(09-26-2013 12:38 PM)adcorbett Wrote:  Oh one more rule tweak: this goes against the protecting players motif, but they need to adjust the QB slide rule. Meaning if the QB breaks into a slide very late, the defense should not be hit with a personal foul penalty if he is already in the tackle process before the QB starts his slide. As it stands now, no matter when he slides, you hit the QB you get a penalty. That was how Jay Cutler got that hit on that safety on Monday Night. The defender pulled up for fear of hitting him and getting a penalty, then Cutler laid into him while he was essentially defenseless.

Yeah no kidding, that's a real good one... Also, brushing past the shoe of a punter, and not touching the ball, shouldn't count as a personal foul, roughing the kicker.

1. Mark Kelso-style helmets (soft outer padding on top of hard shell).
2. NHL-style facemasks (transparent lucite plastic - no ability to hold on - would eliminate face-mask tackling)
3. Two feet in bounds for possession (college)
4. Pass interference penalty is 20 yards or spot of foul, which ever is smaller.
5. 25-second play clock from official's spot
6. TO has to be called before official's spot only

(09-26-2013 12:51 PM)CommuterBob Wrote:  6. TO has to be called before official's spot only

I don't like that one. Sometimes you need a TO adjust your defense, or in a tight game, you don't want a delay of game penalty when you could use a time out. Plus the 25 second clock you initiate before then makes it really hard to not have a timeout to use.

(09-26-2013 12:44 PM)LSU04_08 Wrote:  Yeah no kidding, that's a real good one... Also, brushing past the shoe of a punter, and not touching the ball, shouldn't count as a personal foul, roughing the kicker.

Being a former punter, I rather like that rule.

But seriously though that is not supposed to be a personal foul, it's supposed to be a five yard penalty.

But I will tell you, getting hit in that position really, really hurts. Because you can't defend yourself, or for that matter brace yourself. Nor can you get out of the way.

(09-26-2013 12:54 PM)adcorbett Wrote:  

(09-26-2013 12:51 PM)CommuterBob Wrote:  6. TO has to be called before official's spot only

I don't like that one. Sometimes you need a TO adjust your defense, or in a tight game, you don't want a delay of game penalty when you could use a time out. Plus the 25 second clock you initiate before then makes it really hard to not have a timeout to use.

But I think of that as part of the game. Poor planning/strategy/player preparedness is something every team should have to overcome. I hate it when coaches try to ice a kicker with a last-second TO call or slow the game down with a defensive or offensive adjsutment after both lines have set at the line of scrimmage. And I really hate it when teams take way too long to get their play called and have to burn a TO.

expand the practice squad to 32 players
Keep the pay the same
extend eligibility to 4 years, same disqualifiers
PS only salary cap

this way they can draft out of HS and go to the PS

2013 Draft had 254 draftees ~8 per team

(09-26-2013 12:51 PM)CommuterBob Wrote:  6. TO has to be called before official's spot only

I don't know about that one. If a player realizes his team has 12 guys on the field and he wants to call time out to avoid a penalty, I have no problem with that.

The chickensh!t time-out calls I'd want to stop are when the defense tries to call time out half a second before the ball is snapped on a FG attempt. And that could be avoided with this rule: After the play clock is under 10 seconds, only the offense can call time out.

(09-26-2013 12:57 PM)adcorbett Wrote:  

(09-26-2013 12:44 PM)LSU04_08 Wrote:  Yeah no kidding, that's a real good one... Also, brushing past the shoe of a punter, and not touching the ball, shouldn't count as a personal foul, roughing the kicker.

Being a former punter, I rather like that rule.

But seriously though that is not supposed to be a personal foul, it's supposed to be a five yard penalty.

But I will tell you, getting hit in that position really, really hurts. Because you can't defend yourself, or for that matter brace yourself. Nor can you get out of the way.

Lol, you know better than I do... Makes sense too. But I have seen some guys flop when a player gets close lol...

(09-26-2013 12:51 PM)CommuterBob Wrote:  1. Mark Kelso-style helmets (soft outer padding on top of hard shell).
2. NHL-style facemasks (transparent lucite plastic - no ability to hold on - would eliminate face-mask tackling)
3. Two feet in bounds for possession (college)
4. Pass interference penalty is 20 yards or spot of foul, which ever is smaller.
5. 25-second play clock from official's spot
6. TO has to be called before official's spot only

Your #2 is interesting and not just for eliminating takles via the face mask. I think you'd get a lot less leading tackles if visually it seemed as if though your might injure your face.

Eliminate all the padding, and go back to leather helmets - without the facemasks

That's the main reason for all the injuries, and all the very hard hitting. Make hard hits hurt everyone, and there will be fewer of them...

Come on Bit, that type of play goes back to President Teddy Roosevelt's era of football. And there were actual on the field deaths during that era along with serious injuries.

(09-26-2013 01:29 PM)vandiver49 Wrote:  Come on Bit, that type of play goes back to President Teddy Roosevelt's era of football. And there were actual on the field deaths during that era along with serious injuries.

