Agreed, Absolutely one of the worst rules in sports. Especially inside the 10 it's a huge freeroll for the offense. Russell really takes advantage of this rule. I really don't even get the purpose of the rule, they say it's to protect QB's but a QB is much more vulnerable standing tall in the pocket. You should have to make a reasonable attempt to get it near a receiver.

Also I've never seen it done but does anyone know if this rule applies on a HB pass or WR reverse pass? If the HB/WR is trapped behind the line of scrimmage and all receivers are covered can he just throw it away?

Guessing yes.

If they dont get rid of the rule completely at least make them throw it 10 to 20 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. Making them throw it to the line of scrimmage is just not hard at all.

QBs worth too much money. Gonna protect them at all costs.

QB is more vulnerable standing tall in the pocket, if protecting the QB is the purpose of the rule why not let them ground it in the pocket too? Out of pocket they can just run OB.

I like the rule, only because it amplifies the lols when someone Eli gets near the sideline and tries throwing a diagonal 5-yard pass back over the middle to the camped down RB on 3rd and 11.

In 1993, the proposal was to copy the Pro Bowl rule of allowing intentional grounding at all times. Allowing it outside of the tackle box only was a compromise.

On penalty shootouts, making it a 2 goals difference to get the winner?

from today's Magary Funbag:

in for Nerf Football League

NFL rule change: At the end of the 2015-16 NFL season, all NFL referees will be given a combined written and practical exam based on the rules currently in the NFL rulebook. This will be an open-book exam. Those scoring <70% will be fired.

Those scoring >70% will also be fired.

NHL- Scrap the shootout, love 3on 3 OT but make it 10 min, if no scoring just call it a tie.

But then, wouldn't the new refs be replacement refs?

You can't advance a muffed punt in college football. Yeah, scrap that.

NFL: winning team must score at least 50 and win by 4 or more with 35 point skunk rule. Exciting games last longer and blowouts are over quickly. Use TV timeouts for breaks. No clock.

What happens when you have two bad teams that would have a 12-9 game under current rules?

Play for 12 hours

NBA in the never ending quest to make the first 43 minutes as important as the last 5:

divide the 48 minutes of play time into 8 5-minute and 1 8-minute "mini" games. Game play stays as it does now, but now there are two scoreboards. One runs like normal (a running total of baskets scored) and the other is reset to 0-0 after each "mini" game.

A point is awarded to the team that leading at the end of each "mini" game (9 wins are possible). And 10 wins are awarded to the team with the highest running total.

After every 5 possessions by each team, one player gets taken off each side.

Surely someone can score when it gets to 7x7.

NBA would be better if they'd just scrap the clock and play to 100. 75 for NCAA.

How far do you think Rodgers could fling one of these?

I would love to see guys making one handed catches where they just grab the tail of the nerfball.

Cam Newton now airmailing receivers on 90 yard passes.

Incentive would be on scoring, and teams would (correctly) take risks to score that they would not otherwise, such as going for it on 4th down. Scoring should also go up as defenses get tired later in the game, which happens now.

And there is no NFL game where the expected total score is <= 21 points.

I am a fan of this. It wouldn't happen because of record books among other reasons but I really like it.

Tried to search the thread but couldn't figure out what term was specific enough - why not a stop time clock in soccer? Once they game gets near the end, there seems to be interminable time wasting, slow substitutions, faked injuries, etc that really make what should be the most exciting time of the game actually the worst. It also introduces some chance for the referee to adjust the game eg

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...ed-a-goal.html

I googled around on this a bit and the primary objection seemed to be "you can't assume a scoreclock and timekeeper will always be available in soccer" - that doesn't seem to be an issue at top level. I'm open to hearing a good explanation for why this run time thing exists.