Commissioner for a day

[Dobbs 3K 0]

To elaborate, this act has got to stop immediately. It was kinda cute at first when he couldn't sign until May 1 last year, and now it's just bullshit and being able to pick and choose where to play after the season has started, and after every other player in MLB had to go through spring training and whatever else. Despite what guys say in interviews with the media, there is no way that many teammates don't mind it. Plus I've already heard Tom Glavine say that he might want to try it out next year. It can only snowball from here.

 

I'm glad a couple other people are finally agreeing with me on this...I've been complaining about it forever. Baseball players are supposed to be professional athletes, not mercenaries for hire. It's really not fair to the other players, and MLB should put in a rule. Maybe like if a player hasn't reported to a team by the end of spring training, they're ineligible to play that season, or something.

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0]

NHL:

 

Terminate the Reebok contract and go back to CCM or Koho

 

Reebok owns both.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CCM_%28The_Hockey_Company%29

[Darthtiki 0]

NHL:

 

Terminate the Reebok contract and go back to CCM or Koho

 

Reebok owns both.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CCM_%28The_Hockey_Company%29

 

Well then, just ditch the idea of the glorified practice jerseys that are debuting next season.

[Guest]

NFL

Eliminate the intentional grounding rule.

 

This is the dumbest idea in the thread for a few reasons. First of all, it would lead to QB's just plunking one in the dirt when they're under pressure inside the pocket. They'd never get sacked any more, and when they do actually get hit, it will be some wimpy roughing call.

I also think it sucks that so many NFL veterans are ending up with brains rivaling the WWI veterans.

That was my point, in reference to my idea of eliminating the intentional grounding rule. Just let the guy lose the down, isn't that punishment enough. The way it is now, the guy can't get off the throw and they take a big unprotected knock to the head. I believe that the roughing the passer rule needs to be lessened, but I'm sick of guys not being able to throw the ball away and getting clobbered in the process.

[humanoid92 0]

Guess I'm late to this one, but here it goes anyway. I agree with the sensible MLB ideas. Not that these will ever happen, but here are ten things I'd like to see:

 

1. Get rid of the DH. This has already been discussed, and I agree. I'm a National League guy. The same 9 guys that play the field should be the same 9 that bat. Strategy, double switches, pitchers hitting- it's part of the game. The DH has always cheapened the game.

 

2. The All-Star Game rule is awful. It's an exhibition that should have nothing to do with the World Series.

 

3. No more interleague play, at least for now. Only a few match-ups were ever exciting to begin with and by this point it's played out.

 

4. Home-field in the World Series alternates between leagues like it used to. None of this best record gets it crap like the NBA. With no more interleague play, you can't determine home-field with best record. 101 wins in the NL might not mean you're as good as a team with 98 wins in the AL any given year. There's no way to know because the leagues are separate entities.

 

5. Five team divisions are ridiculous. Way too small. It's not the NFL. Look at the AL West. You've automatically got a 25% chance of making the playoffs right off the bat. A 33% chance if one team quickly proves to be terrible (Texas). Contract two teams, have a dispersal draft, and go back to 14 in each league, with two divisions of 7. None of this Central Division business, just good old East and West. And of course, that eliminates the wildcard. It was fun while it lasted, but I'm sick of seeing second place teams in five team divisions make the playoffs and no real divisional pennant races in September.

 

6. The "must have number and name" idea is no good. I didn't like it when some teams took away the names a few years ago (Dodgers, Giants, Mets, and I think the Cubs) because it looked weird after they'd had them for so long. But you shouldn't be required to have the name. I hate the Yankees but it would just look wrong to have their names on there. Ditto for Boston's home unis.

 

7. Get rid of the advertisements on the outfield wall. I can remember when that crap was reserved only for minor league parks.

 

8. Do not allow the sport to become completely pussified like the NBA. This mean's no suspensions for leaving the bench and kicking dirt in the general direction of the umpire.

 

9. Regulate the jerseys somehow. The occasional alternate Sunday jersey is fine, but there's got to be someone who steps in before the Pirates and Braves put on their hideous red jerseys and the Padres dress up in army gear.

