If I ruled the world (and I think I should) overtime in both pro and college would
use the same format. However, I would eliminate the coin toss. There is too
much of an advantage to the team that wins the toss. In the pros, the team
winning the toss can end the game by scoring a TD on their first possession.
In the postseason, both teams are assured a possession, but the team that
wins the toss will get the third possession and the chance to win the game
with a FG.

In college, going on defense first is huge advantage because that team knows
whether it needs a TD or can play for the FG. In essence, it tells them whether
they have 3 downs or 4 downs to get a first down.

I would like to see both pro and college go to a true sudden death format.
First team to score wins. However, instead of the first possession decided
by the luck of the coin toss, just continue the game from where the fourth
quarter ended. Change ends of the field just like is done between the
third and fourth quarter and continue playing with the same down and
distance. If a team tied the game on the last play of regulation, that team
kicks off to start the overtime. First possession would still be a big
advantage, but that advantage would be dictated by the flow of the game,
not the luck of the coin toss.

I'm old enough to remember watching the very first sudden death overtime
game, the 1958 NFL championship game between the Baltimore Colts and
the New York Giants. Johnny Unitas drove the Colts the length of the field
to set up the game tying FG on the last play of regulation. The Colts won
the overtime toss, took possession and again drove the length of the field
and score on a plunge by Alan Ameche. Had my proposal been in effect
back then, the Giants would have received to start overtime. Would it have
changed the outcome? We'll never know. I had just turned 7 years old a
month earlier and it was the first game I ever remember watching and still
one of the best.

On 1/12/2024 1:35 PM, JE Corbett wrote:
> If I ruled the world (and I think I should) overtime in both pro and college would
> use the same format. However, I would eliminate the coin toss. There is too
> much of an advantage to the team that wins the toss. In the pros, the team
> winning the toss can end the game by scoring a TD on their first possession.
> In the postseason, both teams are assured a possession, but the team that
> wins the toss will get the third possession and the chance to win the game
> with a FG.
>
> In college, going on defense first is huge advantage because that team knows
> whether it needs a TD or can play for the FG. In essence, it tells them whether
> they have 3 downs or 4 downs to get a first down.
>
> I would like to see both pro and college go to a true sudden death format.
> First team to score wins. However, instead of the first possession decided
> by the luck of the coin toss, just continue the game from where the fourth
> quarter ended. Change ends of the field just like is done between the
> third and fourth quarter and continue playing with the same down and
> distance. If a team tied the game on the last play of regulation, that team
> kicks off to start the overtime. First possession would still be a big
> advantage, but that advantage would be dictated by the flow of the game,
> not the luck of the coin toss.
>
> I'm old enough to remember watching the very first sudden death overtime
> game, the 1958 NFL championship game between the Baltimore Colts and
> the New York Giants. Johnny Unitas drove the Colts the length of the field
> to set up the game tying FG on the last play of regulation. The Colts won
> the overtime toss, took possession and again drove the length of the field
> and score on a plunge by Alan Ameche. Had my proposal been in effect
> back then, the Giants would have received to start overtime. Would it have
> changed the outcome? We'll never know. I had just turned 7 years old a
> month earlier and it was the first game I ever remember watching and still
> one of the best.

Not a bad idea.
--
---------------
Scall5

On Fri, 12 Jan 2024 11:35:37 -0800 (PST), JE Corbett <jecorbett4@gmail.com> wrote:

