SFL GOES TO NEW 1234 POINT RULE

[gdawg]

SFL President Pete Huthwaite announced today that the league would be instituting a new scoring system. “after a touchdown is scored teams can elect to go for either 1,2,3, or 4 points. The extra point kick would remain 1 point, while scoring on either a run or a pass from the 2 yard line would earn 2 points, the 10 yard line 3 points, and the 20 yard line 4 points. This should help in balancing the scoring and keeping games exciting. In the case of a tie teams will play a 5 minute sudden death overtime, if the score remains tied after the 5 minutes , each team will be awarded 5 points.

[J. Myrle Fuller]

If I hadn't looked this up and found it on the SFL's own Web site, I would have sworn it was a joke. This is absurdity at its finest. I mean, the three point conversion was done before in the XFL, and I understand the logic (a single play could add a field goal's worth of points)... but four different point options on a conversion attempt is just plain ridiculous! The rationale is also weak-- this year's scores have been 18-14 and 8-6, both very close scores.

If he really wanted to put a 4-point conversion in, he would have been better off applying the 50-yard field goal rule to conversion attempts. At least there would be some consistency.

Then there's this:

if the score remains tied after the 5 minutes , each team will be awarded 5 points.

Each team will be awarded 5 points?!?!?!? This defies basic logic on so many levels. Points for doing nothing, that do nothing to settle the tie, and since the game is over anyway the 5 points to each team are completely useless. Brilliant! Who was the dumbass (and I'm not one for profanity very often, but it certainly applies here) that came up with these ideas? (EDIT: It seems like it is adapted from an old NHL rulebook or something.)

It seems just as if Hulthwaite was starting to get the league back on its feet with some media moves that treat the league with respect, he goes and pulls a stunt like this. It is as if he is sabotaging his own league. (shakes his head)

[broncofan]

Leaving aside the idea of changing the rules right in the middle of a three week season,

Your rant is actually justified when you look at the notices of the games from last week. The Swampdogs and Ironmen are on top of the standings with 2 points each. So you get 2 points for a win and 5 points for a tie? Either this is wrong (which, knowing this league would be easy to believe), or it's an extra special kind of stupid you don't see every day.