TELEVISON INTRUDES AGAIN

THE 2006 RULES FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL HAVE BEEN CHANGED BY THE NCAA RULES COMMITTEE, AND THE CHANGES ONLY BENEFIT ONE ENTITY. IT IS NOT THE GAME, BUT THE TELEVISION NETWORKS WHO GAIN FROM THE FOLLOWING CHANGES. OSTENSIBLY TO SPEED UP THE GAME, THE FOLLOWING RULES WERE INCLUDED IN THE LIST OF 2006 RULES FOR COLLEGIATE FOOTBALL. RULE 3-2-5E ALLOWS THE REFERE TO START THE CLOCK AFTER A FIRST DOWN IMMEDIATELY AFTER HE DETERMINES IT IS TIME TO PLAY, NOT WHEN THE BALL IS SNAPPED. KICKING TEES HAVE BEEN REDUCED FROM 2 INCHES TO 1 INCH TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF TOUCH BACKS. THE GAME CLOCK IS STARTED WHEN THE BALL IS KICKED OFF, NOT WHEN THE RECIEVER CATCHES IT OR THE BALL IS DOWNED AS BEFORE. ON CHANGES OF POSSESSION FROM PUNTS, TURNOVERS CAUSED BY INTERCEPTIONS OR FUMBLES AND FAILED FOURTH DOWN ATTEMPTS. THE CLOCK IS STARTED AS SOON AS THE REFEREE SIGNALS"READY FOR PLAY". PREVIOUSLY IT WAS WHEN THE BALL WAS SNAPPED.
MANY COACHES AND THIS RABID COLLEGE FAN, ARE AGGRAVATED BY THESE CHANGES. THE RESULT WILL BE AN ESTIMATED 24 LESS PLAYS A GAME, AND UP TO 12 MINUTES LESS VIEWING TIME OF FOOTBALL PLAY.
YOU CAN BE SURE THIS TIME WILL BE FILLED WITH MORE ASININE TV COMMERCIALS, AS LONG AS THEY DON'T RUN OVERTIME AND INTRUDE ON THE NETWORKS NEXT SCHEDULED GAME. YOU WOULDN'T WANT THE POOR NETWORKS TO CUT OUT ONE ONE FIVE MINUTE COMMERCIAL BREAK TO HELP SPEED UP THE GAME. IT IS EASIER TO STICK IT TO THE VIEWER! LONG TIME ICONS OF THE SPORT LIKE JOE PATERNO HAVE SPOKEN OUT AGAINST THIS INTRUSION INTO THE ONCE PROUD SPORT WHICH SEEMS TO ME TO BECOME MORE ENTERTAINMENT AND LESS SPORT EACH YEAR. AND WE ARE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT WHAT TV HAS DONE TO PRO SPORTS.