>If I ruled the world (and I think I should) overtime in both pro and college would
>use the same format. However, I would eliminate the coin toss. There is too
>much of an advantage to the team that wins the toss. In the pros, the team
>winning the toss can end the game by scoring a TD on their first possession.
>In the postseason, both teams are assured a possession, but the team that
>wins the toss will get the third possession and the chance to win the game
>with a FG.
>
>In college, going on defense first is huge advantage because that team knows
>whether it needs a TD or can play for the FG. In essence, it tells them whether
>they have 3 downs or 4 downs to get a first down.
>
>I would like to see both pro and college go to a true sudden death format.
>First team to score wins. However, instead of the first possession decided
>by the luck of the coin toss, just continue the game from where the fourth
>quarter ended. Change ends of the field just like is done between the
>third and fourth quarter and continue playing with the same down and
>distance. If a team tied the game on the last play of regulation, that team
>kicks off to start the overtime. First possession would still be a big
>advantage, but that advantage would be dictated by the flow of the game,
>not the luck of the coin toss.
>
>I'm old enough to remember watching the very first sudden death overtime
>game, the 1958 NFL championship game between the Baltimore Colts and
>the New York Giants. Johnny Unitas drove the Colts the length of the field
>to set up the game tying FG on the last play of regulation. The Colts won
>the overtime toss, took possession and again drove the length of the field
>and score on a plunge by Alan Ameche. Had my proposal been in effect
>back then, the Giants would have received to start overtime. Would it have
>changed the outcome? We'll never know. I had just turned 7 years old a
>month earlier and it was the first game I ever remember watching and still
>one of the best.

I saw that game too, I was watching it with my dad and was about the same age.
I became a Unitas fan on the spot.Many years later I was in the Melbourne (FL) airport
waiting for my wife to come off the plane, and lo and behold, Johnny Unitas was coming
off the plane. I stopped him and told him I was a fan. We chatted for a few minutes
and shook hands, very pleasant guy, and I was excited to have met him and talked to him.
The NFL could do with more players with his class and honesty. Too bad those attributes hurt him
financially.

On Saturday, January 13, 2024 at 7:47:56 AM UTC-6, j...@mich.com wrote:
> On Fri, 12 Jan 2024 11:35:37 -0800 (PST), JE Corbett <jecor...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >If I ruled the world (and I think I should) overtime in both pro and college would
> >use the same format. However, I would eliminate the coin toss. There is too
> >much of an advantage to the team that wins the toss. In the pros, the team
> >winning the toss can end the game by scoring a TD on their first possession.
> >In the postseason, both teams are assured a possession, but the team that
> >wins the toss will get the third possession and the chance to win the game
> >with a FG.
> >
> >In college, going on defense first is huge advantage because that team knows
> >whether it needs a TD or can play for the FG. In essence, it tells them whether
> >they have 3 downs or 4 downs to get a first down.
> >
> >I would like to see both pro and college go to a true sudden death format.
> >First team to score wins. However, instead of the first possession decided
> >by the luck of the coin toss, just continue the game from where the fourth
> >quarter ended. Change ends of the field just like is done between the
> >third and fourth quarter and continue playing with the same down and
> >distance. If a team tied the game on the last play of regulation, that team
> >kicks off to start the overtime. First possession would still be a big
> >advantage, but that advantage would be dictated by the flow of the game,
> >not the luck of the coin toss.
> >
> >I'm old enough to remember watching the very first sudden death overtime
> >game, the 1958 NFL championship game between the Baltimore Colts and
> >the New York Giants. Johnny Unitas drove the Colts the length of the field
> >to set up the game tying FG on the last play of regulation. The Colts won
> >the overtime toss, took possession and again drove the length of the field
> >and score on a plunge by Alan Ameche. Had my proposal been in effect
> >back then, the Giants would have received to start overtime. Would it have
> >changed the outcome? We'll never know. I had just turned 7 years old a
> >month earlier and it was the first game I ever remember watching and still
> >one of the best.
> I saw that game too, I was watching it with my dad and was about the same age.
> I became a Unitas fan on the spot.Many years later I was in the Melbourne (FL) airport
> waiting for my wife to come off the plane, and lo and behold, Johnny Unitas was coming
> off the plane. I stopped him and told him I was a fan. We chatted for a few minutes
> and shook hands, very pleasant guy, and I was excited to have met him and talked to him.
> The NFL could do with more players with his class and honesty. Too bad those attributes hurt him
> financially.

A minor change they could make that could improve the current rules - there is no reason to wait until OT is needed to determine who gets the ball first. There are a million fair ways to determine it - flip 2 coins at the start of the game; flip one, but the loser chooses either which goal to defend or OT possession; or maybe it's always the visiting team to help offset HFA - whatever. As long as it's known in the 4th quarter, you can factor that into your end-of-regulation decisions.

