Interesting article on rules changes coming soon

From SFGate.com, in an article entitled, "Fiction and Truth About Officiating".

 

How often do they enforce the 90 second rule now? Goes over quite a bit. And what is the penalty to the refs if they go over 90 seconds?

 

no need for a new thread...this was on the front page of nfl.com tonight with a SS picture.

Limits on celebrations make sense

By Vic Carucci
National Editor, NFL.com


ORLANDO, Fla. (March 27, 2006) -- Let's dispense with the "No Fun League" talk from the beginning.

This isn't about that.

An NFL competition committee proposal designed to curtail celebrations does not, in any way, attempt to eliminate all forms of players celebrating touchdowns.

Players can still spike the ball in the end zone, spin it on the ground, and dunk it over the goal post if they like (and are able to). They also can dance and even leap into the stands.

What they can't do is use the ball as a prop in their routine. Nor can they do any celebrating on the ground or be part of any group effort. And when the referee warns them that their celebration has gone on too long and needs to stop, they must stop … or be penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct that would be assessed on the ensuing kickoff.

As they watched videotape of games played during the 2005 season, members of the committee concluded that celebrations simply were getting out of hand. The biggest problem was that they were taking too long and slowing down the game unnecessarily.

And the committee members weren't the only ones who formed that opinion. Representatives of the NFL Players Association shared that view, and, in fact, encouraged the committee to do something about it in the form of a rules change.

"The players' association was unanimous in wanting to get this under control," said Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher, who is co-chairman of the competition committee along with Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Rich McKay.

No one is looking to prevent players from expressing their joy or having some "artistic freedom" (if that's what it's called) in their celebrations. No one is looking to take any fun out of the game.

The idea is just to move along the pace of play, and the proposal is more than reasonable in that regard.

 

I like the nature of the idea of keeping WR out of the stringent restrictions of false starts, but it still doesn't seem correct.

I do like the potential rule change allowing a defensive player to have radio.

 

I still don't see why it's so hard for a WR to look in at the ball. I think it's the dumbest thing I ever heard of. 11 guys on offense have got to stay put until the snap. They start twiching and jumping and it'll just start messing everybody else up anyway. It's waay to much of a grey area.

ON 2 READY (oh, except for you, you, & you) BREAK


agree on the helmet radio though, I've thought for years they should have one. they call plays just like the offense.

 

Thank god. Chad Johnson's "Tiger Woods routine" was just about the dumbest fucking thing ever.

Yes.