 

10. Do not allow Rick Sutcliffe within 20 yards of a microphone.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Unless he's drunk.

[humanoid92 0]

Well, then all bets are off.

[Guest Tzar Lysergic]

NFL

Eliminate the intentional grounding rule.

 

This is the dumbest idea in the thread for a few reasons. First of all, it would lead to QB's just plunking one in the dirt when they're under pressure inside the pocket. They'd never get sacked any more, and when they do actually get hit, it will be some wimpy roughing call.

I also think it sucks that so many NFL veterans are ending up with brains rivaling the WWI veterans.

That was my point, in reference to my idea of eliminating the intentional grounding rule. Just let the guy lose the down, isn't that punishment enough. The way it is now, the guy can't get off the throw and they take a big unprotected knock to the head. I believe that the roughing the passer rule needs to be lessened, but I'm sick of guys not being able to throw the ball away and getting clobbered in the process.

 

It's football. Guys are going to get hit, and they're going to get hurt. Why not just add more rules to protect RBs, who have the shortest careers of any position in the league? Why not add more rules to protect the mangled knees of linemen? How about they all wear flags and eschew tackling altogether? While I agree that the treatment of all the old timer NFL vets is a travesty, players in the current era get paid vast sums of money, and are well aware of the risks they take on the field. I want to see these guys destroy each other on a weekly basis like they're supposed to.

[Red Baron 0]

NFL:

 

Get rid of the fair catch. Give the returner at least five yards before he catches the ball.

 

Pass INT's should be a 15 yard penalty.

 

Adopt the NCAA Overtime.

 

NHL:

 

No touch icing. It'll eliminate a dump and chase tactic and serious injuries.

 

Two points for a win and a win in OT. One point for winning in the shootout. Losers get nothing.

 

Decrease the size in all equipment. Number one reason why players are getting seriously hurt out there. Have you seen the elbow pads? It's a weapon itself.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

7. Get rid of the advertisements on the outfield wall. I can remember when that crap was reserved only for minor league parks.

 

And others can tell you when Major League parks were full of them.

[humanoid92 0]

Yeah, I know, but they had progressed past that point. Now they've gone back. I just miss having the team logos on the outfield wall. They didn't do that everywhere, but when they did, it was cool.

 

Anyway, the only important part of my list was #10. That guy seriously angers me.

[Red Baron 0]

I like it if it was local advertisements. It just adds to the environment I think.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

"Hit sign, win suit"

[Red Baron 0]

"When your team has 10K's or more, come to Vinny's Pizza to get your free slice and pop"

[Guest]

NFL

Eliminate the intentional grounding rule.

 

This is the dumbest idea in the thread for a few reasons. First of all, it would lead to QB's just plunking one in the dirt when they're under pressure inside the pocket. They'd never get sacked any more, and when they do actually get hit, it will be some wimpy roughing call.

I also think it sucks that so many NFL veterans are ending up with brains rivaling the WWI veterans.

That was my point, in reference to my idea of eliminating the intentional grounding rule. Just let the guy lose the down, isn't that punishment enough. The way it is now, the guy can't get off the throw and they take a big unprotected knock to the head. I believe that the roughing the passer rule needs to be lessened, but I'm sick of guys not being able to throw the ball away and getting clobbered in the process.

 

It's football. Guys are going to get hit, and they're going to get hurt. Why not just add more rules to protect RBs, who have the shortest careers of any position in the league? Why not add more rules to protect the mangled knees of linemen? How about they all wear flags and eschew tackling altogether? While I agree that the treatment of all the old timer NFL vets is a travesty, players in the current era get paid vast sums of money, and are well aware of the risks they take on the field. I want to see these guys destroy each other on a weekly basis like they're supposed to.

I don't see running backs standing still with the ball, and 6 or 7 guys coming at them on a dead sprint trying to hit an un-moving target. It's a tad different with quarterbacks than it is with other players.

[Guest Tzar Lysergic]

You're right. Statistically, they play for much longer than most other positions, despite they punishment they take. Last time I checked into this, which admittedly was a few seasons ago, RBs had an average NFL lifespan of just under 3 seasons. Fewer than any other position by a matter of 3 or 4 seasons.