On Saturday, January 13, 2024 at 8:47:56 AM UTC-5, j...@mich.com wrote:
> On Fri, 12 Jan 2024 11:35:37 -0800 (PST), JE Corbett <jecor...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >If I ruled the world (and I think I should) overtime in both pro and college would
> >use the same format. However, I would eliminate the coin toss. There is too
> >much of an advantage to the team that wins the toss. In the pros, the team
> >winning the toss can end the game by scoring a TD on their first possession.
> >In the postseason, both teams are assured a possession, but the team that
> >wins the toss will get the third possession and the chance to win the game
> >with a FG.
> >
> >In college, going on defense first is huge advantage because that team knows
> >whether it needs a TD or can play for the FG. In essence, it tells them whether
> >they have 3 downs or 4 downs to get a first down.
> >
> >I would like to see both pro and college go to a true sudden death format.
> >First team to score wins. However, instead of the first possession decided
> >by the luck of the coin toss, just continue the game from where the fourth
> >quarter ended. Change ends of the field just like is done between the
> >third and fourth quarter and continue playing with the same down and
> >distance. If a team tied the game on the last play of regulation, that team
> >kicks off to start the overtime. First possession would still be a big
> >advantage, but that advantage would be dictated by the flow of the game,
> >not the luck of the coin toss.
> >
> >I'm old enough to remember watching the very first sudden death overtime
> >game, the 1958 NFL championship game between the Baltimore Colts and
> >the New York Giants. Johnny Unitas drove the Colts the length of the field
> >to set up the game tying FG on the last play of regulation. The Colts won
> >the overtime toss, took possession and again drove the length of the field
> >and score on a plunge by Alan Ameche. Had my proposal been in effect
> >back then, the Giants would have received to start overtime. Would it have
> >changed the outcome? We'll never know. I had just turned 7 years old a
> >month earlier and it was the first game I ever remember watching and still
> >one of the best.
> I saw that game too, I was watching it with my dad and was about the same age.
> I became a Unitas fan on the spot.Many years later I was in the Melbourne (FL) airport
> waiting for my wife to come off the plane, and lo and behold, Johnny Unitas was coming
> off the plane. I stopped him and told him I was a fan. We chatted for a few minutes
> and shook hands, very pleasant guy, and I was excited to have met him and talked to him.
> The NFL could do with more players with his class and honesty. Too bad those attributes hurt him
> financially.

Like you I became a Colts fan after that game although my earliest hero was Lenny Moore. It was
only after I became a bit older that I appreciated how important Unitas was to the Colts.

I came across Johnny Unitas twice. The first time was my senior year of high school (I graduated
in 1969). He was a guest speaker at our school and he spoke to an assembly of just the boys in
the school (never get away with that today). He told a few stories but the main theme of his talk
was the importance of education. He told us he had a BS degree from the University of Louisville
and immediately informed us the BS stood for Batchelor of Science.

The second time was in the mid 1990s. My father was a retired faculty member at Ohio State but he
had included Ohio State in his will which qualified him for membership in the President's Club and
greatly improved the quality of his season tickets to the football games. We were on the visitors
side about halfway up the lower level between the 40 yard lines. Louisville was playing at Ohio
State and Johnny Unitas was sitting at the far end of our row. At halftime, a lot of people had gone
to the concessions or restrooms. I looked over and Unitas was standing up to stretch his legs as
was I. He noticed me gawking at him and gave me a nod and I nodded back. Louisville lost the game
when they failed to tie the game with a two point conversion in the final minute. As we headed to the
exits I was right behind Unitas and heard him talking to what I assume was one of his sounds and
talking about how a missed extra point earlier in the game had put Louisville in a position they had to
go for two just to tie the game (no evertime back then). I've never asked anyone for an autograph but
was sorely tempted to do what you did and introduce myself and get a handshake from him. I don't
know why I didn't and I regret that to this day.

