Comments on: Not Every Game Demands a Victor

By: a different Dave

a different Dave — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 01:50:53 +0000

Alan, your reasoning makes absolutely no sense. Sure, there are “only” 16 games per side in the NFL whereas there are 38 in the EPL. However, the odds of any particular NFL game ending in a tie after 60 minutes are very small, whereas the odds of an EPL match ending in a tie after 90 minutes are fairly high. Therefore, the chance that tie games are going to “damage” an NFL teams season is ridiculously small, considering they have few tie games; and the EPL has many tie games, and it doesn’t damage the an EPL team’s season in the slightest.

What possible “damage” could a tie game do to an NFL team? Just give the teams two points for a win, none of a loss, and split the points (one point each) when teams tie each other. Simple. No “damage” to the season at all. Don’t want “damage”? Then win the damn game next time! Stop making excuses!

Oh, and your father says “STFU and kiss your sister already, or I’ll beat you to within an inch of your life”. Got it?

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:58:59 +0000

True, but the Bengals could be the most well-rested team ever and they’d still get killed by the Steelers.

By: Simon

Simon — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 23:24:02 +0000

The GAA loves a good draw. Dublin V Meath 4 in a row saga is probably the most famous, the game end level 3 times before a winner was found but multiple replays are not that uncommon Wexford and Louth needed 3 games last year .

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:37:45 +0000

Jeff: We might see that theory in action this week. After playing five quarters on Sunday, the Bengals face the Steelers on Thursday night.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:16:55 +0000

As I understand it, one of the reasons soccer, rugby, et al. allow ties is that playing extra time would seriously hurt a team’s competitiveness at the next game. I wonder, then, what the records of teams in American college and pro football are the week after playing an overtime game, and if they’re significantly below average…

By: Alan

Alan — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 06:11:42 +0000

I’ve never understood the argument that since soccer allows ties, American Football should to. Since all of Europe is fine with ties, American fans should be comfortable with them as well. Personally, I think it comes down to a scheduling thing.

The NFL season is 16 games long then playoffs. The English Premier League is 38 matches long and there is no playoffs afterwards. There is European Competition, but Man U didn’t have to win three or four more games to get the trophy at the end of the season.

In a way, if you don’t get a win, but manage a draw, it doesn’t hurt you as much in the EPL as it would in the NFL. I know the soccer fans on this site might take offense to that, but the way I see it, in a 16 game slate, a draw is more damaging than in a 38-game season.

By: Will

Will — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:42:03 +0000

I think the relative ease of scoring at least 2-3 points in basketball and football (and the accomanying rareness of tied scores after regulation) help inform the American unease with ties. It’s almost a case of, “Why not play a little longer?” No clue on baseball, except that maybe the low cardiovascular demands of the sport made them decide to keep playing.

My thoughts on football OT are that each team would get at least one possession, but be very literal about what constitutes a possession: you have the ball kicked off to you but you fumble? There went your one possession. It would feel ess “tacked-on” than college OT and fairer than NFL OT.

It would slightly(?) increase the number of ties in the NFL, but whatever. Of course, I’m a soccer fan .

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:11:02 +0000

Peter: Isn’t the college football OT rule sort of a shootout in itself?

By: Peter

Peter — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:04:14 +0000

Draws happen all the time in American sports. But they demand a victor and why?!

If two teams are exactly even at the end of 60 minutes they were equal.

Am I supposed to believe the Jets are better than the Patriots because they drove down the field close enough for a field goal?

What’s next, penalty shootouts with fieldgoals?

By: Why are tie games so unthinkable in American sports? - The Run of Play

Why are tie games so unthinkable in American sports? - The Run of Play — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:54:51 +0000

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