As sports evolve and traditions change, leagues slowly and gradually adapt their league rules to fit and fix their biggest concerns. Whether they are smart calls or not, disgruntled fans call for rule changes all the time. We’re looking at you right now, Roger Goodell. Here are 15 of the dumbest rule changes in sports.
15. "One-And-Done"
USA TODAY Sports - Mark Zerof
15. "One-And-Done"
USA TODAY Sports - Mark Zerof
The NBA’s “one and done” rule has made a mockery of college basketball. Simply a joke, allowing NCAA players to leave after one season results in an inferior product in both the NBA and NCAA. Players who simply are not ready are joining the NBA at too young of an age and college teams are constantly having to recycle talent on a yearly basis. Either let the kids come straight out of high school or require them to stay more than just one season.
14. Moving Kickoffs To The 35-Yard Line
USA TODAY Sports - Kyle Terada
14. Moving Kickoffs To The 35-Yard Line
USA TODAY Sports - Kyle Terada
OK, it’s understandable to try and make such a violent sport like football a little safer, but moving the kickoff to the 35-yard line takes away one of the most exciting plays in football. Outside of the extra point, there is nothing less exciting than watching a super athletic kick returner take a knee in the back of the end zone.
13. Banning Tinted Visors
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13. Banning Tinted Visors
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Seriously, how cool did those players in the 90s look with the tinted visors? Did anyone else always deck his or her Madden create-a-player out with one? The NFL is all about entertainment, so what purpose does eliminating the tinted visors serve?
12. No Custom Facemasks
USA TODAY Sports - Andrew Weber
12. No Custom Facemasks
USA TODAY Sports - Andrew Weber
Prior to the start of the 2014 NFL season, the use of Bane-like facemasks was banned. The reasoning behind the rule change being that the awesome, fan-favorite custom facemasks with more bars and smaller spaces between them added weight to the helmets causing a safety issue.
11. Making The MLB All-Star Game Matter
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11. Making The MLB All-Star Game Matter
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I understand trying to make an All-Star game more exciting and doing what you can to have your sport’s best compete at their highest level, but making the stakes so high just isn’t smart. Managers are still subbing players in every inning so most players can make an appearance, proving they are not doing everything and anything they can to win. What’s wrong with giving home-field advantage to the team with the best record?
10. The NHL Goalie Trapezoid
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10. The NHL Goalie Trapezoid
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The NHL changed a plethora of rules following the 2004-05 lockout in an effort to increase scoring and entertainment. Most of the rules have turned out to be for the better, but one that clearly has not panned out has been the addition of the trapezoid behind each goal that limits the area the goalie can play the puck. The trapezoid limits the movement and skill of the goalie, and isn’t the whole point to showcase as much skill as possible?
9. No Hitting Quarterbacks Below The Knee
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9. No Hitting Quarterbacks Below The Knee
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The “Tom Brady Rule” (besides the tuck rule) was instituted in 2009 after the Patriots' quarterback tore his ACL as a result of a low hit from Bernard Pollard. Nowadays in the NFL, you essentially have to gently lay the quarterback down on the turf to not be flagged for unnecessary roughness.
8. Limiting Touchdown Celebrations
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8. Limiting Touchdown Celebrations
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Let Jimmy Graham dunk! Some of the most exciting moments of NFL games were watching the superstars and their pre-planned end-zone celebrations. Since the NFL has adopted what I like to call the “act like you’ve been there before” rule, no longer can fans tune in to see how players will one-up each other with their celebration routines.
7. Placement Of NCAA 3-Point Line
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7. Placement Of NCAA 3-Point Line
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The NCAA made a great decision to move the three-point arc back one foot from 19’9” to 20’9”, but they should not have stopped there. FIBA and international basketball competition features a 21.15-foot arc and it’s a wonder why the NCAA would choose the arbitrary distance they did when there is already the commonly-used FIBA distance.
6. Crown Of The Helmet Rule
USA TODAY Sports - Joe Nicholson
6. Crown Of The Helmet Rule
USA TODAY Sports - Joe Nicholson
Basically, running backs are not allowed to lower their head and “truck” defenders. Instituted in 2013, this rule infuriated players, as it should have. What are they going to do next? Ban the stiff arm?
5. NFL Overtime Rules
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5. NFL Overtime Rules
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Not only are the current NFL overtime rules confusing to the average fan, they still allow a team to lose because of the flip of a coin. The college overtime system of both teams getting the ball at the opposing 25-yard line is the much-preferred option.
4. MLB's Wild-Card Play-In Game
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4. MLB's Wild-Card Play-In Game
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After finally fixing their playoff system in the early 1990s, Bud Selig and MLB messed it up again by adding a wild-card play-in game in 2012. Instead of the Wild-Card team with the best record earning a postseason berth, now the second-best Wild-Card team gets a crack to get in the “real” playoffs. Doesn’t the team that proved themselves to be more worthy over 162 games deserve it? Again, it’s all about the money earned from extra games.
3. NFL Replay And Challenge System
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3. NFL Replay And Challenge System
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There is nothing in sports that kills momentum and the rhythm of a game more than the coach’s challenge in the NFL. Besides the excitement that comes with seeing old men pull a flag out of their sock and toss it onto a field, the referees have to walk over and discuss what is being challenged and then make the long walk to-and-fro the instant replay booth. Can we please just go to the college football system already?
2. 68 Team NCAA Basketball Tournament
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2. 68 Team NCAA Basketball Tournament
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I know the NCAA tournament and the March Madness brackets are wildly popular, but adding four teams to create four play-in games is just so useless. Clearly all about making money, the rule even makes filling out the brackets more difficult. If you want to expand the tournament, expand it; don’t meagerly add four teams.
1. NHL Shootouts
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1. NHL Shootouts
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There are simply too many overtime games in the sport of hockey to allow a skills competition to determine so much in the standings. Each team is involved in over 10 shootouts per year with an extra point in the standings on the line each time. After slugging it out for 65 minutes on the ice, deciding it with a contest that doesn’t reveal the better team is not right. Should the NBA add a free-throw competition after the first overtime?
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