It is amazing what a knee on an All-Pro wide receiver and the angst of an entire fan base with dashed visions of an undefeated regular season can do in order put certain practices that are commonplace in the NFL under the microscope before the playoffs begin. Last week, the Indianapolis Colts in essence allowed the New York Jets to win a game in which the Colts pulled its starters in order to protect them from injury, which also ended its bid for making history as the first Super Bowl Champion with an unblemished record. Yesterday, during the New England Patriots first drive of its game against a hungry Houston Texans squad seeking its first winning season in team history, and the Patriots essentially playing for nothing (already got into the post-season), Wes Welker reportedly blew out the ACL and MCL of his left knee while running after a catch. The NFL is looking into the practice of teams sitting their starters during regular season games because with the backups in the game, the affair turns into a glorified pre-season match-up with the fans paying big bucks to watch the Curtis Painters and Mark Brunells of the world. Are fans entitled to watch the players or the team they came to see? Are teams separate entities of themselves that reserve the right to use their employees in any matter they see fit? What are the rights of the player/employee in regards to whether they perform or not? I am not going to go too in-depth because that would equal a 20-30 page endeavor that I do not want to get into right now because the gym is calling. However, I here are my thoughts:
- If I am the coach or administrator of a team that clearly has accomplished the goal of making the playoffs, it is in the best interest to sit my starters if the team is playing well and it has not hit any form of wall as the season draws to a close. I would want my best players who may be nicked up to rest for the post-season and be ready when it counts. However, if my team has played poorly as it moves towards week 16 and it may need to get its collective rhythm back, it would be a good idea to leave the starters in for the majority of the game as I would want some carry-over into the playoffs…but at the same time, I risk potential season sinking injuries to my players. In his team's situation, Jim Caldwell, the head coach of the Colts made the decision to sit his guys despite the march towards history the team was making because of the 'Big Picture'. The 'Big Picture' is the view that every team, every year wants to get into the playoffs and have a chance to win the Super Bowl. Caldwell's team had already accomplished this goal and he felt that playing his stars was too big a risk when a team is seeking a Super Bowl. You know what? I agree there. The goal of winning the Super Bowl is bigger than an undefeated season and games played in January are provide no guarantees in the NFL. I'd rather be a 10-6 Super Bowl winner than a 16-0 Super Bowl loser. In the case of the New Orleans Saints, they needed to have ALL their guys on the field on Sunday because it is clear that the strength of the team (the offense), has lost its edge…nobody wants to go into the playoffs with high expectations saddled with a losing streak. That's a lethal concoction.
- If I am a player that has a chance to accomplish a goal that few others can brag about, I am all in to chase history. Remember back in 2007 when the Patriots played their starters in the regular season finale against the New York Giants? They accomplished something that not many players can say…I was undefeated. In response that, my gut also tells me that this game provided the template for how the Giants were to play the Patriots in the Super Bowl that season also…they showed them WAY TOO MUCH. But alas, they captured history. If I am a player in position to do the same and take it further, I want that chance. Think of it…over 250 guys per year are drafted into the NFL. Every year! Rarely does one have a chance…even as a lowly practice team guy, to accomplish something that will immortalize them in history. However, the players don't have the right to play when they want to (ask Brandon Marshall). If one wants to be etched in history, get that Lombardi Trophy and a chunky, iced-out bling thing called 'A Championship Ring'. Do that, and you are remembered.
- Finally and most importantly, the fan. Fans have been paying hefty prices to attend NFL games for quite a while now. When new stadiums go up, so does the price of admission. When a team captures lightning in a bottle and makes a run towards a Super Bowl, that $ 10 hot dog that could have been purchased at Wal-Mart for $5.00 (well, more like 3 packs of dogs, bread and industrial grade Catsup) taste like a medium-well rib-eye steak. The beer is like Andre Champagne. With Personal Seat Licenses (PSL's) becoming the norm in professional sports, combined with parking, drinks, time to travel, costs associated with travel, and tough economic times, is it too much to see the players whom the fans tickets help to pay their salary? Sports are and always will be a diversion for the public. It gets one's mind off that boss they want throw coffee (iced or piping hot) at, that empty gas tank, rent being due next week, and war abroad and at home. Are the fans not entitled to spend some time away from that world in order to see their favorite team win games? When the team lays down like the Colts did last week, the hot dog tastes like...um…a hot dog. That beer is not champagne, its bitter, overpriced malt liquor reserve and the team's actions probably will drive a person to the liquor aisle at Wal-Mart to purchase the cheapest alley wine to forget the game. Are fans deserving of seeing the players they paid to see or are they merely entitled to see the team? I would've had no problem with the Patriots benching their guys back in '07 against the Giants. In fact, I was praying for it, screaming at the television 'YOU'RE SHOWING THEM TOO MUCH!!!' Granted it was a road game, but still…the ticket prices skyrocketed when the chance to witness history presented itself. The NFL will be looking into sitting star players as potential public relations issue in relation to team decisions. With the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations between the players and owners still at a standstill and 2010 basically shaping up to be the last we will see of the NFL for a bit, the league has to make sure that the fans do not jump ship because the practice of sitting starters has an effect on the competitive balance of the league, which can be drastically altered as a result.
