Now that you have all read about the horrible day I am having, and I’m sure you’re feeling much better about yourselves, let me get down to something I actually love, erm, hate, no maybe love, the NFL. It’s been busy week in the NFL, lots of trade rumors, draft strategy excitement, new NFLPA reps, and rule changes.
Rule changes happen every year, some good some bad. This year they have managed to split them down the middle. First, the NFL owners finally make a smart decision and fixed the draft order. The new system seeds the draft order based on the playoffs and not just straight record. Now, instead of some 8-8 team slipping into the playoffs and making a decent ways through and then getting the 15th or 16th pick overall, ala San Diego a couple years ago, or teams that finish 11-5 not make the playoffs and getting a 25th pick overall, teams that make the playoffs will be moved further back. I think that the draft order change should have happened years ago, finally there is some more fairness attached to the draft, so the teams that truly need to help to make to the playoffs will be getting the picks they want and need. I don’t think I need to make an argument beyond it’s fair; the owners agree as well, voting unanimously in favor. The second rule change I think they got right is the new on-side kick rule. The new rule states that if the onside kick goes out of bounds the ball automatically goes to the receiving team. In years past the bad kick was rewarded with a second attempt. I think the nature of this rule change was obvious and has been overlooked for years, and I think it is a great change. I am always for rewarding good plays instead of helping bad ones.
For every good rule change the NFL seems to make, they will follow it with bad one. The new NFL rules open up a host of new plays as reviewable. In wake of Ed Hochuli’s blown call I think the NFL Owners association is overreacting. Don’t get me wrong, I am for official review, I think it brings more purity and honesty to the game. At certain point though we are wasting time with these rules. Either they make everything reviewable or nothing at all. I am getting a little tired of the added time to games with the amount of reviews that happen now. When instant replay was first added to the NFL, I was excited to hear that they limited it to two challenges per team with a charged timeout. Every year they seem to lax up these rules add more time to games and oh yeah cram a new sponsor down our throats. I have on more than one occasion spent an entire sunday watching football without moving from the couch, but that is really only feasible for high school and college students; the more time and commericals they add to game the less likely I am to sit around watching it. Past the addition of time to the game, the rules are getting nitpicky. At this point, with the accuracy of cameras and refs why not make everything reviewable? I understand that some coaches may start trying to review holding calls or late hits but they are charged a timeout for wasted calls, but the review has already become a point of strategy in the game, I don’t think it will change much.
Lastly, I want to bring everyone’s attention to the new NFLPA union head Demaurice Smith, a little known outsider who managed to take over the union. By all reports the new head is taking the job by storm already putting together a transition team and putting forth a platform. From the outside he looks like a guy that knows what he is doing and so far I like the work that he has done. He’s in a tough spot though with the collective bargaining agreement expiring in 2010. If the deal manages to lapse without a replacement the NFL will be change forever and probably for the worst. I wish him the best of luck and hope that he can preserve the league. I guess it’s just something to look out for as we watch the 2009 season progress.
