Play For The Moment Or The Future?

This is the ageless question sports franchises and owners ask.  Do we play to win now or to we plan for the future?  The problem I have with the latter option (plan for the future) is does the future ever really get here?

Today, Washington Nationals skipper, Davey Johnson, announced that one of baseball's premiere pitchers is done for the season.  This decision is no surprise as it was announced early on in the season that Stephen Strasburg would be pitching a limited number of innings.  Once that number was matched, he would be benched.  He will finish the season with 159 1/3 innings pitched (160 innings was the limit the Nationals were reporting from the beginning) with 197 strikeouts.  This is a result to his Tommy John surgery he had done in 2010.  The 2012 season was his first full season since the procedure.

This is just another example of the question:  play for the moment or the future?  I definitely understand preserving your talent/players for that dynasty.  What happens if that dynasty never arrives?  What happens if the player (Strasburg in this case) gets injured next season?  Then, you as an owner/GM/coach would be second guessing yourself.  I should have left him in and won the championship that year.  The Nationals are the best team in baseball at the moment with a record of 85-53.  The Cincinnati Reds are the next team with a record of 83-56 and appearing to only be getting stronger with the return of all-star Joey Votto.  In their division (NL East), the Atlanta Braves are behind them with a record of 79-60.  With the loss of Strasburg and with the return of Votto and the Braves playing good baseball lately, they will not have that weapon to help them secure the number 1 spot in the National League.  Even if they do advance to the World Series, they could potentially face the New York Yankees with possibly the toughest lineup to face or the Texas Rangers who have been to the October Classic the last 2 years or the Los Angeles Angels with Pujols.

I say play for the moment.  You are not guaranteed to have this good of a season and make it back to the World Series (if you even make it this year) next year.  It is rare for teams to be almost expected to get back
to the championship almost every year.  In MLB you have the Yankees, Rangers and Cardinals who could fall into that category.  In the NFL you have an even smaller number with the high turn-around but you could argue at the moment it would be the Patriots and Packers.  In the NBA, where it is most common, you have, historically, the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat added to that group.  Play for now.  Win the championship now.  The Nationals franchise has not been to the playoff since 1981 as the Montreal Expos.  Washington has not had a team in the World Series since 1933 (Senators).  This is their best chance in decades!

I completely understand building your team, your product to be successful for years.  But I am also a believer in trying to win the championship now.  Live for the present.  Anything can happen in the future.  I am a lifelong Bengals fan.  I am tired of hearing "we are building for the future" and it took 20 years for the future to finally arrive.  Play for now.  Win it all now.  Most teams in professional sports that are champions were NOT dynasties.  To wrap this up, here is a list of dynasties that I can think of (dynasty used loosely and in MY opinion) in the sports I am knowledgeable on (NFL, NBA and MLB) just to show how little it happens.  Play for now.

-Greg Tepe

Here are some dynasties I can think of:

NFL:
70s Pittsburgh Steelers
80s San Francisco Giants
90s Dallas Cowboys
00s New England Patriots

NBA:
50s Minneapolis Lakers
50s/60s Boston Celtics
80s Boston Celtics
80s Los Angeles Lakers
90s Chicago Bulls
00s Los Angeles Lakers

MLB:
20s New York Yankees
40s New York Yankees
50s New York Yankees
70s Cincinnati Reds
80s Oakland Athletics
90s Atlanta Braves (who only won ONE championship; won division almost every year of 90s)
00s New York Yankees

Greatest ESPN Commercial Ever!!! Welcome back NFL!!!

Goodell/NFL Too Quick To Punish?

"Victory is mine!!!!"  This is what Saints linebacker, Jonathan Vilma, tweeted once news broke that the four players suspended in result of Bountygate were no longer suspended.  They can start playing in Week 1.  Vilma had the harshest suspension of 16 games.  Saints defensive end, Will Smith, was suspended 4 games along with Browns linebacker, Scott Fujita, for 3 games and free agent, Anthony Hargrove, for 8 games.  NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell, can still reinstate the suspension if evidence proves these players purposely injured players.  Bountygate brought to light two major topics - in my opinion - of the nature of the game and the business of the game.

