Are you ready for some Football!

[lesofprimus]

NHL Rules Changes: Probing The Brave New Hockey World
From Jamie Fitzpatrick,
Your Guide to Pro Ice Hockey.

An assessment of NHL rules changes for the 2005-06 NHL season.
On July 22, 2005, the board of governors is approved the most radical set of NHL rule changes in many years. Most of the changes are designed to boost offensive chances and scoring, and several represent a return to rules that were in place years ago. This page looks at the major NHL rule changes for 2005-06, according to the latest media reports.

Tie games are decided by a shootout.
Regular season games continue as before: 60 minutes of regulation time followed by five minutes of 4-on-4 overtime to break a tie. If it remains tied, a shootout determines the winner. Three players from each team take penalty shots. If the tie is still unbroken, the teams continue in "sudden-death" mode, trading shots until there is a winner.
The Case: Nobody likes ties. Everybody loves penalty shots. Or so it's said.
Impact: Should be a big hit with the fans. Goal scorers will enjoy it. Tie games are eliminated, though the NHL will continue to award one point for a shootout or overtime loss.
Down Side: Most NHL execs used to dismiss the shootout as a cheap gimmick. The shootout remains controversial, with some concern that its novelty will fade if fans see it too often. And what effect will it have on the preceding game? Might some teams play a conservative defensive style, prefering to guarantee one point and take their chances with a shootout?

The two-line pass is legal.
The red line at center ice remains, but used for icing calls only. A pass from the defensive zone all the way to the opposing blue line is legal. This is also the rule in the NCAA, international hockey and Europe.
The Case: The dreaded neutral zone trap clogs the ice and destroys hockey's entertainment value. With the long pass, defending the neutral zone becomes harder. The game needs more breakaways and more speed.
Impact: Longer passes favor teams with speed and skill, creating quick attacks and more end-to-end action in general.
Down Side: Some say the two-line pass leads to a more conservative game: defending teams abandon the forecheck and spread players back through the neutral zone to guard against the long pass. Also, teams can use the long pass as a sort of "legal icing" - the defenseman throws the puck up ice, and the forward simply chips it into the opposing zone.

Goaltender leg pads, blockers, catching gloves and jerseys are all cut down in size.
The Case: Compared to his forebears, today's goalie fills far too much of the net. The limit on leg pads was increased from 10 to 12 inches in 1989. They are now reduced to 11 inches. Sweaters and otehr pads also shrink.
Impact: Hard to say. Today's great goaltending is mostly due to athleticism and good coaching. But smaller leg pads could expose more of the bottom half of the net. After a couple of months, the NHL's best shooters should be asked if they see any more room down low.
Down Side: Some goaltenders complain that smaller equipment leaves them more vulnerable to injury. The move also fuels a persecution complex among goaltenders.

Goaltenders cannot handle the puck behind the goal line, except in a restricted area.
The Case: Goalies have too much control in their zone. They play the puck like defensemen, handing it off to teammates, shooting it out, making forward passes. They do so with immunity, protected by goaltender interference rules. Many say the goalie should be declared "fair game" - outside his crease, he should be open to bodychecking and puck battles. But NHL GMs will never increase the injury risk for their most important assets.
Impact: The idea is to encourage forechecking. If the goalie can't play a shoot-in, the attackers have a better chance to retrieve the puck. But this rule still allows goalies to play the puck in a zone directly behind the net. The restriction is a minor one and its effect on scoring will likely be negligible.
Down Side: Defensemen won't like it, as they count on the goalie to help them win races for the puck. This rule also encourages a dump-and-chase attack, not always the most exciting style of hockey.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by lesofprimus

Dude, San Fran is rated as one of the, if not the worst, team in the league...

U are waaayyyy optimistic about ur team brother.... That first game was a fluke, and if San Fran makes it to the Superbowl, I'll eat a 5 dollar bill and take pic for all to see......

Yes I know and that is why I said I say this every year but I have had no luck since 1995. I just dont jump from team to team because they are winning. I hate people that do that. I stick by my team and support them.

Originally Posted by P38 Pilot

South Eastern College for me! ROLL TIDE ROLL! GO ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE! WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I knew I should have specified in the title of the thread that this was about the NFL. You would think the opening paragraph of the thread would have told you that. SEC is not a NFL team.

Originally Posted by lesofprimus

Yup, at college.... Aint nothing like these pros brother... There would be people dying if it werent for the helmets...

Yeap that is why they introduced the helmets and pads. When the game fist came out they did not wear any protective gear. People were dieing every game. Then they went to the leather helmets and the deaths dropped a bit. Back in the early days of football littlerally hundreds of players either died or had serios injuries that basically ruined them for life. Since they brought in the protective gear these deaths have been avoided and not so many serious injuries have happened.

[P38 Pilot]

I knew I should have specified in the title of the thread that this was about the NFL. You would think the opening paragraph of the thread would have told you that. SEC is not a NFL team.

I know but Alabama is my team! Oh yeah they won against the GameCocks 37 to 14! ROOOLLLLLLLL TIDDDDEEEEEE ROOLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!

[plan_D]

That must have been really hard...winning against a bunch of roosters.

[lesofprimus]

I happen to have a sweet fitted cap for the South Carolina GameCocks... Its maroon, with large, white SC letters on front, and on the back of the cap, it says "Cocks"...

One of the greatest hats known to mankind...

I also have a Oregon State University Beavers hat....

And the Red Tide sucks.... Freakin elephant as a school mascot... Pffft... What inbread retard thought up that one???

[P38 Pilot]

You non-American people just dont understand do you Plan D???

Its a f*cking name!! Just because they have a rooster doesen't mean they are going to be hard although we kicked f*ckin asses at their own staduim!!!!

ROLL TIDE ROLLLLLLLL!!!

[plan_D]

We understand alright. But we also laugh at YOU immensely. And that second sentence was complete dog. I made a slight joke about their team being roosters - y'know, the birds! Just picture it, 38, playing football with a bunch of roosters. My god you're stupid.

[lesofprimus]

LMFAO..... The Tide suck.... Atleast MY college team (Syracuse Orangemen) lost in overtime to a ranked team...

Anyways, back on track, The New York Giants are about to have the best season ever....

[P38 Pilot]

Ahh whatever. The Tide are still goin to kick ass!

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

That one did fly right over your head didn't it P38?

[FLYBOYJ]

Living in Denver, the Broncos are living gods, but in my opinion highly over-rated. Last year Shannon Sharpe blasted the team saying that Jake Plummer was mediocre at best and Coach Shanahan was on borrowed time. They got pummeled by the Dolphins last week and just squeaked by the Chargers today. They play to the level of their competition, but to the fans here, they do no wrong.

[P38 Pilot]

Thats good old football to you and me!

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Thats alright my 49ers got completly creamed. I guess I should have seen it coming but as a true fan I have to hope and pray and fantasize that my team will once again become great.

[evangilder]

Adler, you're going to be like the die hard Cubs fans. But good for you to stick with your team through good and bad. I know I have seen enough bad years with the Packers!

[P38 Pilot]

Alabama will be going against the Razorbacks this Saturday. I hope they win.