March 26, 2014

SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle:

A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 7 comments

There is no better exemplar of modern college athletics than an AD getting a week's pay bonus for a wrestler winning his weight class at the NCAA championship.

posted by Etrigan at 08:37 AM on March 26, 2014

No Diploma, No USF Job For Steve Masiello

posted by BornIcon at 11:58 AM on March 26, 2014

"If it's accurate, I'm shocked by it," said Pitino, whose team beat Manhattan in the second round of the NCAA tournament last week. "I had no idea. I left the previous year, and he was on track to graduate."
The quote should come with a roll of paper towels.

posted by yerfatma at 12:11 PM on March 26, 2014

Two-ply econo roll.

posted by beaverboard at 12:39 PM on March 26, 2014

New NFL rules for this season (and some that didn't make it):

Proposals passed:
  • Officials can now use replay review to rule on loose ball recoveriesthe so-called "NaVorro Bowman" rule, so dubbed after the 49ers were unable to challenge an obvious Niners fumble recovery in the NFC Championship that the refs awarded to the Seahawks.
  • The goalpost uprights will be extended five feet higher, to reduce the instances of a kick sailing above the upright and leaving it to the officials' judgment.
  • The game clock will no longer stop when a quarterback is sacked.
  • "Roll up blocks," where a blocker hits the side of the knee of a player, are banned.
  • Officials will now be able to speak wirelessly with each other, and with the central replay office.
  • While not a new rule, the existing rule forbidding the use of the ball as a prop during TD celebrations will be extended to ban dunking the ball over the crossbar.
Proposals tabled for further review:
  • Though a proposal to move the line of scrimmage on PATs to the 25 was officially tabled, there will be a change. For the first two weeks of the preseason, extra point tries will be snapped from the 20, making it roughly a 38-yard kick. (Historical data says to expect a success rate in the high 80s.) The league will monitor the results, and presumably vote on changing the rule at next year's meetings.
  • A proposal to do away with overtime in preseason games and let them end in ties.
  • A proposal to add six boundary-line cameras at every game to make replay reviews more conclusive. (This was the one where Bill Belichick joked that the NFL needs to hold a bake sale if they can't afford the cameras.)
Proposals voted down:
  • Owners voted against moving the kickoff from the 35-yard-line to the 40.
  • Owners voted against a proposal that would have made every play challengeable by coaches.
  • Owners voted against allowing officials to use replay to review personal foul penalty calls.

posted by Etrigan at 12:49 PM on March 26, 2014

Regional National Labor Relations Board rules that college football players are employees and are therefore eligible to form a union. Northwestern will appeal to the NLRB headquarters in Washington, then whoever loses that one will doubtless take it to court.

posted by Etrigan at 03:23 PM on March 26, 2014

I'm in a fantasy baseball league on ESPN with some friends that has an auction draft tonightThursday night at 8:30 Eastern. There's a $40 entry fee. We need one more team. If you're interested, email me and I'll send you the invitation.

posted by rcade at 05:50 PM on March 26, 2014

You're not logged in. Please log in or register.