[Guest Frank Anchor]

Yea I know this is very late for this forum but heres my ideas anyway

 

MLB

1. Realign to 6 5-team divisions. Move the Brewers back to the AL Central and put the Royals in the AL West I wouldn't mind seeing interleague baseball all year.

 

2. With interleague baseball, every team plays 6 3-game series. Teams play everyone from another division (i. e. AL Central vs. NL East), and one natural rival (i.e. Cubs vs. White Sox) on "rivalry weekend" in June. If the natural rival is in the same division that a team is already playing, they play each other twice that year.

 

3. Eliminate the "Every team must be represented" rule from the All-Star-Game. Why should an average player be rewarded for playing for the Royals?

 

4. Eliminate the "This time it counts" from the All-Star-Game. Home field adv. in the world series should be determined like any other round. The team with the better record gets HFA except a division winner would get it over a wild card in any circumstance

 

5. Put Pete Rose in the HOF

 

6. Home teams must wear white jerseys. Visitors can wear grays or alternate third jerseys.

 

7. Every team must play two traditional double-headers every year (one home one away). They will be between May 1 and the All Star Break

 

NFL

 

1. Get rid of the two-minute warning

 

2. Wide receiver only needs one foot in bounds

 

3. No regular season games overseas. Maybe preseason

 

4. Change overtime. play until a team gets at least 6 points (td or two fgs). Better yet make it 4 points to adequately penalize a team for giving up a safety. The game would still end if the 15 minutes run off the clock.

 

5. Change the playoff seeding. Top two are the two best division winners. 3-6 can be division winners or wild cards, based on record. A 7-9 division winner should not get the 4-seed and a home game just because they won a crappy division. They should still make the playoffs, but be seeded sixth.

 

6. Less TV timeouts

 

7. Super Bowl starts at 6:30 ET. not a minute later. Get rid of the halftime show or make it a pre-game show. That way the game would end around 10:00.

 

8. Flag receivers who complain about not getting a pass interference call they think they deserve for unsportsmanlike conduct

 

9. Allow TD celebrations

 

NBA

 

1. Get rid of divisions. You just have two groups: East and West

 

2. Shorten the season to 72 games. 3 against conference opponents and 2 against non-conference opponents

 

3. Change the playoffs:

As much as I don't like it, it would be hard to get away from the 16-team playoff structure because bye weeks do more harm than good (look at a team that sweeps and has a week off before the next playoff series), but back to my point

seed the teams 1-8 in each conference and cross match them for the first round. 1st in the East plays 8th in the West, 2E vs. 7W, 3E vs. 6W, etc. Make the first round 5 games in 2-2-1 format

After that re-rank the remaining teams 1-8 and have a straight bracket (no reseeding) tournament with these 8 teams

The rest of the rounds are best of 7 in 2-2-1-1-1 format (including the finals)

This might make the finals watchable as it could be Spurs/Mavs or Spurs/Suns. The east is terrible and it doesnt look like they'll get much better soon.

 

4. Use the possession arrow

 

5. Use College's rules for bonus and double-bonus on fouls

 

6. If a team in the double bonus is fouled in the final two minutes of the game, they may allow 10 seconds or half of the game clock (whichever is less) to run off.

 

7. Fine Mark Cuban $3 billion

 

8. Make the draft lottery a true lottery for all non-playoff teams to prevent tanking

 

9. Less TV timeouts

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0]

I like the interleague baseball rule. I know a lot of people here will shoot that down.

 

The two minute warning adds to amount of commercials, so that isn't going away.

 

I also like Mark Cuban. He gives me a reason to care about the Mavericks.

[Guest Gym Class Fallout]

Most of those are either beaten into the ground for all the right reasons (no HFA from the ASG, no backdoor Royals in the ASG), all the wrong reasons (put 15 teams in the AL, put Rose in the Hall [this is not at the commissioner's discretion; he could reinstate Rose and the voters could still refuse to elect him]), or just really fuckin' stupid (durrr fine cuban ahaha).

