First let me say that I'm not a huge fan of this type of podcast. I like where people talk about sports. Or talk about current events. Or talk about X... If they want to talk about the "larger picture" sometimes; that's great but primarily I want the podcast to be topical. This week, they did talk about the NFL weekend past (Cincy/Tennessee, KC/Buffalo, GB/SF, and LA/TB). But they also talked about a documentary about the first woman drafted by the NBA and about "7 Games" which is a book about board games.
I lost interest half way through the podcast but it was okay I guess.
Anyway, if you listen to the podcast--any podcast on Slate.com--they have a segment at the end where each panelist gives their recommendations and the last part of the segment is a shout-out to the listeners who are asked to contribute.
This week's shout-out segment was about silly rule changes. I'm writing this from memory so I may have missed some of the details.
1. The End of the Inning Scramble in MLB. To increase scoring and make games more exciting...when an inning ends on a pop fly to the outfield and there is a runner on base--on any base--the runner can tag-up and try to make it all the way to home plate. If he can make it all the way to home plate before each defensive player gets off the field, the team on offense gets a run. The modifications were that they have to get off the field on their side of the diamond meaning that if the right fielder catches a ball for the third out and his dug out is along 3rd base, he has to run all the way off the field on the 3rd base line before the runner can touch home plate.
2. Limiting the 3 point shots in NBA. I didn't get this one all the way but apparently one of the listeners wants to limit the number of 3 point shots--made 3 point shots--to 28 in a game. I wasn't sure if that was per team or total. If it is per team....that may have some good implications because if it is a close game, a coach may want to keep 3 or 4 of them "in the bank" to either put the opponent away or to catch up.
3. The third one (there was a fourth but I zoned out during it) was interesting. In an OT game in the NHL...every 60 seconds, add a puck. Keep the 5 on 5 (plus Goalie) but every 60 second add another puck to the ice (a max of 4). This would add some strategy to the game to were an offense can try 2 or 3 shots in succession or at the same time to try to score.
One of the better listener shout-outs.
The Podcast has a very good host--Josh Levine (sp?). His co-host has a grating voice that is just annoying as hell. I don't listen to this one often but did this week while preparing some dinner for a pot luck we're having tonight at the hospital.
I lost interest half way through the podcast but it was okay I guess.
Anyway, if you listen to the podcast--any podcast on Slate.com--they have a segment at the end where each panelist gives their recommendations and the last part of the segment is a shout-out to the listeners who are asked to contribute.
This week's shout-out segment was about silly rule changes. I'm writing this from memory so I may have missed some of the details.
1. The End of the Inning Scramble in MLB. To increase scoring and make games more exciting...when an inning ends on a pop fly to the outfield and there is a runner on base--on any base--the runner can tag-up and try to make it all the way to home plate. If he can make it all the way to home plate before each defensive player gets off the field, the team on offense gets a run. The modifications were that they have to get off the field on their side of the diamond meaning that if the right fielder catches a ball for the third out and his dug out is along 3rd base, he has to run all the way off the field on the 3rd base line before the runner can touch home plate.
2. Limiting the 3 point shots in NBA. I didn't get this one all the way but apparently one of the listeners wants to limit the number of 3 point shots--made 3 point shots--to 28 in a game. I wasn't sure if that was per team or total. If it is per team....that may have some good implications because if it is a close game, a coach may want to keep 3 or 4 of them "in the bank" to either put the opponent away or to catch up.
3. The third one (there was a fourth but I zoned out during it) was interesting. In an OT game in the NHL...every 60 seconds, add a puck. Keep the 5 on 5 (plus Goalie) but every 60 second add another puck to the ice (a max of 4). This would add some strategy to the game to were an offense can try 2 or 3 shots in succession or at the same time to try to score.
One of the better listener shout-outs.
The Podcast has a very good host--Josh Levine (sp?). His co-host has a grating voice that is just annoying as hell. I don't listen to this one often but did this week while preparing some dinner for a pot luck we're having tonight at the hospital.
