Liam Neeson Attempting Comedy

NFL Changes Too Many Men Rule

In the Super Bowl, there was a play late in the game in which the Giants had 12 players on the field, and despite being penalized for this, the time that ran off the clock stayed off the clock.

So the NFL has made it a dead-ball penalty. It's now like a false start or a delay of game penalty.

I guess that's an improvement. I don't think the Giants purposely sent 12 men out there on that play. If they did, then it was diabolically brilliant. Good for them.

I wish they had made the rule so that any time run off the clock would be put back on (only in the last 2 minutes of a half). That would give the offense a free play. Then they could decide to decline the penalty and take the result of the play (including the time that ran off) or accept it, take the 5 yards, and move the clock back.

But this change will at least keep teams from trying to intentionally repeat the Giants' fortuitous accident.

The NFL has also decided to make all turnovers reviewed by the booth. Players receiving a crackblack block will be considered defenseless players and a 15 yard penalty will be assessed.

Also, the postseason OT rules will now apply to all regular season games as well. If the first team possessing the ball kicks a field goal, then the other team will have a chance to possess the ball and match the field goal, or win the game with a touchdown. The first team possessing the ball can also end the game with a touchdown. After each team has a possession, the game becomes sudden death.

Liverpool Coming to Fenway

On July 25th, the favorite son of the Fenway Sports Management family will play at Fenway Park. English soccer team Liverpool FC will play an exhibition game against AS Roma of Italy.

The match will be part of Liverpool's pre-season tour of the United States. No further dates have been announced, but the team will use Boston as a base throughout their American expedition. They'll be training at Harvard.

This isn't surprising news at all. Fenway has already hosted a match between Scotland's Celtic FC and Portugal's Sporting Lisbon. And we all know that Liverpool is the new favorite son of Fenway Sports Management.

The game is an opportunity to pocket a few Dollars/Pounds/Euros, promote Liverpool FC's brand in America, and promote the Fenway brand in Europe.

AS Roma is a clever choice for an opponent too. They're a reasonably popular team in the States, but they won't overshadow Liverpool who are much more popular. It's sort of like the Red Sox going to another country and playing the San Francisco Giants. Both teams are well-known and have good fanbases, but the Sox' is much larger. If Liverpool were playing Barcelona or Inter Milan, then they'd be the second-billed attraction. But with Roma, they are the main event.