There is one line of “Waiting for Godot” that shakes me deeply: “Never make a decision hungry, angry, or tired”. Which is self-fulfilling for a lazy and contented middle class—but I digress. Sometimes decisions need to be made angry, in the heat of the moment.
There is a great injustice being tolerated and it’s the current overtime rules granting a coin toss winner an opening possession TD for the win. Professional football is worse for Josh Allen being out of the playoffs without touching the ball in OT after those frenetic…
Ah, who am I kidding. That line is from “And Just Like That”. I could never get through Beckett.
YOU: But it’s a play that you can read in a single sitting.
Read… During the NFL playoffs?

Also shameful: liking the current OT format. I think this is the right time to discuss it, not when everyone has critical distance and crap.
Each team having the ball in OT, at least for playoff games: that’s what I propose. In terms of awesomeness, no problem there! A team forced to match an opening TD, and contemplate going for two afterwards, is too exciting to dismiss outright.
The counter point is all centered on defensive “should’ves”—stopped the team in the 4th QRT, force an opening OT possession punt / kick…
Being honest with myself, the purists sound close to macho posturing. C’mon. The current system does favor the coin toss winner, and the best argument in favor of it is “Suck it up”

The current rule favors efficiency and good defensive teams. But I find no competitive harm in giving each team an offensive possession. At the end of two possessions, higher score wins; if tied, sudden death.
But first possession safety wins anyway because that is fucking badass. That’s my proposal.
NFL NEWS
Per espen:
-Sean Payton’s future in Nawlins is uncertain, while Dennis Allen is getting traction.
-Tom Brady and Qaron, out of the 2021 playoffs, are out of the 2021 playoffs.

Qaron will be a-Favrening in the offseason, while Brady doesn’t know what to do yet. A quote from Brady “I’m still waiting to see which team with a bad offensive line is my best fit”, per my limited imagination.
-Bruce Arians said the Bucs “are reloading, not rebuilding”, with the confidence of a Democratic fundraiser.
-Chiefs open as -6.5 favorites against the Cincinnati Bengals, Rams at -3.5 against the San Francisco 49ers. I haven’t forgotten that the Bengals beat the Chiefs in Week 17, which I’ve found hidden under the rug amid the Mahomes elegies, the paeans to Kelce, and the Tyreek uncomfortable silences.
LESSER SPROTS
All times Central.
Australian Open Tennis
Yes, Grand Slam tennis deserves top billing. Seriously! No Djoke

Women’s Singles Quarterfinal
4 B. Krejcikova (CZE) v. M. Keys (USA) – 7:00
Men’s Singles Quarterfinal
14 D. Shapalov (CAN) v. 6 R. Nadal (ESP) – 10:00
NHL
Ducks @ Bruins – 6:00
Kings @ Rangers – 6:00
Stars @ Flyera – 6:00
Golden Knights @ capitals – 6:00
Canadiens go Wild – 7:00
Blackhawks @ Avalanche – 8:00
Blues @ Flames – 8:00
NCAA Womens’ Roundball
Vanderbilt @ South Carolina – 6:00
San Diego @ Cougars – 6:00
Pre-Madness Flotsam
Louisville @ Virginia – 6:00
Texas Tech @ Kansas – 8:00
Arizona State @ USC – 10:00
January Jetsam
Knicks @ Cavs – 6:00
Pacers @ Pelicans – 7:00
Bulls @ Thunder – 7:00
Jazz @ Sun Ra – 8:00
In short, I’m coming around on the one-possession-per team thing—at least only for the playoffs. Yes it would be more complicated to have another rule for the regular season, but the NFL has never been keen on simplicity. (See, fumbles inside two minutes, “Catch”…). It just seems equitable and provides for dynamite spectacle.
Colts brass cried their way to change the DB rules during the early part of the Pats dynasty. Bills fans filling this spring owners’ meeting with broken tables would be much more dignified.
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