September 19, 2007
More rules we do not need
By TOM WILLIAMS
Sports Columnist
The New York Yankees were threatening. Derek Jeter was on second with one out and
Bobby Abreu was ahead in the count. Red Sox manager Terry Francona was concerned.
Then he felt a tap on his shoulder.
Was it his pitching coach, John Farrell, with an update on the status of his
bullpen? Was it bench coach Brad Mills with some advice on the position of the
outfielders? Neither.
It was some guy from the Major League Baseball office who wanted Francona to lift
his red pullover and confirm that he was, indeed, wearing his uniform jersey.
It's a rule.
The New England Patriots have lost a draft choice and, between the team and head
coach Bill Belichick, three-quarters of a million dollars because somebody in
their organization video-taped the opposing team's coaches signals from the
sidelines.
It's a rule.
We've previously discussed the golf rule that disqualifies a player if he
accidentally signs a scorecard with the wrong score.
These are three of the silliest rules in sports. (Though, we might add the high
school football rule that does not allow teams to return kickoffs from out of
their end zone.)
It is perfectly understandable that baseball requires anyone who comes onto the
field during a game to wear a uniform. It's been a long time since Connie Mack
sat on the Philadelphia Athletics' bench in a dark, three-piece suit. But the
baseball rules do allow managers and coaches (except those coaching bases) to
wear a pullover or a jacket.
Good idea. But, the rules also require those managers and coaches to have their
game jersey on under that pullover or jacket. For what reason? So that if a fight
breaks out and the pullover is torn off, that coach will still be in uniform? If
we are used to seeing managers and coaches with pullovers and jackets, what do we
care what is under them? And why would they send some gofer into a team's dugout
during a key point in the game to check?
Could you imagine Leo Durocher's reaction to such a move? Or Tommy LaSorda? Or
Sparky Anderson? Or Gene Mauch?
Why does the NFL need a rule controlling what is taped in full view of the public?
Any fan in an NFL stadium could tape the signals of a coach on the sidelines. It's
not like the Patriots had the other team's locker room bugged. Or tapped into
their headset communications. Or directed a shotgun mike at their huddle.
Stealing signals and signs is part of sports. It is like an art in baseball. Why
is a rule like this necessary? Here's an idea. Let's take the guys who are on
the NFL committee that decided on this goofy video-taping rule and move them onto
a committee to deal with former NFL players who suffered concussions and other
serious injuries while helping build the league into what it is today. Guys like
John Mackey, Joe Perry, Larry Morris, Jim Ringo, Brent Boyd, Brian DeMarco - they
are virtually disabled, many with significant brain injuries as a result of their
years in the NFL. But this multi-billion dollar league and the spineless NFL
Players Association just abandons these former players.
This is 2007. Technology is at its peak. Let the teams tape anything that happens
on the field, anything that is done within view of the public. Let's stop
worrying about what Terry Francona wears under his pullover and stop turning
Sergio Garcia into a scorekeeper. There is a PGA official at every hole and
anybody in the world with a laptop knows what Sergio is shooting.
Don't misunderstand. Since the NFL does have that silly taping rule, there has to
be a penalty for violating it. But we'd all be better off if these unnecessary
rules were simply erased.
Don't you agree?
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Tom Williams' columns