DEFLATED FOOTBALL
By Dan Miller
January 3, 2008
I don't understand the hoopla over those late summer pre-season football games, or "exhibition games" as we used to call them.
I'm fascinated that so many people will pay so much money to see teams in glorified practice sessions.
With the exception of a few rookies trying to impress the coaches, a team's main focus seems to be polishing plays, and preventing key personnel from getting hurt.
It really doesn't matter whether a team wins or loses, or even how it plays the game.
OK, OK, the paying fans know and accept that, so there's no reason for them -- or me -- to complain about it.
But that's not the case with many of the "real" games that take place near the end of the season.
It's a time when some teams already have their guaranteed spots in the post season, while other teams know their season is about to end.
Still, the true fans want their team to win every game.
And they want to see their team at its best.
But what often takes place is a game where at least one of the teams (possibly both) has nothing to be gained or lost by victory or defeat.
Just like the pre-season, the main concern is not getting anyone hurt.
I'm thrilled and happy that the Titans advanced into the post season playoffs.... but wouldn't it have been sweeter and more exciting if they had advanced by defeating the "real" Indianapolis Colts, instead of the Colts' bench-warmers?
It used to be that the benches were never cleared in a pro game, except when victory was assured, or defeat was imminent.
If I were a Colts season ticket holder, I'd feel "shortchanged" and mildly annoyed that -- in the big regular season finale against the Titans -- my team made such a poor effort to secure a victory.
They could take a lesson from the Patriots - Giants game a few days earlier.
The play-by-play announcers keep referring to the games as "meaningless."
Personally, I think there should never be a "meaningless" regular season game in the high powered, high priced National Football League.
There should always be a reason -- an incentive -- for each team to win. But what?
It would be difficult to create monetary incentive by offering more bonuses to already mega-salaried players.
And you can't reward the winning teams with first round college draft picks.
In fact, NFL policy is exactly the opposite.
Teams with the most losses are awarded higher draft picks.
The reality is.... at least for owners and coaches.... near season's end, there could actually be incentive for losing.
That troubles me.
Perhaps the league could assign -- with great fanfare -- a worthy cause, or charity, to each team that has either secured its place in the post season, or has been eliminated.
Then, for the remainder of the regular season, every time one of those teams wins a "meaningless" game, a big donation would be made to "its" charity.
Maybe -- just maybe -- that would keep the teams motivated to play hard and win, through all the "meaningless" games, right up to the end of the season.
It would sure give those charities, and all who support them, something to cheer for.
And the games would have true "meaning."
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