Antiquated sports rules, customs

[BillVol]

Mitch Albom just made a cut-and-dried case for instant replay for baseball and said it could be started tomorrow but said that baseball is too stubborn to change because of its loyalty to the traditions of the game. He said balls and strikes should be off limits to instant reply but that it would be perfect for foul balls, tags, etc.

Another sport that should change some rules IMO is golf. A golfer once eliminated himself from a shot at a Masters title when he signed an incorrect scoring card. What a joke. There shouldn't be scoring cards kept by golfers anyhow in a major tournament. Have an official scorer and let these guys golf. TV keeps the score anyhow and I've never heard of them making a mistake.

The other day at the NCAA golf championship, a player accidently said "good match" to his opponent on the 17th hole. This, by the rules of golf, officially represented a concession of the match and it was over.

[Voluble2]

Baseball results will never be a legitimate until there is some better way of calling balls and strikes and until the rules actually reflect what the strike zone truly is. As it is now everyone just has to guess... including the umpires.

Golf and baseball were both developed back when people had nothing better to do with their time. They are both bucolic, slow moving, and ritualistic so it is not surprising that they are the two games most in need of updating. You have to remember that there was so little to do in previous eras that what entertainment there was needed to last a long time. Symphonies and operas are other examples of this. For better or worse that sort of long form entertainment is a relic of a different age.

[Oracle]

"Golf and baseball were both developed back when people had nothing better to do with their time. They are both bucolic, slow moving, and ritualistic so it is not surprising that they are the two games most in need of updating. You have to remember that there was so little to do in previous eras that what entertainment there was needed to last a long time. Symphonies and operas are other examples of this. For better or worse that sort of long form entertainment is a relic of a different age."

Sounds like you are describing the exciting game of soccer. Another relic of a different age.

[real turf fan]

To the list of antiquated, you might add Cricket.

The game.

Not the fishing lure.

[BillVol]

"Golf and baseball were both developed back when people had nothing better to do with their time. They are both bucolic, slow moving, and ritualistic so it is not surprising that they are the two games most in need of updating. You have to remember that there was so little to do in previous eras that what entertainment there was needed to last a long time. Symphonies and operas are other examples of this. For better or worse that sort of long form entertainment is a relic of a different age."

Sounds like you are describing the exciting game of soccer. Another relic of a different age.


Soccer has tons of rules that should be changed. The way time is kept, by the refereee on his own wristwatch, is ridiculous. Offsides should probably be eliminated. I don't think the effect on the sport would be bad. Soccer could also use the instant replay, such as on Maradona's "Hand of God" goal in '86.

[wkuvol]

Boxing should show the judges scoring after each round. How in the world does a sport exist where you son't know the score until after the competition? Once a guy knew he was not able to win enough rounds to beat his opponent, he could just start wailing on the guy looking for a knockout. Other improvements in sports dying for viewers: soccer shoud gte rid of offsides and reduce the size of the field. The play the thing on a field the size of a mall parking lot. Hockey should get rid of icing and offsides. In both sports, the decision the "cherry pick" or "snow bird" should be a strategic risk that could be taken if so chosen.

Absurd rule I'd like to see: In basket ball, if a 20' shot is worth 3 pts., the make the half court line ath "4 pt. line" and the opposing 3 pt line. a "5 pt. line". Would make for some interesting late game play.