Worst Sports Rules
 

Soccer

The offside rule.

So because the opposing team isn't back playing defense you get a penalized? Sorry, this life long hockey fan doesn't grasp this.

The way to fix it would be to a adopt a hockey like rule. The ball has to go through the last third of the field first.

Shoot-out to determine a playoff winner.

In 1999 The US women's team defeated China in a shootout 5-4 after playing to a 0-0 draw. Your not going to catch me waving the flag here. I didn't feel any national pride. I felt bummed for The Chinese team. I'm sure they practiced and played just as hard as anyone in the world. And then end, the championship is determined by one player on your team versus one player on their team.

The solution would be to continue to play until a goal is scored.

National Football League

The pass interference rule.

What makes this penalty ridiculous is how vague and severe it is. If a defensive player interferes with a receiver the ball is placed at the spot of the foul. So if you have a cannon arm like John Elway this penalty could be 60 yards easy. If an offensive player interferes with a defensive player, it's a ten yard penalty. If a defensive back smashes a wide receiver coming over the middle, it's a 15 yard penalty.

Like this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztz1GjUylvU

Defensive pass interference should be a ten yard penalty, but the pass happy NFL will never implement this.

The tuck rule.

If the quarterback drops the ball behind him, it's a fumble. Enough said.

Major League Baseball

The infield fly rule.

If you pop the ball up, it has to go to a certain height and uh so far and uh, what?

If you pop the ball up and the defense can turn a double or triple play out of it well to bad for you.

Re: Worst Sports Rules
 

That Soccer can end with a tied score. Maybe it's because I'm American, but I just don't understand that. Not really into sports that much anyways but I still don't get it.
Or that you get in trouble for doing this.
http://www.truetalkblog.com/truetalk...ead_butt_1.jpg

Re: Worst Sports Rules
 

One point in the standings for an overtime loss in the NHL.

Re: Worst Sports Rules
 

What do you think it should be?

Worst, oh yeah, let's see:

Re: Worst Sports Rules
 

In all seriousness, I think the majority of rules make a good deal of sense. The ones listed are certainly frustrating much of the time, but there are significant downsides to not having them, too.

I tend to think the worst rule is whatever's supposed to be governing fouls in the NBA. I'm not a huge basketball fan, but even watching games casually I think I ought to be able to figure out what is and is not a foul with relative ease, and I simply can't, based solely on how they're usually called. The closest I can come is "if a guy charges the basket and there's a few other guys around, he'll usually get fouled."

3 points for a win regular play or overtime, one point for a shootout win, and zero for a shootout loss.

Also in OT you play 5 on 5.

NBA refs are a slight step above professional wrestling refs, or in Tim Donaghy's case, a slight step below.

Re: Worst Sports Rules
 

Re: Offside

If you didn't have the rule you'd get professional football matches resembling primary school kickabouts with everyone just crowding the goalmouth. ;)

They've tried to amend it in recent years with attacking players allowed past the last defender if they're deemed not to be interfering with play, ie: not part of the current attacking move.

I stated that they should adopt a rule like in hockey. The ball has to enter the last third of the field first.

You're going to make my head explode.

Other rules I hate.

College Football

The overtime format

What a bunch of circus nonsense.

American Pro and College Football

The extra point

Nothing should be almost automatic in sports. Either you go for two points from the two yard line or kick a 40 yard extra point.

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Two points from the three-yard line. :)

"What a difference a yard makes... 36 little inches."

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You've got to be in the attacking half of the field to be considered offside, if that helps.

Us football fans are simple people - we can't cope with thirds. :D

I would definitely go for that.

Now that I understand.

This rule may not make sense as a spectator, but as a player its there to prevent a guy just hanging next to the goal post waiting for a long range pass so he can just bump it in (a soccer goal is a lot bigger than a hockey one). Keeps the game civilized :)

the thing i hate about soccer is the fake injury's for penalties.

Re: Worst Sports Rules
 

In U.S. sports, such as basketball, that guy hanging back behind the defense is called a "cherry picker". :cool:

Re: Worst Sports Rules
 

Rather more literally (and less poetically) they're called 'goal hangers' here. :D

When we were kids this was a disparaging term but there's a real art to 'playing on the shoulder of the last defender', as they say, constantly millimetres between onside and offside.

Re: Worst Sports Rules
 

Good call on the extra point. I'd much rather see, say, a play from the one-yard line for one point, and from the five for two, or something kind of like that. Anything to get rid of the extra point. Though making it longer would work, I'd definitely prefer something that cut a little kicking out of the game in favor of actual football plays.

I think it might actually happen, too. The NFL is pretty good about this kind of thing; they embraced replay (and it's worked out pretty well, I think) and they've actually started addressing the overtime rules. So they're amenable to smart changes.

I have three, but only one of them is actually a rule change. All football.

Firstly, give a penalty in the box if you'd give a free kick in the centre circle. Two, seeing the ball out is fine, but you'll see players being pushed and pulled without any attempt by the defender to play the ball. This is a foul, not a goalkick. Obviously, both of those are to do with the ref/linesman having balls and enforcing the rules.

Lastly, go back to the old offside rule. It's clean and simple. If you're offside, you're offside. No second phase or not interfering with play, etc.

Re: Worst Sports Rules
 

The Worst rule imo relates to hockey.

checking a goalie is currently a penalty if he is outside of his crease. I'm not talking about crashing the net, that should be called.

What i mean is, Goalies that slide to the corners to gather a dump in...essentially acting like a 3rd defensemen at that point oughtta be fair game.


you stray you pay

There must be a firm of divorce lawyers somewhere with that as their motto. :D