In NHL hockey, I believe this is the case, they reduce the number of skaters from 5 to 4 in overtime. The idea being that the more open the game, the higher the likelihood of scoring a goal.

Reduce the number of soccer players on each side by one for every 10 minutes of overtime play. Eventually you are down to one-on-one, which is pretty much what the penalty shoot out is anyway.
-- Goesta Berling, Jan 19 2005

You know I was determinined to not like this idea -- but the more I think about it -- the more I like it.

The only downside I can think of is (for soccor) the game would get pretty violent .. as players knew they were off the pitch in 2 minutes WHATEVER happened so may as well try and break someones leg before they go ...

Anyway .. +
-- britboy, Jan 19 2005


OK, so they'll make it that in the case of a penalty, the penalty is passed to the next player on the offender's team. That would make for some interesting intra-team dynamics...
-- phundug, Jan 19 2005


And, to make it more interesting, add the 'hot-potato' element: Every 5 minutes in overtime, a buzzer sounds, whoever's closest to the ball is the one who must leave.
-- sophocles, Jan 21 2005


This is really good. Maybe two for each ten minutes. And maybe no adjustable goals.
-- wagster, Jan 21 2005


I always liked to see games have a smooth, logical flow to their rule system. For example, bowling games have a 3-part final round specifically designed so that one can get a maximum score of 300. This idea is just another example of a smooth ending if you ask me.

Like [wagster] said though, you could always consider adjusting the numbers.

[sophocles]'s idea could also help select the players to be taken out. Then again, considering the difficulty of always calculating the players' distances, it might instead become -whoever touched the ball last-.
-- Albino Fox, Jan 23 2005


Unless that is the goalie.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Jan 24 2005



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