There Ought to be a Law

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I'm bradley, and it's my job to keep you from being the sucker at the table.

There are just some things that frost my coconuts. And so if this were a dictatorship and I was head tyrant, here are some things I would consider as my unchallenged edicts.

First edict - in baseball, I would make it a permanent rule, never to be overwritten - no more combined no hitters. If your starting pitching is throwing a no-no, you have to leave him in. If he gives up a hit, all bets are off.

Oh - and while we're on the subject of baseball, why not make it more like other sports and allow unlimited substitutions? That's my next edict. You can switch up players in football, basketball and hey - hockey is a minute by minute substitution game. Let managers bring players in and out of games at will - spices things up, especially in later innings. And who wouldn't want to have a pinch runner for your lumbering 40 HR guy who just got intentionally walked, only to be able to put him back in the game once the runner scored or the inning was over. Would sure bring back the 'managing' part of baseball, instead of the analytic side.

Next edict - the referees in basketball have to actually enforce the rules. Really. I mean it. Traveling, palming the ball, the three second rule - all of it. Play the game the way it was drawn up - don't just turn it into a thunder dunk competition. And while you're at it, take away the stupid three point shot. Totally destroyed the beauty of the game. You don't see field goal kickers in football getting more points for longer field goals. Ditto baseball, where a 300 foot home run counts the same as a 450 footer. Make basketball a real sport again. 

Here's one for you hockey fans - trim NHL goalie gear down about 20% so they don't look like the Michelin tire guy standing there between the pipes. Seriously - those guys have more padding than an 'A' cup pretending they're a 'C' cup. The goalies today are incredibly athletic and quick. Let's take off some of the pads, lighten them up a bit and let them use that athleticism the way the game meant they should. Also, it gins up the offense a little and makes the game a bit more exciting for the fans

One last offering for now - and this is absolutely for football fans everywhere. Bring some defense back into the NFL. Honestly - enough with the 45-44 shootouts. Let the defense have just a bit more influence in the game. And by that I mean, enough with all the pass interference calls. Keep it clean enough so you still can't mug a guy while the ball's in the air, but hey - let's be a bit more reasonable about it. A defensive player has the right to the ball just like the offensive players. So let's even out the game a little and make offensive coordinators come up with more creative ways to get the ball downfield. Trust me  it will actually improve the game.

Being head tyrant is tough work but you know all this makes a ton of sense. So let's crack open a cold one and start thinking about who needs to be banished. Ahh, another rant for another day.

I'm bradley and it's my job to keep you from being the sucker at the table.