If you could change ONE rule in each major sport (college or pro) which would you change?

[FreakTalksAboutSU]

I find myself often watching sports and the same couple of rules bug me to no end. If you could change one rule in each of the 4 major US sports, which would you change? Note, I'm talking actual gameplay. I'd absolutely love a hard cap and floor in baseball salaries, along with a complete resutrcturing of salaries broadly to ensure teams cant manipulate them payrolls..but thats not this discussion,

Here's mine...feel free to disagree, some are likely not shared widely

Basketball (college)-
Timeouts after a made basket. I can't stand that a team can make a basket, thus forfeiting possession, and still call a timeout.

Hockey-
If a team pulls its goalie, thus creating an offensive zone advantage, icing should be allowed, just as if there is a Power Play and the same offensive zone advantage. Hockey purists will hate this one. But the exact same dynamic that exists within the offensive zone on a power play...5 on 4 plus a goalie...exists in that zone when the goalie is pulled...6 on 5 plus a goalie. Frankly, I'm tired of seeing teams pull their goalie with 4 or 5 minutes remaining because they know the risk is so limited.

Football (pro)-
One foot in should be a catch.

Baseball-
Computers calls balls and strikes. We are almost there with this one. Banning the shift was here.

And one global rule change I would like to see across ALL sports...

A change in the instant replay overturn threshold-
It's ridiculous we will delay games by often 5+ minutes to review in super slow motion a play...see that it is probably...60-70% likely to have been called wrong in split second real time...and refuse to change it because it's not "conclusive". Are we so frail as humans that we can't concede the fact we are fallible? If something looks 51% or more likely to have been called wrong initially CHANGE it. If all the circumstantial evidence points to something being wrong CHANGE it.

 

[upperdeck]

after last nights hockey game and the blown high stick call on the puck. put in 50 cameras in every arena.

 

[jncuse]

Not really bothered by the first 3 things you noted. However, I fully agree with you on the Computer Balls and Strikes (will discuss further below) and also tend to agree with moving to "Likely" to overturn rather than "Conclusive".

For me:

#1. Hockey - The 3 vs 2 point game, bothers me more than any rule in sports. How you can have about 70-75% of your games worth 2 points, and then about 25% of your games worth 3 points simply because it ended up tied is asisine. It encourages teams to play supersafe in the last 10 minutes of the third period - the part that should be the most entertaining.

If it was up to me, go with one of the following:
a) 3 points for a reg win, 2 points for an OT win, 1 point for an OT Loss. Now all games are worth 3 points.
b) Get rid of the shootout. Play 10 or 15 minutes of overtime - no point for a loss. If the teams end up tied, call it a tie.

#2. Baseball - Not using the existing technology to call balls and strikes. We see it on TV - the existing technology is great. What are we protecting at this point? The human element making mistakes -- why do we want to protect that? Or catchers that are good at framing -- is that more important than getting things right initially?

Given the technology we now see, why this has not been done yet is beyond me.

#3. Basketball.

On the Court - I'm not convinced about this one, but would like it explored. I would like to see a rule that limits 3 point attempts to "x" per quarter. Perhaps 6 per quarter, and then unlimited in the last 3 minutes of the game. Would force teams to run more varied offence. After you hit your limit you can continue to take them, but they are only worth 2 points.

Off the Court - Fix the Buyout Rule, by allowing each team to retain salaries on two players during a calendar year. What happens now is that a player making $20M+ may have some value, but his contract is terrible so he can't be traded as the NBA generally requires dollar in for dollar out.

I'll use the example of John Wall (amongst many). Houston couldn't trade him even though some teams valued him. Houston is going to have pay him 90% of his salary to buy him out anyway. So why not allow Houston to retain 90% of his salary in a trade, and then you can move him for a couple prospects or 2nd rounders. It then eliminates the buyout market which tends to favour a few teams more than others.

#4. Football.
Bring the Rouge to the NFL.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Gravity, but only for me. When I’m playing hoops it would be nice to temporarily turn down the resistance to my vertical.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Basketball - secondary defender has no right to space UNLESS they are making a play on the ball, ie, secondary defenders can't draw charges

Agree that for baseball we should switch to the computerized tools for balls and strikes.

