What’s the motivation for NCA A changes?
So, college football is looking at rules changes in an effort to primarily speed up games.
My first question is, “Why?” With the possible exception of the 3:30 CBS game, which either hits the 4-hour plateau or flirts like a frat boy with the vixen that is the 240-minute mark, has anyone every pondered, “Man, I really love college football, I wish there were less plays and we spent less time watching it, you know?”
My second question is “Why now?” Part of the explanation of the proposed changes is to limit players’ exposure.
Side question: Ever noticed that when football wants to change something they always open the ‘players safety’ umbrella? Yeah, me too.
Player safety is the ubiquitous controlling refrain, right there in the halls of, “You’ll shoot your eye out” when kids ask about BB guns and, “Don’t swim until 30 minutes after you’ve eaten” as a rocksolid, unassailable talking point.
But let’s suppose for a second that if player safety was at issue, then why does every Coach, Dick and Harry immediately look at his lamented play card when every redblooded American with two eyes and football IQ over 75 knows that his running back was just concussed?
America will wait on your response.
Now let’s suppose also that the folks that run major college sports in general and major college football in particular are trying every possible way to squeeze every possible dollar out of their product.
So, again, let’s suppose that college football’s plan to tighten game times may have something to do with the product for consumers, both at home and in person. Hmmmmmm. Crazy I know.
College games in person can slow down. Painfully at times.
Here are the suggested
rule changes under review, according to Ross Dellenger’s Twitter feed:
› Prohibiting consecutive timeouts (ie icing kicks)
› No untimed down at the end of the first quarter/third quarter
› Clock runs after first downs except inside of two minutes in a half
› Clock runs on incompletions once ball is spotted.
Looking at the line items, this should be like a 15-second conversation.
Icing the kicker? Fine. Approved.
No untimed downs? Fine. Like that matters.
As for the changes in the clock procedures, well, I think that gives college football an edge over the way NFL teams approach ‘five-minute offenses’ late in each half.
Big-picture, I understand the thought process, but man, how refreshing would it be for any leadership group to come out and be transparent with its motives and its path.
Rather than “player exposure” — something the college football powers that be poo-pooed when Nick Saban made a similar suggestion a decade ago in terms of pace and number of plays — why not just walk to the mic, clear your throat, and drop this: “Thanks for coming to this news conference, Joe Scribe, Jane Reporter and the rest of the trusted and respected members of the media.”
(Editor’s note here: No one behind the microphone really trusts or respects Joe or Jane or Jay or Spy or the rest of us. But offering the flag of friendship — and pulling a Mickleson, who has become the best in sports at using a reporter’s first name, which makes the reporter feel cool and treat insider-traders like Philly Mick with kid golf gloves — is always a good start.)
“We love college football, and I mean all of us. It’s America’s No. 2 most-popular sports choice on a weekly basis, behind only the mighty NFL.
“We do not take that love for granted and are trying to find ways to make the game we love better for the fans, the future and the financial partners that depend on it. Partners like our TV broadcasters, and partners like the rest of the sports and things on campus that count on the overflowing millions that convey our love for this grand ol’ game.
“With that, we are looking to move game lengths closer to that 3-hour, 3:15 window. Our goal in this is to add an extra broadcast window for our partners — think GameDay starting at 11:30, and rolling into the night on quicker and tighter windows — and to make the game-experience for in-person fans as action-packed as possible.
“Rather than changing some hinky rule or using the player safety parasol, we will tighten commercials and encourage our TV partners that the money will be made up and revenue will actually increased with an extra window of games to show and the increased fees that can be charged by the ever-growing popularity of this great game.
“I was fully prepared to take questions, but Joe, Jane and everyone if you will excuse me, I have been told there is an orphanage in town that has caught on fire and I must run there carrying a bucket of water to do my civic and rightful best to be of service.
“God bless you all and God bless college football.”