Undoubtedly there are many concepts that we all wish could be implemented in or a sport or to a team. Whether it’s a pitching staff or a foresome that could be assembled to witness just once. With the  ongoing comparison between Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus, we wish we could have seem them play against  each other during their respective primes.

Those kinds of drastic time-altering dreams will not be presented in this list, but ideas are formed from present athletes and current rules. For example, we all have our aspirations, but this list will present ideas such as the elimination of the NFL’s salary cap. Now that is one thing this guy totally disagrees with, but it is just one variation that could be presented.

Keeping true to form, we will not be falling into the ESPN trap of a MJ comeback at 50.  Don’t get me started on that one.

Now the odds of one of these occurring are as real as Manti Te’o’s girlfriend, but here we go….

10. Alex Ovechkin & Sidney Crosby Fight

Just once please.

We know you both hate each other and Ovechkin would probably win the fight, but just drop the gloves once.  Hockey needs the publicity anyway.

9. Someone Breaking Cal Ripken Jr.’s Consecutive Game Streak

In the modern era of sitting out for a minor hamstring strain, it would be refreshing for someone to even come close to the length of Cal or Brett Favre’s consecutive games started streak.

Do you love the game?

Play the game with pride and don’t be a pansy.

8. Just One Professional Team in Las Vegas

If Oklahoma City can have Kevin Durant, can Las Vegas at least have a MLS team?

The constant gambling is in question, but if an athlete wanted to gamble there are so many bookies and online resources for him or her to do so. I doubt they would walk into a casino sports book.

UNLV athletics do not suffice anymore in the Sin City! Anthony Bennett can’t even carry that overrated team.

7. NCAA Penalty Standards

As of right now, there is no standard or structure of repercussions for infractions violating the NCAA rules.  Punishments have varied drastically from USC to Ohio State, even letting the person in violation (Terrelle Pryor) play in a bowl game.  Money talks, huh?

The recent tipping point of this is the University of Miami case, but what really set this off was the Penn State debacle.  Key members within the administration and athletic department are a part of a criminal case, but the NCAA penalized the current and future players of the Penn State football program who had no control over their administration.  This would not only be amazing, but is essential.

6. Every Athlete Takes Performance Enhancing Drugs

If all athletes “misremembered” and took steroids it would be outstanding.  Who didn’t enjoy Mark McGwire’s home run derby show at Fenway Park?  Are you more upset at Lance Armstrong for taking PEDs or making us interested in cycling for a decade?

Let Kevin Durant bulk up and dominate even more.

To quote Daniel Tosh, “I want my sports like my video games; athletes hate life after sports anyway”.

5. NBA One-on-One Tournament

We just witnessed the recent decline of the slam dunk contest in the NBA and it is almost getting to a point where we are running out of ideas.

With that, let us step it up a notch and initiate an inaugural one-on-one single elimination tournament.   Kobe may have blocked Lebron at the end of the All-Star game, but can he do that up to 11 and win by two?  There can be arguments for each way, but let us get this settled.

Have Kyrie Irving back up his USA summer camp talk to Kobe and reveal Carmelo’s true defensive weaknesses to the world.

4. The Top College Football Team Play the Worst NFL Team

Every year there are those clowns and trolls who profess statements such as, “Alabama could beat the Jacksonville Jaguars.”  It is time to put these questions to rest.   Alabama has at most 15 players on its roster that may eventually play in the NFL, and possibly a third of that 15 will be top quality.

Let us assume a corner (Dee Milliner), two offensive linemen (Chance Warmack and Barrett Jones), a running back (Eddie Lacy), and a linebacker (Nico Johnson) will be impactful in the NFL in the future.   Alabama has five true NFL players, while the Jaguars have 22 to field a starting offense and defense.  The only thing Alabama has on the Jaguars is A.J. McCarron’s girlfriend.

3. Baseball in the Olympics

Saying the World Baseball Classic is a bust has become an understatement.

It is too close to the regular season and all organizations are too worried to send their stars.  If and when baseball is re-entered into the summer Olympics, I implore the United States to bring as much enthusiasm as the World Cup into that.

When R.A. Dickey and Ryan Vogelsong are our aces, instead of a rotation featuring Justin Verlander, Jered Weaver, C.C. Sabathia, Clayton Kershaw and Matt Cain, there is a major problem.
Take a look at our daunting roster this year:

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130117&content_id=41000908

The American outfield could be entirely represented from the city of Los Angeles with Mike Trout, Josh Hamilton and Matt Kemp.

The list goes on.

Let’s show the world that the United States is still the most dominating country when it comes to baseball.

2. Lebron James, Usain Bolt, and Calvin Johnson in a Receiving Core

 We have Bolt at 6 foot 6, Lebron at 6 foot 8 and Megatron at 6′ foot 5 . Put Lebron at tight end and think not of Antonio Gates, but Lebron James!

Calvin Johnson runs a 4.32 40-yard dash, and James could most likely run in the 4.5 range.

Now Bolt, seriously, who is covering him? Yes, get a bump off the line but if not, he is gone.

We see the ease of the goal-line fade with Brandon Marshall and Andre Johnson, which now goes to Lebron James, who makes that easier than an alley-oop in lob city.

1. All of America’s Athletes Play Soccer

The world is captivated by Ronaldo’s ball skills and Messi’s quickness, but imagine if our finely-tuned athletes such as Reggie Bush, Adrian Peterson and Kyrie Irving were trained from infancy to play soccer.

Our nation would be at the top of the world. All other nations emphasize soccer as their game.

England plays soccer and rugby. Argentina and Brazil are top-notch soccer nations.

Unfortunately, there is such a selection of athletics to play in this country that soccer is not nearly a priority due to the lack of popularity, exposure and money.  A kid cannot not “be like Mike” if he is playing soccer.

Calvin Johnson in the box for a corner? Sounds good to me.

____________________________________________________________________________
Thank you for reading The Cover 4! Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook & Twitter.

Oh yeah, tell your friends too!

Long Island Sound
Sports Activist for The Cover 4
http://www.facebook.com/thecover4
http://www.twitter.com/thecover4