Sports Emperor for a Day

A funny thing happened to me today. I was anointed Sports Emperor of the World for a Day. At last I am able to modify the sports I have come to know, love, and in some cases loathe, to my liking. Where to start, where to start?

BASEBALL
There is a rule that was once to be re-enforced but it has sadly not been done. A batter may not leave the batters box unless time is called. No more stepping out in between every pitch. Imagine how much shorter the games would be now!

American League, say goodbye to the designated hitter. It's time both leagues play on the same level. The AFC doesn't have wider goal posts than the NFC, so why should the American League pitchers not hit? This is an old-school rule change that will add more strategy to the game.

A funny thing about baseball that is unique from all the other sports. The playing fields are as varied as the teams. Every football field in America is uniform, as are all the NBA courts and NHL rinks. Why is it different in baseball? The time has come to unify the game and level out the home run record chases and hitting records and everything from now on. Sure, this is not likely in the day and age of stadium construction costs, but it, to me, is insane that there are different dimensions. Also, say good bye to that hill in centerfield in Houston.

Playoff change. The team with the best regular season schedule will have home field advantage in the World Series, Wild Card or not. No more "winning league of the all star game" gets homefield. Stupid rule.

Curt Schilling? You are banned form speaking your mind. I don't care what you have to say anymore.

No more inter-league games. Interleague should be kept for three times; spring training, the All-Star game and the World Series. I might consider same-city-three-game-series once a year. I can let Yankee-Mets, Phillies-Red Sox, Nationals-Orioles, Cubs-White Sox, etc. match-ups go.

Stat that is never heard from again: Pitch count.



BASKETBALL
Age minimum. rather than having a specific age minimum, how about a rule stating that all NBA players must have completed three years of college? And can the college coaches be sure to teach their teams the fundamentals of the game, like foul shooting and defense?

If you want to hold out the team name of your jersey to the crowd after a big play, it's a $10,000 fine. If I'm watching the game, I know what teams are playing thank you very much. It's old now.

Retro, or throwback, jerseys may be worn a maximum of twice per year. It's hard enough keeping track of all the teams, especially when I see home jerseys, away jerseys, home throwback jerseys and away throwback jerseys being worn in the same week! If you're playing at home, wear your white jerseys. If you're on the road, wear your dark jersey. If you're the Lakers, wear your yellow jerseys at home, not the white ones.



FOOTBALL
Stick with me on this one...If a team from one conference has a superior record of a team in the opposing conference, and the superior team does not make the playoffs in their conference, they take the place of the lesser team in the opposing conference. Example: Buffalo Bills finish 10-6 and out of the AFC playoffs, Carolina Panthers finish 8-8 and make Wild Card in NFC. Buffalo takes the place of the Panthers in the NFC playoffs. Should this happen, the team replacing the lesser team will play all of their games on the road, regardless of record. The playoffs should be a reward for superior play and the mediocre teams should not be permitted to participate in post season play.

Super Bowl commercials should not cost so much. Because they have gotten so expensive it seems that the quality of the commercial breaks has been hit hard. Stop charging so much and bring back the quality of commercials that last forever. Does anybody even remember the Bud Bowl? It used to be more entertaining than the game itself!

Speaking of Super Bowl, no more televised pre-game and halftime entertainment that is supposed to be for the viewers. The game should be just about that, the game. If you haven't noticed there have been some classic ending Super Bowls four out of the last five years. But everybody remembers just the "wardrobe malfunction".

College football (Division 1-A) change. A playoff system incorporating all league champs and a certain number of "at-large" teams. The bowl games can still be used for neutral sites for the quarter, semi and final games.

HOCKEY
If it doesn't snow in your city, you don't get a team. Good bye Florida Panthers, Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Might Ducks, San Jose Sharks and more, including the defending Stanley Cup champs, Tampa Bay Lightning.

New 52 game schedules. More conference and division play, less out of conference play.

No shoot-out possibilities to decide a game. Four on four overtime works nicely in the regular season, five on five in post season. Just fine.

And of course, play some games!

Stat to never hear again: scoring chance. How can a player have more shots on goal than scoring chances? Isn't a shot on goal, technically, a scoring chance?

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I think that is enough to do for one day as the Emperor of the Sports World. Now that I fixed some things up I'll go and relax in my throne, awaiting the call for my next fill-in job.