Wrigley Field to Host "One-Way" Football: Why Bother?

The friendly confines of Wrigley field are apparently too confining for Illinois and Northwestern.

The two teams clash at the iconic stadium this Saturday but there will be only one end zone. That's right. The schools and the Big Ten announced Friday that both offenses will run their offenses in only one direction. Why? So players don't run into the ivy-covered brick wall at the other end of the field (also known as the right field wall).

Which begs the question: why even play a football game at Wrigley?

The Chicago Cubs' home is famous, in part, because of that very brick wall. Manipulating the rules to do away with the wall is like agreeing to play a football game at Fenway Park - but only if the Green Monster is removed.

This has the feel of a pick-up half-court basketball game. Shirts versus skins. Call your own fouls. Argue over what the score is.

The rule change was prompted by safety concerns. Illinois coach Ron Zook admitted earlier this week that his team was wary of the brick wall's proximity to the field.

Why? The wall is padded and so are the players.

Not so in baseball. In July, Cubs outfielder Kosuke Fukudome ran into that padded wall down the right field line. He was rattled for a few seconds but stayed in the game. The previous year, Fukudome collided with the outfield wall so hard, his manager Lou Pinielle joked: "He had the imprints of the wall a little bit on his forehead."

Fukudome does not wear a helmet or shoulder pads. If a 33-year-old baseball player can survive contact with a padded brick wall, fully protected 20-year-olds should have no trouble.

Cubs President Crane Kenney said he was surprised by the "last-minute" decision, adding that the Big Ten signed off on the field plans months ago.

It should be noted that Army and Notre Dame will play at Yankee Stadium this Saturday. We are waiting to see if the teams alter the rules. Maybe they will play two-handed touch and add padding to the turf at the $1.5 billion stadium. After all, we don't want those delicate Black Knights and Fighting Irish getting dirty.