NFL kicks up rare score chances with new PAT rules

As I wrote in one of my sports lists for CBS Los Angeles, there were five scores recorded (out of 256 games) for the first time in the NFL during the 2014 season. Based on Tuesday's 30-2 vote among NFL team owners to approve changes to the point-after rules, you can expect a lot more than five new combinations next season.

As anyone who has bought a square in a football pool knows, 0, 3 and 7 are the numbers to get. Yeah, a 4 is not terrible and a 1 can eventually work, but because of the combination of touchdowns and field goals it should be no surprise that the most common score in NFL history is 20-17, according to Pro-Football-Reference.com.

But with Tuesday's vote there will be a major paradigm shift: The point-after kick with the line of scrimmage at the 15 lines up with something like 91 percent accuracy for kickers, so there will be a few more chances for a 6 rather than a 7. Also, allowing the defense to return blocked kicks, interceptions and fumbles on the point-after try means the occasional 2 sneaking its way in. (And don't even ask about 1-point safeties, although I hope the NFL notices that little college rule.)

All told, I wouldn't be surprised to see the NFL's first 14-8 game next season. Or 32-19. Or 35-29.

I particularly like the NFL adding the 2-point defensive score on PAT tries. They very rarely happen in college, but when they do it really shakes things up.

Overall, I like the changes, even if the Redskins were one of the two teams to vote against them. I certainly don't think they can play worse under the new rules than they have in the past few years..

Beach Reporter: Local Firefighter In Nepal

When I was working in the Shenandoah Valley, one of my boss's sons was a Fairfax County firefighter and a member of an elite team that was sent to international locations to help in rescue efforts after major disasters.

So I was familiar with the concept, although I did not know until a few days ago that a second team is based out here in Los Angeles County. This was one of my favorite stories to write in recent months, and I am hoping to follow up when Mark Klein returns in a few weeks.

http://tbrnews.com/news/manhattan-beach-man-sent-to-nepal-as-one-of-usar/article_fb564c12-ee9d-11e4-8c68-c3b705d9d89e.html

Sports List: Late-game heroics by the Ducks

Sometimes it takes a lot of digging to come up with a sports list for CBSLA, but other times a simple question is enough to get me started. When Jakob Silfverberg broke a 1-all tie with 21 seconds left in Game 2 of Anaheim’s opening-round playoff seres against the Jets on Saturday night, it got me wondering if that was the team's latest in regulation of a playoff game.

The answer is yes.

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2015/04/19/5-late-and-really-late-ducks-playoff-game-winners/

Sports List: No Defense: 4 Teams That Missed The Playoffs

When I wrote this post it looked like the LA Kings had done enough to right the ship and might not become the fifth NHL team to miss the playoffs entirely the year after winning the Stanley Cup.

As it turned out they did become No. 5 on this list. But here is a look at the first four:

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2015/03/28/no-defense-4-stanley-cup-teams-that-missed-next-years-playoffs/

Toyota Driver's Seat: Ethical dilemmas

I had the opportunity to cover a speech by Marianne Jennings, a professor emeritus at Arizona State University who specializes in business ethics. She had a lot of great things to say, which sometimes makes it difficult to pare down, but I think I captured the essence of her presentation.

http://toyotadriverseat.com/team+members/asu-professor-highlights-integrity-awareness-week.htm

Sports List: 5 Prospects In Dodgers Camp

Another of my sports lists for CBSLA, and one that let me expand on knowledge gained at Rancho games the past few seasons, as well as use a photo when I could not find one of Scott Schlber.

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2015/02/27/5-top-prospects-in-dodgers-camp/

Beach Reporter: Saving Their Place In Time

One of my favorite recent stories is this one, which concerns a survey of historic homes in Manhattan Beach.

It stemmed from concern by one of the ladies conducting the work that residents might think something nefarious was going on when they spotted someone in their neighborhood with a clipboard. But it turned into an interesting history lesson.

http://tbrnews.com/news/manhattan_beach/manhattan-beach-historian-searches-for-historic-homes-and-businesses/article_ab801700-a7e3-11e4-8036-bff3b7cce016.html