the screen and you will see how many blown calls there are in EVERY game. The pitcher and hitter would both love it. It would eliminate certain pitchers who LIVE on the outside edge of the plate....that are actually as much as a foot outside! STL used to have a pitcher that always got away with that!
Wanting to do away with replay is plain STUPID. It has helped soooooo much to get calls right in football and other sports. It should be used more....especially Baseball. Why would you not want the call to be right. Let the players win or lose the game...not bad calls!
Money for college players sound good. Do away with all the stupid rules about not buying them meals and such when recruiting! Just one more thing that would not have to be policed.
Doing away with 2 preseason football would be great.....that's what training is for. And the 2 bye's would help the players.
I like the idea of changing the interference call and penalty. Plus on offensive holding........if it didn't affect play....don't call it.
<< <i>Sorry, but I have to agree with 1985fan on the replacement of the HP UMP with the computer >>
We all have our opinions and yours is as valid as any. We all turn to sports for different reasons. Many wager on the games and we have a new generation of OCD'ers that strive for perfection.
To me it is a throwback where we can toss away the computers and enjoy the finest game ever crafted. Baseball pretty much lost me 15 years ago when the druggies made it look more like ping pong, with their steroid pumped arms blasting balls deep into the bleachers.
The game belongs to you fellas now, so have with it as you may.
I agree with you on baseball and drugs. It makes all the HR records meaningless! Those guys would have still had HR's, but not as many!
Just think how many HR's Jackson or Mays or Aaron would have had if they had done the drug thing!
Mays also missed a season and a half to serve in Korea. Probably 60 HR's right there.
If players need a break, give them a bye between the regular season and the playoffs.
<< <i>
<< <i>What's sad is you honestly think imperfect calls somehow make sports better. >>
It makes them quicker. Long NFL games with endless challenge flags (and pink shoes and socks), is getting unwatchable. >>
Endless? Coaches get two, and a third if they are successful with both of the first two. What's more interminable? A simple flag toss, or a coach/manager going crazy at an official and delaying the game for much, much longer?
Those of us with objectivity know the real answer here.