One of the definitions of a myth is a widely held but false belief or idea. We fans are all at least occasionally guilty of believing in sports myths- things that are based more on hope than reality for things we deeply want to believe. Sports myths often blind us as fans to sports reality.
Here are some commonly held fan sports myths we often see:
- Popular former players with no coaching experience can immediately become an offensive or defensive coordinator or even head coach. Example: Tony Romo’s good work as a TV analyst doesn’t mean he is immediately qualified to be an offensive coordinator with zero coaching experience. Being an effective coordinator in the NFL is much harder than it looks. It’s requires at least some prior coaching experience.
- “Team friendly” contracts for players we want to see stay in Dallas for less money than they could get on the market. Examples: Dak Prescott should forego what the market says a QB is worth and settle for less money to help the team. Or any other Cowboys veteran who is about to need a new contract. Thinking a player should sacrifice their market value to stay with the home team is unfair to the players whose ability to make top sports dollars is extremely brief.
- Great players can mentor or teach younger players how to be like them. Athletic greatness is very difficult to teach at this level. And great players rarely make great coaches. Many great coaches on the other hand were often not themselves among the greatest players. Probably because they had to work harder at being successful on the field, they are better at teaching that than those whose greatness was easier.
- The refs and the rest of the NFL are out to get us every week as a part of a grand conspiracy- I will just leave it at that. It still amazes me how many people believe this. Sure we get bad calls. But bad calls are pretty much “equal opportunity” in the NFL.
What are some other sports myths commonly held?
I can always depend on a well though out, interesting post from you. Thanks Hazey, I agree, for the most part. The players becoming coaches thing—yes, great players often don’t make the best coaches. They usually come from the unknowns. Bill Bellichick was a scrub as a player, but now he’s acknowledged as a GOAT candidate. The people clamoring for Sean Lee know this too. They/we/I want him to retire, because he can’t seem to stay healthy, and isn’t thriving in Nolan’s system because it’s different than anything he’s played his whole career. He’s also not surrounded by a lot of overwhelming talent. I think he’d make a great coach because of his passion for the game, his work ethic, and his film study. Those things made him a very good player, despite lack of size and speed, and the injuries negated his impact, and made some under appreciate a blue collar overachiever.
I also agree with the notion that a “grand conspiracy” is actually at work. What I think DOES exist is a bias MUCH larger for Dallas than any other team, because people resent all the hype over a team that hasn’t earned it during their lifetime. I also find it curious that while Dallas isn’t the MOST penalized team (which research will easily prove), but the all important TIMING of those flags is not recorded. They always seem to come either on third or fourth and long, or right after a big play. Just odd, that’s all. Third and 22, Dallas completes a 30 yard pass play, and here comes a holding penalty! The other team has a third and 14, we stop them, but wait, a late flag gives ‘em a first and goal!
I watch a bunch of football, and I promise you our D Line gets held more than other teams and we get far less holding calls. It also seems...and Im saying seems on this one, because i havent actually sat down to determine the truth about this, but it also seems as if we get more calls called against our defense on 3rd down when we get a stop to keep the opponents drive going.
