Why Football Rules, and Baseball Droolz

[hammondbrass]

I just remembered reading an article a while ago by comedian Bill Maher that relates to our current structure in DCI. Now, you may not agree with his politics, beliefs, or crude delivery style, but you have to agree that he makes some great points.

And before any of you start to go down the erroneous path and say, "but those fat-cat, millionaire NFL players may go on strike this year. Is that what you want? DCI to go on strike!?!?!" First of all, that may not happen and I sincerely think they'll reach a deal. Second, yes the player do deserve to be compensated fairly if the owners want to extend the season by 2 games. The players are the ones that pay the price with their bodies (much like DCI members) and there have been many injuries in the past few years. If adding 2 more games cuts the amount of years they can play, it severely cuts into their ability to make a living.

Can you remember the last time the NFL went on strike? I'll help: it was 1987 for 24 hours (reducing the season from 16 games to 15). How about the MLB? Well, I don't follow baseball and I could remember 2 off the top of my head: 1994-95 and 1990. Here's all of them:

1972 Major League Baseball strike

1981 Major League Baseball strike

1990 Major League Baseball lockout

1994–95 Major League Baseball strike

And here's the full article:

New Rule: With the Super Bowl only a week away, Americans must realize what makes NFL football so great: socialism. That's right, for all the F-15 flyovers and flag waving, football is our most successful sport because the NFL takes money from the rich teams and gives it to the poor teams... just like President Obama wants to do with his secret army of ACORN volunteers. Green Bay, Wisconsin has a population of 100,000. Yet this sleepy little town on the banks of the ####-if-I-know River has just as much of a chance of making it to the Super Bowl as the New York Jets - who next year need to just shut the hell up and play.

Now, me personally, I haven't watched a Super Bowl since 2004, when Janet Jackson's nipple popped out during half time, and that split-second glimpse of an unrestrained black titty burned my eyes and offended me as a Christian. But I get it - who doesn't love the spectacle of juiced-up millionaires giving each other brain damage on a giant flat-screen TV with a picture so realistic it feels like Ben Roethlisberger is in your living room, grabbing your sister?

It's no surprise that some 100 million Americans will watch the Super Bowl next week - that's 40 million more than go to church on Christmas - suck on that, Jesus! It's also 85 million more than watched the last game of the World Series, and in that is an economic lesson for America. Because football is built on an economic model of fairness and opportunity, and baseball is built on a model where the rich almost always win and the poor usually have no chance. The World Series is like Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. You have to be a rich ##### just to play. The Super Bowl is like Tila Tequila. Anyone can get in.

Or to put it another way, football is more like the Democratic philosophy. Democrats don't want to eliminate capitalism or competition, but they'd like it if some kids didn't have to go to a crummy school in a rotten neighborhood while others get to go to a great school and their Dad gets them into Harvard. Because when that happens "achieving the American dream" is easy for some, and just a fantasy for others.

That's why the NFL runs itself in a way that would fit nicely on Glenn Beck's chalkboard - they literally share the wealth, through salary caps and revenue sharing - TV is their biggest source of revenue, and they put all of it in a big commie pot and split it 32 ways. Because they don't want anyone to fall too far behind. That's why the team that wins the Super Bowl picks last in the next draft. Or what the Republicans would call "punishing success."

Baseball, on the other hand, is exactly like the Republicans, and I don't just mean it's incredibly boring. I mean their economic theory is every man for himself. The small market Pittsburgh Steelers go to the Super Bowl more than anybody - but the Pittsburgh Pirates? Levi Johnston has sperm that will not grow up and live long enough to see the Pirates in a World Series. Their payroll is about $40 million, and the Yankees is $206 million. They have about as much chance at getting in the playoffs as a poor black teenager from Newark has of becoming the CEO of Halliburton. That's why people stop going to Pirate games in May, because if you're not in the game, you become indifferent to the fate of the game, and maybe even get bitter - that's what's happening to the middle class in America. It's also how Marie Antoinette lost her head.

