The NFL Better Wake The Hell Up About OT

The rule sucks and everybody knows it. Game ends in a tie. Now what? I don't know, guess we'll just flip a coin. Brilliant! And if that's such a magnificent idea, hell, why don't we just flip a coin at the start, we won't even have to play the game? About as smart.

FoxNews says they're fair and balanced. Should apply to FoxSport too, you think? I don't know about their News side, since I'm watching Sports Central most of the time, or whatever is on ESPN. But FoxSports or any fair minded fan should reject any rule as fundamentally unsound as flipping coins in over time. Way it is now, the Super Bowl could come down to a coin flip. Is that how we want to chose Super Bowl Champions? With flippin' coins?

Our judicial system, the blind-folded lady weighing truth, justice, and fair play, holds up her scale. She tries to be fair. So she gives every scumbag criminal a chance at a rebuttal, because that's the fair thing to do. There is no rebuttal in the NFL. Sudden death, and the game is over. At least every murder get their day in court. Same should be in the NFL. In overtime, each team should get an equal chance to score? Is that too much to ask? If there is no rebuttal, then there is no justice.

A team's season, gets to the playoffs, battle heroically to a tie, the refs huddle, then they all trot out on the field for a coin toss? So lame. The head of Al Davis on one side, Roger Goodell, bending over to the NFL owners, that's tails. There's a flip, somebody shouts AL. That team wins. It's crazy. How would you feel if this happened to your Super Bowl team? Like you've just been cheated, right? Unless your team bagged the toss. Then you'd feel like you'd gotten away with something, a silent snicker. Is that how you want it? A show of hands. How many say, 'Screw fairness?' Get them up high. Didn't think so. Even the NHL has slashed games ending in a tie. A shootout works for them. Like soccer.

40 years ago, NFL was a smash-mouth, in-your-grill Nitschke Butkus Purple People Eaters defensive league. Football was played outside on grass where 30-40 yard field goals were no gimmies. Then rules changed favoring a wide open, higher scoring game, including a rule that crowned inferior teams in over time, for simply making a field goal. Indoors especially. Of course the flip winner goes on offense. Today, rookie kickers, 50 yards is a piece of cake. Any kind of a run back wins the game. Times have changed. The game has changed. It's time for the NFL to wise up. It's time for a rule change.

So, why the rule. Here's why.

Network broadcast schedules. FOX game starts at 11am, and the CBS game comes on at around 2pm. A tie game must be decide quickly, ergo the coin flip. Looks fair? Right? Sudden death, first to score wins. It's quick. Not like collegiate, where tie games can last way past curfew. Long overtime means either cutting away to the second game, (terrific!) leaving everyone hanging, (Like when they cut off the end of the 68 Jets/Raiders Super Bowl for the scheduled movie, Heidi? Fans are still vocal.)

 Or keeping the game on in the team areas, which doubles satellite transponder rental time. (Costing money.) Dragging out the late games would overlap Sunday night prime time schedules. Big bucks in pro sports comes from the networks, the ultimate master of the NFL. It's TV schedules. That's the real reason.

That said, what's fair?

“This just in: No more Gawd Awful coin flips! NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has grown a spine, and presented to the NFL rules committee the following suggestion for tie games. Here's what he said: " (Pick your favorite.)

1. “We should not change the rule. We'll just leave it like it is, if that's okay with you, gentlemen? You know, flipping a coin.”

2. “In overtime, each team gets 2 minutes on offense, starting on their own 30 yard line. First team on offense, was the last team on defense during the game. One time out. Total yardage gained in OT wins the game by one point. Quick. Fair. Decisive.”

3. Team coaches stand backs to back at the fifty yard line, cans of Silly String, whistle, take two steps, turn, aim and squeeze. First to mummify the other wins. Fans will LOVE it.”

4. “Tie games will be decided by the kickers. That's right, 135 lbs. kickers. The kicker, a center and a holder on the filed. 1 pt for FG from 15 yds, 2 pts from the 30, 3 pts from the 50. Most points wins. Each kicker has 3 minutes. Fans will hold their breaths. It seems fair. If it's okay to win the game with a FG, why not in over time." (My favorite. Like in poker, I like having a good kicker! Plus, you know exactly who to skewer when you lose in overtime.)

5. “There will be no field goals in overtime. First to score wins. Super Bowl will have a special tie rule. Since it is the last game of the year, we play until one team wins by 10 points. Best season record receives. Time is money. More time for the Network to profit by playing all those 'Expensive Super Bowl Commercials!'"

6. “There will be no overtime. Tie is a tie. Tie games will raise holy hell with the standings but it will leave more teams alive in the playoff race deeper into the season. Fans will 'stay tuned,' longer, watch more commercials."

Players no longer wear leather helmets. Player don't wear those Johnny U high tops much anymore either. And NFL players should no longer be calling coin flips in over time. It's just wrong.

That's my take. What do you think?

CorneliusButterfield.com