 

I agree with going back to "one team, one ball" in the NBA draft lottery, and can't possibly see how anyone could disagree with me. Of course, I'd also like it to not be rigged when convenient, but let's be reasonable.

[phoenixrising 0]

MLB:

 

1. Make the National League adopt the DH. I don't think this will stop smallball - look at the Angels. I think it will add a little more excitement because the hitter is less likely to be an automatic out than the majority of pitchers are.

 

2. The All-Star Game will count no more. It's an exhibition so the fans can see the best players in the game and should not count for anything other than that. Best record will determine home-field advantage for the World Series. I'd even go a step further and allow the fans to vote for the starting pitcher.

 

3. Install Questec in all ballparks.

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0]

What's Questec?

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

The Umpire Information System

 

The UIS system consists of four cameras placed around a ballpark that feed into a computer network and record the locations of pitches throughout the course of a game. Two of the cameras are located high in the stands above the 1st and 3rd base lines to track the trajectory of each pitch. The other two are located at field level and record the stance of the batter so the top and bottom of the strike zone can be set. Computer software then generates CDs that umpires and their higher-ups can review and learn from. These CDs include video of the pitches as well as graphic representations of their locations plus feedback on the umpires' accuracy. The UIS was featured in a 2002 segment of Scientific American Frontiers called "Baseball Tech"

 

Controversy over the Umpire Information System quickly developed as umpires and players alike voiced concern over the system's accuracy and the fact that limited deployment (6 parks in the first year) might not guarantee uniform umpiring in the remaining parks. In its early trial period, baseball analysts questioned whether QuesTec was producing the consistency in umpiring that was supposed to occur.[1] A report by a QuesTec operator a year later suggested that the system still needed to be tweaked.[2] The controversy was fueled, in part, by several attempts by the World Umpires Association (WUA) to have the system removed through legal action, culminating in a dispute filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Meanwhile, a more hands-on approach was taken by former Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Curt Schilling. Schilling used a bat to smash one of QuesTec's field cameras; an act that led to a fine for the pitcher. The NLRB grievance was dropped by the WUA as part of the contract negotiations with MLB after the 2005 season, ending the legal challenges to the system.

 

As the UIS controversy died down and the statistics accumulated, it became clear that the UIS was accomplishing its basic goals of narrowing the strike zone closer to the width of the plate and returning both lower and higher strikes that were typically not called before the system was introduced. In addition, the claims that the system would "ruin the game" have not been fulfilled as both pitching and hitting statistics in "QuesTec ballparks" have been as good or better than non-QuesTec parks.[3]

[Guest Gym Class Fallout]

Al : Why ESPN Sucks :: Me : Commissioner for a Day

[Guest Vitamin X]

1. Get rid of the two-minute warning

2. Wide receiver only needs one foot in bounds

No, and no. Leave that one foot inbounds crap for college. Real men use two feet.

 

3. No regular season games overseas. Maybe preseason.

4. Change overtime. play until a team gets at least 6 points (td or two fgs). Better yet make it 4 points to adequately penalize a team for giving up a safety. The game would still end if the 15 minutes run off the clock.

I agree with these two, but I don't think having solely overseas games for preseason would be good. Teams make a ton of extra cash for hosting preseason games, so it's in their favor to do so. I don't like your ideas for overtime, but I would be in favor of eliminating the "return a kick, move 40-50 yards, then kick the ball to win" thing that happens in OT way too often. I would prefer no field goals in overtime, personally. Score a touchdown and go for fourth downs and have some balls or lose, dammit.

 

5. Change the playoff seeding. Top two are the two best division winners. 3-6 can be division winners or wild cards, based on record. A 7-9 division winner should not get the 4-seed and a home game just because they won a crappy division. They should still make the playoffs, but be seeded sixth.

What, you want it to end up like the NBA now? How about let them get wherever seed they fall for being a division winner, but if they play at a wildcard with a better record, they have to play on the road.

 

6. Less TV timeouts

7. Super Bowl starts at 6:30 ET. not a minute later. Get rid of the halftime show or make it a pre-game show. That way the game would end around 10:00.

