Each league seems to have their own set of problems trying to save THIS season.......I've got news for you guys... You could very well be fighting for your very own existence the way you've allowed leadership to get into the position it is today... This pandemic problem is just the final straw and how YOU handle it is going to go a long way to deciding if YOUR FAN BASE is going to just say GOODBYE...
The NHL, for one is trying to come up with a playoff format that, they hope, will make a happy ending to it's fans with an e entertaining playoff scenario... That is a good goal to strive for BUT, it seems, their solution is kind of OFF THE BOARDS.....Big point is that the BOSTON BRUINS, who have the best record in the entire NHL at 100 points, is going to be thrown into the middle of the heap a could easily be knocked off by some much lesser team before they even get to the second round... Whatever happened to the "seeding system" where the teams with the best records played the teams with the lesser records... You know what I mean... It took all of professional sports a long time before they all adopted that very system that helped them all to rise to the heights they;ve presently achieved...
And now, with one crazy decision they're risking losing it all... There's a few other things leading up to this but it's a good place to focus on for beginnings... Think about it...
MLB is in the same boat.. THEIR leaders are strongly considering shortening the season to 82 games and adding a few teams to the postseason... They're also squabbling from the ranks in, what looks like, a power struggle between SCOTT BOROS and the owners (as well as several players in the union) who don't want him in the process.... Big name pitcher, Trevor Bauer, says Boros never cared about anything but his own position and doesn't want him (Boros) "meddling" in Union business."
I agree, but the current problem is only another type of "the last straw that broke the camel's back."... Baseball has been changing the game for years, going all the way back to the designated hitter rule which led the way for the owners straying away from things that make the game great in the first place... STRATEGIES is the biggest... Think about the manager having to decide if he should pitch to TED WILLIAMS (with a right hander on the mound who's pitching a great game, but is tied with bases loaded in the last of the 9th/and TWO outs.....Does he bring in a left handed pitch to face Ted??? Then lose the right hander even if Ted makes an out... Or, moves the pitcher to LEFT FIELD, bring in the LEFT HANDER and hope for the best? There are several other scenarios involving the designated hitter and/or pitchers But that takes some of the thrills and cuts down on MANAGER'S OPTIONS.....AND limits to the fuels for the hot stove leagues that pop up after the world series until spring training rolls around again... SORRY for being long winded about this BUT I grew up in those days when BASEBALL was king... Now, because of stupid decisions, that the founders of baseball never intended, the sport has slipped behind the NFL as AMERICA'S GAME... Notice, I never mentioned ther stupidity of striving, for several years, to make the game faster? FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL and HOCKEY founders played by a clock and THAT determined the length of the game......BASEBALL founders didn't have a clock to determine their games......It lasted as AMERICA'S sport for ONE HUNDRED YEARS......Go back to the basics or risk sliding even further into oblivion......How long before Soccer and even roller-derby surpasses baseball???.....Give us old timers back our game before it's too late.....Start thinking of the Fans and not TV revenues....
The NBA hasn't quite figure out what, or even where, they're going to do about finishing up THEIR season... Disneyland (or "world) never could get them straight.. Players are starting to complain about the cut in salaries...some are even saying that they won't play at all if the game isn't going to get them into WHATEVER playoff system the owners/league decide upon... My feelings... follow the contract and do what it says...
Now for the NFL.. For whatever reason they seem to have everything under control and the season won't be affected and will start on schedule...
The commissioner (I call him Roger the Dodger) doesn't have any hard decisions (yet) and that may be a big part of it.. For now, keep your fingers crossed......I'm looking forward to a great season for the Patriots... Las Vegas oddsmakers say they won't win more than 8 1/2 games. I'm taking the over and look forward to an 11 win season and a division title game, at least...
Stay tuned... - JT