MMQB Mail: OT debate and whether Tillman should be in Hall of Fame

Philip Rivers and Peyton Manning likely have opposing views on the overtime rules. Getty Images

My good buddy Don "Donnie Brasco'' Banks and I debated the overtime system today on SI.com, so I'll skip the top of the column and go right to your e-mail:

• A VOTE AGAINST THE OVERTIME SYSTEM. From Nick, of Watseka, Ill.: "I completely agree with you in regards to the NFL overtime rules. In my opinion, the Arena Football League has (or had) the best solution in all of football. Like the NFL, there is a coin flip and kickoff. However, both teams get a possession. If the game is still tied after each team has had the ball, the overtime then becomes sudden death. Thus, field position still plays a role (unlike college) and there's strategy involved for the winner of the coin flip as well as the other team if faced with a tie or go-for-the-win situation.''

That's the plan I like the best, Nick. It would eliminate the significance of the coin flip at the start of overtime by assuring that both offenses would get their hands on the ball at least once.

• A VOTE FOR THE OVERTIME SYSTEM -- I THINK. From Scott O'Neil, of Waltham, Mass.: "Let's see. In the second half, the Colts couldn't get one lousy yard to convert a fourth down, and gained 26 yards on 16 plays when they had a chance to end the game in the third and fourth quarters. But somehow you think the overtime rule cost them the game?! The overtime rule might be broken, but you need a better example to make your argument.''

This never has been about me thinking the overtime rule cost the Colts the game. It's about fairness. If the Colts won the toss and marched to the winning score on the first possession, I'd be saying the same thing -- the coin toss plays too important a role in these football games. You can make a better argument about the Chargers' offensive futility than the Colts' in much of the second half -- Philip Rivers not converting a third-and-2 at the Colts 47, Darren Sproles fumbling it away at the Colts 2, Rivers throwing an interception at the goal line going in, Rivers taking a nine-yard sack to blow a field-goal chance. Whatever happened in the first 60 minutes, there were enough blown chances on each side. That has nothing to do with the basic fairness in an NFL playoff game that both teams should have an equal chance to win in overtime. That doesn't exist now.

• COACHES SHOULD BE ABLE TO ADVANCE. From Jeremy Gottlieb, of Chicago: "Do you have any thoughts as to why the NFL doesn't have a moratorium on talking to coaches until after the Super Bowl the way they do with players? First Monte Kiffin, now Steve Spagnuolo, Rex Ryan, Marty Mornhinweg, all while their teams are still playing. After Kiffin committed to Tennessee, Tampa's defense tanked. Couldn't the Giants, Ravens and Eagles be worried about the same thing? Why not just solve the problem by declaring no coach under contract to a team can talk to any other organization, college or otherwise, until after the Super Bowl?''

Good question. First, college and pros don't have a reciprocal agreement. In other words, the University of Tennessee doesn't have to abide by any rule if it wants to go talk to, say, an NFL coordinator about a job. Regarding pro coaches, the way the rule works now is the four teams with a first-round bye can have their assistant coaches talk to other NFL teams about head-coaching opportunities. This rule was put in several years ago.

The NFL formerly had a policy that said no assistant coach could interview for a head-coaching position elsewhere until his team's season was over. It was amended because coaches on teams in the playoffs were not getting an equal opportunity to interview for jobs because by the time their seasons were over, some or all of the best jobs were filled. So the NFL changed the rule. Now the four teams with byes can allow their assistants talk to teams with openings in the bye week only -- and not again until the after their teams have been eliminated from the playoffs. Seems fair to me.

• JOHN THINKS I'M DISSING ED HOCHULI. From John Newman, of Northglenn, Colo.: "Give Ed Hochuli a break. Why is it so inconceivable that he wouldn't be one of the highest rated officials in the league? By your own admission each official sees over 2,500 plays a year, and yes Hochuli made a mistake on one. It was a glaring mistake that was exposed for the world to see, and it likely cost the Chargers a game. But in the end, how much worse was Hochuli's mistake than an official who doesn't call a blatant offensive hold on a lineman on a key third down play? It's just that Hochuli's mistake was put out there for everyone to see. Most mistakes by officials aren't ever picked up on by the average fan, journalist or broadcaster. And I would be willing to bet that Hochuli does pretty darn well in the methodical comparison of him and his peers the NFL puts them through.''

Good point. I was simply making the point that the man who made the most glaring mistake of the 2008 season -- a mistake that made San Diego 8-8 instead of 9-7 -- was on the highest-rated crew in the 2008 season. That surprised me. That's all. It was no indictment of his ability.

• TILLMAN AND THE HALL OF FAME. From Scott Miller, of Dallas: "Cris Collinsworth said this weekend that Pat Tillman should be inducted into the Hall of Fame if for no other reason than that his sacrifice (giving up his career and ultimately his life in service to our country) is the epitome of what our ideal of a pro athlete should be. I believe you have stated that negative, off-the-field activities should not be a factor in Hall of Fame induction. Do you think positive actions should be?''

Cris said the same thing last year on our HBO show, and I respect his opinion. But I disagree. The Pro Football Hall of Fame mandates that players be judged on what they do between the white lines and nothing else. Tillman was a good NFL player, not a great one. What if, for example, Jon Kitna enters politics after his NFL career, becomes a great American statesman, ascends to Secretary of State and brokers a truce between the Israelis and Hamas? Should we then elect Kitna to the Hall of Fame?

Now, if you want to make a separate wing to the Hall of Fame and induct one inspiration leader per year --say, a player who died in World War II or Vietnam, or served his country with valor in other ways like Jack Kemp -- I'm in favor of that.

• MAYBE IT'S THE THING THAT KRAMER HAD ON SEINFELD -- THE LURE OF "KEVORKA.'' From Jeff Zapletal, of of Bellefonte, Pa.: "Maybe my vision is clouded by black-and-gold colored glasses, but why would Mike Shanahan really want to wait for Jerry Jones and the Cowboys coaching job? I get that the Cowboys are a top-tier franchise, but to go from a situation where he had complete control to an organization where the owner inserts himself into decisions at every level of the game doesn't seem like a very attractive option for a coach like Shanahan. The Cowboys may have great talent and tons of exposure but it just seems like a headache for any coach who with at least a moderately strong personality.''

Shanahan has an ego; he'd love the challenge of making the Cowboys America's Team again, and he'd have a good quarterback to work with, and an owner who would stop at nothing to win. What's there not to like about that job?

• THANKS, DOUG. From Doug, of Chicago: "Peter, you are my only must read on Mondays. I'm a Vikings fan. Obviously Tarvaris Jackson is not the answer. Can the Vikes go with a rookie next year or do they need to find a veteran? Can they get a guy like Matt Leinart or Derek Anderson or Chris Simms? Also, I loved the movie "Bobby'' too. I spent a lot of years in the hotel business and the back of the house scenes were very good. My favorite was the Latin kid who gave up his Dodger tickets. And William H. Macy is one of the best actors we have, very underrated.''

Interesting e-mail. Thanks. Well, my thought is I wouldn't be ready to put Jackson out with the garbage just yet. He's a young quarterback with a good arm and questionable decision-making. I'd bring in either Matt Cassel (probably too rich for owner Zygi Wilf's blood) or a veteran a little sturdier than Gus Frerotte and let them duke it out.