First, the obvious topic is the violence of the NFL.  Everyone knows football is a full contact sport that can be violent at times.  The problem is people focus on the "violence" of the game and fail to remember it is controlled "violence."  Players play the game with full knowledge and acceptance of the contact nature of the game.  This is why we have referees.  They keep it structured and full contact rather than violent.  Now, I agree that Sean Payton should be suspended for the year along with the suspension of ex-defensive coordinator, Gregg Williams.  There is no argument that a structured bounty is crossing the line.  However, you cannot tell me the Saints are the only team to do this.  I believe the Saints were just made an example.  Not saying all teams have a structured bounty, but it is almost common sense, or second nature to want to knock the opposing team's best player out of the game.  It gives you an advantage.  I am not saying to maliciously hurt them, but shake them up some.  Make them uncomfortable and give your team the edge.

What I want to focus on, however, in this post is the latter topic - how the business of the game is ran.  Not saying at a team level or even a monetary level, but on the discipline level.  It is obvious that Goodell's policing of players has been well documented and criticized to a degree.  It is also certain that the policing will always be linked to Goodell's legacy as commissioner to the greatest league in all of pro sports.  I agree with some of his policing.  I believe that if you cannot keep yourself out of trouble outside of the game and are constantly embarrassing your team and league, you should be punished.  In most cases it works.  I start having issues when it is in the confines of the game.  I am all for player safety, but lets not panic.  I am for the concussion rule but against making the quarterback untouchable.  I believe with Bountygate, the punishment was too quick and unfair to the four players.  I say this because if there was evidence that these players went out to hurt their opponents, then why was the suspension overturned?  I believe the NFL and Goodell should have a committee or even an individual in charge of the punishments and let the commissioner be the commissioner.

To wrap up I agree with the direction Goodell is heading in punishing the knucklehead players out there that just cannot seem to learn and realize they are blessed.  There are hundreds of thousands of boys, young men,   and even girls who would love to be in the position of these athletes we watch and admire on Sundays.  If you cannot learn how to stay out of trouble or follow the rules, you should be punished.  But when it comes to something that is not as black and white as the Bountygate scandal or when you are just a tool (and I mean that in a general term - not negative) in someone's scheme, you should not be punished or punished as harshly.  I believe the NFL did the right thing suspending Williams and Payton, but crossed the line when suspending 4 players from a defense that consists of at least 20 other players.  I believe what happened yesterday was a victory for the players, but not necessarily a loss for the NFL.  I believe these events are needed to find the happy medium that is needed and will be perfected to "protect the shield."

- Greg Tepe "Self-proclaimed NFL Guru"

Ups And Downs

By Curtis Winkle

     Its Time! Yes the wait is over football season is here we finally made it and yes the wait was worth it, we are starting a new season with every one's expectations of there favorite team headed o the National Championship Game, we expect nothing less then a W in that game.

     Today I will be giving the first installment of what I like to call the "Ups And Downs". Its purpose is to not only relate to the grind of the College Football season, but to shed a light on the instant gratification world in which we live in, the black and white thought process were if you do not live up to all the so called first round talent then your considered a bust. To amplify my point, I will start with the first prospect and that would be mister Logan Thomas, yes the second coming of Cam Newton, as all draft pundits were speculating before Monday night game against Georgia Tech. Where the 6'6" 250 pound quarterback from Virginia Tech, went 21/38 for 230 yards and two score.He is extremely talented, he can run and make all the throws. But Monday night was just a Junior QB that played in his first game of the year that is still raw but has a high ceiling. But now if you ask the National Media he is bust, and no way you take him in the first round of this year upcoming NFL draft. Now we go to the other end of the spectrum, and incomes Le'Veon Bell the 6'2" 240lb back that is to big, to slow, and has never carried the ball more then twenty times in a single game. Questions about his speed and ability to be a work-horse were the popular, "water cooler" banter until the clock hit double zero in MSU victory over Bosie St. Where Bell toted the rock 44 times for 210 yards and two TD's and showing his versatility with six receptions for 55 yards. He may still have to answer questions about his speed in Febuary, but a feature back will be a thing of utter ignorance. So you can see where the concept of the "ups and downs" came from. But those are not the only prospects up for discussion, you have the story line of the "Unkowns". One being a freshman, where you wonder how well they can make the transition from not only a skill level adjustment but a "speed of the game" adjustment and I think T.J. Yeldon transitioned fine his 11 carries for 111 yards and TD lit the Alabama fan base a blaze. He showed why he was so highly recruited, he displayed great vision and burst through holes, that his NFL line provided. And the JUCO transfer. Cordarrelle Pattererson, a week before Tenn. kicked the season off against N.C. St they lost Da'Rik Rodgers a stud Wr but all that would b soon forgotten when Patterson blew the snow off rocky top with his 93 yards and two TD's. One huge surprise was Patterson exploded on the same field of all world number one rated CB David Amerson the 6'1" corner which I do believe is the future of corners with the ever evolving NFL and the, "new age" 6'3" and up wide receivers but Amerson looked lost in coverage and didn't look fluid enough to be playing the position looked more as a projected Safety i.e Antrell Rolle. But one of my favorite players that I'm writing about had a coming out party, Dee Milliner he looked like a true shut down corner, big, physical, fast, fluid. At one point he pushed Roundtree a Michigan Wr out of bounds with one arm then intercepted a pass from Denard Robinson, it was flat out impressive. Now to the last prospect in which I will be writing about and that is the QB for Michigan Denard Robinson coming into the opening against Alabama he had a ton of Heisman love and the fan base felt disrespected that they were wrote off when playing the defending National Champs but when the QB had two Interceptions, completed less den 45% of his passes and ran for only 27 Yards the Heisman love must stop he is a 5'10" Wr that is playing QB for a team that doesn't provide him help on the outside. So with this post coming to and end we shall see how these and other college athletes careers pan out as the season unfolds.

