Tag: rule changes

The WNBA’s rule changed for the 2023 season, explained

Introducing take fouls, coach’s challenges and bench decorum to the W

The WNBA has never been afraid to shake things up as a league. It’s always looking to tinker around with things. That’s how we ended up with a mid-season tournament in the W.

Now, the league is tinkering again. This time it’s introducing some rule changes that should work wonders for the pace of play.

Three new concepts are being introduced in the W for when the season tips off in a couple weeks on May 19. The league will include transition take foul penalties, coach challenges and bench decorum rules, per a release from the league.

The NBA has introduced the same rules in recent years and it’s done the league a lot of good. We’ve seen better flow in games and kept the excitement going with transition basketball.

Similar benefits will come to the WNBA.

Let’s go over the details.

Get ready for faster college football games in 2023

College football games will be played quicker (and safer) this season with the NCAA approving these rule changes for 2023.

You love college football. I love college football. We all love college football. But despite our unrivaled love for the sport, we can admit there are some flaws with how it operates. And in an era of increasing concerns and adaptations focused on improving the overall health of the student-athletes and, if we’re honest, maximizing the television revenue, a new change to the game will be implemented this fall to help keep the pace of the game moving along.

On Friday, the NCAA announced it has approved a rule change that will keep the game clock running even after a first down across every division of college football except for Division III. The proposal for the running clock was formally approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel on Friday, allowing for the change to be implemented in time for the 2023 college football season. The change should dramatically decrease the total time it takes for a college football game to be played and will cut down the number of snaps per game as a result.

While the change will be in effect for the majority of the game, the game clock will continue to stop to move the chains after a first down once inside the final two minutes of the second and fourth quarters.

This is the most significant and notable rule change coming to college football in 2023, but not the only one. The rules oversight panel also approved a rule that will prevent a team from taking consecutive timeouts. And penalties at the end of the first and third quarters will simply carry over to the next quarter rather than tack on an untimed play. Penalties at the end of the second and fourth quarters will continue to have an untimed down as it has typically been.

The penalty change at the end of the quarter seems perfectly fine and will certainly help move the game along in those situations. The timeout rule preventing consecutive timeouts seems a little unnecessary and could actually put a team in a difficult spot. If a team takes a timeout in a key situation to discuss the plan for the upcoming play, comes out of the timeout and sees the opponent giving a different look it was not prepared for, that team could be at a disadvantage as it would not be able to call another timeout to assess the situation.

Of course, the counter to that is coaching matters. Have your team ready out of the first timeout for whatever scenario possible and roll the dice. Also, this prevents a team from attempting to ice the kicker with two or three timeouts in a row at the end of a half because you can’t take the timeouts into halftime or postgame with you. So overall, this is a fine rule change.

But the big change here is the running clock. College football games have been notorious for taking so long to complete, so this should help make games slightly faster and fit better into TV windows. It may take a little getting used to, but still having the clock stop in the final two minutes of a half ensures you can still have the clock be your friend on a potential game-winning drive in the clutch.

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Who will be the 1st modern-era Broncos player to wear No. 0?

The next Broncos player to wear No. 0 will technically be the second — FB Johnny Olszewski wore a zero in Denver during the 1962 season.

The NFL approved several new rule changes at the owners’ meetings in Arizona last week, including adding No. 0 as a legal number for non-linemen this season.

Before the NFL implemented stricter number rules in 1973, center Jim Otto (No. 00) and quarterback Johnny Clement (No. 0) were among the players who sported zero and double-zero numbers. Players will now once again be allowed to wear No. 0, but not No. 00.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley was the first to announce he will take advantage of the new number rule this season. Now the question becomes, who will be the first* Denver Broncos player to wear No. 0?

*Technically, whoever wears No. 0 for the Broncos this year will be the second to do so in franchise history — fullback Johnny Olszewski wore that number in Denver in 1962. Nicknamed “Johnny O,” Olszewski was a two-time Pro Bowler who scored 19 touchdowns during his NFL career.

