Second thoughts

Can’t let that bus slow down

University of Arizona football Coach Rich Rodriguez has made his opinion known previously about the NCAA’s proposed 10-second rule.

On Monday, Rodriguez extended his views via the Arizona athletic department on YouTube.

In the YouTube video, the Wildcatsand Rodriguez poke fun at the 10-second rule, which would give defenses allotted time to substitute players in between plays and effectively slow down hurry-up offenses, by parodying the 1994 motion picture Speed.

Rodriguez is embedded into the film, which starred Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, and speaks to a coach who “wants the game to be played how it used to be” and said it is for the “safety of the players” before winking at the camera.

The coach wouldn’t let Rodriguez respond until a clock on the screen ran down.

“Let’s not distort the facts because of your personal agenda,” Rodriguez tells the coach after 10 seconds. “There’s no evidence that shows that fast-paced offense is leading to more injury. In fact, there’s less injuries with faster offenses.”

The video pans back to Bullock, who asks, ‘Why is all this happening?”

Rodriguez’s response?

“People enjoy the game,” Rodriguez said in the video.

“They watch people. They want to see action.

“They don’t want to see huddles, people holding hands and signing ‘Kumbaya.’ “

At the end of the video, Rodriguez is in Arizona Stadium, the home of the Wildcats in Tucson, Ariz., and has a message for the viewers.

“Pop quiz: What do you do when the fundamentals of football are threatened because of hidden agendas?” Rodriguez said. “What do you do?”

The video cites a study done by College Football Matrix’s Dave Bartoo as evidence for his claim of fewer injuries.

The proposed rule change has been a hot-button issue among several college football coaches, including Arkansas’ Bret Bielema.

Last month in Searcy, Bielema cited the death of a California football player, Ted Agu, as proof as to why up-tempo offenses lead to more injuries.

Several days after Bielema’s comments, Rodriguez made his feelings first known about the proposed rule change.

“Enjoying the great Tucson weather and playing golf with my son,” Rodriguez tweeted.

“Play is a little slow, though.

#IsItAPlayerSafetyIssue?”

The proposed rule change will be voted on Thursday by the NCAA Football Rules Committee.Uniform talk

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers revealed their new uniforms Monday, which is their first redesign since 1997.

The team announced that the base uniform color has a richer looking pewter, juxtaposed with a brighter shade of “Buccaneer Red” It also has a “Bay Orange” as a new primary trim color, which reflects the Buccaneers’ original uniforms.

Tampa Bay is the first NFL franchise to incorporate a reflective chrome border around the numbers on the front, back and shoulders.

The Buccaneers previously announced an enlarged helmet logo, which still features a red battle flag with a skull sitting over crossed swords and a football.

Quote of the day “Florida has dominated the league so much that

someone from their team will likely win the award.” Georgia Coach Mark Fox on who will win the SEC men’s player of the year award

Sports, Pages 14 on 03/04/2014

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