Your unpopular sports opinions?
I think the NHL should bring back ties instead of gimmicky shootouts. I also think the NBA should institute a 4 point line that was talked about not that long ago. Would shake up the game of basketball like it was when the 3 was instituted.
No politics or religion, please. This is a thread on your unpopular sports opinions.
DISCUSS
February 13th, 2015 at 4:07 PM ^
I think it would hardly delay the game at all. (Asking referees on the field to run to a camera, e.g., delays the game. My suggestion is emphatically not that.)
February 13th, 2015 at 3:40 PM ^
Computerized balls and strikes.
February 13th, 2015 at 6:42 PM ^
I just threw up in my mouth.
Seriously, that would ruin baseball for me. And I love baseball. Technology is great, but the human element is important.
February 14th, 2015 at 12:05 AM ^
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February 13th, 2015 at 3:15 PM ^
February 13th, 2015 at 3:15 PM ^
I think that curling is the most entertaining Winter Olympic sport.
February 13th, 2015 at 3:37 PM ^
More than hockey??
February 14th, 2015 at 4:17 PM ^
If you had said it was the second most entertaining sport Id agree with you. But hockey is the most entertaining sport at any level in any situation.
February 13th, 2015 at 3:15 PM ^
1. Agreed - I hate the shootout. It takes a team sport and reduces it to an contest of individuals - like ending a tie basketball game with a one-on-one contest. Play one 4-on-4 extra period, and if it's still tied, take your point and move on.
2. I would like to see exhibition game with a 4-point line. It might actually get me interested in the NBA again.
February 13th, 2015 at 3:15 PM ^
February 13th, 2015 at 3:16 PM ^
Damn it, if Curling is a sport then Bowling should be one too!
February 13th, 2015 at 3:58 PM ^
February 13th, 2015 at 3:17 PM ^
I think sports penalties and the NCAA's power should end where actual criminal law starts. Of course people that break laws can be banned from NCAA participation, but the whole practice of punishing innocent people for things their teammates did or other people in thier program is a sports thing. You can punish innocent people when someone on their team cheats at sports. You shouldn't punish innocent people for actual horrible crimes.
Also, safeties should be worth 9 points. Putting the ball in the endzone when you're in possession is good, but putting the ball in the endzone when you're not in possession is the most dominating thing you can do in football. Certainly tougher than scoring a TD.
February 13th, 2015 at 3:20 PM ^
The 9 point safety would produce some odd game theory effects. Imagine a guy going in for a TD, down 9, with :10 on the clock and intentionally fumbling on the 1 foot line so the other team can recover and his defense could have at least one shot at a game-tying safety.
Then imagine the other team refusing to recover the ball.
February 13th, 2015 at 3:34 PM ^
OK. You win that one. ...unless there's also a rule where if neither team is trying to recover the ball, it's simply whistled down. No, that's still kind of dumb. Ok. You win. I still think safeties are awesome though.
February 13th, 2015 at 3:44 PM ^
I wasn't disagreeing with your point at all, re: safeties being awesomer than TDs. My mind just immediately went to the implications of a 9 point play game theory-wise.
I once spent a solid three hours discussing that situation where Harbaugh refused a safety late in a game and whether it was statistically sound, if that gives you some perspective.
February 13th, 2015 at 4:15 PM ^
Wouldn't it make sense, in the 9 pt safety world, if you're up by 9 and they intentionally turn it over on the one inch line with little time left to just run quick pass plays? If it's intercepted, great, if not, great. Do it again. I think, if giving up a TD isn't something you're afraid of, teams could get good enough at avoiding safeties to make this a non-issue (nobody would do it because it would never work). I think you'd even run a pass play to turn it over on downs before kicking out of the endzone (which does have a chance in being a safety.) So I don't think the intentional turnover would be much of an option if the game is almost over. If there's more time, it gets more complicated. What are the odds of getting a safety when they're on the 1 inch line vs. recovering an onsides kick?
February 13th, 2015 at 3:19 PM ^
I have always thought that - if not through his play - Mario Mendoza deserves at least a small plaque in the Hall Of Fame for being one of the few players in the MLB to have an arbitrary statistical boundary named for him. Neifi Perez deserves a similar honor for his career 0.297 OBP.
