Ideal scenario is Green Bay, Detroit, SF, Baltimore

[Blitzen]

You really think Hakeem, Cassell, Horry, Drexler and all the Houston rockets fans feel less about their NBA championships in 94-95 because Jordan was out of basketball those years?

He was not playing. I’m talking about facing the best players and teams at the time you are playing.

 

[Jake]

I said I wanted them to win against the best. This whole time. I do not want them to face SF and lose.

My argument is that fans wishing to face the easiest path sounds ridiculous. It’s the playoffs and competitive sports. Face off against the best and give the full effort-beat the best.

It seems most of us think your argument sounds ridiculous.

Do you get an extra shiny trophy depending on the path you took to get there? Is the ring smaller? Is there a pay cut? Nope, nope, and nope.

 

[DFWJC]

The ideal scenario is GB, TB, LA, and Mason Rudolph.

Win a championship. The notion that they have to go through the toughest road to somehow validate it doesn't add up to me.

 

[Asklesko]

If they beat all those teams, they will truly deserve the trophy.

 

[JD_KaPow]

I said I wanted them to win against the best. This whole time. I do not want them to face SF and lose.

My argument is that fans wishing to face the easiest path sounds ridiculous. It’s the playoffs and competitive sports. Face off against the best and give the full effort-beat the best.

Of course you did. You said, "What’s more fun and satisfying than playing the best in your field?" Nothing about beating them. And your second line here also says nothing about winning, only about "facing off."

But this is just silly anyway. Your argument is that you want them to face the strongest teams. So if they lose to one of them, would you change your mind then and say, "okay, I wish they'd played a lesser team and won?" If you're just going to assume they win all the games, then sure, let's have them face the '85 Bears and the Joe Montana 49ers, why not?

 

[Jayinem]

Does anybody look down on the Nuggets for being NBA Champions right now? They got the #8 seed Wolves, #4 seed Suns, the #7 seed Lakers in the WCF, and #7 seed Heat in the NBA Finals? Does anyone care? No! No one! All people care about is they're the champions. The ideal scenario would be avoiding SF and playing at home in the NFC Championship game, and avoiding the Ravens. Unlikely to happen but ideally it would happen.

The Eagles got to a Super Bowl by beating the Giants and the 49ers who lost their QB in the first series. But all anyone says is "Eagles got to a Super Bowl" they don't go "well they got to a Super Bowl but it was a weak path" I mean a few like OP might, but most don't care.

 

[JD_KaPow]

If they beat all those teams, they will truly deserve the trophy.

If they beat ANY four teams, they'll deserve the trophy.

The postseason isn't about determining the best team. It's about crowning a champion. That's all.

 

[TheHerd]

How about GB, Philadelphia, LA. All home games.

I think Tampa rather than Philly, but love it

 

[Blitzen]

Good lord, give it up already. Newton, who played on the team, didn't share your fan boy perspective. He said the team celebrated.

I'm sorry I don't have multiple-sourced quotes from 30 years ago since it seems that's what you need in order to die on this hill.

You are trying to speak for an entire roster based on what a loud mouth silly guy said. The team was thrilled to be playing in the conference championship game for the fourth time running. Who knows what each player of them felt about GB beating SF?

All the best players like to face the other best players in their sport. There are so many examples of it in multiple sports that I cannot even start. They weren’t hoping to win a championship against a bunch of one legged cripples so that they could hoist a championship trophy with zero meaning. They want the trophy because it’s really difficult to beat those other great players and the meaning that goes with it.

 

[Blitzen]

Of course you did. You said, "What’s more fun and satisfying than playing the best in your field?" Nothing about beating them. And your second line here also says nothing about winning, only about "facing off."

But this is just silly anyway. Your argument is that you want them to face the strongest teams. So if they lose to one of them, would you change your mind then and say, "okay, I wish they'd played a lesser team and won?" If you're just going to assume they win all the games, then sure, let's have them face the '85 Bears and the Joe Montana 49ers, why not?

Read my original post again. I start with saying I want them to win, but if I could write the story about how they won-then…

 

[JD_KaPow]

Read my original post again. I start with saying I want them to win, but if I could write the story about how they won-then…

In your original post, you also said, "The easiest path should never be desired from fans that can actually stomach the team losing." That's a pretty clear statement that you'd rather have them lose to the best team than beat a lesser team.