For football I'd get rid of ineligible downfield.

 

[Cowtown]

College hoops: 1 and 1 is the worst rule in the game. Shoot 2 on the 8th. Period.

But to your point on college hoops above, it's a dead ball situation. Anyone can call a TO there.

 

[Arangeman]

NFL PI should be 15 yds

 

[FreakTalksAboutSU]

College hoops: 1 and 1 is the worst rule in the game. Shoot 2 on the 8th. Period.

But to your point on college hoops above, it's a dead ball situation. Anyone can call a TO there.

In the NBA it is not. In the NBA the ball changes possession immediately after made basket. I much prefer that setup

 

[upperdeck]

Is the new computer balls and strikes thing calling real balls and strikes or is it like tennis where its just a guess?

 

[Cowtown]

Is the new computer balls and strikes thing calling real balls and strikes or is it like tennis where its just a guess?

It's the illusions in life that make reality tolerable.

 

[SmilinBob]

Football: Facemask/hands to face penalty against ball carriers.

Basketball: Over and back when you throw from out of bounds on the offensive side and the ball goes past mid court.

 

[FreakTalksAboutSU]

Football: Facemask/hands to face penalty against ball carriers.

Basketball: Over and back when you throw from out of bounds on the offensive side and the ball goes past mid court.

This too. Hate that

 

[Cowtown]

This too. Hate that

Agreed. Last I checked, you can't do that in FIBA.

 

[bpo57]

In the NFL I'd change the rule where a player fumbles through the opponent's end zone and the defense gets the ball on the 20 yard line. Why do they get the ball? They didn't recover the fumble. Oh and let's give them 20 yards to boot. Makes no sense. Maybe give the fumbling team the ball on the opponent's 20.

And completely OT if I were king I'd outlaw tinted windows - the windshield and both front seat windows. Uncanny how you notice extremely aggressive drivers with these tinted windows, hiding their identities while they act like maniacs. I'm done now.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

In the NFL I'd change the rule where a player fumbles through the opponent's end zone and the defense gets the ball on the 20 yard line. Why do they get the ball? They didn't recover the fumble. Oh and let's give them 20 yards to boot. Makes no sense. Maybe give the fumbling team the ball on the opponent's 20.

And completely OT if I were king I'd outlaw tinted windows - the windshield and both front seat windows. Uncanny how you notice extremely aggressive drivers with these tinted windows, hiding their identities while they act like maniacs. I'm done now.

You’d have a lot of people in the warmer climates very displeased with you on that last one. But I’m with you on the windshield. That should always be illegal.

 

[Bayside44]

Fix the block / charge once and for all. Green made an actual defensive play against Sabonis in the lane on Sunday. It can be done.

Does the NBA have a charge problem?

In the wake of Ja Morant and Giannis Antetokounmpo's injuries during the playoffs, Kevin Pelton examines whether the league needs to address -- or even tweak -- charge fouls.

www.espn.com

The Athletic also had something on this (cannot seem to find it).

3rd and longs becoming a first down on a penalty is way too punitive. Not sure how to fix it but a phantom call can really flip a game. Still bitter over Clemson.

Baseball needs to shorten their reviews on safe / out base balls. I really hope they don't go to an automatic box, even though umps can miss there is an art to pitch framing an deception. Hate the pitchers being wired, its so silly.

Lax faceoffs have to go, and if the ball is in the goal, it's a goal.

 

[JustPherU]

In the NFL I'd change the rule where a player fumbles through the opponent's end zone and the defense gets the ball on the 20 yard line. Why do they get the ball? They didn't recover the fumble. Oh and let's give them 20 yards to boot. Makes no sense. Maybe give the fumbling team the ball on the opponent's 20.

And completely OT if I were king I'd outlaw tinted windows - the windshield and both front seat windows. Uncanny how you notice extremely aggressive drivers with these tinted windows, hiding their identities while they act like maniacs. I'm done now.

