What is wrong with tanking?

Fla Cowpoke

Well-Known Member
Messages
11,960
Reaction score
11,974
And PManning, Rothlisberger, John Elway, Mahomes, Rodgers, Marino, Aikman, and a host of others all went in the 1st. Pointing out a few exceptions is not anywhere near enough to make your declaration.

Several of the guys you mentioned when mid to late in the first round. That kind of defeats the argument for tanking. We don't have to get the number one pick to get a good player in the first round. We got Lamb in the middle.
 

garyo1954

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,704
Reaction score
4,470
Hindsight makes geniuses of us all. But we need people to tell us before we draft a guy if he's a bust. Then again nobody has ever proven the magic formula for no regret draft picks or Super Bowls.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CWR

garyo1954

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,704
Reaction score
4,470
Several of the guys you mentioned when mid to late in the first round. That kind of defeats the argument for tanking. We don't have to get the number one pick to get a good player in the first round. We got Lamb in the middle.

That's the truth. Teams are built and maintained with lower round picks.

This is what the standings would look like if teams that had the most top ten picks in the last 20 years were the dominant teams.......

Washington 9, 2020, 2nd (includes #2 and #3 in 2000)
NY Giants 6, 2020, 4th
Dallas 5, 2016 4th
Philadephia 3, 2016, 2nd

Detroit 12, 2020 3rd
Chicago 7, 2018, 8th
Minnesota 6, 2014 9th
Green Bay 3, 2009 9th

Tampa Bay 7, 2019, 5th
Atlanta 7, 2015 8th
Carolina 6, 2020 7th
NO Saints 3, 2008 7th

Arizona 11, 2020, 8th
SF 49ers 8, 2019, 2nd
LA Rams, 7, 2016, 1st
Seattle 3, 2010, 6th


LV 9, 2019, 4th
KC 6, 2017, 10th
LA Char 6, 2020, 6th
Denver 2, 2018, 5th

Cleveland 13, 2020, 10th (2) 2018
Cincinnati 9, 2020, 1st
Baltimore 3, 2016, 6th
Pittsburgh 2, 2019, 10th

NY Jets 9, 2019, 3rd
Buffalo 8, 2019, 9th
Miami 6, 2020, 5th
NE Pats 2, 2008, 10th

Jacksonville 15, 2020, 9th
Tennessee 7, 2017, 5th
Houston 6, 2014, 1st
Indianapolis 2, 2018, 6th

Yeah, they were bad teams when they drafted high. And guess what they are still bad teams with all those high draft choices!
 

Whirlwin

Cowboy , It’s a way of life.
Messages
23,977
Reaction score
16,255
CowboysZone DIEHARD Fan
It was not cheating. He was being smart and looking at the long term success that those draft picks would bring. You have to have talent to win and he knew those players was not worth more than the draft picks.
. Make no mistake about it he cheated he said so himself
 

GimmeTheBall!

Junior College Transfer
Messages
36,298
Reaction score
16,894
That's the truth. Teams are built and maintained with lower round picks.

This is what the standings would look like if teams that had the most top ten picks in the last 20 years were the dominant teams.......

Washington 9, 2020, 2nd (includes #2 and #3 in 2000)
NY Giants 6, 2020, 4th
Dallas 5, 2016 4th
Philadephia 3, 2016, 2nd

Detroit 12, 2020 3rd
Chicago 7, 2018, 8th
Minnesota 6, 2014 9th
Green Bay 3, 2009 9th

Tampa Bay 7, 2019, 5th
Atlanta 7, 2015 8th
Carolina 6, 2020 7th
NO Saints 3, 2008 7th

Arizona 11, 2020, 8th
SF 49ers 8, 2019, 2nd
LA Rams, 7, 2016, 1st
Seattle 3, 2010, 6th


LV 9, 2019, 4th
KC 6, 2017, 10th
LA Char 6, 2020, 6th
Denver 2, 2018, 5th

Cleveland 13, 2020, 10th (2) 2018
Cincinnati 9, 2020, 1st
Baltimore 3, 2016, 6th
Pittsburgh 2, 2019, 10th

NY Jets 9, 2019, 3rd
Buffalo 8, 2019, 9th
Miami 6, 2020, 5th
NE Pats 2, 2008, 10th

Jacksonville 15, 2020, 9th
Tennessee 7, 2017, 5th
Houston 6, 2014, 1st
Indianapolis 2, 2018, 6th

Yeah, they were bad teams when they drafted high. And guess what they are still bad teams with all those high draft choices!

I guess then, Gary, we are on the right road.
Thanks, bloke.
:rolleyes:
 
Last edited:

jterrell

Penguinite
Messages
33,428
Reaction score
15,603
That's the truth. Teams are built and maintained with lower round picks.

This is what the standings would look like if teams that had the most top ten picks in the last 20 years were the dominant teams.......