February 13th, 2015 at 3:20 PM ^
was the best basketball player I have ever seen play the game. I have never seen anyone else who could effectively play all 5 positions offensively and defensively - at his level.
**I started watching basketball in the early 80's, so I cannot fairly compare anyone who played prior to 1980**
February 13th, 2015 at 3:21 PM ^
There are few things more exciting then a shootout in the NHL. I do feel that the loser point should go away when a game goes into overtime.
February 13th, 2015 at 3:21 PM ^
Just a note here people, this is a thread for unpopular opinions. Don't downvote someone because you disagree with them. You disagreeing with them is the whole point.
February 13th, 2015 at 3:29 PM ^
Can I downvote you if I disagree with your post?
February 13th, 2015 at 4:15 PM ^
Then you can downvote with a clear conscience.
February 13th, 2015 at 3:21 PM ^
Limit substitutions. Make QB's call their own plays. One timeout per half. Any coach who touches the court or field is an immediate penalty/TO and ejection.
February 13th, 2015 at 6:43 PM ^
Depending on how you did it, limiting substitutions would actually make coaches much more important.
February 13th, 2015 at 3:23 PM ^
I think offenses in football should be able to set however many players they want in motion save for the center and the QB. And I'd even be open to letting those to guys move around. Letting them get a running start if they want. It just seems silly to me that the defense can constantly flip around but an offense can have, at most, one guy in motion at the snap.
February 13th, 2015 at 6:46 PM ^
That would be such a mess. Look at the outrage is caused when Belicheck tried to mess with eligible and ineligible WR's. If this was allowed there would be a mass panic among coaches. Offenses already have enough advantages anyway. Allowing the defense to move around freely is the least you can do since they already have to play blindfolded with their hands tied behind their backs. lol
I mean seriously, if the defense had to sit still, Brady, Manning, Rodgers would throw for 700 yards a game.
February 15th, 2015 at 9:53 PM ^
I'm fine with that; the defense already can move around. My issue is with the offense being forced to sit there and set before initiating the offense.
February 14th, 2015 at 4:49 AM ^
February 13th, 2015 at 3:23 PM ^
Urban Meyer is the best coach in college football right now.
Okay, I'm off to wash my mouth out with soap. Or fingers.. whatever.
February 13th, 2015 at 3:24 PM ^
His leaving can be justified, I understand that. But the decision was the meanest thing any professional has ever done to a fanbase in any sport.
February 13th, 2015 at 4:28 PM ^
I just wanted to say you are not alone. I have like 5 friends who are diehard Cavs and they all hate Lebron as a person, but who is going to pass on having that guy on your team.
February 13th, 2015 at 3:25 PM ^
RANT
Way too many bowl games. 12 is about the right number. With real names, not "The Allied Van Lines Intermodal Vehicular and Household Goods Transport Bowl". Sugar, Cotton, Rose, Orange. Thank you.
"Conference championship tournaments" are about money, not champions. You play the season to determine a champion. Utterly moronic to play an entire season and have a "champion" determined by one or two games.
Sports trophies that look like vaginas (like the original B1G football trophy). Hey everyone else, please take a look at the Stanley Cup. It's big, it's heavy, it has history, it's not fragile (for you, Alabama). That.
14 team Big 10. Go back to 10, play round-robin, team with best record is the champion. Easy. Done.
Champion goes to bowl game. The rest sit home and think about how much suckness that is for them and how much they want to be champions the next year. Fans actually get excited about and travel to bowl games again because it doesn't happen every effing year. Cameramen at bowl games are subsequently allowed to shoot the crowd because you know, there is one.
Football playoff. Dumb. Play for conference championships and we'll see better football and less dumbassery when it comes to the non-con schedule. If the non-con games mean less, teams will schedule tougher opponents. So they are actually prepared for a conference season that means something because there isn't a "championship tournament" and if you don't win the regular season conference championship you sit home during bowl season.
Ads on the boards of college hockey arenas. Blech.
Uniform spam. Just play in your standard unis, please. We don't need ten different versions.
Different admission standards for athletes.
Talk about paying college football players. See next point.
Talk about how college football players are 'used' and get nothing in return. See above and recent thread on how freaking hard it is to get into Michigan and how you can't afford to send your kid there anyway.
