Is it me, or are almost all the teams in baseball terrible? Same with the NBA. Every football team has some assortment of "off-field issues" that are all beyond embarrassing ...
The NBA and MLB each only have 4-6 really good/great teams, the rest are not even competitive! Most teams nowadays are horrible and have no chance of winning now, or in the near future.
You want my support? Sell me a team that can win, OR sell me a team who has a plan in place to start winning. But how many teams can do either?
I miss the days of Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan. Old school, competitive players like Rodman and Jabbar...even Barkley and Oakly. Most of the greats played for one team, maybe two. Now? LeBron is on his third team! Can you believe that? It just doesn't make sense.
Even the Yankees and the Red Sox aren't what they used to be. I miss the rivalries, the passion that came along with teams really hating each other.
Now, players move from one team to another so frequently there's no time for real loyalty (to a city or a team).
I remember when college sports was a 3 year run, at least, and things were about the game, and growing up....
...When a players team was some what consistent year to year, and playing and bleeding your team colors meant something...
...When players didn't have to get tested each week for cheating,
and when a home run was a big deal...
Now, it's either a strike out or a home run. Neither are special or significant anymore. Isn't there something wrong? Why can't it be fixed?
Pitchers almost never dominate like Gibson, Seaver, Kofax, Ford, or Rivera.
The seasons are too long (or maybe there's just too many games in each season?) With so many bad, boring games played by horrible teams, most are are hard to watch. It's just not entertaining anymore.
And it's not just the games, it's the players too. I can't ever remember more players getting arrested, suspended, or just doing bad stuff. It's gotta be hard for a kid to commit to many players as role models when behaviors are so out of control. That, combined with the constant moving from team to team, who are kids supposed to look up to?
I miss looking forward to a big Monday night game with Gifford, Cosell and Meredith, or Saturday afternoon games being the highlight of the weekend.
Now you turn on ESPN and get the highlights from every game in 10 minutes.
(However, imagine if I could see the Big O, or Willie Mays, or Ted Williams, or Wayne Gretzky every night!)
How do we get things right with our sports leagues? How do we get the players to want to stay on one team? How do we get the rivalries and the competition back in each league, so regular seasons matter?
We need fewer games in each season. Not every team should make the playoffs each year. We need to slow free agency down so we can have the same team of players for a few years.
Hey, at least cover up all this mess by letting us bet on every game, and every play. That way, even the losing teams can provide a winning bet!
--
Song of the Day: "Always Remember us This Way" by Lady Gaga
Quote of the Day: “Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”
―
-Nick Saban
SHARE this blog with a friend: https://brandonsteiner.com/blogs/what-else/whats-happening-to-8
Brandon
One more thought.
You mention: “It’s gotta be hard for a kid to commit to many players as role models when behaviors are so out of control”
I think the first real role models for kids should be their Parents!
Brandon
One more thought.
You mention: “It’s gotta be hard for a kid to commit to many players as role models when behaviors are so out of control”
I think the first real role models for kids should be their Parents!
Hi Brandon
Regarding talent – I’m not sure teams are that terrible. I believe the talent base is pretty much the same as years past. There have been changes in the game (stadium design, the baseball, etc.) that have without question affected the game. I believe is there is so much overhype of the great plays (which don’t happen constantly) and media scrutiny, that sometimes the “average quality game” is almost seen as a reversal of appreciation for talent. Most people don’t realize how talented these players really are just to play at that level. I think this can put a suspect veil over the talent of players/teams in some people’s eyes.
Regarding Strikeout or Homerun – Why can’t it be fixed? I am a pure fan, I can watch a 1-0 game and be glued to it – watching it and love it. I believe MLB is catering to the casual fan who gets “bored”. (Same arguments as to why the game DOES NOT need to be sped up) MLB and the teams want everybody’s money! They are giving people home runs and strikeouts because it entertains the casual fan. MLB will NEVER admit the ball is juiced. (That would be financial suicide, and the sportswriters would have a field day about adding asterisks to records/stats) Robert Manfred knows that his product makes money. If they put things back the way they were, they jeopardize losing revenue. I believe it’s all about money, not about the pure game of baseball.
Players & rivalries – professional athletes have deserved a lot of what they have received considering the way the market has evolved. BUT, like the owners – their greed has run rampant. Greed is not good. (That quote ruined people’s minds) Players are no longer loyal – and owners have too much guaranteed money to care about building a true winner with loyalty. They make money with losing teams. Loyalty is not profitable for players or owners – and the fans suffer. GREED is the culprit, a reflection of society. The only loyalty that exists in our society now is to oneself. Values on both sides of professional sports have eroded.
Bleeding your team colors?
Yes – the fans still do! People want to have something to believe in. That’s the ideal. Sadly, players and owners prey on this only because the merchandising world will continue to thrive financially.
The NBA?
Sadly, today’s NBA game, culture, the way players manipulate where they play, and the game changes seem to have driven away most of the old hard core fans from watching at all.
Your question today is a great one. Your ideals are true. But sadly I think you know all these thoughts and that they have taken the values in professional sports down a different road. I am unsure if there is any turning back.
Hi Brandon
I try and keep up with all your stories. I don’t think I have ever read one that I did not like. Your advice is always spot on and weather you want to believe this or not, I truly believe the radical left has a lot to do with the down fall of sports as a whole. Weather I’m republican or Democrat is not the problem. The problem is with the media brain washing everyone. The media telling you how you should act that’s a big problem and I would love to hear your thoughts on that. Keep up the great work you do.
Brandon ,You are 100 % correct.
A } In the wake of Patriots Antonio Brown , & NYY Domingo German stories
B } Tanking MLB Teams, where there is "no “incentive to win”. Half of AL this season are “tanking” { Race To The Bottom., knot to the Top }
Teams that choose to “Race To The Top” are “penalized”. { Luxury Tax Threshold Penalties }. I do knot understand how MLB “Promotes Its Product”
Thru
1. Tanking Teams
2. No Diversity In Philosophy Of Offense
{ HR / Strikeout / No Ball In Play
3. Fans are inundated with “Metric 411 Analysis” via Teams Baseball Ops who never 🏏 Hit ore Threw A ⚾️ Baseball.
Today if you can use Baseball Stats combining { “souflay them” } —>
Add / Subtract / Multiply / Divide Baseball Stats and you are a “Baseball Genius”. Would Casey Stengel , Joe Torre, Buck Showalter ore Tommy LaSorda say
“God, Save The Queen”
C } With —>
MLB "Shifting Defense
NFL “Situational Offense + Defense”
Coaches use the “venacular” —>
“packages”
Both sports have been " neutered"
or “spaded”
I have been a Full NYY Season Tix Holder since 2006 & have “followed” Sporys since 1961 { Magical Year }
Enjoy reading the “topics” of your Blogs
Your “accumulated knowledge” is a blessing that you are willing to share.
Thank You
Rich Graziano
aka
😂 The Humor & The Femur 😂
ore
😥No Humor & No Femur 😥
Hockeybear224@aol.com