Donovan McNabb didn't know that NFL games could end in ties

yahoo ^ | 11.17.08

[InvisibleChurch]

Donovan McNabb's team tied the Cincinnati Bengals yesterday, an outcome which came as a complete surprise to the 10-year NFL veteran:

insert video here

What did ... I mean ... how can ... wow. That's it, wow. He didn't know that games could end in a tie. You know who knows that games can end in ties? Everyone. Even Tony Siragusa knows that.

[Terabitten]

“Withdraws and gives the game to other team”.......don’t you think that might harmful to a coaches longevity with his team?

Not necessarily... say a team has locked up a playoff berth and a first-round bye, and it's the last game of the season. The game doesn't really matter. The coach might withdraw to prevent the possibility of injury to his players or to simply keep them from being too tired.

Another scenario...a team has lost its starting QB to injury. The backup, who's been doing pretty good thus far, gets the a mild injury that he can 'play through' to finish the game. The coach withdraws at the beginning of the second OT rather than take the chance that the QB injures himself worse, at which point he's on his 3rd string QB for the rest of the season.

There's times when it makes sense to punt.

[dfwgator]

Well at least McNabb won’t run out of the back of the endzone.

[Past Your Eyes]

Hard to believe McNabb hasn’t heard the old saying “Let’s tie one for the Gipper”.

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Then FOX and CBS don’t get their ad revenue if it’s only 20 minutes long. Duh.

:D

[Terpfen]

Tom Heckert, Jr. would do well to get himself hired by the Lions as a full-authority GM. Let Reid arrange the deck chairs on the Titanic.

[Ditto]

It was bizarre.

[dfwgator]

Do you have a high quality big running back and a big ass defensive end with speed that you'd like to give up.

No, but we have plenty of high draft pick wide receivers.

[Revolting cat!]

Super Bowel cound end in a tie? Who knew?

[ArrogantBustard]

You’ll pardon me if I’m a bit sick of them being the best pathetically losing team I’ve ever seen ...

[ETL]

Then FOX and CBS don’t get their ad revenue if it’s only 20 minutes long. Duh.

Well, wouldn't they make even more if the game is extended? Not to mention the concessions at the stadium.

[dilvish]

The basketball (play a full predetermined time period) method is no good either. Football isn’t usually a high scoring or more importantly quick scoring game like basketball, sudden death is perfectly reasonable. Remember NFL games don’t end in ties often, this is the first time in 6 years, and given how win centered the standing are a tie is as good as a loss. This really hurts Philly in the standings, and if the Bengals weren’t pathetic it would have hurt them too. Which is fine, two teams can’t figure it in 5 quarters they deserve the hit.

[Terabitten]

Why? There’s no point for people in the pros to be playing for too long in a non-playoff game;

I must respectfully disagree. With the money they make, there's no such thing as "too long."

the longer you play, the more tired you are, the more likely it is you get injured.

Fair enough, I'll give you that injuries become more likely.

Were it a playoff game, where a winner MUST be decided, the game will be in play until someone scores. The longest a playoff game has gone on in that fashion has been double overtime.

So, worst case, a game might go into double overtime. Is that "too long" for a professional player to play? I think not.

[Alberta's Child]

I tend to agree with you, though I'm not sure a full 15-minute OT period is needed. I've long said that playing a full 10-minute overtime period seems pretty fair for both regular-season and playoff games. This would add some interesting decision-making elements to OT games -- especially when it comes to field goal attempts, fourth down plays, two-point vs. one-point conversions, etc.

With a ten-minute overtime, there is no clear advantage to getting the ball first. The team that receives the kickoff might be able to mount a long drive and win the game without ever giving the ball up, but there's also a better-than-even chance that the team kicking off in OT will get the ball LAST.

[John W]

Whats even worse is when he goes on to question what if a Super Bowl or playoff game ended in a tie.

[dfwgator]

Maybe they should go to a points system, like hockey, 3 points for a regulation win, 2 points for an OT win, 1 point for an OT loss, and no points for a regulation loss.

[gipper81]

Donovan, you ignorant slut!

McNabb, years ago, was named to Syracuse University's Board of Trustees. I'm told that they discuss how to give all ignorant sluts some hope and a chance to achieve their dreams at their Annual Got Slut? Conference.

[InvisibleChurch]

apparently it’s the first game in 12,387 to end in that score

[InvisibleChurch]

well, all the top ten(?), or twelve cars, whatever, in the chase all start with 5,000 points.. that's kind of a tie, aint it?

; )

[dfwgator]

They could always do it like in soccer during the FA Cup competition, if it ends in a tie, they replay the match in a few days time, and repeat until one team wins.

[dfwgator]

I was bummed when it looked like Pittsburgh scored on that final play. But I was happy again when they took the points off and it ended 11-10.