Washington 9, 2020, 2nd (includes #2 and #3 in 2000)
NY Giants 6, 2020, 4th
Dallas 5, 2016 4th
Philadephia 3, 2016, 2nd

Detroit 12, 2020 3rd
Chicago 7, 2018, 8th
Minnesota 6, 2014 9th
Green Bay 3, 2009 9th

Tampa Bay 7, 2019, 5th
Atlanta 7, 2015 8th
Carolina 6, 2020 7th
NO Saints 3, 2008 7th

Arizona 11, 2020, 8th
SF 49ers 8, 2019, 2nd
LA Rams, 7, 2016, 1st
Seattle 3, 2010, 6th


LV 9, 2019, 4th
KC 6, 2017, 10th
LA Char 6, 2020, 6th
Denver 2, 2018, 5th

Cleveland 13, 2020, 10th (2) 2018
Cincinnati 9, 2020, 1st
Baltimore 3, 2016, 6th
Pittsburgh 2, 2019, 10th

NY Jets 9, 2019, 3rd
Buffalo 8, 2019, 9th
Miami 6, 2020, 5th
NE Pats 2, 2008, 10th

Jacksonville 15, 2020, 9th
Tennessee 7, 2017, 5th
Houston 6, 2014, 1st
Indianapolis 2, 2018, 6th

Yeah, they were bad teams when they drafted high. And guess what they are still bad teams with all those high draft choices!
It is really all about this!
Tanking is just playing poorly and playing poorly or halfheartedly is very hard to stop.
As a competitor you don't have a switch you turn on and off.

Unless you want to do a total rebuild tanking shouldn't be an option.
That doesn't mean teams cant play young guys (Dallas is) and released dead end vets (Dallas did).
But you compete 100% and try to win with the guys int he field by coaching your best and players giving it their all.

And yes at end of day the weird well ends justify the means dudes get dis-proven because data shows you are better off being a good team competing yearly then a tanking team hoping to eventually ascend.

Nothing wrong as a fan rationalizing high draft picks if that's all you've got but NFL players are playing to feed their families they aren't going to play poorly so some other guys can come in and save them.
 

Reid1boys

Well-Known Member
Messages
11,453
Reaction score
9,733
Winning is always better than losing. Players break bones, tear ligaments, get concussions etc.....you think they ever want to lose, especially knowing that there is a draft pick waiting to take their job?
hell no they dont want to lose.... but I am not a player. I am a fan, and if we bring in better players that take an avg players job from this years roster, thats exactly what I want to happen. I have no loyalty to players on the team. I love them when they do well for us, but when they stink, its time to go. My loyalty is and always will be with the Dallas Cowboys.

I sat at a table and watched college football with Randy Gregory...... I think it was 3 years ago, and I told him that flat out. He thought it was funny, but he understood my point. And no, winning is not always better than losing. If the Jets screw up and win 2 games and lose out on Trevor, and I was the owner, Id fire him just for that.
 

Ranching

Well-Known Member
Messages
42,799
Reaction score
107,034
CowboysZone ULTIMATE Fan
hell no they dont want to lose.... but I am not a player. I am a fan, and if we bring in better players that take an avg players job from this years roster, thats exactly what I want to happen. I have no loyalty to players on the team. I love them when they do well for us, but when they stink, its time to go. My loyalty is and always will be with the Dallas Cowboys.

I sat at a table and watched college football with Randy Gregory...... I think it was 3 years ago, and I told him that flat out. He thought it was funny, but he understood my point. And no, winning is not always better than losing. If the Jets screw up and win 2 games and lose out on Trevor, and I was the owner, Id fire him just for that.
I get it, but I don't see myself ever wanting to lose. To each his own. Take your whoopping with a smile.
 

Reid1boys

Well-Known Member
Messages
11,453
Reaction score
9,733
I get it, but I don't see myself ever wanting to lose. To each his own. Take your whoopping with a smile.
so if i could guarantee you that the Cowboys would get a rookie Peyton Manning next year if we lost every game the rest of the season, youd say hell no, you want those 2-3 more wins?
 

kskboys

Well-Known Member
Messages
44,059
Reaction score
46,962
Several of the guys you mentioned when mid to late in the first round. That kind of defeats the argument for tanking. We don't have to get the number one pick to get a good player in the first round. We got Lamb in the middle.
No it doesn't. You're simply either missing or denying the fact that the further toward the front of the draft you pick, the better. You're not able to understand that it sometimes takes sacrifice to maximize. Luckily Jimmy understood it as we tanked our way to 3 super bowls.
 

kskboys

Well-Known Member
Messages
44,059
Reaction score
46,962
That's the truth. Teams are built and maintained with lower round picks.

This is what the standings would look like if teams that had the most top ten picks in the last 20 years were the dominant teams.......

