In DC, Mark Maske cited sources as saying that a proposal to reduce NFL OT from 15 to 10 minutes in preseason and regular season games "could be reconsidered by owners when they meet later this month in Chicago." The measure was "proposed by the league’s competition committee in March and was considered by owners at the annual league meeting in Phoenix" in February. Owners "took no vote then." Supporters said that they are "concerned about the possibility that a team could play what amounts to a five-quarter game on a Sunday, with a full 15-minute overtime, and then have to play again four days later on a Thursday night" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 5/12).
LAWYER UP: In St. Louis, Jim Thomas reported the NFL is "sending in its 'A-team' in the St. Louis breach of contract lawsuit over the relocation of the Rams" to L.A, as DC-based Covington & Burling will represent the NFL and 31 of its 32 teams. The "exception is the Rams," who are represented by Chicago-based Kirkland & Ellis. Also representing the NFL and the 31 other teams locally is Missouri-based Carmody MacDonald's Jerry Carmody. Summons in the current lawsuit were issued to owners of all 32 teams and the NFL in April, though they have "yet to respond." Circuit court records "show Oct. 2, 2017 as a trial date, but that is thought to be a place-holder for a pre-trial hearing" (STLTODAY.com, 5/13).
WBC HANGOVER? ESPN.com's Buster Olney wrote it is "now accepted as a reality" by many folks in MLB that some players have struggled this season "because of their participation" in the World Baseball Classic. The "vast majority of the comments are not meant to be complaints or whining about the WBC, but as loose conclusions based on the early regular-season play of some of the participants." Some talent evaluators believe players "might have experienced a hangover from the WBC" (ESPN.com, 5/14).
NO REST FOR THE WEARY: Toronto FC MF Michael Bradley said that MLS "needs to improve its scheduling and travel policies." After his team played its fifth game in 16 days on Saturday, Bradley said, "The league has to find a better way to handle some of the logistics. Two weeks in a row, we play on Wednesday night and we're the first game on Saturday afternoon. When you see this stuff happen over and over again, you shake your head a little bit because collectively, across the board, we're trying to grow the league and make sure that the product on the field is at its best on as many days as possible" (ESPNFC.us, 5/13).
