PREVIEW: FEW CHANGES ARE EXPECTED.Byline: Billy Witz Staff Writer West Palm Beach, Fla. - If it ain't broke, don't fix it and - Janet Jackson's halter-strap notwithstanding - there seems to be little that needs fixing in the NFL NFL abbr. National Football League NFL (US) n abbr (= National Football League) → Fußball-Nationalliga these days. That's at least the view of the competition committee, which will suggest few changes when the league's coaches, general managers and owners meet at the NFL's annual meeting, which begins today and concludes Thursday. The one notable rule change the committee will suggest in its report, which will be issued Monday, is to enforce a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct Unsportsmanlike conduct (or unsporting behaviour, or archaically ungentlemanly conduct) is a term used in many professional sports to refer to a particular player or team who have acted inappropriately and/or unprofessionally in the context of the game. penalty to any group celebrations. Competition committee chairman Rich McKay Rich McKay (born March 16, 1959) is the president and general manager of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons franchise. He was the general manager of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when they won Super Bowl XXXVII. said the penalty will be instituted because fines for such acts - which increased three-fold last season - were not a deterrent. ``This has nothing to do with the Lambeau leap, the spike, the sack dance,'' said McKay, the general manager of the Atlanta Falcons Despite criticisms by Baltimore coach Brian Billick Brian Billick (February 28, 1954) has been the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League since January 19, 1999. Billick led the Ravens to a 34-7 victory over the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV, the franchise's only championship appearance, and last season, instant replay is expected to not only be renewed after three years but made permanent. The committee has also endorsed allowing teams a third challenge if the two they are entitled to are successful. The committee also proposed making a minor change to the rules governing interviews of coaching candidates. With the exception of a five-day window at the end of the regular season when coaches are allowed to one interview with a team, they may not be interviewed again or offered a job until his current team's season is over. Now the window will be extended to seven days. This became an issue this season when Patriots assistants Romeo Crennel Romeo Crennel (born June 18, 1947 in Lynchburg, Virginia) has been the head coach of the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League since February 8, 2005. Before becoming the head coach of the Browns, Crennel won three Super Bowls in four seasons as the defensive coordinator and Charlie Weis Charles Joseph (Charlie) Weis (born March 30, 1956 in Trenton, New Jersey) is the current head coach of the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team. Early career After graduating from Middlesex (N.J. were unable to land head coaching jobs. Several other proposals will be voted on, but don't appear likely to pass. These proposals include expanding the playoffs from 12 to 14 teams, changing the overtime rules to ensure each team gets at least one possession and expanding the practice squad. There also will be reports on the stadium situation in Los Angeles (set for Wednesday), the league's TV contract that expires after the 2005 season, as well as discussions with the union about the collective bargaining agreement The contractual agreement between an employer and a Labor Union that governs wages, hours, and working conditions for employees and which can be enforced against both the employer and the union for failure to comply with its terms. and on an agreement over league and club licensing and sponsorship. Billy Witz, (818) 713-3621 billy.witz(at)dailynews.com |
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