9. Allow TD celebrations

Agreed.

 

8. Flag receivers who complain about not getting a pass interference call they think they deserve for unsportsmanlike conduct

Unnecessary, since often times they're in the right to complain.

[Guest scooter3230]

8. Flag receivers who complain about not getting a pass interference call they think they deserve for unsportsmanlike conduct

 

BEST IDEA IN THE FORUM

[Guest scooter3230]

In response to Frank Anchor a few posts up:

 

MLB

1. Realign to 6 5-team divisions. Move the Brewers back to the AL Central and put the Royals in the AL West I wouldn't mind seeing interleague baseball all year.

I don't interleague as it is now so I would hate it all year long. I say get rid of it and keep the divisions as they are

 

2. With interleague baseball, every team plays 6 3-game series. Teams play everyone from another division (i. e. AL Central vs. NL East), and one natural rival (i.e. Cubs vs. White Sox) on "rivalry weekend" in June. If the natural rival is in the same division that a team is already playing, they play each other twice that year.

see above comment

 

3. Eliminate the "Every team must be represented" rule from the All-Star-Game. Why should an average player be rewarded for playing for the Royals?

agreed except the team hosting the game should be guaranteed a rep

 

4. Eliminate the "This time it counts" from the All-Star-Game. Home field adv. in the world series should be determined like any other round. The team with the better record gets HFA except a division winner would get it over a wild card in any circumstance

agreed

 

5. Put Pete Rose in the HOF

and Joe Jackson too

 

6. Home teams must wear white jerseys. Visitors can wear grays or alternate third jerseys.

does that really matter?

 

7. Every team must play two traditional double-headers every year (one home one away). They will be between May 1 and the All Star Break

I like doubleheaders and I would like to see them on Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day

 

NFL

 

1. Get rid of the two-minute warning

I agree. It's an unnecessary stoppage of the clock. It also would eliminate an unnecessary TV timeout

 

2. Wide receiver only needs one foot in bounds

No. It's the NFL the receivers can get two feet in

 

3. No regular season games overseas. Maybe preseason

It would be good to play a few preseason games internationally. Maybe the Pro Bowl too

 

4. Change overtime. play until a team gets at least 6 points (td or two fgs). Better yet make it 4 points to adequately penalize a team for giving up a safety. The game would still end if the 15 minutes run off the clock.

Overtime definately needs a change. I don't like this specific idea as it can still end without both teams getting the ball. I say use NCAA overtime but teams start at their own 40

 

5. Change the playoff seeding. Top two are the two best division winners. 3-6 can be division winners or wild cards, based on record. A 7-9 division winner should not get the 4-seed and a home game just because they won a crappy division. They should still make the playoffs, but be seeded sixth.

Agreed

 

6. Less TV timeouts

Agreed

 

7. Super Bowl starts at 6:30 ET. not a minute later. Get rid of the halftime show or make it a pre-game show. That way the game would end around 10:00.

Move the Super Bowl to Saturday

 

8. Flag receivers who complain about not getting a pass interference call they think they deserve for unsportsmanlike conduct

Absolutely! Even if the receiver is in the right to complain it is the ref's decision, it is disrespectful to the ref's authority and it is getting out of control. If you don't like it deal with it. I wish a ref had the balls to do this now.

 

9. Allow TD celebrations

Agreed, it adds more fun to the game

 

NBA

 

1. Get rid of divisions. You just have two groups: East and West

Sure, The divisions serve no purpose except for unfairly seeding playoff teams

 

2. Shorten the season to 72 games. 3 against conference opponents and 2 against non-conference opponents

I would like the shorter season

 

3. Change the playoffs:

As much as I don't like it, it would be hard to get away from the 16-team playoff structure because bye weeks do more harm than good (look at a team that sweeps and has a week off before the next playoff series), but back to my point

seed the teams 1-8 in each conference and cross match them for the first round. 1st in the East plays 8th in the West, 2E vs. 7W, 3E vs. 6W, etc. Make the first round 5 games in 2-2-1 format

After that re-rank the remaining teams 1-8 and have a straight bracket (no reseeding) tournament with these 8 teams

The rest of the rounds are best of 7 in 2-2-1-1-1 format (including the finals)

This might make the finals watchable as it could be Spurs/Mavs or Spurs/Suns. The east is terrible and it doesnt look like they'll get much better soon.

