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Tagliabue's Socialist NFL
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A half dozen years ago we were talking about parity in the NFL. Paul Tagliabue, former commissioner, seemed to think that a league filled with 8 and 8 teams would be best for maintaining fan interest. Perhaps they should consider not keeping score and giving everyone a trophy for trying hard.
The rules have always given losers the top picks on draft day, but the trading of draft positions and players has gotten so sophisticated that Wall Street is jealous.
Salary caps were adopted in 1994. It was another attempt to create parity in the league, though many believe that the real intent was to control owners’ costs, thus boosting their profits. Ooooo, those evil profits being made by those evil owners. Bad, bad profits. Bad, bad owners.
So what happened to Tagliabue’s socialist dream? A league where, not only can any given team beat another team on any given Sunday, but every team accomplishes this exactly half the time? A league where the playoff teams are selected by the fourth and fifth tie breakers?
Fortunately, the NFL is chock full of competitors. From the owners to the coaches to every player on every team, the goal is to win. This is capitalism and competition in all its shining glory.
After week eight, we still have two undefeated teams (the Saints and Colts) and two others with only one loss (Vikings and Broncos). This is generating huge fan interest. Peyton, Drew and Brett are in a battle for best quarterback. The skilled position players on these teams are plastered on kids’ bedroom walls and admired by all serious fans, trash talking aside.
On the other hand, there are six teams either winless or with only one win. How exciting was it when the Lions finally won their first game since the 2007 season? You would have thought they were headed to Disney World.
And the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? It’s been a bad year for pirates all the way around. Can they lose it all this year? We’ll be glued to the TV wondering just that.
Perhaps one of the most interesting games this year will be played on November 22nd at 1:00 p.m. Eastern time. Depending on what happens over the next two weeks, it is possible that the 9 and 0 Saints will be playing the 0 and 9 Bucs. Wouldn’t an upset on that day be awesome?
That would never happen in Tagliabue World.