The Broncos will begin announcing jersey numbers for their free agent additions when players report for the start of the club’s offseason program next week. Right now, Denver has three players on their online roster listed under No. 0: WR Marquez Callaway, P Riley Dixon and RB Tony Jones.

It’s unclear if those are just placeholder numbers or if all three players plan to wear No. 0 this offseason. NFL teams are allowed to have more than one player wear a certain number during the offseason if they play on different sides of the ball, but only one player can wear any given number during the regular season.

We should have more clarity on the future of No. 0 with the Broncos when the team begins its workout program next Tuesday (April 11).

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NFL owners meetings to consider interesting rule changes

Some interesting rule proposals are to be discussed at the NFL owners meetings. Others, not so much.

The Commanders ownership is so central for Commanders fans; however, at the NFL owners meetings this weekend, it is some rule changes proposals that are going to bring the most energetic discussions/debates.

Some proposals simply don’t matter very much, and we can go with or without them and not lose any sleep whatsoever.

Is tripping going to become a personal foul? Will a touchback following a punt now be returned to the 25 instead of the historical 20-yard line?

There will even be a discussion on whether the numeral zero can be used on jerseys (yawn).

However, the discussion concerning onside kicks will no doubt generate much more interest. The Eagles are proposing “to permit a team to maintain possession of the ball after a score by substituting one offensive play (4th-and-20 from the kicking team’s 20-yard line) for an onside kickoff attempt”.

Isn’t this much more entertaining than the current mess the NFL has made of the onside kick? They have virtually made it nearly impossible for the kicking team to recover a kick, requiring those on the kicking unit not run forward until after the ball is kicked.

Also of more interest, the Rams are proposing to make fouls for roughing the passer called on the field subject to replay assist and/or review by a coach’s challenge. Remember last year the horrible calls officials made of roughing the passer?

The Lions are proposing to expand the coaches’ challenge system to include personal fouls called on the field and also to provide clubs with more opportunities for a third challenge. Both of these moves would have impacting ramifications.

The Texans want to expand the replay official’s jurisdiction to allow for review on failed fourth-down attempts.

Yes, these team proposals will be of much more interest for fans next season. For any new rule proposal to be adopted, it must receive 75 percent or 24 of 32 votes.

 

USGA, R&A proposal to limit distance in elite golf is not intended to impact women

The distance impact is not intended to impact women.

One would be hard-pressed to find anyone who believes there’s a distance problem in women’s golf. That includes the governing bodies, too, as the USGA and R&A made it clear in Tuesday’s press conference that the Model Local Rule intended to reduce distance at the highest levels of men’s golf will not apply to elite female players or recreational players.

The governing bodies have proposed the use of modified golf balls to reduce hitting distances by 14-15 yards on average for the longest hitters with the highest clubhead speeds. The Model Local Rule (MLR) would give competition organizers, like the LPGA and Ladies European Tour, the option to implement.

“You’re certainly seeing changes in the women’s game where more power, longer distances is coming in than maybe even five years ago,” said Martin Slumbers, CEO of The R&A. “But, at the moment, there’s plenty of headroom on the golf courses that we have for the women’s game.

“So we would not be intending to make any application of this rule in women’s elite golf at this point.”

The R&A, of course, runs the AIG Women’s British Open while the USGA runs the U.S. Women’s Open.

Mike Whan, the current USGA CEO and former LPGA commissioner, echoed Slumbers’ thoughts, adding: “Whether or not they implement this now, as in every case, is their decision, but this would provide choice longer term, and I think longer term we’ll be glad this choice is available.”

While 83 players on the PGA Tour average 300 yards or more off the tee this season, last year, no player on the LPGA averaged 280 or higher. Maria Fassi led the tour last year with a 279.250 average.

As the USGA And R&A continue to have conversations around the topic across the industry, the proposal, if adopted, wouldn’t take effect until Jan. 1, 2026.

