mr.jameswoods
10-29-2004, 03:18 PM
I have always embraced the high expectations placed on this team by the players themselves and their fans. However, I'm realizing this mentality doesn't improve the team. In fact, I think this mentality actually hurts our team. In MLB, you can buy a team full of All-Stars because there is no salary cap. The richest team can purchase the best players. George Steinbrenner still makes a lot of money despite fielding an expensive roser. Therefore, Yankee fans and their owner can have ridiculous expectations each year and it fuels their team. If they fall short one year, they will just go out and improve the team the following year by going shopping. I'm not a Yankee fan but I can see why Yankee fans place such pressure on their team. In a way, they can improve their team by complaining and expecting the best much like customers of any business like McDonalds, Southwest Airlines etc.
However, in the NFL, this mentality doesn't work. We are bound by a salary cap. So regardless of how much fans like myself whine and complain, it really can't improve the team. Jerry Jones can't just buy a Peyton Manning and a LaDainlian Tomlinson like Steinbrenner can bring in A-Rod and Sheffield in one year. I'm sure Jerry would love to outbid for a Hall of Famer each year but he is sort of handcuffed in this department. In baseball, if you need a Hall of Fame starting pitcher, you can get one if you are willing to pay enough money. In the NFL, it doesn't work that way so Jerry Jones cannot instantly satisfy his and our craving for winning instantly. He tried his best by signing Parcells but a coach is only a part of the formula albeit a major part of it.
My point is I think the players have an additional challenge they are faced with that other teams don't have to deal with and that is the additional pressure and ridiculously high expectations of winning now as a Cowboy. I really feel sorry for the players and the coaches because they are asked to do with impossible without being given enough time and leeway by fans like myself and the owner to succeed now.
I don't know if there is a solution to this problem. If there was one, I think the first thing Jerry could do is openly state the rebuilding process will take time and by showing unending support for their head coach. This idea struck me because there are a lot of teams like the Cowboys and I wonder if we are stunting our growth because we place extremely high expecations upon the team each year. Maybe this is one reason we go for the quick fix each year.
What's your take? You think the pressure is good or bad? Do you think it challenges the team to excellence or puts crippling pressure on the team?
However, in the NFL, this mentality doesn't work. We are bound by a salary cap. So regardless of how much fans like myself whine and complain, it really can't improve the team. Jerry Jones can't just buy a Peyton Manning and a LaDainlian Tomlinson like Steinbrenner can bring in A-Rod and Sheffield in one year. I'm sure Jerry would love to outbid for a Hall of Famer each year but he is sort of handcuffed in this department. In baseball, if you need a Hall of Fame starting pitcher, you can get one if you are willing to pay enough money. In the NFL, it doesn't work that way so Jerry Jones cannot instantly satisfy his and our craving for winning instantly. He tried his best by signing Parcells but a coach is only a part of the formula albeit a major part of it.
My point is I think the players have an additional challenge they are faced with that other teams don't have to deal with and that is the additional pressure and ridiculously high expectations of winning now as a Cowboy. I really feel sorry for the players and the coaches because they are asked to do with impossible without being given enough time and leeway by fans like myself and the owner to succeed now.
I don't know if there is a solution to this problem. If there was one, I think the first thing Jerry could do is openly state the rebuilding process will take time and by showing unending support for their head coach. This idea struck me because there are a lot of teams like the Cowboys and I wonder if we are stunting our growth because we place extremely high expecations upon the team each year. Maybe this is one reason we go for the quick fix each year.
What's your take? You think the pressure is good or bad? Do you think it challenges the team to excellence or puts crippling pressure on the team?