So which is it? Would you rather "stomach them losing" against the best or facing an easier path and winning?

 

[Jake]

I never said he would rather lose than win. You are creating a separate argument.

I didn't create anything. Your whole "point" is that winning against less than the best is unsatisfying. I'm saying players who win a trophy don't care who they beat to win it.

Show me one example of a player who won a championship lamenting that they didn't have to beat the best player to win it, unsatisfied years later. I'll wait.

 

[Asklesko]

If they beat ANY four teams, they'll deserve the trophy.

The postseason isn't about determining the best team. It's about crowning a champion. That's all.

Yeah but if they beat those four teams, they will have truly earned the trophy.

 

[Blitzen]

In your original post, you also said, "The easiest path should never be desired from fans that can actually stomach the team losing." That's a pretty clear statement that you'd rather have them lose to the best team than beat a lesser team.

So which is it? Would you rather "stomach them losing" against the best or facing an easier path and winning?

I would rather the Cowboys beat the best teams than beat inferior teams. I do not want them to lose.

Lots here seems so obsessed with the the Cowboys that they cannot stomach the matchup problems a difficult team presents. So they wish and hope for lesser opponents to make the pathway to the Super Bowl easier. And that seems weak and cowardly to me.

 

[Jake]

You are trying to speak for an entire roster based on what a loud mouth silly guy said.

And you're trying to discount what he said based on nothing but your personal feelings. The "loud mouth silly guy" was actually on the team, and won 3 SBs.

You're spouting off on a message board about how you'd feel about a hypothetical scenario. Who is the "loud mouth silly guy", really?

 

[JD_KaPow]

I would rather the Cowboys beat the best teams than beat inferior teams. I do not want them to lose.

Lots here seems so obsessed with the the Cowboys that they cannot stomach the matchup problems a difficult team presents. So they wish and hope for lesser opponents to make the pathway to the Super Bowl easier. And that seems weak and cowardly to me.

You're still dodging.

Would you agree with this statement (which I believe is what you've advocated throughout this thread)?
"I want the Cowboys to face the toughest possible opponent in every round of the upcoming playoffs, knowing full well that their chances of reaching and winning the SB are lower than if they took other paths."

 

[Jake]

Yeah but if they beat those four teams, they will have truly earned the trophy.

So if they beat four other playoff teams they won't have earned it? Someone should inform the NFL.

This whole thread seems like some fans wanting to be able to thump their chests at certain other fans.

Just beat whoever ends up in front of you. You get the same trophy either way.

 

[Blitzen]

I didn't create anything. Your whole "point" is that winning against less than the best is unsatisfying. I'm saying players who win a trophy don't care who they beat to win it.

Show me one example of a player who won a championship lamenting that they didn't have to beat the best player to win it, unsatisfied years later. I'll wait.

No I said that beating the best is more satisfying than beating inferior teams. I don’t remember any champions of team sports lamenting a trophy. Like you said they have no choice. But acting like they don’t want to face the best is absurd.

My original post was based on me being able to write the most satisfying pathway for the team to claim the championship. If you had players write their own story prior to it happening, they would likely write themselves triumphing over the best squads.

 

[Blitzen]

You're still dodging.

Would you agree with this statement (which I believe is what you've advocated throughout this thread)?
"I want the Cowboys to face the toughest possible opponent in every round of the upcoming playoffs, knowing full well that their chances of reaching and winning the SB are lower than if they took other paths."

As long as they win those tough games I’m all for it, because that is my ideal. Yes, I want them to win bottom line though-no matter who they face.

If they were to lose, I want it to be an all out fight from every team member against another great squad that squeaked past.

 

[Asklesko]

So if they beat four other playoff teams they won't have earned it? Someone should inform the NFL.

This whole thread seems like some fans wanting to be able to thump their chests at certain other fans.

Just beat whoever ends up in front of you. You get the same trophy either way.

Deserve is debatable. It's earning that is not. Earning the trophy is about beating the best competition available. That's the path OP has laid out.

It isn't about fans thumping their chests. It's about the players. Either that or finishing the year with a big old WHEW.