So, you kind of have to laugh - the same angry white males who hate Obama because he's "redistributing wealth" just love football, a sport that succeeds economically because it does exactly that. To them, the NFL is as American as hot dogs, Chevrolet, apple pie, and a second, giant helping of apple pie. But then again, they think they're macho because their sport is football, when honestly - is there anything gayer than wearing another man's shirt?

[charlie1223]

That's an interesting Bill Maher segment and you bring an interesting perspective. I'm not going to vote in the poll because I think opinions on this issue are little more nuanced than what can be displayed in a poll. Since I don't know enough how the NFL actually "shares the wealth" and I don't know enough about much money corps receive it will be hard to comment. However, I think a huge difference that needs to be considered is that the NFL pays salaries to team members, while corps ask for payments from its members.

Thought provoking, but I need more time to digest.

[hostrauser]

Perhaps a better title for this thread would be Why the NFL Rules, and MLB Droolz. I like baseball, the sport, more than football, but no argument that MLB is a hot mess.

[hammondbrass]

Perhaps a better title for this thread would be Why the NFL Rules, and MLB Droolz. I like baseball, the sport, more than football, but no argument that MLB is a hot mess.

haha, that is the title already. I think you mean the other way around. I used to love baseball growing up and I played 7 years of little league. The strikes were a big deal to me as a kid and I really lost interest in the sport when only a handful of teams are dominating. Plus I like the regular schedule of football and can seem to fit it in my schedule easier.

[Piper]

I'll have to abstain from voting on that one. To me it's more of a seasonal thing. Football = winter = marching band. Baseball = summer = Drum Corps (more or less). I know that might seem weird, but that's usually the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of the subject.

Edited March 31, 2011 by Piper

[hostrauser]

haha, that is the title already. I think you mean the other way around. I used to love baseball growing up and I played 7 years of little league. The strikes were a big deal to me as a kid and I really lost interest in the sport when only a handful of teams are dominating. Plus I like the regular schedule of football and can seem to fit it in my schedule easier.

No, it's not. The thread title refers to the SPORTS, where as I am referring to the LEAGUES that run the sports.

Now, pertaining to DCI, I definitely would lean more towards the socialist aspects of the NFL (especially considering we're dealing with non-profits). When it comes to the survival of this activity, eight is most definitely NOT enough.

[The Other Mike]

eight is most definitely NOT enough.

Thats whay SHE said

[hammondbrass]

No, it's not. The thread title refers to the SPORTS, where as I am referring to the LEAGUES that run the sports.

Now, pertaining to DCI, I definitely would lean more towards the socialist aspects of the NFL (especially considering we're dealing with non-profits). When it comes to the survival of this activity, eight is most definitely NOT enough.

Oh, gotcha. I don't consider the merit of the game itself - the games are obviously great in their own right. I also thought it was a funny coincidence that Mr. Hopkins posted an article on his Facebook today about how the new generation is losing interest in the national pastime.

[BRASSO]

I just remembered reading an article a while ago by comedian Bill Maher that relates to our current structure in DCI. Now, you may not agree with his politics, beliefs, or crude delivery style, but you have to agree that he makes some great points.

And before any of you start to go down the erroneous path and say, "but those fat-cat, millionaire NFL players may go on strike this year. Is that what you want? DCI to go on strike!?!?!" First of all, that may not happen and I sincerely think they'll reach a deal. Second, yes the player do deserve to be compensated fairly if the owners want to extend the season by 2 games. The players are the ones that pay the price with their bodies (much like DCI members) and there have been many injuries in the past few years. If adding 2 more games cuts the amount of years they can play, it severely cuts into their ability to make a living.

Can you remember the last time the NFL went on strike? I'll help: it was 1987 for 24 hours (reducing the season from 16 games to 15). How about the MLB? Well, I don't follow baseball and I could remember 2 off the top of my head: 1994-95 and 1990. Here's all of them:

1972 Major League Baseball strike

1981 Major League Baseball strike

1990 Major League Baseball lockout

1994–95 Major League Baseball strike

And here's the full article:

New Rule: With the Super Bowl only a week away, Americans must realize what makes NFL football so great: socialism. That's right, for all the F-15 flyovers and flag waving, football is our most successful sport because the NFL takes money from the rich teams and gives it to the poor teams... just like President Obama wants to do with his secret army of ACORN volunteers. Green Bay, Wisconsin has a population of 100,000. Yet this sleepy little town on the banks of the ####-if-I-know River has just as much of a chance of making it to the Super Bowl as the New York Jets - who next year need to just shut the hell up and play.

