Letter To The Commissioner

Dear Commissioner Roger Goodell-

You need to change the NFL's overtime rules now. In fact, you needed to change them when you first took over the Paul Tagliabue. But that ship's sailed. So you need to deal with it now.

Bengals 13 Eagles 13 is unacceptable. Ties should not be an option in the NFL. Don't tell me that its only the first one since 2002; its not about how often it happens, its about the fact that it should never happen. So much in the league relies a team's record, from playoff standings to draft order- why add unnecessary confusion into the mix with the possibility of ties? What's gained by not having a definite winner?

Basketball doesn't have ties. Baseball doesn't have ties (well, except for the All-Star game, until that worked out so well for you friend Bud he was forced to change it- you want that kind of backlash?). Hockey had ties until they finally realized that not having a winner was a bad thing and changed it. Are you saying that Gary Bettman, a.k.a. the worst commissioner in sports, has more sense than you do? There aren't ties in either high school football or college football. There aren't even ties in Canadian football. CANDADIAN FOOTBALL!! Even the Canucks know that football shouldn't end with both teams having the same score.

So what's the hold up, Roger? Why hasn't the NFL adopted a form of the high school/college overtime system? Will it hurt your revenue numbers (since everything in the league is run by the almighty dollar)? Does the idea of giving each team a fair shot at the endzone to determine a definative winner bother you in some way? Seriously, what's your damage?

Here's your solution: take the college overtime rules and make two changes- one, move the starting line back from the 25 to the 35 yard line, and two, make offenses go for the 2-point conversion starting with the second overtime instead of the third. Problem solved.

Commissioner, get your head out of your ass, convince the owners this is the right move, and make it happen.

Respectfully (for the most part),
GiantAsianMan