THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014
PAGE 9
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QUOTE OF THE DAY
"That's just not the way the extra point was put into the game. It was an extra point that you actually had to execute and it was executed by players who were not specialists, they were position players. It was a lot harder for them to do."
-Bill Belichick NBC Sports
FACT OF THE DAY
The week 14 matchup between the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles was the first game in the modern-era without a field goal or successful PAT conversion.
www.bleedinggreennation.com
TRIVIA OF THE DAY
Q. Which four teams hold the record for most PAT misses in the regular season?
A: Cincinnati Bengals (2006); Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Giants (2007). (All with two misses those years).
NFL.com
THE MORNING BREW
NFL urges fans to embrace possibility of extra point removal
One of professional football's longest running—and seemingly pointless—traditions faces elimination from the game this offseason.
The extra-point attempt after each touchdown is under consideration for change, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said on Monday. He cited the near-automatic conversion rate and the play's lack of excitement as reasons for the potential removal. The likely replacement involves giving teams a choice after scoring a touchdown: Tack on an automatic point or attempt a two-point conversion, Goodell said.
Fans should welcome the proposed change with open arms. PATs (point after touchdown) are converted at 99.1 percent success since 2004, according to NFL.com. The change would remove an aspect of the game that's boring and unnecessary.
Finally.
Traditionalists oppose the change.
citing the PAT as an essential part of the game's tradition. But the PAT is no longer conducive to excitement or skill, as it was when the rule was first introduced.
Today, not only is the kicker a dedicated position, but they're more talented. Kickers are converting field goals at a rate that shames kickers from previous generations. And the NFL record for longest field goal has been tied or broken three times in the last four years. It makes a field goal kick from the 2-yard line after each touchdown seem inconsequential.
Converting extra points from the 2-yard line were coin-flips when the NFL introduced the rule in 1929, according to the New York Times NFL blog. The Fifth Down. Teams sent position players to attempt the extra point because most teams didn't have dedicated place-kickers until decades later. The variance of success in yester-year's PATs added a whiff of trepidation for the scoring team and its fans.
The elimination could benefit fans watching at home.
Games on television would become more streamlined. The frustrating flurry of commercials following each the touchdown, the PAT, and the kickoff return can make scoring plays arduous to watch instead of exciting. Additionally, total game time would be slightly reduced when teams select the automatic point after each touchdown. The lure of watching professional football comes from the excitement of each play. When the quarterback drops back to pass, fans don't know if it'll be a bomb-bass for a touchdown, or an interception returned for a touchdown. It's the beauty of the game.
The one thing we're certain about— well, at least 99 percent certain—is that the kicker will convert the extra point after each touchdown. When the potential alternatives include less ads during games, shorter game times and more two-point conversions, it's tough to see what took the NFL this long.
This week in athletics
—Edited by Kate Sheffton
Wednesday
Thursday
Women's Basketball
Oklahoma State
7 p.m.
Lawrence
Friday
No Events
Track
Jayhawk Classic
All Day
Lawrence
Saturday
Women's Basketball
Kansas State
1 p.m.
Manhattan
Swimming and Diving
UALR
10 a.m.
Lawrence
Men's Basketball
TCU
8 p.m.
Fort Worth, Texas
Sunday
No Events
Monday
No Events
Tuesday
Women's Basketball
Texas
7 p.m.
Lawrence
LAWSUIT
Justices hear appeal over 'Raging Bull'
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court was pondering Tuesday whether the daughter of the man whose work was the basis of the Oscar-winning movie "Raging Bull" should go another round with a major movie studio over copyright infringement for ownership of boxer Jake LaMotta's life story. The "Raging Bull" case involves an appeal from Paula Petrella, the daughter of Frank Petrella, whose written work inspired the movie. Frank Petrella collaborated with his friend LaMotta on two screenplays and a book, which were used to make
the movie directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert DeNiro. The 1980 film won two Oscars, including best actor for DeNiro.
Now she wants justices to resurrect her lawsuit. They will make a decision later this year. The studio's lawyer suggested that Petrella delayed on purpose in hopes of getting more on money, saying she waited until after the 25th anniversary of the movie in 2005 to press her claim.
The elder Petrella died in 1981, with his copyrights reverting to his daughter. She sued Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. for copyright infringement for creating and distributing copies of the movie, but the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said she waited too long before filing her lawsuit.
"What happened there is the plaintiff sat around, had a part interest in the gold mine, sat around and waited until somebody else developed it enough to make a profit and then rushed in and demanded a share," said lawyer Mark A. Perry. "That is what Ms. Petrella did in this case. She is demanding her share in the gold mine after my clients spent years developing it." Justice Anton
Justice Antonin Scalia questioned why MGM should be
OLYMPICS
punished, considering Petrella waited so long. "They invested substantial amounts of money, and then when that money starts to pay off, you file suit and you get three years' worth of their profits," Scalia said. Petrella's lawyer, Stephanos Bibas, said MGM had been warned about the copyright problems. "One who has notice of a registered copyright in the face of protest has no legitimate good faith expectation to continue to infringe. Either file a declaratory judgment act, engage in settlement negotiations or infringe at your peril," he said.
Obama and Putin spoke by phone on Tuesday amid security concerns for next month's Olympics.
Obama, Putin discuss Sochi security, Syria talks
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin (POO'tihn) are discussing how to have a safe and secure Olympics in Sochi. The White House says the U.S. is offering its full assistance.
Russian officials are hunting down three potential suicide
bombers, including one believed in be in Sochi. The State Department is telling those attending the games to remain attentive to personal security. U.S. lawmakers have also expressed serious concerns.
The White House says Obama and Putin also discussed Syria's civil war and preparations for the peace conference starting this week in Switzerland, plus efforts to destroy Syria's chemical weapons.
Cooperation on Iran and the interim nuclear deal taking effect this week were also discussed
Associated Press
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