The View From Wisconsin

I think I've mentioned before how surprised I am that the US doesn't have a Team Handball squad participating in the Olympics. I understand a bit why it's not as popular here in the states (something about its roots as a game enjoyed by one A. Hitler back in the day), but still - you'd think there'd be enough in the way of athletes who'd be able to play the game at a high level in this country.

Another sport I'm really surprised that the USA hasn't done well in at this Olympiad is Field Hockey. The US fared poorly in pool play in the women's tournament (1-3-1); the US didn't even qualify for the men's tournament. Field hockey, especially on the women's side, is almost a religion in New England; I only suspect that the players who might fare well in field hockey here in the states are too busy playing Lacrosse (which is a sport I only tenuously understand not being on the Olympic program).

Onto some other subjects:

• Yay, USA Baseball takes the Bronze. Ugh, USA Softball takes the Silver. Meanwhile, both are now bye-bye from the Olympic program - softball perhaps permanently; baseball might get a reprieve in 2016, depending on whether or not Chicago gets the games.
  
• I mentioned back during the All-Star break about changing the interleague play rules so that the visiting team's rules about a DH were used. I think I may have also mentioned about having the league that wins the most interleague games getting the home field advantage for the World Series (with the All-Star Game as the tiebreaker). There's one other thing that I think might help with the All-Star Game (and, perhaps, spring exhibitions): in exhibition interleague games, any game that is still tied after the 10th inning would begin with each batter starting with a two ball, one strike count. By reducing the count, theoretically you would reduce the pitch count for any pitcher coming in after the 10th. The leagues could adjust it to where the count would increase to three-two after the 18th inning to make it even quicker.