Yesterday in the NFL, there were two games in which both teams could gain what they most wanted by a tie: the Rams and the 49ers, and the Chargers and the Raiders. Both games went into overtime, and neither game ended in a tie. In the first game, neither team could gain anything by a win that they could not gain by a tie. In the second game, both teams would make the playoffs by a tie, but the winner of the game might have a better seeding by a win than it would have by the tie; and the loser would miss the playoffs altogether.
This situation is more likely to arise at the end of the NHL season: both teams need a point to make the playoffs, and the loser stays home. Since in the NHL, once a game goes into overtime you already have your point, and you are playing for a SECOND point for the win, there is absolutely no advantage for either team to try to score ANY goals in the first three periods....
So I wonder whether the NFL and the NHL have rules that would allow the Commissioner to disqualify a team he determines has not been honestly trying to win, in these situations. Way back in the 1910's there was a fierce fight between Ty Cobb and Napoleon Lajoie for the batting title, and apparently there was a really good prize in store for the winner. Everybody hated Cobb, so the third baseman for the team playing Lajoie's stood far back behind the base so that Nap could lay down some bunts for base hits. That was playing dirty -- something that Cobb was always accused of. If I'm not mistaken, those hits were disallowed -- but I have to look it up ....