There were no rules in place during Teddy's time either. So your comment about on field deaths during that time doesn't really apply...

In the same vein, if Ty Cobb had played today, he'd be banned from baseball. He was famous for sliding into bases with his spikes up...

(09-26-2013 01:33 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  

(09-26-2013 01:29 PM)vandiver49 Wrote:  Come on Bit, that type of play goes back to President Teddy Roosevelt's era of football. And there were actual on the field deaths during that era along with serious injuries.

There were no rules in place during Teddy's time either. So your comment about on field deaths during that time doesn't really apply...

In the same vein, if Ty Cobb had played today, he'd be banned from baseball. He was famous for sliding into bases with his spikes up...

So was Willie Randolph.

Here are some rules I would like to see applied:

Even up the game a little. The way the game is played right now has given offenses such a ridiculous advantage that it's becoming less fun to watch. I have nothing against scoring. Hell, I love scoring. However, I miss the days when the teams that scored a lot of points did so because they were extremely gifted, not because they happened to play in an uptempo system.

I am tired of mediocre players winning the Heisman Trophy based on grossly inflated stats. Seriously, who was the last Heisman Trophy winner that was worth a damn in the NFL? That award used to mean something. Now, it's a joke.

I'm tired of games lasting four plus hours for no apparent reason and I'm also tired of watching horrendous defensive play because the offense is "quick pitching" them on every play. I'm sorry but that is schitty football to watch. There's no artistry in that at all, just BS.

If I wanted to watch Arena League style football, I would watch the gawddamn Arena League (the Iowa Barnstormers vs the Arizona Wranglers or some other cheesy bullschitt).

With that in mind, I favor the official standing above the football until players on both sides are set. I don't mean for very long (5-7 seconds max). I would just give defenses the opportunity to align properly and maybe catch their breath for a second or two. In the spirit of cooperation, I would agree to relax that rule in the final two minutes of each half. In those windows, teams could go as fast as they like.

Also, in conjunction with that concept, I would strongly advocate the elimination of the rule whereby the clock stops after every single first down. That is one of the dumbest rules in sports and it needs to go. I would be okay with stopping the clock after made first downs in the final two minutes of each half but I would prefer the NFL model whereby they have a two minute warning and the clock keep rolling. There is no reason in this world for college football games to be on average 37 minutes longer than the average MLB game - as is currently the case. That rule needs to change.

I would also advocate the NFL adopting the college rules for once you are down you are down as well as just one foot in bounds. Those two plays account for half of all instant replays and they would become much easier to judge if the NFL simply adopted the college rule.

Also, the NFL should adopt the college interference rule. There is no reason on earth for a team to incur a 63-yard penalty. That is ludicrously punitive and it needs to go. I would even compromise and give the officials the option to call pass interference and flagrant pass interference. The first and vast majority would incur a 15 yard penalty. The flagrant penalty could be spot of the foul. However, flagrant DPI needs to be absolutely FLAGRANT. I cannot stand to watch an NFL game where two guys are battling for the football and it results in one team gaining 43 yards on the play.

Also, if we are going to be ticky tack on DPI, as we are, we need to enforce those same standards to the offense. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen OPI go uncalled on plays that DEFINITELY would have been called if the defender were doing that to the intended receiver. That needs to change for the sake of the game.

I have many more but many of them are nuanced. One final rule that I have always hated and would definitely like to see go is the half-the distance to the goal rule. Seriously, how many people even know how that rule is applied? I have played, coached and watched football for my entire life and I still don't fully understand that esoteric rule or precisely how it is applied.

I think the rule should be that teams are penalized to the full extent of the field as is currently the case for defensive pass interference. So, if the opposing team has the ball on your 14 yard line and your starting defensive end decides to hit their QB late, his team should get the ball at the one yard line (or the hash mark), not at the seven yard line.

Once inside the one yard line, if a defensive team commits a foul, it is a touchdown, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. It is absurd to watch teams jump offsides or do something worse and to see officials step in and move the football two millimeters. That makes no sense, whatsoever.

Speaking of that, balls should have GPS chips in them and fields should be gridded so that spotting the ball and especially determining touchdowns can be more precise than is currently the case.

Okay, this time I'm done and I mean it. I have many more but those are the biggies.

(09-26-2013 01:10 PM)LSU04_08 Wrote:  Lol, you know better than I do... Makes sense too. But I have seen some guys flop when a player gets close lol...

I used to just hit them if they got to close to me. I never ha da punt blocked because if I saw I wasn't getting off, I just ran. But I was hit a few times after I got off the kick, and got tired of being pelted, so I just started teeing off on them. I was bigger than anyone who ever tried to block me (I played offensive guard) so after I laid out two or three players, they stopped rushing me.

Of course then I had so much time, I started running fake punts - if I was outside of the 30 I was given the liberty to run if everyone had their back to me, or throw it if the gunner was uncovered - then they started rushing me again, and I was getting hit again. It was a vicious cycle.

