MMQB (cont.)

Ten Things I Think I Think

1. I think the NFL should rename its individual achievement awards after some legendary performers. Some examples:

• Sammy Baugh Award (Most Valuable Player)

• Deacon Jones Award (Defensive Player of the Year)

• Jerry Rice Award (Offensive Player of the Year)

• Gene Upshaw Award (for leadership)

• Roger Staubach Award (for sportsmanship)

• Don Shula Award (Coach of the Year)

• Paul Brown Award (AFC Coach of the Year)

• Joe Gibbs Award (NFC Coach of the Year)

• Jim Brown Award (most rushing yards)

• Sid Luckman Award (most passing yards)

2. I think we should make these rule changes:

• Move the kickoffs back to the 40-yard line. All of this talk about eliminating the kickoff is nonsense. The only question -- why was the kickoff ever moved from the 40-yard line?

• Get rid of the convoluted overtime rules -- return to sudden death.

• Same as scoring plays, all turnovers should be automatically reviewed.

• Major penalties should be eligible for coaching challenges.

• Punters, kickers and long snappers shouldn't count against the 46-man game day roster (each team must dress three quarterbacks).

Note: I'm sure some of you thought I would say the "Tuck Rule." The "Tuck Rule" doesn't apply when a quarterback has both hands on the ball and a defensive player strips him of it -- it's a fumble! It has been a fumble since Sammy Baugh played and it will be a fumble when Peyton Manning's son is starring in the league decades from now.

3. I think the best nicknames in NFL history are:

• Fearsome Foursome

• Monsters of the Midway

• The Hogs

• Purple People Eaters

• The K-Gun offense

• The Over-the-Hill Gang

4. I think the following people should be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This (alphabetical) list of candidates, all of whom were with one of the organizations I've been associated with, are eligible this year for induction:

• Maxie Baughan

• Bobby Beathard

• Larry Brown

• Tim Brown

• Pat Fischer

• Tom Flores

• Joe Jacoby

• Eddie Meador

• Jim Plunkett

• Joe Theismann

• Doug Williams

This is always a great topic for debate each January, and as I write this I feel the anxiety that the 44-person selection committee feels when making decisions about who will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It's a difficult process with no rewards to the selectors.

The bad news for the candidates is that the "senior committee" has the most challenging choices to make due to the large number of qualified candidates to select from. The good news is that their committee is extraordinarily organized and motivated to properly evaluate each person who has been previously over-looked. It might take some time, but at some point in the future, they will get every deserving candidate to the final ballot for an up or down vote.

5. I think we need to do a lot more for high school football coaches!

6. I think Monday Night Football's kickoff should be no later than 8:00 p.m. ET.

7. I think the new college football playoff format will create more issues than the old system.

8. I think that there is no greater competitive advantage in sports than the NFL's playoff "bye" week that four teams earn during the regular season.

9. I think NFL Films is the league's Non-Player MVP every year (name that award the Ed Sabol Award).

10. I think it's easier to make enemies in the NFL than it is to make friends.