2012 NFL Predictions

Here are our division and postseason predictions for the 2012 NFL Season:

Curtis:                                                  Greg:

AFC East:                                            AFC East:

1.  New England Patriots                      1.  New England Patriots

2.  Buffalo Bills                                     2.  Buffalo Bills

3.  New York Jets                                3.  New York Jets

4.  Miami Dolphins                               4.  Miami Dolphins

AFC North:                                         AFC North:

1.  Baltimore Ravens                            1.  Baltimore Ravens

2.  Cincinnati Bengals                           2.  Cincinnati Bengals

3.  Pittsburgh Steelers                           3.  Pittsburgh Steelers

4.  Cleveland Browns                           4.  Cleveland Browns

AFC South:                                         AFC South:

1.  Houston Texans                              1.  Houston Texans

2.  Indianapolis Colts                            2.  Indianapolis Colts

3.  Tennessee Titans                             3.  Tennessee Titans

4.  Jacksonville Jaguars                         4.  Jacksonville Jaguars

AFC West:                                          AFC West:

1.  Kansas City Chiefs                          1.  Kansas City Chiefs

2.  Denver Broncos                              2.  Denver Broncos

3.  San Diego Chargers                         3.  San Diego Chargers

4.  Oakland Raiders                              4.  Oakland Raiders

NFC East:                                            NFC East:

1.  New York Giants                            1.  New York Giants

2.  Philadelphia Eagles                           2.  Philadelphia Eagles

3.  Dallas Cowboys                               3.  Dallas Cowboys

4.  Washington Redskins                        4.  Washington Redskins

NFC North:                                          NFC North:

1.  Green Bay Packers                          1.  Green Bay Packers

2.  Chicago Bears                                  2.  Chicago Bears

3.  Detroit Lions                                    3.  Detroit Lions

4.  Minnesota Vikings                            4.  Minnesota Vikings

NFC South:                                           NFC South:

1.  Atlanta Falcons                                1.  New Orleans Saints

2.  New Orleans Saints                          2.  Atlanta Falcons

3.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers                    3.  Carolina Panthers

4.  Carolina Panthers                             4.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers

NFC West:                                           NFC West:

1.  San Francisco 49ers                         1.  San Francisco 49ers

2.  St. Louis Rams                                 2.  Seattle Seahawks

3.  Arizona Cardinals                             3.  St. Louis Rams

4.  Seattle Seahawks                             4.  Arizona Cardinals

AFC Playoff Teams:                              AFC Playoff Teams:

Patriots                                                 Patriots

Ravens                                                 Ravens

Texans                                                  Texans

Chiefs                                                   Chiefs

Bills                                                       Bengals

Bengals                                                 Broncos

NFC Playoff Teams:                               NFC Playoff Teams:

Eagles                                                     Giants

Packers                                                  Packers

Falcons                                                   Saints

49ers                                                      49ers

Bears                                                      Bears

Lions                                                      Lions

Super Bowl Matchup:                             Super Bowl Matchup:

Patriots vs. Bears                                    Texans vs. Packers

Winner:                                                   Winner:

Chicago Bears                                         Green Bay Packers

What do you NFL fans think?                                                    

We are back!  I have finally quit dragging my feet and have started a new sports blog.  Of course this blog is to share our opinions on what is going on in the world of sports.  I could not think of a better time than now - the first week of my favorite sport (NFL) - to bring this back.  So, I encourage you to read and follow what we have to say on the latest news in the sports world and to argue with us if you disagree.