The inevitable "What would you like to see in the UFL?" thread

[SignGuyDino]

I really hope that somehow Mark Cuban reads this because some of us actually want this to work and see that if he goes forward with a fall league he will end up bankrupt and starting over.

The XFL should not be totally dissed. It was a great idea with the wrong person running it. I STILL believe that had it been a cable TV only league, it would still be on.

Here's some of my suggestions. The points of them is not be "gimmicky" as much as doing changes that make sense. I'm sure others will comment as well:

1. Rule change: Don't let conversions be automatic. In rugby (which Cuban plays and loves), conversions not automatic at all like they are in American football. Pending on where you score your try, you have to kick your conversion from there. If you score from the side, you can step back as far as you like to get a better angle. Misses happen all the time and is part of the game.

Now, that couldn't work, but what about just spotting the ball on the 20 after touchdowns for the conversion? Make the kicker hit a 37-yard kick for the conversion. Make it realistic it might miss. The game IS called "FOOTball," you know. (Yes, if they want to go for 2, go for 2 from the 20).

The XFL had the right heart with their rule change where after a touchdown you had to run it in from the 2 for the extra point. It worked too well as conversions were around 50%. This way it's around 70% (and makes weather more a factor), and again, it's "FOOTball."

(I call this the "Dino" rule. My lucky number is 37 and this would be a 37 yard kick.) :)

2. Rule change: Speed up the game. In an alternative league, even with HDNet (which Cuban is half-owner), he won't get the control of the time with other channels like the NFL does. He will have to make sure the game ends before 3 hours.

We all know the college attempt to speed up the game last year was a disaster. Starting the clock at change of possession allows teams in the lead to more easily run out the clock and kill drama.

Here's a better idea: After they spot the ball on incompletions, restart the clock. Do this in the first and third quarters only and fans won't notice the difference.

3. Rule change: Don't run clock on kickoffs and most other kicks. This would add drama because a great run late in the game could cause a last second field goal that could tie or win it. Takes away a little from time saved from idea #2 but not much.

4. XFL idea: Pay to play, pay more to win. It was a great idea and would give more incentive.

5. XFL idea (modified): Replace coin-toss and make "dash for the ball" relevant. The dash for the ball was a interesting idea, but really, didn't change the outcome of the game as the losing team on that still got the ball in the 2nd half to even it out. You could either give the winner the opening possession of EACH half, and/or overtime.

6. XFL idea (modified): Punts are live balls. Like in rugby, forward kicks are live balls. I'd suggest any punt past the line of scrimmage is live provided receiver gets 5 yard halo and if the ball goes out of bounds it's automatically the receiving team's ball unless they fumbled. (If the ball lands outside the halo it's live).

7. Overtime: Each side guaranteed the ball at least once.

8. Make me Commissioner. :)

Good luck.

Dennis Justice
wncsport.com
wncsport@aol.com
828 681 0391

[OneBetter]

I like your ideas, except I'm a little skeptical about #6 (live punts forward of the line of scrimage). This sounds good on paper, but I have the feeling teams will find a way to exploit this and basically just use it as a forward fumble towards the end of games.

[SignGuyDino]

It was bound to happen.

Translation: Somebody beat me to it.

www.uflfans.com

Be nice on the board.

[Shootmaster_44]

I like your ideas, except I'm a little skeptical about #6 (live punts forward of the line of scrimage). This sounds good on paper, but I have the feeling teams will find a way to exploit this and basically just use it as a forward fumble towards the end of games.

This is how Canadian football is. The only time you notice this in most games is on a missed field goal. Most of the shanked field goals are returned out of the end zone. However, you will see sometimes an onside kick. I believe it was last year, there was a game that the winning touchdown was scored on an onside kick. Just a note by onside kick I don't mean a kickoff, I mean the receiver booted the ball 20 yards instead of running it and someone from his team that was onside ran and caught the ball.

Its never a great tactic, as its generally a fluke play and not a set play. However, it can be an effective ploy to use to confuse the defence. Of course, it also means you have to have a few onside speedsters who can get to the ball for it to work. Otherwise, you still have to give 5 yards to the returning team.

[Shootmaster_44]

2. Rule change: Speed up the game. In an alternative league, even with HDNet (which Cuban is half-owner), he won't get the control of the time with other channels like the NFL does. He will have to make sure the game ends before 3 hours.

We all know the college attempt to speed up the game last year was a disaster. Starting the clock at change of possession allows teams in the lead to more easily run out the clock and kill drama.

