Radical Rule Change and Starting Afresh
If the dinner party is getting a little dull, and you are not feeling enriched by drunken theories on how to fix American Politics, then throw this question into the mix…
“What single rule change could you introduce to a mainstream sport to make a radical improvement?” It turns out that even the most socially radical people, can be extreme in their conservatism, when it comes to their favourite sport. Change is evil and only to be considered in desperate times. So non of the suggestions below are ever likely to happen. But its entertaining to consider the problems with a sport we love and speculate on how a few strokes on the keyboard could change the way we play.
Here are five of my favourite lateral thinking suggestions. Take them with a grain of salt!
Cricket
The Problem— In Test matches played this century, teams winning the toss won roughly 40.9 % of matches, while toss losers won about 36.0 % (the remainder were draws). This means that, in a game that prides itself on fairness, you have a 5% better chance of winning if you happen to pick the result of a 50/50 flip of the coin.
The Solution— Instead of having a toss, at the star of each match each captain wanders to the wicket clutching an envelope. Inside is a piece of paper with a number written on it. This number is the score that team is willing to start from if they bat first. (It might be a negative or positive number). The captain who has the lowest number gets to bat first.
Why this Helps—This process removes the arbitary process of the coin lottery and replaces it with a skilled judgement call based on the assessment of the brains trust of each team. And you can’t blame the toss if you loose! Surely this is an improvement!
Golf
The Problem— Based on decades of shot tracking from the PGA Tour about 40 % of all golf shots in a round, are putts. This means that of the 14 clubs allowed in your bag, just one of them is used for four out of every ten shots. Being good at this particular part of the game advantages you way more than being good at longer more exciting and dramatic strokes.
The Solution— Easy! Make the hole A LOT bigger. Currently the standard size of a golf hole is 4 & 1/4 inch diameter. Lets make it a foot across.
Why this Helps— This will add interest in so many ways. It will incentivise agressive long game players, and diminish the value of conservative “down the middleers” with a solid putting stroke. All the clubs in the bag will require mastery, as players attempt to sink the ball from 100’s of meters out. Adventure, boldness and risk will be rewarded instead of conservatism and conventionality. It also might speed up a round of golf…always a good thing!
Australian Rules Football
The Problem— Over the last decade as consequences for turning the ball over has become more and more severe, coaches have espoused a possession game at all cost. Aussie Rules starts to resemble soccer as the ball is chipped laterally around the half back line, probing for an opening, and a moment to “pull the trigger”. This is understandable, but it doesn’t make for good viewing.
The Solution— Change the marking rule to so that a stoppage is only available if the mark is taken closer to the goal than the place it was kicked from. You are welcome to kick it backwards to your own player but its an immediate “play on”
Why this Helps— The contested mark, the iconic “specky” and the flying packs are fast disappearing from the game. Holding onto the ball, brings more rewards than risking possession in a contest up the ground. By removing the right to a stoppage from a team that chooses to retreat, we would be incentivising risk taking and adventure and be encouraging the return of the days of Warwick Capper and Peter Bosustow!
Rugby Union
The Problem— There’s too much kicking in general play and a penalty (worth 3/5ths of a try) is proportionally too high a reward for what is often an unavoidable mistake. Rugby is at its best when players run with the ball in hand, as William Webb Ellis proved!
The Solution— World Rugby rules decree that the pressure in a rugby ball should be 9.5psi or 67 kilopascals. Let’s take 2psi off this recommendation and see how the game changes.
Why this Helps— Kicking both from the tee and in general play would become less effective. The ball would travel less far through the air and the rewards for running with the ball would be propotionally greater. In addition, the slightly softer ball would increase grip encouraging more entertaining handling, and adventurous set plays.
Sailing
The Problem— The crowded start line of a big sailing race is often an environment filled with adrenaline, excitement and sometimes a little too much testosterone. We all love the rush it can give, and it’s a pretty fair way to get a big fleet underway. I’m talking here about the standard upwind start. The imaginary line (…I love some sailing instructions still feel that it’s necessary to point out that it’s not real!) set at 90 degrees to the wind and with a boat at the starboard end and a mark at the port end. It should, if done right, create a level playing field giving all competitors the chance to showcase their sailing skills and being first to the top mark. But its become a boring routine where one particular skill is rewarded and it ignores so many other skills that used to be part of a rounded yachtsperson’s toolkit.
The Solution— Anchored starts. A start line would be set in the same way as previously, but at the warning signal each yacht must drop an anchor somewhere on the leeward start of the line. All sails must be down. At the gun sails may be hoisted and the anchor retrieved (manually!) and stowed.
Why this Helps— Remember the days when we used to be able to sail off the anchor? Back the headsail on the starboard side, as the anchor breaks out and let the main fill on starboard tack. Bear away, and gather speed as you sheet the headsail in on port. OK, I know it would be chaos, but it would be fun…and most importantly teach a whole lot of skills that many weekend sailors can now get through the season without ever thinking about!
