Sports Bytes - March 1, 2010

A suggestion for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell: Don’t fix what isn’t broken. Word is that the NFL may change its playoff overtime rules to ensure that both teams get the ball at least once in the overtime period. Bad move. Sudden death is among the most exciting elements of sports. Why take that away from the game? And for those who whine that it’s unfair for a game to be decided by a coin flip, my response is: play defense and the coin flip becomes irrelevant. I’ve heard people complain about how in this year’s NFC Championship Game Brett Favre never had the chance to get on the field in overtime. Too bad. If Favre hadn’t thrown that final minute, rookie-mistake interception there probably would never have been an overtime period . . . If Goodell wants to make it less likely that the team who wins the coin flip marches downfield for a score, then he should move the line of scrimmage for kickoffs to where it was prior to 1994: the 35 yard line. (In 1994 the kickoff was moved back 5 yards to the 30 yard line to encourage bigger kickoff returns) According to answers.com, from 1974-1993 the team that won the coin toss only won 52% of the games. After 1994 that percentage jumped to over 60% . . .

The Jets will regret letting Thomas Jones go. I understand his salary is an issue and that the Jets are high on Shonn Greene, but how do you release a guy who rushed for 1,400 yards last season?

The Buffalo Bills have declined to offer Terrell Owens a contract for next season. Maybe Jerry Jones will bring him back to Dallas . . . or more likely Al Davis will sign him for the Raiders . . .

Tomas Adamek will prepare for his April 24 showdown against Chris Arreola by moving his training camp to Houston, TX and training under the guidance of Ronnie Shields. Shields was actively involved in the transformation of Evander Holyfield from cruiserweight champion to heavyweight champion--something Adamek is trying to accomplish. Besides Holyfield Shields has worked with many other world champions, including Pernell Whitaker, Mike Tyson, Vernon Forrest, and Juan Diaz. (Roger Bloodworth, Adamek’s head trainer, will spend March in New Zealand training David Tua) . . .

The U.S. Hockey Team sure has a flair for the dramatic, huh? They deserve a lot of credit for reaching the gold medal round and for pushing the favored-Canadian squad into overtime . . .

The Meadowlands in East Rutherford, NJ apparently heads the list of prospective sites for the 2014 Super Bowl. Brilliant. How would you like to be in NY during Super Bowl Week if there is a storm like we had a few days ago? It could happen. Let’s see. Earmuffs, gloves, and piles of snow and slush compared to 80-plus degree temperatures, shorts, and scantily-clad women serving you drinks. Which would you choose?

The Eagles will reportedly pay Michael Vick the $1.5 million roster bonus he is due on March 5 in the hopes that they will be able to trade him for a third or fourth round draft pick . . . Sure. And I hope to win Lotto . . .

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