First off, there is no way Texas should be considered number one after just pulling out a win over Ohio State. As much as I thought they shouldn’t have been penalized for losing a close game at Texas Tech, I now do not think they should be rewarded for their come from behind win. Are you kidding? 6-3 halftime score. Leading 17-6 heading into the 4 th quarter and they best they can do is a pull out a win with 16 ticks on the clock? Boring game up until the fourth quarter.
I think part of the problem the game was boring and sloppy is because Texas and Ohio State had not played in over a month. They looked rusty and out of sync early. Since we know there will never be a playoff system in college football and with Utah’s dominant win over Alabama, and many fans and media who will still feel Texas needs to be considered for the number one ranking, the "and one" National Championship game idea is flawed. I have a solution.
Start the college football season, middle to the end of September.
That’s right, no more kicking off the season at the end of August, spreading out a 12 game season into late November, early December only to have the top teams sit and wait three, four, five weeks to play the most important game of their college careers.
My college season would start two or three weeks later than usual. After the conference championships, you’d kick into bowl season and the top BCS games would only have a week or two lag time between a conference championship game and their BCS bowl game.
As far as all of the post-season awards shows including the Heisman? Move them after the National Championship game, much like NASCAR holds their award ceremonies at the end of their season. This could replace those ridiculous ESPYs. Plus, it also would justify that Graham Harrell didn’t deserve a seat at the Heisman following his lousy bowl performance.
I want to tweak NFL football and their overtime policy. When flipping a coin to get the ball first in an era when three yards and a cloud of dust was the M.O. for NFL teams, the coin flip now in an era where teams can move 55 yards down the field and into field goal position in 15 seconds is outdated.
Hence, I give you a new approach to overtime in the NFL and it’s similar to soccer. WAIT A MINUTE! Just because I’m uttering soccer and football in the same breath, hear me out.
In soccer, after the second (45) minute half has concluded, the official has the discretion to determine if more time is needed for injuries or whatever else happens in a soccer game. The game could continue another two, five or ten minutes, etc with no stoppage in play. My NFL sudden death overtime is based on that theory.
Example. Let’s say the Chiefs kick a 30 yard field goal as time expires to tie the Rams at 24. Instead of a coin toss, the Chiefs kick off to the Rams and play continues. The clock is set up for 15 minutes, each team gets the same number of timeouts as they would in OT now, and play continues until a team scores. The same scenario would work out if the Chiefs tied the game with 1:00 to play. They kick off to St. Louis and the Rams take over. If the Rams get across midfield and time in the fourth quarter expires, they continue to play from that point on.
Perhaps, you change sides at the end of regulation and one more time at the 7:30 mark of overtime, but the point is, a coin toss doesn’t determine who gets the ball first. The game just continues to play similar to soccer’s "extra time."
If after 15 minutes of the "extra time," if no team has scored, yes Mr. McNabb, the game would end in a tie during the regular season. In playoff games, the time would just continue.
This makes for exciting football. No more sitting on the ball in a tie game in the final minute of overtime with the ball at your 20. You better try to get some first downs. No more prevent defense and a Hail Mary with the game tied and :02 left on the clock. Think about it. There’s no down side.
Finally, my picks for the week.
Baltimore at Tennessee. Baltimore 12-10. These two teams have great defense and it will come down to a late missed FG that advances the Ravens.
San Diego at Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh 31-10. No LT, No way for SD.
Arizona at Carolina. Arizona 34-28. It’s tough to beat a team twice. We’ll see the same type of game as the Cardinals saw against Atlanta. Yes, Carolina is better, but I like the Arizona Cinderella story.
Philadelphia at NY Giants. New York 24-17. Yes, I know Philly beat up on the Giants at the Meadowlands, but c’mon this is the playoffs. Giants had a week off to rest and their offensive line is too dominant. As much as everyone loves Donovan and Andy Reid this week in Philly, but Sunday evening, they’ll be calling for their heads.
