The Loop
Pace-of-play concerns are infectious, spread to baseball and basketball
Pace of play is an even bigger issue than previously thought, based on recent news stories.
PGA Tour player and Golf Channel analyst Steve Flesch first brought it to our attention with this Tweet.
He was linking to a column by Paul Daugherty of the Cincinnati Enquirer, who wrote, "Major League Baseball has appointed a committee to study why baseball games now take longer than trips to the moon."
A committee? We'll ask the PGA of America whether that's better or worse than a task force?
At any rate, Daugherty notes that four of the Kansas City Royals last six games have gone past the four-hour mark. "Baseball worries about losing young fans," Daugherty wrote. "It should…And to think: Scoring is down in baseball. Fewer reasons to be excited, and more time not to be. Great job, baseball."
Now comes word that the NBA is concerned with the length of its games. USA Today reported that the league will experiment with a 44-minute exhibition game between the Boston Celtics and the New Jersey Jets on Sunday. They will play four 11-minute quarters.
The idea came about from the recent NBA coaches meeting, where the length of games was on the agenda.
Our sports are dawdling. As we've said before, slow play is like the weather. Everyone talks about it, but no one does anything about it.
Or didn't. The PGA Tour, as Golf World contributor Dave Shedloski noted here last week, has made "a few minor tweaks to its current pace-of-play guidelines."
As wiser people have noted, "the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem."