CFB---Disgusted with this new RULE CHANGE!

Fishhead · Aug 9, 2006

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=940 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD align=left><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Rules to clip span of games rile some NCAA football coaches</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE height=25 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Updated 8/8/2006 9:00 PM ET</TD><TD align=right>

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Enlarge</TD><TD class=photoCredit align=right width=165>By Butch Dill, AP</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2 height=1>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=photoCredit colSpan=2>Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer, speaking to reporters July 27, recently noted that changes in clock rules will likely make it more difficult to break records.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

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<SCRIPT type=text/javascript>swapContent('firstHeader','applyHeader');</SCRIPT>By Kelly Whiteside, USA TODAY
College football will be significantly affected this season by two new clock rules, according to coaches rankled by rules 3-2-5 and 3-2-5-e. They were designed to shorten the game.
The first change means the clock starts on a kickoff when the ball is kicked, not when the receiving team touches it. The other change means the clock starts on a change of possession when the ball is marked ready for play, not when it is snapped.
"I am appalled at the rule changes," said Oregon coach Mike Bellotti. "They are major and very severe and will change the game as we know it."
The changes are expected to mean 10 to 14 fewer plays (some estimate as many as 20).
"Some of the records, if you're losing 12 to 15 plays a game, likely won't be nearly as easily broken," said Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer.
South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said: "I think it will help the underdog teams. If you're the underdog, obviously you would like fewer plays in the game."
Spurrier also said teams might use no-huddle offenses more often.
In practices this month, coaches are getting their teams accustomed to the changes.
"When you kick the ball, (the clock) starts; kick it out of bounds with 8-10 seconds to go, the game's over," Penn State coach Joe Paterno said. "We've got to expose our kids to it in preseason practice."
The length of games has grown in recent seasons. For instance, the average time in the Western Athletic Conference has increased 15 minutes in two years.
"We weren't looking to take plays away from the game. We were looking to ... get away from some of these 3-hour, 45-minute games in hot weather or cold weather," said Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville, who is on the rules committee, which approved the changes in May. "This is obviously an experiment. Anything we do in the rules committee can be changed next year."
Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said Big Ten games ranged from 3:07 to 3:24.
"In a perfect world, the games should be in the three-hour range, not the 3:30 range. If you look at the listening and viewing habits of the next generation, 3½ minutes is long; forget about 3½ hours," Delany said.
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Fishhead · Aug 9, 2006

1. Why mess with a great procuct?!?

2. What is a few minutes?

3. As coach Spurrier stated, this helps the underdog teams considerably.

4. Messes with the record books(see MLB going from 154 games to 162).

This is a travesty to the great game of CFB.

I am thoroughly disgusted that the BIG TEN commissioner is one of the biggest backers of this new rule.

This rule change should be overturned before the start of the season...........but it will not. Hopefully next year the powers that be will have come to their senses.

-FH-

go2guy · Aug 9, 2006

Fishhead said:
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=940 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD align=left><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Rules to clip span of games rile some NCAA football coaches</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE height=25 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Updated 8/8/2006 9:00 PM ET</TD><TD align=right>  </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left><TABLE style="FLOAT: left" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=245 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2> </TD><TD vAlign=top width=20 rowSpan=3>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=vaLink width=80 height=18> Enlarge</TD><TD class=photoCredit align=right width=165>By Butch Dill, AP</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2 height=1>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=photoCredit colSpan=2>Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer, speaking to reporters July 27, recently noted that changes in clock rules will likely make it more difficult to break records.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<TABLE class=vaOuter cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=245 border=0 xmlns:fo="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Format"><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2 height=20>

