Tweak or two needed in sports

If sports were perfect, various rules wouldn't be revised and tweaked every year.

If sports were perfect, we wouldn't have designated hitters, instant replay reviews or the BCS.

If sports were perfect, we wouldn't have to listen to Steve Melnyk or Stuart Scott.

If sports were perfect, we wouldn't have anything to complain about.

Thankfully, sports are flawed. Here's just a few ideas to make them a little closer to perfect - at least in one man's opinion.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Knock off the hypocrisy and create a playoff that everyone other than cowering coaches and dimwit administrators wants. A Division I-A playoff would rival the NFL playoffs in popularity and revenue potential. Just do it.

PRO FOOTBALL: Get a real tiebreaker system. Sudden death is too arbitrary and unfair. Every child understands the concept

of "fair ups." Guarantee both teams a possession by kicking off from the 10-yard line and letting each offense have a series. If the defense scores, game over. If it's still tied, start over.

BASEBALL: This is way too obvious, but a salary cap is a must to prevent the New York Yankees from buying every player and making a mockery of the concept of competitive balance. Why can't this league look at the NFL and see the benefit of true parity?

HOCKEY: Eliminate the center red line and play four-on-four hockey at all times. Take heart, players union. The rosters won't need to be trimmed because the constant faster pace would require more line changes and more fresh bodies.

PRO BASKETBALL: Tear up every guaranteed contract and put a cap on signing bonuses. All they do is endorse and promote uninspired play. Salaries should be based on performance not personality.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Fire every pathetic excuse for an official who lets ego, bias and/or ignorance interfere with the ability to arbitrate objectively (see Ted Valentine). Officials are ruining the game and television is abetting them by never showing controversial replays. Leagues are accomplices as well by muzzling criticism.

GOLF: This sport needs a game clock. Once the last drive by any group is struck from the first tee, a four-hour running clock begins. All players balls must be on the final green before the clock stops. If this is competition, all tardy groups are disqualified. If its a casual round, all players are yanked off the course immediately and banned from the premises for at least one month. No excuses.

WOMEN'S GOLF: A women's Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. This would, of course, require a few changes to the club's membership bylaws, but the outcome would be win, win, win for players, fans and the club. The U.S. Women's Open is going to Pebble Beach, which is a great idea, and future female majors might take place at St. Andrews and Pinehurst No. 2. A "Titleholders" at Augusta National would trump them all.

AUTO RACING: Establish historical landmark designations on great small-market tracks such as Darlington, Martinsville, Rockingham, Bristol and North Wilkesboro that would also require NASCAR Nextel Cup races to be staged on them at least once a year in perpetuity. This sport is losing its history and needs intervention to save it from its greedy self.

TENNIS: One serve only, please. Some might advocate mandating use of wooden racquets to slow down the game. But the biggest problem is 140 mph serves leading to too many aces and too many serves and lunges. To borrow a golf phrase, put a premium on accuracy and the rest will take care of itself.

SOCCER: Eliminate offsides. A little cherry picking might make these snoozefests entertaining.

TRACK AND FIELD: Legalize all performance enhancing drugs and let's just see how fast and how far these genetically engineered athletes can go before their bodies give out. It's their funeral. At least it won't come attached with an asterisk.

SWIMMING: See Track and Field above.

BOXING: Outlaw it. Would anyone really miss Don King?

HORSE RACING: Open up the Triple Crown races to any qualified horse age 3 or older. First of all, some horses peak later. Besides, who wouldn't like to see Smarty Jones try to do it again?

Reach Scott Michaux at (706) 823-3219 or scott.michaux@augustachronicle.com.