On Saturday, January 13, 2024 at 11:15:16 AM UTC-5, JE Corbett wrote:

Correction
> As we headed to the exits I was right behind Unitas and heard him talking to what I assume was one of his sounds

That was supposed to read "one of his sons". My fingers sometimes go on autopilot but I don't know how they went from
"sons" to "sounds".

Wanna get rid of the advantage of the coin toss?

I think the Eagles came up with an idea. Spot and choose.

Same rules as present pro overtime, but with one twist: The team which wins the coin toss gets the choice of where to spot the ball to start the overtime (no kickoff) or to choose, after the other team so spots, who gets the ball first.

Mike

JE Corbett <jecorbett4@gmail.com> wrote:
> If I ruled the world (and I think I should) overtime in both pro and college would
> use the same format. However, I would eliminate the coin toss. There is too
> much of an advantage to the team that wins the toss. In the pros, the team
> winning the toss can end the game by scoring a TD on their first possession.
> In the postseason, both teams are assured a possession, but the team that
> wins the toss will get the third possession and the chance to win the game
> with a FG.
>
> In college, going on defense first is huge advantage because that team knows
> whether it needs a TD or can play for the FG. In essence, it tells them whether
> they have 3 downs or 4 downs to get a first down.
>
> I would like to see both pro and college go to a true sudden death format.
> First team to score wins. However, instead of the first possession decided
> by the luck of the coin toss, just continue the game from where the fourth
> quarter ended. Change ends of the field just like is done between the
> third and fourth quarter and continue playing with the same down and
> distance. If a team tied the game on the last play of regulation, that team
> kicks off to start the overtime. First possession would still be a big
> advantage, but that advantage would be dictated by the flow of the game,
> not the luck of the coin toss.
>
> I'm old enough to remember watching the very first sudden death overtime
> game, the 1958 NFL championship game between the Baltimore Colts and
> the New York Giants. Johnny Unitas drove the Colts the length of the field
> to set up the game tying FG on the last play of regulation. The Colts won
> the overtime toss, took possession and again drove the length of the field
> and score on a plunge by Alan Ameche. Had my proposal been in effect
> back then, the Giants would have received to start overtime. Would it have
> changed the outcome? We'll never know. I had just turned 7 years old a
> month earlier and it was the first game I ever remember watching and still
> one of the best.
>

How about true sudden death, but using the only decent innovation the XFL
came up with to start overtime: Use a simulated fumble recovery to
determine who gets the ball first. Put the ball right in the center of the
50. Each team designates 2-3 players who start on opposite 45 yard lines
with the rest of the teams on the 40s. Blow the whistle, they go for the
ball. Whoever ends up with possession starts the OT on offense, at whatever
spot they recovered it at.
--
“I usually skip over your posts because of your disguistng, contrarian,
liberal personality.” — Altie

On Saturday, January 13, 2024 at 9:50:09 AM UTC-8, xyzzy wrote:

> How about true sudden death, but using the only decent innovation the XFL
> came up with to start overtime: Use a simulated fumble recovery to
> determine who gets the ball first. Put the ball right in the center of the
> 50. Each team designates 2-3 players who start on opposite 45 yard lines
> with the rest of the teams on the 40s. Blow the whistle, they go for the
> ball. Whoever ends up with possession starts the OT on offense, at whatever
> spot they recovered it at.

That went splat about Wk 2 with an injury on said faceoff.

Mike

On Saturday, January 13, 2024 at 5:28:40 PM UTC-5, Michael Falkner wrote:
> On Saturday, January 13, 2024 at 9:50:09 AM UTC-8, xyzzy wrote:
>
> > How about true sudden death, but using the only decent innovation the XFL
> > came up with to start overtime: Use a simulated fumble recovery to
> > determine who gets the ball first. Put the ball right in the center of the
> > 50. Each team designates 2-3 players who start on opposite 45 yard lines
> > with the rest of the teams on the 40s. Blow the whistle, they go for the
> > ball. Whoever ends up with possession starts the OT on offense, at whatever
> > spot they recovered it at.
> That went splat about Wk 2 with an injury on said faceoff.
>
I thought that was a dumb idea from the start for the reason stated. With what players are being paid now,
the owners aren't going to risk a play with a strong possibility of an injury.