"Big 10 Hockey". With six teams. And, for that matter, Michigan in the CCHA. I never did get past us moving out of the WCHA where we played teams like North Dakota, Denver, and Wiscy.
NHL: Too many teams make the playoffs. Are we really playing an entire season to eliminate the bottom 10% of teams? Get rid of shootouts and just keep playing sudden death overtimes.
I hate artificial turf. Play on grass. All of you: Football, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, rugby, Austalian Rules Football.
/RANT
February 13th, 2015 at 3:32 PM ^
take another 500 or 1000 words if you need them.
February 13th, 2015 at 5:33 PM ^
Thanks. There's more where that came from :)
College hockey league playoffs:
First round is best two of three but the championship game is best one of one. Because why?
February 13th, 2015 at 3:40 PM ^
February 13th, 2015 at 4:11 PM ^
I honestly don't think your bowl game opinion is unpopular outside of the NCAA and Bristol, CT.
February 13th, 2015 at 3:25 PM ^
/ducks
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February 13th, 2015 at 3:37 PM ^
Lance, Barry, Roger, Bobby Higginson, Ben Johnson and Tony Mandarich all agree (amongst many many others).
February 13th, 2015 at 3:25 PM ^
of a Michigan Man and hardly put the team ahead of his personal feelings.
February 13th, 2015 at 3:28 PM ^
I absolutely loathe ESPN. I used to love it back in the day of Dan Patrick, Keith Olberman (when he wasn't a douche), Craig Kilborn, etc. Those were fun times. I think the anchors they have now are complete shit. If you're completely unfunny, then just reporting what happened in a game is completely ok but unfortunately they don't recognize that fact.
I think that they have played a huge part in ruining fundamental basketball by primarily only showing dunks and 3's as a part of highlights. I'm also tired of their incessant and misguided need to crown the next big player as the GOAT. It also irks me how much they throw their own opinions into stories to sway public opinion. Please just report a story and stop adding your own spin or opinion and let the facts of the story play out.
February 13th, 2015 at 3:35 PM ^
I agree with this one. All the new anchors are trying to be like Stuart Scott when in reality there won't ever be another Stuart Scott...
February 13th, 2015 at 3:42 PM ^
I absolutely loathe ESPN.I'm not sure if this qualifies as unpopular.
February 13th, 2015 at 3:27 PM ^
Ban "13.1" and "26.2" and anything to do with Triathalon stickers and license plate holders.
Yeah. We get it. You're proud of yourself. Wear that pride on the inside like everyone else.
February 13th, 2015 at 3:32 PM ^
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February 13th, 2015 at 3:27 PM ^
The steroid-era of baseball was much more exciting than it is right now.
The NBA is just a half-step up from pro wrestling as far as how legitimate it is.
ESPN needs to get the rights to the NHL
LeBron James isn't as overrated as MJ was
Jalen Rose is an awful commentator
I enjoy watching a 49-45 college football game over watching a 13-10 game.
College football players should be allowed to return to college to either: a) finish their undergraduate degree, or b) pursue a graduate degree, and have it covered by the university.
The Pistons would have not won a title if they drafted Carmelo.
I actually sometimes enjoy listening to Skip Bayless troll Stephen A Smith.
February 13th, 2015 at 4:17 PM ^
For the the things I'm with you on. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.
I like LeBron and think he's about as good as you can get as modern day pro athlete. If his worst offense is "The Decision" then he's pretty much a saint.
Jalen isn't great but I actually like him better than Desmond and I thought it was funny when he harassed when Gameday was at MSU.
February 13th, 2015 at 3:29 PM ^
In the same way that football gives a team the option of declining a penalty, I think that basketball ought to give a team the option of declining a foul. Basically, it would be a case of "You're fouling us to make us shoot free throws. We choose not to, and will inbound the ball instead."
It certainly would speed up the last two minutes of a majority of games.
February 13th, 2015 at 4:37 PM ^
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February 13th, 2015 at 3:29 PM ^
Unless we're talking playoffs, I generally don't enjoy pro sports anymore. I'd take watching a good college game 10 times outta 10. Now maybe that's not an unpopular opinion around these parts.