Intentional walks and Coaches' Challenges...

Alright, here’s my take on intentional walks in baseball and coaches challenging calls in an NFL game.

As far as intentional walks go, I completely understand that sometimes it’s in a team’s best interest to walk a guy who’s in the zone or walking someone to set up a double play or force out. That being said, the pitchers are professional pitchers. That’s what they do. Before an intentional walk, the pitcher should have to get on a microphone, in front of a packed house, and say to the batter, “I don’t think there’s any way I could strike you out.”
In the Monday Night Football game this week, New York Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin challenged two calls made by the referees early in the game. He won both challenges. At that point, as the ref comes back to the field to explain the outcome and says New York will not be charged a timeout, he should have to end it with, “And Coach Coughlin, I’m sorry…you were right, I was wrong, totally my bad. ” In a game, coaches are allowed to throw the challenge flag twice. Coughlin used both of his challenges in the 1st half and again, won both of them. Now he’s out of challenges for the rest of the game. That wouldn’t make me feel too comfortable as a head coach. “I’ve corrected you twice already and now I have to go the rest of the game hoping you don’t screw anymore calls up, because I’m out of challenges.” If you go 2 for 2 in challenges, you should be allowed to keep challenging plays until you’re wrong.
Turns out I’m a big fan of “microphone use” as a problem solver. That being said, there have been a few instances where karaoke has NOT solved my problems.