HOUSTON, TX – DECEMBER 11, 2016: Stanford Cardinal Forward Corey Baird (10) argues with Wake Forest...[+] players during NCAA Men's College Cup National Championship soccer game between the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (Wake Forest Demon Deacons) on December 11, 2016, at BBVAcompass Stadium in Houston. (Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images). Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesAlthough the phrase New Normal is almost as clichéd as our collectively frayed nerves from the past 15-plus month, certain aspects of sport life will continue under Covid-19 restrictions.Consider the recent declaration by the college soccer lords regarding increased penalties for biting or spitting on an opponent or anyone else involved in a NCAA soccer match.The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel allows us to rest easier knowing that uncouth or unsanitary behavior will still be punished with a two-game suspension. This was the case in 2020 under Covid-19 rules.Spitting or biting on the pitch is still a violent behavior II violation. According to NCAA.com's press release, coughing at an opponent or any other person involved in college soccer matches will be treated the same.This line was buried at one of the dense paragraphs.Originaly, the rules were changed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.It is reasonable to assume that spitting or biting others during athletic competitions would result in severe penalties. However, it took the worst pandemic for a century to increase the severity of the consequences.LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA - 16 APRIL: Delanie Sheehan #17 UCLA Bruins and Zoe Burns #12 USC... [+] Trojans battle for possession in the second half at Los Angeles Coliseum, April 16, 2021, Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Andy Bao/Getty Images). Getty ImagesOther common-sense explanations were included in the summer communique. One was that the Covid-19 waiver, which allows the coaching and team areas of 20 yards beyond the 5-yard neutral zone, would still be in force. Similar reasoning would apply to the idea of allowing referees to verbally or visually verify box-score information if game-runners use a paper official NCAA score.But, the biting and spitting part stood out to me.It's been 25 years since Roberto Alomar, a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, hurled abuse at John Hirschbeck, an umpire, during an on-field dispute. Five games were suspended for this offense.Photo taken on 09 July 2006. Zinedine Zidane, French midfielder (L), gestures after headbutting [+] Italian defender Marco Materazzi at the World Cup 2006 final football game between France and Italy at Berlin's Olympic Stadium. AFP PHOTO JOHNMACDOUGALL / AFP / JOHNMACDOUGALL (Photo credit should be JOHNMACDOUGALL/AFP via Getty Images). AFP via Getty ImagesFrances Zinedine Zidane was sent home a decade and a quarter ago for headbutting Marco Materazzi, an Italian footballer, in the chest. It was long believed that Materazzi had insulted Zidane's mother. But, on the 10th anniversary, the instigator finally cleared the air.Materazzi said to LEquipe that my mother had died when I was 15. I was speaking about his sister.It was likely that the Italian was lucky Zidane did not bite him.
