Philosophical discussion - should NF and NCAA rules be the same?

[Mark Padgett]

Is there really any reason to have different sets of rules for HS and college anymore? I know there's no compelling reason to have them the same except it would make it easier on officials who do both, fans who watch both and players moving from one to the other. Here's the only three reasons I've ever heard for having them different. I'm not saying I agree with these reasons, or that they're (IMO) valid anymore, just that these are the ones people usually state.

1) the talent level is so different you must have different rules to accommodate this

2) the more experienced officials at the college level are able to make calls that pertain to subtleties in the rules which HS officials can't handle, so you can't bring HS rules up to the college level and expect the HS game to be called properly

3) there are things allowed in the college game that many HS facilities could not support because of budget problems ( I have no idea what this means but I have heard it - is there some kind of a dunking difference?)

My questions are - first, is there an advantage to anyone to have the same set of rules at both levels: second, if so, should HS just adopt NCAA: third, are there still any valid reasons not to have them the same?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts everyone.