Here's a better idea: After they spot the ball on incompletions, restart the clock. Do this in the first and third quarters only and fans won't notice the difference.


If they wanted to speed the game up, simply use the Canadian rules. Instead of a 45 second play clock (I believe is what the NFL uses) drop it to the 20 second play clock they use in Canadian football. Most CFL games are 2-2 and half hours long, so this would get the UFL under the three hour window.

Just an aside, it sounds to some extent that whether you realize it or not, you are wanting a 4 down Canadian game. I'd say if you've never checked out a CFL do so. It seems to have many of the corrections of NFL rules you want in a game.

[SignGuyDino]

No, I watch a little CFL on WorldSportHD, so I know what you're referring to. I think it's a 25 second play clock but your point is taken.

They have a larger field and 12 men a side, obviously that ain't happening in the UFL. I wish they would go to 4 downs (with 15 yards) but they're not changing it just for little ole me.

[Fran]

I like the smaller play clock it makes the game move by much quicker, like the CFL has.

Fran

[jwalters]

I have thought for a long time that the CFL and another legue should get together for increased publicity. This would give an influx of U.S. television money to the Canadian clubs and give access to more Major North American markets for the new clubs. So how would this United Football League work?
Here are a few of the hybrid rules. These will be referred to by their nation of origin.
U.S.-
1. 100 YD. field. Combine this with a minimum 20 yard endzone. This would allow more regulation fields in the smaller U.S. stadiums. In the former CFL stadiums have 25 yard endzones so the total size of their playing surface remains the same at 450 ft. The Canadian endzones were 25 yds deep until the early 80's. So they do change their rules.

2. 4 downs. Yes it slows down the game but I believe this was one reason why the CFL didn't go over in America. More downs means more sustained drives.

Canada-
1. 65 yd wide field. Wider field is harder to defend and this creates a higher scoring brand of football.

2. Scoring. Keep the rouge.

3. 20 second playclock. Speeds up the game. In truth you really only need 15 seconds.

4. Unlimited motion towards the LOS.

5. D-Line must be one yd. off LOS.

6. This is a big compromise but I think 12 players on the field is very fair.

7. For the sake of parody each U.S. team must have at least 1/5 of their roster filled with "imports". These can be Canadian, Mexican, European, whatever. On a 40 man roster that is only 8 but it is still more fair than a whole roster of Americans.

New or not currently used-

1. I like live punts.

2. We could take the CFL live FG rule a step further. Even if the FG is good allow the return man to run the ball out if he chooses. This would really reduce dead time. But if the FG is made the single is not applicable.

3. NFL-E 50 yd. FG is 4 pts.

5. Actions pt. from the 5. The difference is the 1 pt. PAT is abolished. All action points would be worth 2.

Okay I think that's it.

[jwalters]

I forgot to mention I love the CFL onside kick rule. I didn't see the game last year but I did see Calagary pull one off when Matt Dunigan was head coach. The play was called back but upon review it was in fact a touchdown. I think this is the play that lead to instant replay being instituted.

[Fez]

I'd go for 20 yd end zones (perhaps with the goalpost ten yards in to create a bit of chaos) and the CFL's "single" --the UFL could call it the "Uno"-- is a great rule. Return the ball or give up a point. But if you give up the point, you get a strategic advantage because you get the ball from the point of the kick.

The XFL scrum race to determine who got the ball was a bit silly, go back to the coin flip. OT should guanatee that both teams get a possession.

I agree that the XFL "live ball" on punts rule should be used - and the down field punting should be permitted as well --make the game a bit more like rugby.

Touchdowns --the UFL could adopt the rugby rule which is XPs are spotted directly in line with where the ball was actually touched to the ground. Thus, XPs could be very difficult if the player scored in the corner. This would encourage 2pt conversion attempts (as it is easier to run a passing play from the corner than try to kick at that angle).

[preeths]

How about this for an OT scenario. Both teams get the ball, but the second team cannot play to tie. If the first team scored a FG, the second must try for a TD. If the first scored a TD and extra point, the second has to score a TD and two-point conversion. The only scenario that would allow the second team to tie is if the first scored a TD and two-point conversion. Each team is guaranteed one possession, but after that it's sudden death.

[preeths]

I like the smaller play clock it makes the game move by much quicker, like the CFL has.

Fran

Totally agreed. If the league can get the average game time in the two-and-a-half to two hour forty-five-minute range, it would make it much more TV and casual fan friendly and allow for some postgame coverage in a three-hour window.

[mrcool92501]

running clock til 2 mins left in the half/game?

they do it in the arena game,so why not in the ufl?