First Blood

I'm writing this post in response to the Donovan Mcnabb overtime mishap. Overtime is a vexing issue in both college and pro football. At the pro level, a win or loss comes down to the flip of the coin, rather than athletic ability and intelligence. At the college level, the game is given a botched face-lift and transformed into some demented form of football. Think old Kenny Rogers turning into new Kenny Rogers.

So how should football solve this problem? I have an idea.

Allow me to introduce First Blood, a balanced system of college and pro football overtime that also retains the element of murder in the title and reinvigorates Sylvester Stallone's career. The worst part about Sudden Death overtime, is just that--it's sudden, and it's over before the other team gets a chance. In the First Blood format, you play the entire 15 minutes, more points wins, but in the event of an overtime tie, whichever team scored first (or draws first blood) wins. No ties. No cointoss victories. No 50/50 soccer-style penalty kicks. (If nobody scores in OT, whoever drew first blood in regulation wins. Another incentive for intense play.)

So, the First Blood format provides huge motivation not only to score first, but in the event of falling behind early, there is huge motivation to catch up fast and take the lead. Imagine the offensive innovation...imagine the defensive intensity. And you thought Ray Lewis hit hard now...

The closest link I can make with First Blood is with soccer. Any soccer fan knows that the most action-packed part of the match occurs when a team is down a goal or tied in the last few minutes. For five-plus riotous minutes, all 11 players are sprinting, passing, and shooting like there's no tomorrow, because for some, there ain't. And not only do the players pick it up, the fans are on the verge of hooligan head explosions for all five minutes. Now, transfer that intensity to a football field and make it rain, so to speak.

It also makes sense from a business perspective (more minutes = more commercials = more money), but to me it makes sense from a football perspective. Today's fan sits at the kiddy table of the Thanksgiving dinner of modern sports; this might get us closer to the grown-ups.