As Commissioner, My First Act

NHL: Full Face Shields
Rule: Every player is required to wear a full face shield.

Improvement: The impact on player safety is obvious, and junior players have worn them for years.
Fighting would still be permitted after removing the shield.

Is the rule needed?: Players always have the option of wearing a shield, but without a league-wide mandate it is greatly disadvantageous for those who choose to.

Potential drawbacks: Players may become increasingly reckless with face shields, blocking shots or using the helmet as a weapon.

Also under consideration: Tightening "boarding" enforcement, suspensions for diving,


NBA: Timeouts
Rule: One timeout permitted per half

Improvement: The NBA game plods along, at best. Exciting fast breaks, defensive collapses, turnovers - all require immediate timeouts by coaches. This removes any semblance of momentum from the game.
Also, the commonality of timeouts enables coaches to draw up set plays whenever the situation calls for it. While not a negative in-and-of-itself, this has turned into a crutch for players. Instead of cunning resourcefulness, the league requires dutiful obedience and - when need be - the ability to make a terrible shot because the coach's play doesn't work as designed and over-coaching has stifled creativity.

Is the rule needed?: If you've ever watched the final minutes of a close NBA game then you know the answer.

Potential drawbacks: Less commercials (keep in mind I'm a commish here), restricted substituting

Also under consideration: Less personal fouls per game, loosen "blocking" foul calls, speeding up everything else (shorter shot-clock, free throw routines, etc...)


NFL: Overtime
Rule: First team to score 5 points in overtime wins.

Improvement: This would add a great deal of intrigue any game that went to overtime. Coaches would be faced with much more difficult decisions, and many teams would act differently in the same situation (playing to the respective strengths of the teams). Kicking may be magnified or eschewed.

Is the rule needed?: No, but fans are clamoring for the rule to be changed and a "coin filp-short drive-long field goal" ending to a Superbowl would be perceived as unfairly arbitrary.

Why 5 instead of 6?
It may lead to a situation where a team would concede a meaningless safety to gain field position.

Potential drawbacks: Superbowl finish may be too epic, having to listen to every broadcaster explain the rule for the next two years

Also under consideration: loosening "roughness" penalties, limiting front office and coaching signings until well after the Superbowl, re-establishing the CBA/salary cap, loosening "No Fun League" regulations, re-invent Pro Bowl, increase the difficulty of the PAT (point after touchdown)

Bad Shot Shooter

On the opposite end of my spectrum from the pulling guard is the Bad Shot Shooter.

The Bad Shot Shooter is most identifiable in the NBA. Late shot-clock situations, struggling offense, defefensive lineup - all can lead to a situation where a shot needs to be taken and the offense has no leverage.

The Bad Shot Shooter is important but can become toxic if he fails to remain within his role.

Mike James was always an excellent bad shot shooter, but James took so many bad shots that he became a great detriment to his team.

Kobe is so divisive because of his Bad Shot Shooting. Kobe can dominate games with bad shots (any player that has scored more than 80 points in a game can make bad shots) but he shoots so well that he can become toxic to his team by taking so many shot - and so many bad shots. The public vacillated wildly on Kobe for a few years (Shaq / post-Shaq pre-Pau / Pau) not because the public was fluctuating, but because Kobe was.

After Shaq Kobe was the best player in the league at taking bad shots. He'd make enough that he was still a star, but he take enough that his team's couldn't compete. Perhaps his teams weren't good enough to compete anyway, but Kobe was ensuring it. After the Lakers brought in some legitimate NBA talent (Gasol acquired in a deal that must have included rohypnol) Kobe stopped taking bad shots - but kept hitting bad shots - and led his team to a title.

NBA Championship Bad Shot Shooters include:
Chauncy Billups
Kobe Bryant
Micheal Jordan
...comment section, help me out here!

Notable exceptions:
Robert Horry

Horry was Big Shot Bob. Took game-deciding shots, not bad shots.
I'd like to get to a post on Horry but this isn't it. Horry was an excellent teammate, Bad Shot Shooters rarely are.