Think about it: the Jets are in the playoffs and if the Colts hadn't laid down, the Jets would be at home making vacation reservations. Who knows how a Colts win would have changed the fortunes of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans. Like getting to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop, the world may never know. Could fans force the league to take away the rights of NFL franchises and make them play starters in games that do not mean anything? The first thing that comes into my mind is this: Team X, which has made the playoffs and has nothing to play for, finishes the regular season against Team Y, a team that either wants to finish on a positive note (i.e. pride) or is a fringe playoff team that needs a myriad of factors to fall in place in order to advance. If I am the coach for Team X, and I am forced to play my starters, I would send my QB out there and hand the rock to the third string RB all day. I may even run Wildcat a majority of the time with my QB flanked out and the play designed to go to his opposite side. How would that help the competitive balance? Would the game be entertaining? It would make for some interesting plays, but it would not assuage any concerns. The NFL needs to stay out of this one. Imagine the NFL forcing a player to play against his team's wishes and he gets injured? Then where does the responsibility lie? The team, depending on the role of the player can be disrupted and not be able to reach its potential at the right time. That's what backups are for right? Okay, you throw Charlie Frye in there against Pittsburgh and ask me that question again.
Speaking of laying down, how many NBA teams do this every year? In order to get the No. 1 overall pick, many teams will gladly run out Popeye Jones, Tyrus Thomas and Mark Blount to chase that goal. No sanctions from the league there…AND the players are given guaranteed contracts, unlike the NFL.
As much as I love the enthusiasm fans bring to sports in the form of energy and unconditional band-wagoning, one thing disturbs me the most…when a player gets injured, why is it that fans tend to think of the team's fortunes first rather than the man? In terms of Wes Welker's knee injury, I saw so many people thinking of his team and its fortunes instead of his pain, the impending journey from rehab back to the field and his contract status. He was in line to at least command top-5 receiver coin based on his production over the past three seasons. Now he will probably have little to no leverage at the negotiating table. Deion Branch, the player Welker in effect replaced, suffered a similar injury in 2006 and has not been the same since. The manner in which Welker plays is based on his precise route running and cutting….we will see how his impending ACL reconstruction responds to that.
What the heck happened to the Giants? I said it before and will say it again, that Super Bowl win was the worst thing that could have happened to the Giants because they ended up being forced to tie the organization's fate to Eli Manning. I don't see it in him…what kind of quiet 'lead by example' QB wins? The defense and a great catch on a Hail Mary type pass got that trophy in '07, not Eli. The 2009 edition of the Giants was weird…dominant against some good teams, laid on their backs against really good teams and let teams with nothing to play for kick their heads in. The last two losses to Carolina and Minnesota equal some widespread changes in the organization. If you ask me, they fell into the dreaded 'began to think they were as good as people told them they were' mentality. Brandon Jacobs has morphed into Shaun Alexander after he got his big contract, star defensive end Osi Umenyiora was benched and the three big ticket free agent acquisitions in Rocky Bernard, Chris Canty and Michael Boley made little to no impact. Changes are a'comin' for the Giants as they move into a new stadium. The lesson here is: I have no idea. Eli may be Drew Bledsoe-lite in that he MUST have all-pros around him at every position in order to reach his potential.
Is it that the San Diego Chargers backups are that good or the Washington Redskins starters are that bad? Either way, poor ol' hung out to dry head coach Jim Zorn should be fired soon. I hope the guy lands on his feet because he took all the shots from the firing squad and still stood up there week after week taking responsibility…while others resigned under cover of darkness. Why not hire Urban Meyer now? Any fan of the 'skins would not doubt that the call was at least thought about by owner Daniel Snyder.
Oh yeah, watch out for the Jets. Teams generally play like it has a second life when opportunities that generally would never be available, is gift wrapped for them. It reminds me of a situation back in my youth where two of my friends had a double date set up with these girls. One of my boys was an idiot over the phone to the girl and blew off the date. My other boy needed a replacement, and called me. It was easy for me to captivate her because: 1) someone else looked so bad, anyone would have been in a good situation with her, and 2) I had no business being there and nothing to lose. Ladies and gents, your 2009 New York Jets.
For all of those who read last week's article, click here for ESPN's take on the inequalities that exist in NCAA basketball programs…guess who the star of the show is? After watching this, you will notice that ESPN devoted little to no time addressing former University of Nebraska QB Sam Keller's class action lawsuit against EA Sports, and the NCAA over the usage of college player's images on video games with no compensation. It makes one ask the question…if am a University of Florida and Tim Tebow fan, am I buying the game because it's Florida or to play as Tebow? For those who say it's because of Florida, why are they not playing College Football 2004 or 2003? It's still Florida right? I will keep tabs on this case.
Lastly, if anyone caught it, Boston's Fenway Park was the site of the NHL's Winter Classic on New Year's Day. I have to give credit where credit is due. Once again the NHL pulled off a great event at a venue nobody would have thought could be fitted for hockey much less look as good as it did.. To top it all off, the Bruins and Flyers played a great game. I am thinking that this outdoor hockey thing has cross-over appeal among sports fans. I would have loved to attend this game and any other one that will be held in the future…one never knows.
