The NFL Changes form again

The No Fun League has imposed yet another odd rule this week. No longer will those disgusting displays of personal identity be tolerated on the football field this upcoming season. That’s right, no more BANDANAS! Give me a break. The NFL has decided that bandanas can no longer be worn because it violates the uniform code for the NFL. However for medical purposes some players will be permitted to wear them (Ray Lewis has some scalp disorder and the bandana he wears apparently helps that condition.) Players will be able to wear skullcaps as long as they have the team logo and colors. Seems like a new marketing toy. Soon on a shelf near you: "Wear the same skullcap as your favorite NFL star! That will be $27.50, sir." I am so glad we don’t have to look at those darn bandanas anymore. This will certainly make my football watching more enjoyable (note the sarcasm).

In other NFL moves the owners and rules committees have agreed to protect the quarterback even more this season. The referees will be giving the quarterback even more protection by erring in the direction of the QB. Watch for a lot more roughing the passer calls. I can’t wait until the QB wears a red jersey during the game and no one can hit him. What happened to the days when the QB was still a football player? I understand the argument that the defensive lineman often outweigh the QB by 100 lbs, but why should that matter? No one seems to mind when a small wide receiver goes over the middle and a Ray Lewis meets him and crushes him. The QB is a player just like everyone else. I agree a cheap shot should get called, but come on. First the sliding rule, then the outside tackle "box," when does the QB ever have any contact in a contact game?

The last important rule enforcement or change for this season will be the no taunting rule. To me this is appropriate for let’s say, running to the middle of the field in someone else’s house after scoring a touchdown. But let them play, they're excited, they are competitive; they are putting on a show. When I pay $200 for a scalped ticket I want to see them play with excitement. I want to see people crawling on the ground like a dog or taking a home run swing. These are all important parts of the atmosphere when you go to the game. The crowd gets into it and the other players get into it. That’s entertainment and it works for the NFL.

The last two changes are the extension on instant replay and the change in the momentum rule. The owners agreed to the new three-year extension. So we will have the box for another three years at least. The momentum rule change came about as a result of a play last season. I can’t remember the teams or the player involved. I do remember the situation however. The line backer made an interception on the one-yard line and his momentum carried him backwards into the end zone. Now an offensive player touched him and the play was ruled a safety! The guy had no chance to get out of the end zone was penalized for the great effort. They now will rule that where the player takes possession is where the ball will be placed regardless of where his momentum takes them after the interception, fumble recovery or free-kick recovery.

In other news the NFL will not decide on the new alignment until closer to the June 1 deadline. All of the plans have Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay and Minnesota in the NFC North. Tampa Bay seems to be destined for the NFC South that would include, Atlanta, Carolina, New Orleans and Tampa Bay. Some proposed divisions have Tampa Bay in the NFC East and St. Louis in the NFC South or Carolina in the East with St. Louis and Tampa in the South. The old NFC Central stays intact and Tampa Bay won’t have to worry about playing in the cold and continuing their streak of losses in sub-40 temps.

-- Jan Zumbo (dvt99@aol.com), April 05, 2001