The tint thing doesn’t bother me as much as some of those loud as heck vehicles.Nothing more irritating than some guy in a truck causing you to experience hearing loss.

 

[upperdeck]

Fix the block / charge once and for all. Green made an actual defensive play against Sabonis in the lane on Sunday. It can be done.

Does the NBA have a charge problem?

In the wake of Ja Morant and Giannis Antetokounmpo's injuries during the playoffs, Kevin Pelton examines whether the league needs to address -- or even tweak -- charge fouls.

www.espn.com

The Athletic also had something on this (cannot seem to find it).

3rd and longs becoming a first down on a penalty is way too punitive. Not sure how to fix it but a phantom call can really flip a game. Still bitter over Clemson.

Baseball needs to shorten their reviews on safe / out base balls. I really hope they don't go to an automatic box, even though umps can miss there is an art to pitch framing an deception. Hate the pitchers being wired, its so silly.

Lax faceoffs have to go, and if the ball is in the goal, it's a goal.

I really do wonder how much framing matters.. I know its a thing.. But in umping a good number of games, where the catcher catching the ball never once came into my focus on a pitch call. Often you cant even see the catch and since the call is on the pitch where it goes over the plate it really doesnt matter.

If Pro umps are letting it influence them then thats on them being bad at their job.

its already been shown in the minors that the robo calls are not even using the strike zone.. they made it inches larger because thats what the batters feel is the real zone.. I wonder if these tv strike zones are doing that as well?

 

[Cowtown]

I really do wonder how much framing matters.. I know its a thing.. But in umping a good number of games, where the catcher catching the ball never once came into my focus on a pitch call. Often you cant even see the catch and since the call is on the pitch where it goes over the plate it really doesnt matter.

If Pro umps are letting it influence them then thats on them being bad at their job.

its already been shown in the minors that the robo calls are not even using the strike zone.. they made it inches larger because thats what the batters feel is the real zone.. I wonder if these tv strike zones are doing that as well?

"Framing pitches" is, not unlike the whole analytics thing, something for the talking head to babble about while professing to know the game. There, I said it.

 

[Bayside44]

"Framing pitches" is, not unlike the whole analytics thing, something for the talking head to babble about while professing to know the game. There, I said it.

Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine have over 600 wins framing pitches.

 

[Cowtown]

Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine have over 600 wins framing pitches.

There's a mindset that gets worked in across the umpire fraternity, where "That's his pitch. He gets that call." Especially with Maddux. You do not move up without the sanction of the old boys at the top. It's kind of a blue code, where no one will expose the complicity of so many others by making the correct call. And you are apprised of that coming in. Not in so many words, but you learn early on not to be "the nail that rises up."

 

[donniesyracuse]

I really do wonder how much framing matters.. I know its a thing.. But in umping a good number of games, where the catcher catching the ball never once came into my focus on a pitch call. Often you cant even see the catch and since the call is on the pitch where it goes over the plate it really doesnt matter.

If Pro umps are letting it influence them then thats on them being bad at their job.

its already been shown in the minors that the robo calls are not even using the strike zone.. they made it inches larger because thats what the batters feel is the real zone.. I wonder if these tv strike zones are doing that as well?

It matters. It is a statistical fact that some catchers get more strike calls than others. The differences are significant.

 

[upperdeck]

It matters. It is a statistical fact that some catchers get more strike calls than others. The differences are significant.

but is it framing causing it? Is it a function of the pitcher and the pitch as much as the framing.

There are balls right down the middle that umps miss and balls 10 inches outside they miss too.. So framing isnt everything.

I guess you could do a study and have a ball thrown at an ump with no catcher and with catcher and see what changes..

If framing matters it should matter at all levels of baseball too.

 

[donniesyracuse]

but is it framing causing it? Is it a function of the pitcher and the pitch as much as the framing.

I am sure pitchers all have some version of framing rate too, but this has been studied to death. Different catchers have different strike call rates even with the same pitchers. It is a fact.

 

[donniesyracuse]

If framing matters it should matter at all levels of baseball too.

I am positive that it does.

Just because you are not influenced by the Catcher (I am sure you actually are), it does not mean others are not.