The 5 dumbest rules in sports
1. The fact that pass interference and force-outs aren't subject to instant replay review in the NFL because they are "judgment calls." First of all, why aren't the rules for pass interference more clearly defined and recognized? It seems way too arbitrary and different depending on which officiating grew got up on which side of the bed, wore different pairs of socks, and ate different cereals interpret what does and does not constitute pass interference. On top of this, why is an official's initial opinion of a play that just happened at 742.91 miles per hour while the official was thinking more about the itch on his left arm than the game at hand infallible? The reason instant reply took so long to implement in the first place and still has absurd quirks is that NFL referees stubbornly refuse to ever admit they were wrong. As for force outs, these are clearly defined enough that instant replay should be able to give these plays justice.
2. No instant replay in baseball. When I saw him speak at Hillel a few months ago, Bud Selig stood sternly by the absence of instant replay but failed to give a single rational reason. Why does the tradition of human umpires trump getting the call right? It is like in Bridge when a 2 beats an ace because the 2 is trump or in euchre where a 9 trumps an ace. The only difference is that the absence of instant replay in baseball is utterly irrational and doesn't fit with any of the other aspects of new technology that have evolved into baseball. It would not be that difficult to make fair/foul, out/safe, and home run/double subject to replay, giving the managers two challenges a game.
3. Overtime in the NFL. The NFL should adopt the college football overtime procedure because it is really annoying when a team only has to drive 40 yards and kick a 45-yard field goal, for some reason achieving the sudden death victory. No team should be able to get away with that on the first drive in overtime with no fear of rebuttals. It completely trivializes the entire game that was so close it needed extra time to allow it to perpetually end in a lame, unsatisfying manner. Buzzkill.
4. Whatever random loophole in an obscure rule that allows Evander Holyfield to continue fighting. Is there really any demand to see this anywhere in society? Who still watches these fights and who still sponsors them? If I ran a television I would pay for the rights NOT to air these fights.
5. The rule that allows a college basketball coach to get one team on probation and then get hired by another school and bolt to avoid the clean-up process for the mess he created. This might be more ridiculous than Evander Holyfield fighting. So many of these coaches preach education and discipline but end up as corrupt role models who are more self-interested than anything else.
2. No instant replay in baseball. When I saw him speak at Hillel a few months ago, Bud Selig stood sternly by the absence of instant replay but failed to give a single rational reason. Why does the tradition of human umpires trump getting the call right? It is like in Bridge when a 2 beats an ace because the 2 is trump or in euchre where a 9 trumps an ace. The only difference is that the absence of instant replay in baseball is utterly irrational and doesn't fit with any of the other aspects of new technology that have evolved into baseball. It would not be that difficult to make fair/foul, out/safe, and home run/double subject to replay, giving the managers two challenges a game.
3. Overtime in the NFL. The NFL should adopt the college football overtime procedure because it is really annoying when a team only has to drive 40 yards and kick a 45-yard field goal, for some reason achieving the sudden death victory. No team should be able to get away with that on the first drive in overtime with no fear of rebuttals. It completely trivializes the entire game that was so close it needed extra time to allow it to perpetually end in a lame, unsatisfying manner. Buzzkill.
4. Whatever random loophole in an obscure rule that allows Evander Holyfield to continue fighting. Is there really any demand to see this anywhere in society? Who still watches these fights and who still sponsors them? If I ran a television I would pay for the rights NOT to air these fights.
5. The rule that allows a college basketball coach to get one team on probation and then get hired by another school and bolt to avoid the clean-up process for the mess he created. This might be more ridiculous than Evander Holyfield fighting. So many of these coaches preach education and discipline but end up as corrupt role models who are more self-interested than anything else.
posted by ryan glasspiegel at 12:19 AM
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