Washington 9, 2020, 2nd (includes #2 and #3 in 2000)
NY Giants 6, 2020, 4th
Dallas 5, 2016 4th
Philadephia 3, 2016, 2nd

Detroit 12, 2020 3rd
Chicago 7, 2018, 8th
Minnesota 6, 2014 9th
Green Bay 3, 2009 9th

Tampa Bay 7, 2019, 5th
Atlanta 7, 2015 8th
Carolina 6, 2020 7th
NO Saints 3, 2008 7th

Arizona 11, 2020, 8th
SF 49ers 8, 2019, 2nd
LA Rams, 7, 2016, 1st
Seattle 3, 2010, 6th


LV 9, 2019, 4th
KC 6, 2017, 10th
LA Char 6, 2020, 6th
Denver 2, 2018, 5th

Cleveland 13, 2020, 10th (2) 2018
Cincinnati 9, 2020, 1st
Baltimore 3, 2016, 6th
Pittsburgh 2, 2019, 10th

NY Jets 9, 2019, 3rd
Buffalo 8, 2019, 9th
Miami 6, 2020, 5th
NE Pats 2, 2008, 10th

Jacksonville 15, 2020, 9th
Tennessee 7, 2017, 5th
Houston 6, 2014, 1st
Indianapolis 2, 2018, 6th

Yeah, they were bad teams when they drafted high. And guess what they are still bad teams with all those high draft choices!
Several of the teams w/ the most high draft choices are now contenders. If you're trying to analyze, might want to try and use all the facts. TENN, BUFF, SF, KC, LV, ARI, Rams, TB, all are contenders. It appears this chart is making the opposite point of what you're intending.
 

Ranching

Well-Known Member
Messages
42,799
Reaction score
107,034
CowboysZone ULTIMATE Fan
so if i could guarantee you that the Cowboys would get a rookie Peyton Manning next year if we lost every game the rest of the season, youd say hell no, you want those 2-3 more wins?
What word didn't you understand? I do no want to lose and will never root for a loss. Let the chips land where they may. . Some teams tank for Ryan Leaf type players..
 

Cowboys22

Well-Known Member
Messages
10,507
Reaction score
11,384
Ethics in football went out the door around the time plastic helmets replaced leather helmets.

So, I say this: What's ethical about freezing a kicker? Or stashing healthy players on the injured unable to perform list?
Or coaches blowing smoke about their intended draftee and then choosing another?
What is ethical about fans making it impossible for the opposing QB to hear his cadence or a feigned injury to stop a clock? Or announcers breathlessly promoting an upcoming game between a 9-1 team against a 1-9 team?
Or deflated balls, stolen signals and sweetheart deals by municipalities to attract and keep NFL teams?

This proud rude boy from Leeds long ago gave up thinking there were ethics in professional NFL?

Me? I think of tanking as a strategic plan to make a football team better.
If you think tanking for 2021 is wrong, then I don't want to be right. So then go ahead enjoying your 8-8 seasons and the upcoming 3-13 season.

Holla and brings me a dollah!
Or holla and just owe me a dollar!

I don’t really mind tasteful tanking when a team is totally out of it. By that I mean play some of your young guys to get them experience and see what you have. Dallas was only one game out of the division lead with nearly half the season to go and the easiest schedule left in the division. That is not a tanking situation. These last few weeks prove why. They have played much better on defense and look like a solid improving team. They outplayed the undefeated Steelers with a QB they had just picked up off a practice squad and just barely lost even with the refs doing all they could to help Pittsburgh. If they keep improving, they will win the division and host a playoff game. Who knows what can happen in this crazy year. You don’t tank under these circumstances. Now, if Philly was 8-2 or 7-3 right now, then yes, play the youngsters and start Dinucci to see what he can do with several games experience.
 

CWR

Well-Known Member
Messages
23,425
Reaction score
34,127
That's the truth. Teams are built and maintained with lower round picks.

This is what the standings would look like if teams that had the most top ten picks in the last 20 years were the dominant teams.......

Washington 9, 2020, 2nd (includes #2 and #3 in 2000)
NY Giants 6, 2020, 4th
Dallas 5, 2016 4th
Philadephia 3, 2016, 2nd

Detroit 12, 2020 3rd
Chicago 7, 2018, 8th
Minnesota 6, 2014 9th
Green Bay 3, 2009 9th

Tampa Bay 7, 2019, 5th
Atlanta 7, 2015 8th
Carolina 6, 2020 7th
NO Saints 3, 2008 7th

Arizona 11, 2020, 8th
SF 49ers 8, 2019, 2nd
LA Rams, 7, 2016, 1st
Seattle 3, 2010, 6th


LV 9, 2019, 4th
KC 6, 2017, 10th
LA Char 6, 2020, 6th
Denver 2, 2018, 5th

Cleveland 13, 2020, 10th (2) 2018
Cincinnati 9, 2020, 1st
Baltimore 3, 2016, 6th
Pittsburgh 2, 2019, 10th

NY Jets 9, 2019, 3rd
Buffalo 8, 2019, 9th
Miami 6, 2020, 5th
NE Pats 2, 2008, 10th

Jacksonville 15, 2020, 9th
Tennessee 7, 2017, 5th
Houston 6, 2014, 1st
Indianapolis 2, 2018, 6th

Yeah, they were bad teams when they drafted high. And guess what they are still bad teams with all those high draft choices!

Awesome post, thanks for sharing.
 

CWR

Well-Known Member
Messages
23,425
Reaction score
34,127
so if i could guarantee you that the Cowboys would get a rookie Peyton Manning next year if we lost every game the rest of the season, youd say hell no, you want those 2-3 more wins?

Hell no, in a world where you can guarantee we get the next Peyton Manning Im hoping to lose. Unfortunately that world doesn't exist.
 
Top