Let’s change some rules

With word filtering out of Indianapolis that the IHSAA has received an official proposal that would introduce a shot clock to the rules of Indiana high school basketball, it felt right to talk about rules changes in general.

My feelings about the concept of a shot clock for high school basketball is well documented, and I frankly don’t have the energy to fight that battle today.

While I stand strongly against it, I am certainly not against changing rules to make a sport better.

So, in this space this week, I want to examine some rules of some sports that could be tweaked or changed.

Since we are in basketball season, let’s start there.

You may remember a couple of weeks ago I suggested a rule that would require players of either gender to arrange their hair in such a way that the number on the back of their jersey be visible. For our discussion today, it’s about basketball, but it would certainly apply to all sports that use jersey numbers—football, soccer, and volleyball, for example.

I am bringing that up again because I’ve had another instance since then where I could not tell who that player was at the beginning of the game because I couldn’t see the number on the back of her shirt.

When I wrote about that before, some people got the distinct impression that I was “targeting” girls with this proposed rule change. I cannot be clearer on this—all players of all sports and all genders would be subject to this rule.

Also, when Team A shoots the basketball and it’s so far off the mark that it wedges between the backboard and the side of the rim, I propose a rule change to what happens next.

Currently, the alternating possession arrow is used to determine who gets the ball in that scenario.

It’s my strong opinion that the offensive team should not have a 50-50 chance of getting the ball back when they shoot the ball that poorly.

Under my proposal, the ball would automatically go to the defensive team.

I like most of the rules that baseball has changed recently, so I think I’d like another year of that sport the way it is.

I say that, but I still don’t quite understand making the bases bigger. I know why they say they did it, but it was an odd way to try to increase stolen bases and offensive aggressiveness.

If I was going to change anything about baseball, it would be to shorten the season from 162 games to 120 or 130. Start the season in mid-April and start the playoffs in September.

Ending the World Series in October makes sense, doesn’t it?

I would like to change something about all sports with video challenges.

I was watching an NBA game last weekend and I don’t like their challenge system at all. Actually, I think I would like to change one aspect of the challenge systems for all sports.

There is a limit to the number of times a team can challenge, even if they’re right and the officials are wrong.

Let me explain.

On a certain night, the officials for that game are not having a good night. It happens, right?

As it stands right now, you only get so many challenges per game, even when your challenges are all successful.

That means officials could miss 5, 10, 15 calls against one team that could be overturned by video review, but only two could be reviewed because of the limits on challenges.

That’s not right.

I propose that each team be allowed a certain number of challenges. Let’s say two, for the sake of our discussion. A play happens, and the team challenges the ruling. They are correct and the ruling is overturned. They keep their challenge.

In other words, in this scenario, if you challenge and are wrong, you lose that challenge. You challenge twice (unsuccessfully), you are out of challenges. You challenge calls 10 times and are right, you still have two left.

It’s not the team’s fault when the officials are doing a bad job.

Call it the Angel Hernandez rule.

A couple of other things for you to think about.

What if we had power plays in the NBA?

A player commits a lower-level flagrant foul—called a Flagrant 1. That player would sit out the next minute of the game, and his team would play for four players. When that minute is over, that player can rejoin the play immediately.

Also, in football, a defensive holding penalty should be 10 yards (not five) and it should not be an automatic first down.

And while we are at it, let’s make only personal foul penalties automatic first downs. Illegal contact called on a defensive back on 3^rd and 18 that gives the offense a first down is not right.

That’s enough change for now.