Football at Wrigley Field – 2010 Edition

OK, so I have to complain.

Tomorrow, there is a football game at Wrigley Field in Chicago between Northwestern and Illinois. This is the first football game to be played in the Friendly Confines since the Bears defeated the Packers 35-17 on December 13th, 1970. Then, the football field stretched from the first base dugout across to the left field wall (north-south.) For this game, they will be going from the third base dugout to the right field wall (east-west.) In 1970, the goal posts were on the goal line in the NFL and college. They are now on the end line in the back of the end zone (and have been since the fall of 1974.) Due to this, the goal posts on the right field side in the east end zone had to be attached to the right field wall.

So, meetings have been held in the last couple of days, and it was decided due to “safety issues” regarding practically no space in the back of the east end zone before you run into the brick wall, every drive and every play will be going west towards the third base dugout side of the field. Excuse me? You’re changing the dynamics of football because of a little cramping? Are we now so scared of a society that someone might run into a padded wall and possibly cause a life-altering experience? So what! Let them play some good ol’ football in a classic setting.

You may be wondering why aren’t they using the old configuration? I don’t know. Some have alluded to it being because of seating expansions since 1970, although I can’t find references showing seat expansions since then.

So, we violate the game of football and its sanctity for safety. Makes you wonder if those people who complained about the policing of hits in football earlier this season might have some sort of an argument there.