Wasting Time in No Fun Land

Could it be that I agree with Bill Belichick?  Has the earth shaken beneath my feet? Well, it did sort of ...


According to Yahoo Sports' News, that hoodie wearing coach of the New England Patriots who drives all non-Pats fans nuts with his attitude and his supposed spygating has come up with a solution to a time waster in the wonderful world of professional football.


With every passing year it has seemed that the No Fun League has taken new measures to deprive fans of enjoying the game while raking in their billions of dollars.  More commercial time is obvious but we have also seen players' personalities removed from the game ... forget about that touchdown dance in the end zone ... forget about smiling for the camera boys, this is a serious B-U-S-I-N-E-S-S!


The 2011 intrusion into our potential enjoyment of the game has to do with the Kick-Off.  You know, the moment when the game begins and second half starts.  It's also the traditional exchange of the ball from a scoring team to a non-scoring team.  Well, this year the powerful brain trust comprised of those who do not like wide-open excitement has moved the point of the kick up to a point that almost guarantees that 80 to 90 percent of kick-offs will end up in the back of the end zone for a touchback.  That means you all line up pretty-like, kick the ball, and then place it at the 20 yard line followed by an extended commercial break.  Why waste the time and possibilities for injury on such a meaningless moment?  If you don't want exciting kick-off returns then just place the ole pigskin on the 20 after a team scores and to start the game? Grrr ... football sure ain't what it used to be!


Now on to Coach Bill.  I really can't believe he and I agree on anything because you see his Patriots may have moved into the Number One Team Hated by Bills' Fans like me slot since the Miami Dolphin rivalry has fizzled due to the disinterest of Fish Fans.  What he is quoted as saying is

"Philosophically, plays that are non-plays shouldn't be in the game. I don't think it is good for the game. Extra points, when the odds are 99 percent range in extra points it is not a play. Let's move the ball back to the 15-20 yard line and not make it a tap in. Let them kick it. Same thing with the kickoff return, if you're just going to put the ball on the 20, put the ball on the 20."  WAY TO GO BILL!!!

Of course, this could cost the NO FUN guys some commercial break time because it seems we get commercials whenever we blink our eyes during a game.  We get to hear all about Bud after a team scores, after the extra point attempt, and after the ensuing kick-off.  This sound idea would cost No Fun Land millions and millions of ad dollars, which is the sole reason the game is played (Well, you might say the game is also played for the bookies but that is a story for another day.) for these poor billionaire owners.


A significant number of National Football League games are now lasting more than 3 hours for a 60 minute game.  The actual action that you get to see is more like 35 minutes because the other 25 minutes involves huddles and delaying tactics.


So, if COACH BILL can use his influence ... maybe we can speed the game up just a little bit.


Football has become our national game ... the owners know it, the players know it and we suckers keep feeding the addiction.  And I have sitting at home tickets for the Bills' home opener so I will be there yawning away every time there is a kick-off or extra point but for once I am cheering Bill Belichik.


Maybe the No Fun guys will listen.