Soccer could use rule changes

AreliusII · 07-29-2005, 04:21 PM

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/LondonFreePress/Sports/2005/07/29/1151852-sun.html

Aerick · 07-30-2005, 12:14 PM

This was in ESPN a few days ago as well under the title The Dumbest Rules in Sports:

Quote:

Originally Posted by ESPN

Overturned British tea taxes. The end of unequal suffrage. Prohibition replaced by the beer helmet. The great thing about America is that you can always change the rules. And all it takes is political will, money, popular support and money.

Did we mention money?

If you think there's no way to get this guy out then we think the AAA club would love to have you.
The athletic world is no different. When stall tactics and stagnant scores threatened pro basketball's very existence, the NBA adopted the shot clock; when viewers became blasé at the prospect of bikini-clad competitors, Olympic beach volleyball added bikini-clad cheerleaders. Brilliant. Time and again, sports have adapted to contemporary challenges, tweaking and tinkering to produce a better product.

Which is where Page 2 comes in.

Every sport has silly rules, official commandments and unwritten customs that are annoying, unnecessary and just plain dumb. To wit: Why can't the ground cause a fumble? Why is the college 3-point line so darn close? What follows are some of Page 2's athletic pet peeves, along with suggestions to make things better.

Is this the last word on lame sports rules? Of course not. There's always room to revise. After all, that's the beauty of America. Sports, too.

Besides, we had to save a few items for the next slow news day, so here's a handful of them:

Offsides in Soccer
Soccer has never caught on in the United States. Why is that? Could it be the almost complete lack of, um … scoring? Forget offsides; everything short of pantsing the defender should be allowed on the way to the net.

In fact, pantsing should be allowed, too....

It has some other humurous rules and suggestions for changes as well. Entertaining read.

colinkun · 08-01-2005, 03:13 PM

This kind of thing always makes for great discussion.

I liked the idea in the Canadian article of having a penalty box. Not only will the offended team get the free kick from the spot of the foul, but they'll play with a man advantage for a couple minutes. Great idea! (I played lacrosse in high school and for a college club that used penalty box).

Throwing out the argument for the "purity of the game, for tradition, etc", what rule changes would you make to 'improve' the game?

I'd want to see the "gentleman's unwritten rule" tossed out. If your guy is hurt and needs play stopped he'll think twice about laying on the pitch when the opposition has control.

Any ideas?

Deuce · 08-01-2005, 03:18 PM

I liked the idea of moving the penalty spot further than 12 yards out. Maybe put it at 15 yards out.
Also the penalty area being brought in at the sides and moved out passed the 18 yard line to prevent fouls in the area just outside the box in frnt of the goal.

But I personally approve of the gentlemens rule. It is unwritten so how will you throw it out?

colinkun · 08-02-2005, 08:45 PM

It slows up the game, and you get too many players like El Pescadito taking dives and falling down. I think this is also one area that the typical American sports fan dislikes about soccer. You have a guy sitting down holding his shin, play stops, trainers come out, everyone stands around for a few minutes, and then dude gets up and goes on. If a guy really is hurt, the ref should stop play and just give a free kick accordingly.