Some interesting proposals you have here...

(09-26-2013 02:03 PM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote:  With that in mind, I favor the official standing above the football until players on both sides are set. I don't mean for very long (5-7 seconds max). I would just give defenses the opportunity to align properly and maybe catch their breath for a second or two.

You will see this issue correct itself IMO. Because the downfall to this style of play is if you DON'T convert, you exposure your defense. See the Washington Redskins. Once the defense catch up to the hurry up offense (remember it's been around for years and like the 3-4 and cover 2 defense go in and out of favor). I think by next year this will be a non-issue at the pro level. At the college level, with an 85 man roster, this can be solved by simply recruiting more defensive players and doing MASS substitutions.

(09-26-2013 02:03 PM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote:  I would also advocate the NFL adopting the college rules for once you are down you are down as well as just one foot in bounds. Those two plays account for half of all instant replays and they would become much easier to judge if the NFL simply adopted the college rule.

The only problem with replays is the way they do it. Did you know in college EVERY play is reviewed? And how often do they stop the game? The biggest problem with replay are the mandatory reviews on turnovers and scores that take a long time when they don't need to.

(09-26-2013 02:03 PM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote:  I would even compromise and give the officials the option to call pass interference and flagrant pass interference. The first and vast majority would incur a 15 yard penalty. The flagrant penalty could be spot of the foul.

This is a very interesting idea. See I like the concept of the spot foul on pass interference because if you are beat you can blatantly interfere and only lose 15 yards, like you see players od in college. But they do call too many ticky tack pass interference rules. I think a weighted system might be a good idea. However they essentially have that, with "defensive holding" and "illegal contact" being variations of pass interference. I am not sure it has to be a difference between flagrant or not, but perhaps grade 1 interference (some illegal contact on the pass) getting the 15 yard one, and grade 2 (blatant, even if not flagrant) interference that is a spot foul. Similar to the old facemask/hands to the face designation or the roughing the kicker/running into the kicker designation.

(09-26-2013 02:03 PM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote:  Also, if we are going to be ticky tack on DPI, as we are, we need to enforce those same standards to the offense. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen OPI go uncalled on plays that DEFINITELY would have been called if the defender were doing that to the intended receiver.

They are calling more of than than ever before. But certainly not as consistently as on the defense.

(09-26-2013 02:03 PM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote:  One final rule that I have always hated and would definitely like to see go is the half-the distance to the goal rule. Seriously, how many people even know how that rule is applied? I have played, coached and watched football for my entire life and I still don't fully understand that esoteric rule or precisely how it is applied.

This rule, IMO, is fine as is. The way it's applied is if the penalty distance is more than half of the distance to the goal, you get half the distance instead of the full penalty. Considering how hard it is to move the ball once you get inside the 20, moving the ball from the 6 yard line to the 1 for an offsides is unfair to me. Also a chop block moving you from the 17 yard line to your own 2 is pushing it. Now that said, I think they should evenly apply it. I have seen where a team was on the ten, and drew a roughing the passer penalty and move up to the five. The very next play they called a personal foul on the offense, and they moved back to the 20. I think they should be made whole on that one.

(09-26-2013 02:03 PM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote:  Once inside the one yard line, if a defensive team commits a foul, it is a touchdown, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. It is absurd to watch teams jump offsides or do something worse and to see officials step in and move the football two millimeters. That makes no sense, whatsoever.

Yeah I have always been surprised more teams don't take advantage of that loophole. However this suggestion is diabolically opposed to your previous one that essentially asks you to treat the entire field equally. If you want penalties to be evenly applied for the whole 100 yards, you cannot in the same vein ask for different penalties inside the one. You have to take one or the other.

(09-26-2013 02:03 PM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote:  Speaking of that, balls should have GPS chips in them and fields should be gridded so that spotting the ball and especially determining touchdowns can be more precise than is currently the case.

I don't know how much that would help. The problem often is not about figuring out where to spot the ball, it is where the ball is when the player is down. A GPS chip would not change that.

(09-26-2013 01:35 PM)CommuterBob Wrote:  

(09-26-2013 01:33 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  

(09-26-2013 01:29 PM)vandiver49 Wrote:  Come on Bit, that type of play goes back to President Teddy Roosevelt's era of football. And there were actual on the field deaths during that era along with serious injuries.

There were no rules in place during Teddy's time either. So your comment about on field deaths during that time doesn't really apply...

In the same vein, if Ty Cobb had played today, he'd be banned from baseball. He was famous for sliding into bases with his spikes up...

So was Willie Randolph.

Willie Randolph never put a man in critical condition by spiking him either. Ty Cobb did, more than once...

(09-26-2013 11:43 AM)LSU04_08 Wrote:  Graduate college before entering the draft.

Or be at least 4 years out of High school before being eligible for the draft. It would have to be an NFL rule and decision.