NFL Changes Stupid "Bryant" Catch Rule...

[Limey]

...and replaces it with another...stupid...catch rule.

Instead of making a "football move", receivers are now required to "establish themselves as a runner".

Make sense?  Eh?  Oh.

[HudsonHawk]

...and replaces it with another...stupid...catch rule.

Instead of making a "football move", receivers are now required to "establish themselves as a runner".

Make sense?  Eh?  Oh.

So now if you go to the ground, even with firm possession an control, it's not a catch?

[HudsonHawk]

Actually, after reviewing the new phrasing, it's a good clarification.  The catch rule is a good one.  This new phrasing just clarifies what a "football move" is, and takes away the ridiculous argument that Bryant made one by stretching for the goal line.  

The bigger new from the NFL meetings is them getting rid of the TV blackout rule.

[Uncle Charlie]

The bigger new from the NFL meetings is them getting rid of the TV blackout rule.

Kind of...its only a trail...plus  I read an article last night in which I recall reading that only 2 games were blacked out last year.  That's <1% of the regular season games.

[HudsonHawk]

Kind of...its only a trail...plus  I read an article last night in which I recall reading that only 2 games were blacked out last year.  That's <1% of the regular season games.

I read that there were no blackouts in 2014 and only 2 in 2013.  Only like 10 in the last 5 years.  True it's hardly been a factor in recent years, but it's a pretty big step for the NFL.  They're not really into "progress". 

[Rebel Jew]

I read that there were no blackouts in 2014 and only 2 in 2013.  Only like 10 in the last 5 years.  True it's hardly been a factor in recent years, but it's a pretty big step for the NFL.  They're not really into "progress". 

Yeah, but the real issue is why there have been so few blackouts, which is of course local businesses "buying" the remaining tickets and/or the team "donating" them to charity as a tax write-off (not to mention league partnerships with scalpers like stubhub). I don't think I've ever been to a Raider game that actually had full fan attendance. The blackout rule justifies these efforts to manufacture sell-outs.

[HudsonHawk]

Yeah, but the real issue is why there have been so few blackouts, which is of course local businesses "buying" the remaining tickets and/or the team "donating" them to charity as a tax write-off (not to mention league partnerships with scalpers like stubhub). I don't think I've ever been to a Raider game that actually had full fan attendance. The blackout rule justifies these efforts to manufacture sell-outs.

But revenue from the remaining ticket sales is pissing in the ocean compared to the TV revenue.  The NFL has finally realized that they're not making their money from game-day ticket sales. 

[Limey]

NFL is moving the PAT from the 2-yard line - where kickers make 99% of the chip shots - to the 30 yard line - from where they make 93%.  That's really going to add to the excitement of the PAT.

Meanwhile, some blasphemous Limeys have suggested getting rid of the kicking game altogether.  Of course, they conveniently forget that the kicking game in "football" was inherited from its rugby forebears,

[HudsonHawk]

NFL is moving the PAT from the 2-yard line - where kickers make 99% of the chip shots - to the 30 yard line - from where they make 93%.  That's really going to add to the excitement of the PAT.

Not only that, they're making it where the defense can score on a PAT.  Which seems silly to me. 

[Limey]

Not only that, they're making it where the defense can score on a PAT.  Which seems silly to me.

Looking forward to the first occasion when the kicking team decides to take a knee rather than kick the extra point to eliminate the possibility of an error resulting in the ball run back the other way for a score.  The most exciting play in sports!!!

[HudsonHawk]

Looking forward to the first occasion when the kicking team decides to take a knee rather than kick the extra point to eliminate the possibility of an error resulting in the ball run back the other way for a score.  The most exciting play in sports!!!

Take a knee...hell, you can fumble the snap.  Can you just decline to try a PAT?

This whole thing is just dumb.  If the idea is that the PAT is boring and no one wants to watch it, these new rules are not going to fix it. 

[Limey]

Speaking of dumb, it was only after reading that article that I realised that they'd moved the kicks off forward to the 35 to prevent the possibility of run-backs.  The rationale being that it would limit injuries.  WTF?

[HudsonHawk]

Speaking of dumb, it was only after reading that article that I realised that they'd moved the kicks off forward to the 35 to prevent the possibility of run-backs.  The rationale being that it would limit injuries.  WTF?

Kickoffs had historically been from the 35, but people thought touchbacks were boring, so they moved them back to the 30.  Then there was a rash of injuries on kick offs, so they moved it back to the 35. 

[Uncle Charlie]

Kickoffs had historically been from the 35, but people thought touchbacks were boring, so they moved them back to the 30.  Then there was a rash of injuries on kick offs, so they moved it back to the 35.

Not long before they just start the ball at the 20 everytime.

[Limey]

Not long before they just start the ball at the 20 everytime.

One of the blasphemous suggestions was that the kick off is eliminated, and the starting position for the offense would be determined by whether the score-after-touchdown attempt was a 1, 2 or 3-point attempt.