The LPGA offered the following statement on the USGA’s announcement:

“The LPGA is appreciative of the leadership and stewardship of the USGA and The R&A on a variety of topics, including distance. At this time, we do not see distance as a hindrance toward the growth of the LPGA Tour or to the courses on which we can compete. We intend to explore and examine this proposal during the comment period and beyond from all angles. As always, we will act in accordance with what is best for our players, our partners, our Tour, our fans and the women’s game overall. We are committed to ensuring the golf course is an equitable place for everyone, and our focus will be on helping grow the women’s game and providing equal opportunities for girls and women of all ages.”

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Broncos coach Sean Payton waiting for NFL’s ruling on Eagles’ Tush Push play

Sean Payton is waiting to see if the NFL bans the Eagles’ ‘Tush Push’ play this spring. If there’s no rule change, Payton will use the play.

The Philadelphia Eagles have perfected the quarterback sneak in recent seasons by having players push the QB from behind. Philly’s “Tush Push” play has been nearly impossible to stop, and Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton said at the NFL combine last week that he will use it this season if it’s not banned.

“I’m a little jealous we didn’t come up with the idea,” Payton said on Feb. 28. “It’s just a version of the quarterback sneak, but with a little more to it. Everyone is pushing, and it’s a scrum. Here’s one of the things you learn: You can’t control — if they vote to not allow it, then great. If they vote to leave it alone, then great. We’ll study it.”

The play might be banned by the NFL this spring. If it is, it will be a relief to Payton that Denver’s defense doesn’t have to defend it. If the play is not banned, Payton plans to use it in his own offense.

“When I was asked at Fox about that play, and I said, ‘If that is allowed, all of us would look at more film and put it in ourselves.’ We’d try to do that. Someone the other night in the XFL ran that same scheme and the whole pile went backwards. They didn’t get the right technique and it didn’t look the same as Philadelphia. We’ll see what happens. That’s something I don’t really worry about. If they allow it, then you look at how you can do it. If they don’t allow it, you move on and do something else.”

The NFL will have a league meeting in Arizona from March 26-29. Any potential rule changes for the 2023 season will be voted on by owners during that time. Philly’s signature play will likely be a topic of discussion.

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College football games could be shorter, rule changes welcomed

Rule changes and advertising changes to shorten the runtime of college football games aren’t such a bad idea. via @bendackiw

The recent buzz about proposed rule changes to shorten the length of college football games created quite a stir among sports fans. The college football purists were angered at these considered changes, and some of the proposed rules do seem like overkill. Running the clock after an incompletion is just nonsensical.

However, there is some merit to changing a rule or two to shorten college football games. Four hours is just too long for any sporting event, not just football.

In the South, September games will be played in 100+ degree heat. Combine that heat with crowded stands, and that’s a recipe for disaster. I’ve personally seen fans collapse in the stands at Oklahoma Sooners games due to heat exhaustion. Having the players and coaches on hot fields for more than three hours is also asking for trouble.

These changes wouldn’t be about making this game “more like the NFL.” They would be about making the games a better product for television. Again, college football purists will not be happy with that, but that’s just the reality of the situation. A game between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State running an hour longer than scheduled isn’t good for a TV schedule.

While slight rule changes can be made to speed things up, such as running the clock after first downs, changes can be made on the networks’ side as well.

Shortening the ad breaks or cutting the number of advertisements per break would definitely shorten the games and cut out a lot of standing around by the teams on the field. That would mean less money for the networks, however, so that’s probably not going to happen. But like English Premiere League soccer, there are ways to generate revenue via advertising without commercial breaks.

There is definitely a middle ground to be found to accomplish what the leaders of this sport want. College football doesn’t need much change to become a better product for television.

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Sean Payton plans to use an Eagles play in 2023 — if the NFL doesn’t ban it

Broncos coach Sean Payton plans to use the ‘Tush Push’ quarterback sneak play in 2023 — if the NFL doesn’t ban it this offseason.

There was a time when pushing your teammate from behind was outlawed in the NFL. The league changed the rule in 2005 to allow pushing from behind, but teams weren’t really taking advantage of it until the Philadelphia Eagles popularized the “Tush Push” play with quarterback Jalen Hurts.

