I want to say that I think this years championship game was a very good game. I did not really have much of a cheering interest in the two teams so I was happy just to see a good game. Although to me it does not seem right to me that UCLA walks away withoug a championship and yet does not lose the game just ties. The loses in pentaly kicks. I would have to say this was one of the more entertaining pentaly kicks I ever saw with just as many saves as there were goals. Usually I just see goals and shots wide or high. Although I think having pentaly kicks while some fans may like it, it seems anticlimatic to me. In golden goal overtime you never know when it is going to end it could end any second. In pentally kicks you know the end is coming. It used to be you had four overtimes before pentally kicks would take place. I think when you have two great teams like UCLA and Notre Dame the game should be played out until some one score no matter how long it takes. That would also really test the depth of a team if they had to play deep into overtime. One of the things I love about playoff hockey is they will play six overtimes and more if the have to get a winner. I wanted to see what the rest of you thought about this.
I agree, I would rather see play till someone scores. I also do not understand how someone walks away with the championship and the game result is booked as a tie.
I believe that according to NCAA rules, this game is actually booked as a win for ND and loss for UCLA. I think that the NCAA National Championship game is the only exception to the rule that all games going into PKs are recorded as ties for standings purposes.
Found the document I was looking for. From the 2004 NCAA Statistical Guide for Soccer: SECTION 7 — OVERTIME, TIEBREAKER PROCEDURE Article 1. All statistics that occur during overtime count toward team and individual totals. However, if the game reaches the point where tiebreaker procedure of taking kicks from the penalty-kick line or spot occurs, no statistics — goals or saves — count toward team or individual totals. Article 2. All contests decided by the tiebreaker procedure of taking kicks from the penalty-kick line or spot shall be counted as ties for each team’s overall record. The score shall be recorded as a tie. In the case that the national championship game must be decided by the tiebreaker procedure of taking kicks from the penalty-kick line or spot, the result shall determine a winner and a loser for each team’s overall record.
Overtime! Two more overtimes like they did before - except that ALL of the overtimes should be Golden Goal. A team can win a championship on PKs but they cannot win a game - the final game is still a tie - I don't care what the NCAA or anybody else says. I hate PKs with a passion and I hate that FIFA has done away with the Golden Goal. I'd rather see a goal scored during the run of play - a 'garbage goal' or whatever - than to ever see teams go to PKs. I've been on the losing end of Golden Goal more often than not but I'm not complaining - it's still a 100 times more satisfying result than PKs, which aren't soccer and aren't satisfying even if you win. I'd rather be on the losing end of a Golden Goal than on the winning end of the abomination that is PKs. Honestly, I'd just as soon see them toss a coin. I'm glad the NCAA is still using Golden Goal and, if they keep using it, they'll remain a step ahead of FIFA at least in one regard.
The question in the POLL is irrelevant. Due to the need to fit the game and any additional play into a 3 hour time window, the era or unlimited overtimes is over. It also precludes a replay - which would involve negligible ticket sales to cover additional hotel, travel, facility, and game operations expenses. If ya wanna see the final on TV, what they're doing now is going to have to suffice.
I liked the part during the ESPN2 televised game Sunday where everyone in SAS soccer stadium was quiet before each PK. Why was that?
Because they announced on the PA system that the referees request that the fans be quiet during the penalty kicks. When the PA announcer said that some people in the stands just laughed. One guy in front of me said "why? this isn't a golf game".
Okay that is it, it was bad enough to to see UCLA and ND have pks. Now the men with UCSB and IU had pks to decide the cahmpionship. Who do I write in the NCAA to urge them to change there tie breaking rules. Also I do realize that teams got planes to catch and all but playing to a tie and not playing it out in overtime does not work. This is a nationcal championship I do not think the school would mind them missing there flight and coming home late if they brought back a national championship.
Not entirely true, the NHL would never, ever let playoff hockey games be decided by anything other than overtimes. ESPN and ABC accomodate.
It does not matter what sport you are referring to. I will apply to college soccer also. If you think ABC and ESPN accomdiating NHL playoff hockey is something special just for hockey and they would not do it for college soocer. I would ask what makes hockey so special? No one seems to care that that there is no NHL season this year due to the lockout. Also this summer during the olympics the USA network went more then 3 hours past the programing window for tennis when the bronze medal match went deep in a fifth set. ESPN has many networks and they will stay with the game as long as it takes. They went past there schedule time for each championship game this year when they went into pks. The people at ESPN are not stupid they know the drama of golden goal overtime is going to get better rankings then some taped nine ball pool.
I do understand the challenge of TV contracts, but as was mentioned before, despite poor ratings, the NHL gets contracts for their playoff games. Last year, I coached in the NAIA National Championship match. In front of 3,000 fans, we won the game in the 7th overtime. I have heard from literally hundreds of people who remarked that it was the most memorable sporting event of their lives. Now how many times do we hear people say that about a college soccer game? If you must, take off a player or two after each overtime period. The short-sided match would still be closer to "real soccer" than penalty kicks. Can you imagine finishing a basketball game with a best of five free throws??!!
Coach - welcome to the boards! I like your idea, at least more than I do the PKs. As to the bball comparison, I can just see it now, as the announcer says - "1 second left in the game, and time is called by one of the coachs so he can sub in his best 5 FT shooters! That's it for Shaq and the rest of the frontline..."
If after two overtime periods the teams are still tied, then it seems reasonable to assume that they are equal to one another. Therefore, if it is an advancement situation, just flip a coin and acknowledge that whoever advances does so on the basis of luck. If it is a championship situation -- conference or national -- declare co-champions.
You may remember that the NCAA did away with endless overtimes about 15 years ago after Santa Clara beat Rutgers in the final (Steve Sampson's career highlight) just before somebody died of frostbite. It may have been memorable but the players talked about just wanting the game over so they could get off the field. After that, the debate kind of died off because if you're going to play more than four OT's, you better be somewhere with REALLY nice weather. Obviously, a replay would be great but it's totally unrealistic. It might make sense to go back to four golden goal overtimes for the final, though.