NFL needs to learn from MLB mistakes

by | Sep 17, 2009 | Business of Football, NFL Random Thoughts

In a Thursday column on CBSSportsline.com one of the site’s writers made an argument that Major League Baseball is better than the National Football League because the league has “stayed true to itself” and doesn’t have 20 teams that exist in a “perpetual haze of mediocrity.”

My first thought was that the column was ridiculous. Stayed true to itself? “Pace-of-life rhythms”?

Baseball has “stayed true to itself” by instituting the gimmick of using the glorified exhibition called the All-Star Game to determine home-field for the World Series?

By instituting interleague play into a game whose greatest traditions for nearly a century included the leagues only meeting in the All-Star Game and the World Series?

By continuing to water down the playoffs by splitting into three divisions and adding a Wild Card game, a move clearly made for money and television?

By insisting that its economic issues are a thing of the past despite a $60-plus million gap between the highest and second-highest payrolls in the league?

By claiming parity in a league where three of the four playoff spots in the American League have been claimed by the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles/California/Anaheim Angels for five of the last years?

And worst of all, by actually allowing a World Series to be canceled for labor reasons?
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NFL Changes Social Media Policy

by | Sep 3, 2009 | Business of Football, No Fun League

The National Football League, despite encouraging players to connect with fans with new media tools such as Twitter, has updated it’s social media policy to largely outlaw usage of such tools by players, coaches, and media during games.  The policy includes other social media tools, such as Facebook, and extends for 90 minutes before the game, and until post game interviews are done.

The new policy also includes representatives of players–so players like Chris Cooley, who regularly blogs throughout the year, including during the season and on game days, might be in hot water if his brother (who manages his site, and regularly posts there as well) are posting on game days.

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Coming Soon: Los Angeles Jaguars?

by | Aug 21, 2009 | Business of Football, NFL News

They stole the Dodgers from Brooklyn, the Lakers from Minneapolis, and the Clippers from San Diego.  They stole the Rams from Cleveland, before losing them to St. Louis, and they stole the Raiders…well, ok, Al Davis did most of the stealing in that one, before eventually taking his ball and going back to Oakland.

In fact, only two major pro sports teams have ever been formed in Los Angeles–the Angels, who moved to Anaheim (before Los Angeles “stole” them back, without even needing them to move), and of course the Los Angeles Kings–because when you think Southern California, you think hockey.

So, despite not really showing that they could support one (or two) NFL franchises in the 1990’s, ever since the Rams and Raiders packed up and left, there has been speculation about who Los Angeles would steal to put a team back in the #2 television market in the United States.

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Wiley takes shot at Eli on ESPN

by | Aug 6, 2009 | Business of Football, NFL Media

RACINE, Wis. – We’re off on our journey to Canton for the Hall of Fame induction Saturday.

Before we left I had seen the news of Eli Manning signing a $97 million contract with New York that makes him an even more highly-paid quarterback than brother Peyton.

But I didn’t catch until we got off the road in Racine, Wis. that former Buffalo Bill, San Diego Charger, Jacksonville Jaguar, Dallas Cowboy defensive end Marcellus Wiley ripped him during a commentary on ESPN.

He faced the cameras and asked, as though talking directly to Eli, if the quarterback truly thought he was worth all that money?

“I don’t think so,” Wiley then replied. He then spent a few minutes discussing how Manning didn’t play well in the playoffs last year, helping cost the Giants in their playoff loss.

Wiley did leave out that Manning was playing with a less than stellar group of wide receivers, minus Plaxico Burress, in that game and he did later acknowledge that Manning had a Super Bowl ring from the year before.

I share Wiley’s concerns that Manning’s contract might be outpacing his true value to the team, though I don’t begrudge him the money. Heck, the Giants offered it – there’s no reason he has to say “Thanks, but I think that’s too much.”

I thought Wiley’s comments might have been a tad more harsh than they needed to be. But I’ll say this – I like that Wiley is willing to give a real opinion.

There are always concerns when retired athletes move into broadcasting careers that they’re going to give their athletic brethren the benefit of the doubt and be afraid to criticize.

Prior to making his Eli Manning comments, Wiley has mixed it up with some of the greats, including former Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton and Kansas City Star scribe Jason Whitlock.

Wiley could run the risk of alienating some current and former players with his outspoken-ness. But I hope he’s able to maintain his willingness to give a real opinion. In an era of political correctness and clone-like commentators, both on ESPN and in general, I think for the most part it’s a much needed breath of fresh air.

Rosenhaus Tweeting To Cause Problems with Teams?

by | Aug 4, 2009 | Business of Football, NFL Breaking News

Drew Rosenhaus (@RosenhausSports) has quickly become a big fan of Twitter, updating his 23,000+ followers of the status of several of his numerous NFL clients, like announcing his firm’s signing of Bryant McKinnie or that Mike McKenzie is healthy, has worked out for the Seahawks, and expects to sign somewhere soon.

I wonder, though, how teams will start reacting to his updates, when they may impact their attempts to improve their team.  For instance, this morning, Rosenhaus tweeted:

“The Vikings have informed me that they will be waiving receiver Aundrae Allison by 5pm today if he isn’t traded first.”

As far as I can see, this tweet effectively eliminates whatever little leverage the Vikings may have had in a trade situation–after all, why would a team that’s short on WR and kick return talent give up a late round draft pick for a guy who’s going to hit the waiver wire in a little more than 7 hours?

It makes sense from Rosenhaus’ perspective–if his client is traded, he has no control over the team he lands with, and there is no new contract signed, meaning Rosenhaus doesn’t get another commission.

But if you’re the Vikings, would you put up with Rosenhaus announcing their intentions to the world?  They may have informed Allison/Rosenhause merely in good faith, so it was clear why he wouldn’t be on the practice field today, since they wouldn’t want him getting hurt after the roster decision had been made.

Now, if I were the Vikings, I would consider not waiving him until the end of camp, merely to spite Rosenhaus.