Tank's Take February 3, 2004

Looking Ahead to NFL 2004

Another Super Bowl has come and gone, and it will be remembered as one of the best thanks to perhaps the most exciting 4th Quarter in NFL history. Once again the New England Patriots found a way to win, as Adam Vinatieri nailed his second Super Bowl winning Field Goal in 3 years.0

Vinatieri as well as Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady who led the game winning drive like he did two years earlier now have secured their place in history particularly with fans in New England where they will be as fondly remembered as other sports legends like Bobby Orr, Bill Russell, Ted Williams, and Larry Bird.

However, while the Patriots celebrate the other 31 teams are focusing on next year, as the NFL Network Commercial said everyone is now 0-0 again, as they look for tomorrow. However, before the 2004 season kicks off the NFL may want to look into some minor changes.

First a fumble has to become a fumble again. Too many times this year, officials were quick to blow the whistle when the ball hit ground. We saw a clear example of this in the Super Bowl when a ball caught and fumbled Mushin Muhammad was ruled incomplete. Replays clearly show he had control and made a football move pivoting his foot, before the ball was knocked out of his hands. However, since the whistle blew it could not be reviewed.

This is why the officials need to be more patient with the whistles. There were countless plays like this through out the season. By being more patient with the whistle the call could be corrected if it turns out not to be a fumble replay could overturn the call.

In addition the NFL should allow coaches to keep their challenge if it successfully reverses a call. If an officiating crew is having a bad game, two challenges may not be enough. This way you avoid a controversial situation down the road where a team may not be able to challenge a call that is obviously wrong. With parody in the league every game is important and such a bad call could be there difference between missing the playoffs or perhaps going on a run to the Super Bowl.

The NFL also needs to change the Intentional Grounding Rule. It is a joke that QB can get rid of a ball and throw it to nobody just by running a few feet out of the pocket. The NFL needs to go back to the old rule where it had to be in the vicinity of an eligible receiver. Quarterbacks have too many advantages as it is and its time to allow the defense to be awarded for trapping a QB. This also includes getting rid of the tuck rule that created controversy two years ago.

The NFL should also start thinking about expanding the playoffs from 6 to 8 teams per conference. With the new 4-division format eventually down the road a team with a terrible record 7-9 is going to win a division that is weak while an 11-5 is forced to stay home and watch the playoffs.

When the move to go to 8 teams is finally made the NFL should have an open week between the end of the regular season and the playoffs so everyone is rested up and ready for 4 weeks of excitement. This means removing the week between the Championship and the Super Bowl.

That off week between the regular season and the playoffs will be an opportunity for College Football to stage a championship with greater exposure, and could even open the door for a true college football playoff but that's another story.

Finally the NFL should take a page from the NBA, and have a lottery for the number 1 pick. This way there is no chance of a team lying down in the final weeks of the season and guarantees that every team gives its best every week.

Which is also another argument for having a week between the season and the playoffs, as the Denver Broncos chose to rest all most of the starters having sewn up a playoff spot in the final week of the season. A week off forces players to put their stars in the game as two weeks off for key players risks getting rusty, and will weaken you heading into the playoffs.

Something you could argue happened to the Broncos this year any way as they were humiliated in their playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts losing 41-10, while looking completely flat and lacking focus.

Another thing this year's Super Bowl will be remembered for is the peep show put on by Janet Jackson at halftime. The act itself was fairly harmless, but it had no place at the Super Bowl. Many angry parents flooded CBS with complaints following the act.

If this stunt was performed on cable or a show with suggestive acts there would be no problem, but during the Super Bowl where this is not expected and parents with small children are caught off guard it presents problems for everyone, as it could cause a backlash, where they parents don't allow their children to watch the Super Bowl next year fearing it could happen again. If that happens then the NFL risks losing its high perch atop the yearly ratings with the Super Bowl, which means lower ad rates, and less money for the teams to share, which could create problems with labor, which could cause it to lose its era of labor peace that it has enjoyed for a decade.

Of course this means someone should be held accountable. The FCC is investigating the incident. Expect to see CBS get a hefty fine, and perhaps some big executives lose their jobs.

The next step has to come from the NFL; they need to take control of the halftime show. It does not mean returning to Up With People, but they need to bring in mainstream artist and stay away from the hip hop culture, and MTV which are always trying to achieve a shock value.

This means that MTV should not be allowed anywhere near the Super Bowl again. Their network is no longer about music, but about crass, anti-social behavior. One needs to just look at their awards shows, where each year they seem to top themselves in shocking moments. The NFL can not allow this to happen to their Super Bowl. Just the mere fact that the halftime show is being debated takes away from the game, which this year is a shame since it was such a great game.

As for Janet Jackson, her judgment has to be questioned. With her brother involved being charged with Child Molestation, it is probably best to keep a low profile, or not do anything else to bring negative attention to the family. This incident makes her look oblivious to the troubles her family is going through, and makes you wonder if anyone in that family has any idea of how to behave in public.

Heroes of the Week: Tom Brady and Adam Vinatieri for repeating the heroic efforts from Super Bowl XXXVI. Winning one Super Bowl is special but when you win a second one it proves how good you truly are. When they won two years ago they had the benefit of allot of lucky bounces and controversial calls. This year there is no question they deserved it as they won their last 15 games beating all the top teams along the way.

Geek of the Week: Ted Leonsis owner of the Washington Capitals for throwing a season ticket holder against the wall. Leonsis who also own AOL objected over a sign the fan had been carrying that was comparing the team's struggles to the struggles of AOL stock. If the Capitals want to keep their fans while they rebuild this is not the way to do it. Making matters worse is the ridiculously light fine the NHL levied on him. If he is truly sorry Leonsis should give the fan free tickets for the rest of the season and reimburse the money he had already paid this season. In addition he should have been suspended the rest of the season. When a player touches a fan it is bad enough, but when owners get in the act you have a major problem, and an example should be made of him.

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