Here are my proposed rule changes for 2008

[Larry Gude]

Also agree with the "automatic first down" penalties. I think the only thing that should result in a first down is a penalty that moves the ball beyond the sticks.

Disagree. If it is 3rd and 20 what's a d coordinator gonna do? Hit the QB no matter what! Personal foul! It's now 4th and 5 and the qb is still on the ground.

I don't, however, like 3rd and 20's that get an automatic when a db barely touches a receiver after 5 yards and the qb never even looked that way.

[Larry Gude]

Timeouts cannot be called ahead of time like they are for making the kicker kick twice. If the coach is swift enough to call the timeout right as the ball is snapped, that's fine, but no calling the ref over ahead of time and telling him that you will have called a timeout just before the ball is snapped.

That's right.

I disagree on punts being live; kickers would be told to take their chances and just kick all kinds of odd shots to just get the thing rolling on the ground somewhere. It would be chaotic and I think get people killed as folks are running full speed in opposite directions to dive on a loose ball. It's one thing if you tackle me, full speed. It's another when we clash helmets, exposed, diving for the ball.

[Larry Gude]

One that's never called. Illegal hands to the face/facemask on ball carriers who try to stiff-arm the defender and get in their grill. It's never called and it's dangerous.

Good one.

[Larry Gude]

Push in the back on returns. Wussy call. Go back to the old clipping below the waist.

Bad one. You shouldn't be able to send a guy flying by doing a dirty no good thing like a push in the back. Guys who just can't keep from pushing when they can read the other guys name should be allowed to get a head start on that local sports anchor gig.

[Larry Gude]

I wouldn't mind them getting more points of a 50 yard field goal attempt. I know that would mean an increase in attempts, but it would make the games exciting. Also I am in agreement about the illegal contact. It just gives bad offenses more chances to score.

How about anything 30 and under they get 3. 31 is 3.1, 32 is 3.2 and so on?

:laugh:

FG's are 3 points as God intended, be it 20 or 60!

Now, I do NOT like giving up the ball from the spot instead of the LOS if you miss.

:2cents:

[Forever21]

#1. Consecutive time-outs called. 15-yard unsportsmanlike enforced on the ensuing kickoff. (since if a second timeout is not allowed, it cannot be called and play cannot stop)

#2. To balance absurd automatic first downs given offenses for defensive illegal contact, all offensive pass interference will now result in a loss of down.

#3. Penalties may no longer be combined. Example: If a team advances the ball 14 yards and the defense is flagged for illegal contact, they are to decide which they want, the 14 yards, or the 5 yards. They cannot have both.

#4. If tied after 4 quarters, overtime is simply a fifth 7 minute quarter with both teams getting the ball (if one scores and there is still time left)

#5. 55+ yard field goals = 4 points.

#6. Independant panel to review contoversial calls made by an official and empowered to award fines to the team damaged by said call.

Anything else?

I like 1-3 but 4-6 are bad ideas in my own humble opinion.

[Larry Gude]

And my own pet peeves;

Holding on a running play should be 5, not 10 yards.

There already is holding on every play so, offensive linemen should be able to hold in every way currently illegal except when they actually get a fistful of jersey which is much easier to see. QB's get pummeled to much in my book.

They still can't trip though, be it with an arm or leg.

O linemen should be eligible to catch passes.

If you do not finish a play to the whistle in possession of the ball, it is a fumble, be it caused by the ground, ghosts or bad luck and this includes crossing the goal line; no more of this breaking the plane and then losing it is still 6 non sense. However, if you are out of bounds and then lose it, you're out of bounds, no problem there.

The words "Dallas" and/or "Cowboys" should be declared ineligible to be said out loud during play. They should be replaced on the scoreboard with "Those people".

And last, if an announcer refers to 'those people' as 'Americas Team' it should be an automatic 15 against those people for unsportsmanlike.

[Mooka]

I agree on the force out rule... that negates what SHOULD BE a GREAT defensive play.

TD passes in goal situations would be impossible without the rule.

[ClemsSC7Skinfan]

TD passes in goal situations would be impossible without the rule.

I'm pretty sure Cooley has all of his TD's near the goaline by simply running to the goaline and turning around ......that was basically his own words so I don't understand your logic there....the force out is BS for increased scoring for the sport....BS...

[Darth Tater]

3. No contact after 5 yards is the worst rule change ever. Pass interference should subjeft to grabbing of jersey, face guarding and bumping the reciever all the way down the field.

Yes. That rule was actually put in to open up the downfield passing game but the rule was part of what helped the wimpy pass game we have today.

[Darth Tater]

Tuck or Brady Rule,Force Outs and clearing up the whole possesion while the ball is on the ground,all of these have too much gray area to suit me,and it seems they happen at the end of games determining outcomes,

The tuck rule was created to clear up this gray area which it has done. In the NFL, most rules that people hate were designed to clean up the gray areas.

[Redskin4ever]

The words "Dallas" and/or "Cowboys" should be declared ineligible to be said out loud during play. They should be replaced on the scoreboard with "Those people".

And last, if an announcer refers to 'those people' as 'Americas Team' it should be an automatic 15 against those people for unsportsmanlike.

Here! Here!

[Darth Tater]

And the intentional grounding penalty is not a penalty at all. The ball is placed at the spot of the foul(presumably where the qb was about to get sacked anyway)...why not back them up an additional 5 or so?

Intentional grounding of forward pass (safety if passer is in own end zone) is a 10 yard penalty with a loss of down. If foul occurs more than 10 yards behind line, play results in loss of down at spot of foul.

[JoeKnowsBest]

I say just let the defenses play for peetes sake. Those phantom illegal contact penalty calls has got to go. You can't even poke the reciever with an index finger it's gotten so bad.

Same thing with the roughing the passer. You poke him with a finger, and if he fakes falling down, it's a 15 yard personal foul. Obserd.

[Darth Tater]

Now, I do NOT like giving up the ball from the spot instead of the LOS if you miss.

Another example of how changing rules may have unintended consequences. This rule was put in place to get offenses to be more agressive between the 40 and the 20. The only thing it did was take away the long FG try.

[GeoLeo]

I think a team should be able to call their timeouts any time they choose, even if it means back to back to back.

And random drug tests should be given to coaches and players alike, and equitable punishment for all violaters. Let's keep this sport clean and fair, People.

:point2sky Yes!