Illinois – Northwestern: Wrigley Field NCAA Football Stupidity … Safety Concerns, One Way Football

GO WEST YOUNG MAN … It is the only way the teams will be allowed to play due to safety concerns. They knew the spacial concerns of the dimensions of Wrigley Field over a year ago and signed off on this any how.

Who Thought this was ever safe?

Only one end zone will be used for offense Saturday at Wrigley Field for the Illinois-Northwestern game because of safety concerns, the Big Ten announced Friday, and the Chicago Cubs said the decision caught them by surprise.

NCAA rules state the field dimensions must have adequate space surrounding the playing surface: “Limit lines shall be marked … 12 feet outside the sidelines and the end lines, except in stadiums where total field surface does not permit. In these stadiums, the limit lines shall not be less than 6 feet from the sidelines and end lines.”

Here are the ridiculous ground rules for the game. Rumor has it that the game will be played with 8 men, instead of 11, flag football rules will apply and the rushers must count to 3 Mississippi before they can rush the QB. Good Grief!

The Illinois-Northwestern NCAA football game at Chicago’s Wrigley Field is a complete joke. Sure it is cool when sporting events are played in venues that they are not normally played in. Watching the NHL play an outside hockey game at Fenway Park was beyond fantastic to watch. However, who ever the brain surgeons were who dreamed up the idea and worse, signed off on the idea to have a football game played in a venue that could barely hold the foot print of a football field should be ashamed. The NCAA, Big Ten, Chicago Cubs and Chicago politicians all have egg on their face.

The reason that was provided for the last minute change was player safety. However, why was player safety not a concern up until the other day as what changed? The foot print of a football field in Wrigley Field resembled the late Chris Farley wearing a speedo.

Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald had said this week he would have different game plans for each end zone to avoid the possibility of injury.

Cubs president Crane Kenney released a statement Friday saying the Big Ten and both universities approved the field dimensions in relation to player safety. As recently as last week, the Cubs said in the statement, the Big Ten “participated in a field walk-through and raised no issue with the field dimensions.”

The Cubs also said they “are surprised by the Big Ten’s last-minute statement regarding changes for tomorrow’s Northwestern-Illinois football game at Wrigley Field, Let there be no doubt: The safety of the student-athletes has been — and remains — the No. 1 priority since the concept of this game was first discussed more than a year ago, and all parties have gone to complete lengths to ensure student-athlete safety for this contest.”