To Coin a Phrase, NFL’s Flip Is Outdated

Laura Vecsey of the Baltimore Sun has a novel idea for settling overtime football games: “How can the NFL -- the Mother of All Professional Sports Industries, Including Wrestling -- allow the toss of a coin to determine the winner of any game, let alone a playoff game?

“The NFL should follow college football, where the overtime system gives each team a first down at the opposing 25-yard line, with the first team to have a lead after a pair of possessions declared the winner.

“Otherwise, we propose penalty kicks. U.S. women’s World Cup team member Brandi Chastain would get one kick per side.”

Trivia time: Which NBA team holds the record for three-point field goals made in a game without a miss?

Take a number: The International Sports Summit announced winners for its “50 That Shaped the Last 25,” a list of athletes, sports business executives and councils, and venues over the last 25 years. Michael Jordan was selected the most successful athlete and Tiger Woods was second, ahead of Arnold Palmer, George Foreman and Mia Hamm.

Don’t horse around: Dwight Perry in the Seattle Times: “We’ve heard of bad penalties before, but a British judge gives soccer fan Raymond Everest a five-year prison term for taking a free kick at a police horse?

“Word has it Everest’s lawyer is trying to get the penalty reduced to a red card.”

More Perry: “Grace Bible College of Grand Rapids, Mich., has taken ‘grace under pressure’ to a whole new level. The school’s women’s basketball team must play its final 11 regular-season games with the minimum five players after starting the season with only six.

“No such luck for the men’s team, which had its remaining 13 games dashed when poor grades reduced the team roster from seven players to three. Note to the athletic department: Might be time to form a coed league.”

Looking back: On this day in 2000, the St. Louis Rams defeated the Minnesota Vikings, 49-37, in the first home playoff game in St. Louis’ 33-season NFL history. Kurt Warner completed 27 of 33 passes and set team playoff records for yards passing (391) and touchdown throws (five). The Vikings scored three touchdowns in the final minutes, making it the second-highest scoring playoff game in NFL history.

How magical: Jerry Greene in the Orlando Sentinel: “It seemed like Arsenio Hall would walk away with the Magic Johnson Worst TV Host Award until Tony Danza walked on stage with his accordion Sunday night for the People’s Choice Award. Who chose him?”

Odd pairing: Tom FitzGerald in the San Francisco Chronicle: “Watching a college basketball game Saturday, Michael Gold of San Francisco was struck by a strange center matchup: Stanford’s 6-foot-10 Rob Little against Oregon’s 7-0 Matt Short.”

Trivia answer: Indiana, 7, against Atlanta on Jan. 20, 1995.

And finally: David Letterman offered “Top 10 Jets’ Excuses” after they were routed by the Oakland Raiders. A sampling:

* “Bus ride to Oakland took a lot out of the team.

* “Wanted to do something for the Oakland fans. After all, they have to live in Oakland.”

-- Mal Florence