How Do We Know Greatness These Days?

[rcaldw]

I watch the NFL these days, and I am as committed to it as I have ever been, because I love the game. But the game has been so watered down, and parity has made these "teams" such a joke, in terms of what now can pass as professional football, I just wonder how we can even know if a player is great any more?

We now, routinely, have some team go from the absolute bottom of the barrel to either playoff contention or playoff entry. Miami goes from 1 win to the playoffs IN ONE SEASON!

Dallas goes from the #1 seed by record last year, to out of the playoffs.
Miami goes from the #1 pick in the draft, by record last year, to in the playoffs.

What kind of a league is that?

Does Joe Flacco get to start as a rookie in the NFL pre 1995?
Would Ben Rothlisberger be considered GREAT in that NFL?

I think you would have some starters today, especially at the QB position, be 3rd stringers in the old NFL. I'm not kidding about that.

The uniforms stay the same (for the most part), and the game stays the same, in terms of rules (for the most part), but I hate the watered down product that we have right now.

Just an opinion.

 

[The Panch]

The Dolphins had an easy schedule and had alot of close games they lost last year except against Baltimore. This year, they won almost every close game they were in.

 

[gbrittain]

I watch the NFL these days, and I am as committed to it as I have ever been, because I love the game. But the game has been so watered down, and parity has made these "teams" such a joke, in terms of what now can pass as professional football, I just wonder how we can even know if a player is great any more?

We now, routinely, have some team go from the absolute bottom of the barrel to either playoff contention or playoff entry. Miami goes from 1 win to the playoffs IN ONE SEASON!

Dallas goes from the #1 seed by record last year, to out of the playoffs.
Miami goes from the #1 pick in the draft, by record last year, to in the playoffs.

What kind of a league is that?

Does Joe Flacco get to start as a rookie in the NFL pre 1995?
Would Ben Rothlisberger be considered GREAT in that NFL?

I think you would have some starters today, especially at the QB position, be 3rd stringers in the old NFL. I'm not kidding about that.

The uniforms stay the same (for the most part), and the game stays the same, in terms of rules (for the most part), but I hate the watered down product that we have right now.

Just an opinion.

I look for consistency. For example you mention Joe Flacco. Come talk to me in about four or five years and then I will be able to answer your question.

I will give any player his proper respect if I see that player perform at a high level year after year for long period of time.

 

[DallasEast]

I watch the NFL these days, and I am as committed to it as I have ever been, because I love the game. But the game has been so watered down, and parity has made these "teams" such a joke, in terms of what now can pass as professional football, I just wonder how we can even know if a player is great any more?

We now, routinely, have some team go from the absolute bottom of the barrel to either playoff contention or playoff entry. Miami goes from 1 win to the playoffs IN ONE SEASON!

Dallas goes from the #1 seed by record last year, to out of the playoffs.
Miami goes from the #1 pick in the draft, by record last year, to in the playoffs.

What kind of a league is that?

Does Joe Flacco get to start as a rookie in the NFL pre 1995?
Would Ben Rothlisberger be considered GREAT in that NFL?

I think you would have some starters today, especially at the QB position, be 3rd stringers in the old NFL. I'm not kidding about that.

The uniforms stay the same (for the most part), and the game stays the same, in terms of rules (for the most part), but I hate the watered down product that we have right now.

Just an opinion.

Good post and opinion.

 

[gbrittain]

The Dolphins had an easy schedule and had alot of close games they lost last year except against Baltimore. This year, they won almost every close game they were in.

I think the Dolphins will come crashing back to earth. Well maybe crashing is a bit much, but they are not nearly as good of a team as their record indicates.

Of course if they draft right and continue to make some good moves then maybe they will not see a drop off, but I do not think that team is ready for prime time yet.

 

[Maikeru-sama]

Why do I get the feeling that we see alot less "watered down" proclaimations if the Cowboys had more Playoff and Super Bowls wins in the last 13 Seasons?

I like the new format of the league. Every team in the NFL enters Training Camp with as much of a chance as all the other teams to win a Super Bowl.

The overwhelming favoritism shown towards the Offensive Side of the ball is doing more damage to the NFL than the Salary Cap.

 

[DallasEast]

Why do I get the feeling that we see alot less "watered down" proclaimations if the Cowboys had more Playoff and Super Bowls wins in the last 13 Seasons?

I like the new format of the league. Every team in the NFL enters Training Camp with as much of a chance as all the other teams to win a Super Bowl.

The overwhelming favoritism shown towards the Offensive Side of the ball is doing more damage to the NFL than the Salary Cap.

Perhaps, but since I was making the exact same comments well-before we won our last Super Bowl when the CBA for the current system was enacted, it leads me to believe that there would still be opposition like my own even though we may have been more successful than we have been.

 

[Maikeru-sama]

Perhaps, but since I was making the exact same comments well-before we won our last Super Bowl when the CBA for the current system was enacted, it leads me to believe that there would still be opposition like my own even though we may have been more successful than we have been.

I agree.

However, that is why I qualified my post with "alot less".

 

[Clove]

I wish Jerry could understand that no matter how pretty and pimped out your car looks, it will never win a race unless the engine is top notch, and the engine would be the Cowboys coaching staff.

Not just the head coach. But the entire coaching staff has to be goverened by the head coach, unity must be tight within the coaching family, and if that part's not right in every aspect, then you're basically driving a lexus with a yugo engine in it.

 

[rcaldw]

Why do I get the feeling that we see alot less "watered down" proclaimations if the Cowboys had more Playoff and Super Bowls wins in the last 13 Seasons?

I like the new format of the league. Every team in the NFL enters Training Camp with as much of a chance as all the other teams to win a Super Bowl.

The overwhelming favoritism shown towards the Offensive Side of the ball is doing more damage to the NFL than the Salary Cap.

My opinion has zero to do with how the Cowboys are doing. My opinion has to do with the volatility of the league, and the kind of football that has been produced by a lack of continuity on rosters. With artificially engineered parity also comes a complete emphasis on ONE SEASON and so there are very few teams that seem to have LONG RANGE plans that INCLUDE keeping a roster in tact.

I just don't think it is good for the game. That isn't a Cowboys thing, that is the opinion of someone who just loves NFL Football and can remember a much better product.

 

[DallasEast]

I agree.

However, that is why I qualified my post with "alot less".

Oh! My bad.

 

[bbgun]

How Do We Know Greatness These Days?

Personally, I just use a mirror.

 

[rcaldw]

Personally, I just use a mirror.

And you see Under Dog?