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<SCRIPT type=text/javascript>swapContent('firstHeader','applyHeader');</SCRIPT>By Kelly Whiteside, USA TODAY
College football will be significantly affected this season by two new clock rules, according to coaches rankled by rules 3-2-5 and 3-2-5-e. They were designed to shorten the game.
The first change means the clock starts on a kickoff when the ball is kicked, not when the receiving team touches it. The other change means the clock starts on a change of possession when the ball is marked ready for play, not when it is snapped.
"I am appalled at the rule changes," said Oregon coach Mike Bellotti. "They are major and very severe and will change the game as we know it."
The changes are expected to mean 10 to 14 fewer plays (some estimate as many as 20).
"Some of the records, if you're losing 12 to 15 plays a game, likely won't be nearly as easily broken," said Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer.
South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said: "I think it will help the underdog teams. If you're the underdog, obviously you would like fewer plays in the game."
Spurrier also said teams might use no-huddle offenses more often.
In practices this month, coaches are getting their teams accustomed to the changes.
"When you kick the ball, (the clock) starts; kick it out of bounds with 8-10 seconds to go, the game's over," Penn State coach Joe Paterno said. "We've got to expose our kids to it in preseason practice."
The length of games has grown in recent seasons. For instance, the average time in the Western Athletic Conference has increased 15 minutes in two years.
"We weren't looking to take plays away from the game. We were looking to ... get away from some of these 3-hour, 45-minute games in hot weather or cold weather," said Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville, who is on the rules committee, which approved the changes in May. "This is obviously an experiment. Anything we do in the rules committee can be changed next year."
Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said Big Ten games ranged from 3:07 to 3:24.
"In a perfect world, the games should be in the three-hour range, not the 3:30 range. If you look at the listening and viewing habits of the next generation, 3½ minutes is long; forget about 3½ hours," Delany said.

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Isn't more TV coverage responsible for the additional length of games. The refs get a cue to start play after the commercials right?

steeser · Aug 9, 2006

The clock starting after a change in possession is awful.

Rolltideroll · Aug 9, 2006

These rules disgust the hell out of me.For starters I LOVE games that last 4 hours,in particular if its my favorite team.Also with less plays in a game,This will destroy Stat comparison and records.It will be extra hard for a running back to break a rschool or NCAA record for yards in a game when there will be 12+ less plays in a game.Same with QB stats etc,I HATE IT!!

Fishhead · Aug 9, 2006

steeser said:
The clock starting after a change in possession is awful.

.........and the clock starting when toe meets the ball on a kickoff isn't?

BOTH OF THESE RULES ARE COMPLETELY ABSURD and one would have to be a complete jackass/non-fan to like these changes.

UNBELIEVABLE

What the hell are they thinking?

STUNNING to say the least.

ElIguana · Aug 9, 2006

Starting the clock at the change of possession, although I don't like it, will at least allow the team on offense to be ready and snap the ball quickly if they so choose.

But starting the clock when the ball is kicked will dramatically change the outcome of games--not the opening kickoff, which is probably what they were thinking when they designed the rule, but kickoffs at the end of games.

A team who just scored a field goal to go up by 3 with just a few ticks left can now kick a high ball out of bounds or out of the end zone, and the other team will just have to watch it fly with NO attempt to return it. This negates one of the greatest plays in football, which is the final kick return after the buzzer sounds. "It ain't over until it's over." Apparently, now it will be over as soon as the ball is kicked.

go2guy · Aug 9, 2006

Next they'll come with the NFL Europe/Arena rules where the clock runs even after an incomplete pass. This isn't soccer, it's football.....well American football that is LOL!

2PLAYSMAX · Aug 9, 2006

MANY overs will be lost to this...my stomach is already sick

Load up the Mallox in the cabinet

Fishhead · Aug 9, 2006

El Iguana said:
Starting the clock at the change of possession, although I don't like it, will at least allow the team on offense to be ready and snap the ball quickly if they so choose.

But starting the clock when the ball is kicked will dramatically change the outcome of games--not the opening kickoff, which is probably what they were thinking when they designed the rule, but kickoffs at the end of games.