Sounds confusing but if it allows for a good finals i would like any change

 

4. Use the possession arrow

No, if you want the ball, you gotta jump for it

 

5. Use College's rules for bonus and double-bonus on fouls

Agreed. It makes more sense than the NBA's system

 

6. If a team in the double bonus is fouled in the final two minutes of the game, they may allow 10 seconds or half of the game clock (whichever is less) to run off.

Good Idea. The NCAA should do that too

 

7. Fine Mark Cuban $3 billion

I'm assuming this is a joke

 

8. Make the draft lottery a true lottery for all non-playoff teams to prevent tanking

We could try that but the lottery is usually rigged anyway

 

9. Less TV timeouts

Agreed. The NFL is already TV's bitch theres still some time to save the NBA from this

[Richard 0]

If I was commish of the NBA or NHL: All playoff series are in a 2-3-2 format. There's no reason teams should travel 4 times in a 7 game series.

 

 

[Mike wanna be 0]

I already posted back when this was new, but tough shit.

 

NFL:

 

1) Allow celebrations; you don't want them to celebrate, don't give them anything to celebrate about.

 

2) Figure out some new overtime rules. Go with the college system, give everybody one possession, hell, steal from EA and have a tug-of-war system if you have to.

 

3) A limit of 3 non-overturned challenges per game; if the call on the field is overturned the team who challenged should not be "penalized" the loss of the use of challenges. It doesn't happen much, but too often a team runs out of challenges and can't challenge a questionable call at the end of the game.

 

4) Install rivalry games. Houston/Tennessee, Giants/Jets, etc. It shouldn't be that hard to set up, and it's better than the current scheduling system.

 

5) Super Bowl Stadium lottery! Worst team gets 32 balls, 2nd worst gets 30, 3rd worst 28, etc. until you hit the playoff teams; all playoff teams of the previous season get 8. It'd be a lot more interesting than the constant cycling between domes and southern/western stadiums. Buffalo, Green Bay, Chicago, Seattle, Washington, Giants/Jets, New England....Carolina, even, needs a shot at a Super Bowl. Maybe the halftime show won't be such a piss break if it's 10 below and snowing. (Would've solved that whole "Nipple or pastie?" debate in a fucking hurry, that's for sure)

 

6) Learn the laws of momentum; stop expecting 300+lb. D-linemen to stop on a dime to avoid hitting a QB when their head was being shoved towards the sky and they couldn't even see the QB, let alone tell whether he'd released the ball.

 

7) Eliminate incidental face mask penalties. I fully understand the personal foul varieties, but with people moving as fast as they are and doing as much as they do to avoid tackles it's just too easy to graze a face mask when going for a high tackle and getting 5-yarded for it.

 

8) Use some technology! Why are we still checking if a ball crossed a line with three old guys, two sticks and a chain? Would a computer chip that talks to sensors on the field that tell it how far it went on a certain play be too much to ask? It'd fix the shoddy "spotting" of the ball, save a bunch of time on the measurements as well as the video review for end-zone plunges.

[Guest Gym Class Fallout]

Hey look, yet another person who doesn't grasp the concept of the Super Bowl.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

I don't think anyone would want to play the Super Bowl at Green Bay, maybe not even the Packers (OK, that's a stretch), but I think having a neutral site is good for the game. I wouldn't mind seeing them have it at some non-NFL venues, so it's not cycling between the same eight or so spots every few years.

 

As for the MLB idea about the Brewers moving back to the AL, I wouldn't necessarily mind it, but I doubt they want to change back after just switching leagues about ten years ago. Also, the rivalries with the Cubs and Cardinals probably bring in too much money for them at this point. I do wish there was some way around having one four team division and one six team division, but I doubt it will change until MLB expands again to 32 teams.