Now, me personally, I haven't watched a Super Bowl since 2004, when Janet Jackson's nipple popped out during half time, and that split-second glimpse of an unrestrained black titty burned my eyes and offended me as a Christian. But I get it - who doesn't love the spectacle of juiced-up millionaires giving each other brain damage on a giant flat-screen TV with a picture so realistic it feels like Ben Roethlisberger is in your living room, grabbing your sister?

It's no surprise that some 100 million Americans will watch the Super Bowl next week - that's 40 million more than go to church on Christmas - suck on that, Jesus! It's also 85 million more than watched the last game of the World Series, and in that is an economic lesson for America. Because football is built on an economic model of fairness and opportunity, and baseball is built on a model where the rich almost always win and the poor usually have no chance. The World Series is like Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. You have to be a rich ##### just to play. The Super Bowl is like Tila Tequila. Anyone can get in.

Or to put it another way, football is more like the Democratic philosophy. Democrats don't want to eliminate capitalism or competition, but they'd like it if some kids didn't have to go to a crummy school in a rotten neighborhood while others get to go to a great school and their Dad gets them into Harvard. Because when that happens "achieving the American dream" is easy for some, and just a fantasy for others.

That's why the NFL runs itself in a way that would fit nicely on Glenn Beck's chalkboard - they literally share the wealth, through salary caps and revenue sharing - TV is their biggest source of revenue, and they put all of it in a big commie pot and split it 32 ways. Because they don't want anyone to fall too far behind. That's why the team that wins the Super Bowl picks last in the next draft. Or what the Republicans would call "punishing success."

Baseball, on the other hand, is exactly like the Republicans, and I don't just mean it's incredibly boring. I mean their economic theory is every man for himself. The small market Pittsburgh Steelers go to the Super Bowl more than anybody - but the Pittsburgh Pirates? Levi Johnston has sperm that will not grow up and live long enough to see the Pirates in a World Series. Their payroll is about $40 million, and the Yankees is $206 million. They have about as much chance at getting in the playoffs as a poor black teenager from Newark has of becoming the CEO of Halliburton. That's why people stop going to Pirate games in May, because if you're not in the game, you become indifferent to the fate of the game, and maybe even get bitter - that's what's happening to the middle class in America. It's also how Marie Antoinette lost her head.

So, you kind of have to laugh - the same angry white males who hate Obama because he's "redistributing wealth" just love football, a sport that succeeds economically because it does exactly that. To them, the NFL is as American as hot dogs, Chevrolet, apple pie, and a second, giant helping of apple pie. But then again, they think they're macho because their sport is football, when honestly - is there anything gayer than wearing another man's shirt?

For the record, MLB the last 15 years has had more small payroll teams make the World Series than any other American Pro sport. Both the NBA and the NFL have salary caps ( MLB does not ). Yet despite the salary caps, there is LESS parity in the salary cap NBA and NFL leagues than in MLB. We find the same familiar teams in the NBA finals and the NFL's Super Bowl by far, than in the MLB's World Series, especially within the last 15 years. ( 40% of all the NBA Championships since the inception of the league are shared by just 2 teams, Boston and LA ). Last year, the San Franciso Giants defeated the Texas Rangers to win the 2010 MLB World Series. Neither can attribute that success to their team payroll spending, which was in the lower half of the league. The notion that team payrolls is a big determinative factor in championships participation is simply unsupportable by the hard data, and more importantly, by the results.

Edited April 1, 2011 by BRASSO

[Shamu89]

Let's set aside that these comparisons are to actual sports, not judged competitions, because that's a completely different discussion.

When DCI has a draft to evenly distribute the talent, or can afford to offer "scholarships" or salaries to the best performers, then we can compare it to a sport. Until then, sport and sport league comparisons are meaningless.