In short-yardage situations, the Eagles have several players line up behind Hurts and push him beyond the line to gain. Using the play, Hurts went 36-of-40 on quarterback sneaks last season.

The play was so successful in 2022 that some fans and pundits have suggested it isn’t fair. The NFL might agree.

“I think the league is going to look at this, and I’d be shocked if they don’t make a change,’’ Fox Sports rules analyst Dean Blandino said in a recent interview with The 33rd Team.

Blandino went on to say that new Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton told him he plans to use the play frequently with quarterback Russell Wilson in 2023 if the league does not ban it.

“I was talking to Sean Payton during [the Super Bowl], and he said we’re going to do this every time next season if they don’t take it out,’’ Blandino said.

“It amounts to a rugby scrum. The NFL wants to showcase the athleticism and skill of our athletes. This is just not a skillful play. This is just a tactic that is not an aesthetically pleasing play, and I think the competition committee is going to take a look at it.’’

The competition committee will meet at the NFL combine later this month and then again in March. Any rule change recommendations from the competition committee will be voted on by owners next month.

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The SEC has added five new rules for baseball. What are they?

Here’s a rundown of every new rule that the SEC has implemented ahead of the 2023 season.

The Auburn Tigers begin the 2023 campaign by hosting Indiana for a three-game series at Plainsman Park beginning Friday, Feb. 16 at 4 p.m. CT.

There is plenty to be excited about, as the Tigers return several key bats such as [autotag]Kason Howell[/autotag], [autotag]Mike Bello[/autotag], and [autotag]Bobby Peirce[/autotag], and a fresh pitching rotation that will surely make their presence felt throughout the season.

Ahead of the season opener, there are a few new rules and guidelines that the Southeastern Conference has implemented in an effort to speed up play, as well as make the game a smoother experience for both teams.

Several new rules including time between pitchers and batters have been added. Also, an improved “getaway day” rule and a run-rule have also gone into effect.

Get caught up to speed by checking out the new rules that have been added ahead of the 2023 SEC Baseball season.

SEC announces slew of rule changes for 2023 baseball season

Most of the rule changes have to do with the game clock and pace of play.

Things are going to look a bit different when conference play begins for the LSU baseball team this season.

In addition to a 10-run rule for SEC contests — which the league announced last week — several other new rules will be implemented, most of which have to do with the game clock and pace of play. The timers for between batters, mound visits and pitching changes have all been shortened.

This comes amid a push to increase the speed of the game at practically all levels of baseball. Here’s how it’s all going to work as far as the timers go, courtesy of a release from the SEC.

  • Between Batters Clock: A 30-second timer between hitters shall start at the conclusion of the prior play as indicated by the umpire’s final signal of “safe” or “out”, or other clear indication that the prior play has concluded. Consistent with NCAA pitch clock protocols, the batter shall be alert to the pitcher with 10 seconds or more remaining and the pitcher shall begin the motion to deliver the first pitch of the at-bat prior to the expiration of the 30-second clock.
  • Mound Visit Clock: A 30-second timer on a mound visit shall begin when a coach exits the dugout or when a defensive player leaves their position to visit the pitcher’s mound. Unless the coach signals for a pitching change, the coach must leave the mound when (or before) the timer expires. The mound visit clock shall not operate when a doctor or trainer accompanies a coach to evaluate a medical issue. Upon expiration of the 30-second clock, the 20-second NCAA pitch clock shall commence.
  • Pitching Change Clock: A 2:30 (2 minutes and 30 seconds) timer on a pitching change shall begin when a new pitcher who is entering the game, either at the start of an inning or as part of a mid-inning pitching change, crosses the warning track (or otherwise leaves the bullpen area if the bullpen is on the playing field). Upon expiration of the clock, the NCAA 20-second pitch clock shall commence.

The league has also reworked its rain delay policy for Sunday games when the visiting team doesn’t have classes on the following Monday. In those circumstances, curfew rules can be waived. If this happens, games still may not begin after 10 p.m. local time or resume after midnight.

With regard to the mercy rule policy, the league clarified that it may also be implemented for non-conference games with the permission of the non-conference team’s coach.

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