Pro sports and athlete evolution

[Brian Kraft]

Bigger, stronger, faster. Pro Athletes are slowly but surely evolving
beyond some of the games that have been invented for them. Combine
this with technical advances in sports equipment and the result is
that some events are looking a little truncated compared to what they
used to be.

Pro Tennis: The pros are getting bigger & stronger and the rackets
lighter & stronger, so the volleys are getting shorter, and that's
starting to get a little dull on the men's side. A few too many aces
& smashes; I suggest raising the net about three inches... bring more
extended volleys back to the game.

Pro Basketball: Too many dunks... boring. If a pituitary giant can
be found living in a small village in Kazakhstan, he'll play pro
basketball. I suggest raising the basket about a foot... it'd be the
best improvement since the 3-point line.

Pro Baseball: Outfield walls that are too close truncate this game.
The Mark McGuires just trot around the base paths, they don't have to
earn their home runs by racing the ball to home plate. Move the
walls out another hundred feet; better yet, don't have any outfield
fences at all, just keep planting grass out there until it merges
with the grass of a nearby golf course. Let the outfielders chase
'em all down, and all of the many bombers will have to earn their
home runs by actually running. Inside-the-park home runs are
exciting, aren't they? Bring back some of the excitement that's been
lost. Teams get most of their revenue from the TV contracts anyway,
so revenue from outfield bleachers isn't that important anymore.
Tear 'em out.

I'm just dreaming of course, the traditionalists rule supreme.
--
b h k