A team who just scored a field goal to go up by 3 with just a few ticks left can now kick a high ball out of bounds or out of the end zone, and the other team will just have to watch it fly with NO attempt to return it. This negates one of the greatest plays in football, which is the final kick return after the buzzer sounds. "It ain't over until it's over." Apparently, now it will be over as soon as the ball is kicked.

Game cannot end on a penalty........so not entirely true.

dougstewart · Aug 9, 2006

Someone posted a thread about an over/under line on the Cal (I think) game that opened at 54.5 and was bet down to 45. Now you know the rest of the story

go2guy · Aug 9, 2006

El Iguana said:
Starting the clock at the change of possession, although I don't like it, will at least allow the team on offense to be ready and snap the ball quickly if they so choose.

But starting the clock when the ball is kicked will dramatically change the outcome of games--not the opening kickoff, which is probably what they were thinking when they designed the rule, but kickoffs at the end of games.

A team who just scored a field goal to go up by 3 with just a few ticks left can now kick a high ball out of bounds or out of the end zone, and the other team will just have to watch it fly with NO attempt to return it. This negates one of the greatest plays in football, which is the final kick return after the buzzer sounds. "It ain't over until it's over." Apparently, now it will be over as soon as the ball is kicked.

Even if they kick it out of bounds, it should be a penalty and the game can't end on a penalty but it won't matter since they will only get an untimed down on their 35 which most opposing coaches will probably take.

The_Man · Aug 9, 2006

Wow, shit rule change. Why fix it if its not broke? If they have all this time on their hands to go looking for things to change why not change the way the teams are ranked in the BCS polls. Crock of bull this stuff. Not like it is going to make any significant improvement to the game anyway.

Take the under, 20 less plays.

Fishhead · Aug 9, 2006

Yours trully is a HUGE FAN of CFB.............not only am I pissed what this does to the game itself, but as a fan I want to see as much football as possible...............NOT 10-15 PLAYS LESS FOR GOODNESS SAKES.

VERY UPSET AT THIS!

stef · Aug 9, 2006

I have always looked forward more to Saturdays then Sunday, love atmosphere of the college game. Does not make sense what they are doing, if its not broke don;t try to fix it. Hope they never touch the clock stops to move the chain rule. It makes for some great finishes.

Fishhead · Aug 9, 2006

Believe you will see more "NO HUDDLE" offenses because of this rule.............especially on the first play of a possession.

ElIguana · Aug 9, 2006

Fish & Go2, good point about the game can't end on a penalty. We'll have to see if coaches would rather chance a kickoff return for a TD or a hail Mary from the 35. We'll probably see a lot of squibs.

If they think games are too long, they need to shorten TV time-outs, but of course that won't happen because it would mean a loss of $$.

bulldog77 · Aug 9, 2006

Football is becoming more and more the sport that they talk about all week and ends up with 5 minutes a game of actual action. NFL screwed with rules to shorten games and what you have now is an unending series of commercials occasionaly interrupted by a little football.
Makes it harder for the better side to cover(be they fav or dog) because the more plays the more likely for the true value of the teams to surface. Disgusting. They will probably just increase the commercials more to make up for the extra time available. More ads with less product.
Also, it penalizes the team that is in the best condition because they lose a lot of that advantage with fewer plays.
The people that make these decisions always say the fans are complaining about the games being too long. I have never met a college football fan at the game or on Tv who complained the game was too long!

Fishhead · Aug 9, 2006

bulldog77 said:
Football is becoming more and more the sport that they talk about all week and ends up with 5 minutes a game of actual action. NFL screwed with rules to shorten games and what you have now is an unending series of commercials occasionaly interrupted by a little football.
Makes it harder for the better side to cover(be they fav or dog) because the more plays the more likely for the true value of the teams to surface. Disgusting. They will probably just increase the commercials more to make up for the extra time available. More ads with less product.
Also, it penalizes the team that is in the best condition because they lose a lot of that advantage with fewer plays.
The people that make these decisions always say the fans are complaining about the games being too long. I have never met a college football fan at the game or on Tv who complained the game was too long!