Different Standards

I find it very interesting how we as consumers of major sporting events have different standards for each sport. What constitutes being a great player in one sport could be something totally different in another? Take the shooting guards of basketball and the wide receivers of football for example. It is ok for a shooting guard to lead his team in touches, points, free throws and stats like that. Overall it is the shooting guards job to make shots. So us as consumers find it ok to have one person score fifty points in one game even in a loss. Then on the flip side you have the wide receivers in football that are some of the best athletes on the field and also some of the more demanding players. Yet we look at them as less of a team player if they want to lead there team in any of the major statistical categories that impact the game. Players like T.O. and Randy Moss get criticized for wanting the ball and not being a team player, when in basketball its ok for Kobe Bryant to take 85% of his teams shots while on his way to scoring 82 points.

This thought process has brought me to another interesting contradiction in the world or sports. Due to golf being such a technical sports it is treated differently from other sports. For the most part I agree, but when a player chokes as they say it doesn’t matter what sport or tournament, the player choked. This brings me to a recent event where the great Tiger Woods had a chance to be great again. Instead he lost to a lower seeded opponent, even though he had a chance on the last three holes to win his round. In most sports we would dog out the player or coach for giving up a lead or not being able to close the deal and win the game. Well the same should go for golfers also. It is becoming very acceptable for golfers to give us excuses on why they lost; yet at the end of the day a loss is a loss. I found it to be quite interesting how we gave Tiger a pass because he had so many good reasons on why he lost. For me he should have manned up and just say that he blew it and he lost. Instead we get a ten-minute speech on how his putter failed him. To me he should just have owned up to his mental toughness and be honest with everyone that he choked. The key to this is that Tiger is suppose to be the greatest so I guess it is ok to make excuses.

Super Finish leads to a Super Victory

It is easy to see how the Giants won the super bowl considering millions tuned in to watch the game, but what may go unseen is how they finished their year off. This time it didn’t take a miracle throw from Eli to some unknown wide receiver. This time it took a precise pass from Eli to a known wide receiver. Other than that this super bowl run and the one they made in 07-08 are identical. Both started with a few games left in the regular season, when the team decided to bond together and become one. Justin Tuck, the teams all pro defensive end said it best when he said that the team tossed all their egos out the window. It is almost like this team has a switch that they can turn on, but if that were the case then they would have won the last three after the first one. Unfortunately for them things is not that easy. In the NFL it takes a little luck to get where you want to go. For instance this year the Giants where two lucky plays away from being eliminated from playoff contention, when they faced the Dallas Cowboys for the first time last season. If the Giants lost than they would be eliminated considering there were only four games left in the season. On one play the Dallas cowboy’s quarter back misses a wide-open wide receiver who was so open that he would have scored. Then at the end of the game the Giants get lucky and block the game winning field goal as time expired. If these two plays happen any other way then the Giants would have been watching the last Super bowl instead of playing in it. Still the team understood how close they came to not being in the playoffs and started to make a run that stands out as one of the best end of seasons finishes of all time.

Do or Die

Here we go again with the Dallas Cowboys.
It was just three or four years ago when they had T.O.
and they went to philly to play to go to the playoffs. At that time it was Wade "Bum" Phillips who was the coach and Tony "don't be a" Romo as the quarterback. Unfortunately Tony was very suspect back then.

We things have change in those specific ways in that our new coach is Jason "the joker" Garrett and we have seen some decent improvement from Romo. Lets give him a little credit he has at least won one playoff game.

Still we find ourself in the same position, playing a Sunday night game on NBC, which we have never won on; playing another division opponent for the division title and a chance to go to the playoff.

Our defense is suspect and there is still the cloud that Jerry Jones creates hanging over the franchise. All I can say his here we go again and lets see if this time their luck can change.

Business Men who See the Whole Plan

Mark Cuban

Mark Cuban is a well-known self made billionaire, who has made a name for himself by being different from others. Mark was born in Pittsburg Pennsylvania on July 31, 1958. He grew up in a Jewish neighborhood name Mt. Lebanon. Mr. Cuban would go on to graduate from the University of Indiana in 1981 with a degree in business administration. Mark Cuban level of success is one, which can and most certainly deservers to be admired. As of the year 2011 Mark Cuban is No.459 on Forbes’ World’s Richest People” list, with a net worth of $2.5 billion. ( Wikipedia)

It is clear to see that he has done a great job in the world of business, which means that a person such as him could qualify as an expert in world of business plans and ideas. The question then shifts to what type of business plan is a good one and what are some of the key features from Cubans viewpoint. With this thought in mind I found a quote that may summarize what Cuban feels is the key to any plan. “Wherever I see people doing something the way it’s always been done, the way it’s “supposed” to be done, following the same old trends, well, that’s just a big red flag to me to go look somewhere else.” (Inspring) To me this does a great job of summarizing what is the key to building a good plan and that is to think outside of the box. The results for this way of thinking for Cuban has shown inspiring entrepreneurs that it is important to look for this types of opportunities in any business situation.

Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan is an iconic basketball player who has captivated the world of sports entertainment. Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1963, Jordan has work his way to the top of his business endeavors. Now the majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, one could say that Jordan is an expert on recognizing a good business plan. Jordan’s presence and play in the game of basketball lead him to some great business opportunities. Jordan help the NBA reach some of its highest revenue marks, while helping the well-known company Nike make millions through apparel sales. Jordan would then branch off and form his own company while buying ownership of a NBA team.

One thing for me that comes to mind when I look at Jordan’s business sense and success is the passion that he exhibits for whatever it is that he is doing. This helps lend a key to what it takes to make a successful business plan. You have to have the want, the drive and some understanding for things to eventually go your way. In Michael Jordan’s book Driven from Within, he clearly sheds some light into his thought process to working and making a good business idea. “In its highest form, business is a team game. The teams that can accept that philosophy are the teams that have the best chance.” (202) Another quote that helps put his philosophy towards business into light is “ The Products, companies and people who stay true to who they are usually end up being around for a long time.” (194) This seems to whole true considering the fact that Jordan hasn’t played in almost ten years but his company and brand still has a strong foundation. Overall you can see what it takes for people to be successful. Part comes from the substance of the plan and the other part comes from the want to succeed. I think that most successful business mind put both these things together to make a good business plan.

NFL Labor Crisis Finally Over

The end is finally near for the NFL and its 2011 labor issues. The NFL has been in lockout mode for about 131 days now and it is finally time to play some football.
The key issues for most labor agreements is money and control and this particular one didn’t deviate from the norm. The power struggle between the NFL’s owners and the NFL’s Player Association was all brought about due to money and politics.

The owners wanted to broaden the percentage of money that they would receive from the leagues total revenue pool. The players wanted better benefits when it came to health for current and retired players. The owners wanted a rookie wage scale, while the players wanted to be compensated for bad business practices due to the deals that the NFL made with its television companies.

All in all there were a lot of issues that needed to be taken care of for the NFL and the player to agree to terms. The players and league now find themselves agreeing to a new 10-year deal that will give the NFL a decade of labor piece.

From the fans perspective, we all understand that business is business, but it does shed some light on how the league feels about its fans. The player and owners could have dragged this thing out another 131 days to the point that there wasn’t going to be a 2011 season. In other sports labor agreements have gone so far that the seasons are cancelled and the fan base is put in outrage. I think the player and owners of this league clearly understood that this wasn’t an option.

To me this situation turned out as good as it possibly could with millionaires fighting billionaires over money that ultimately belongs to the fans.

The Trouble Overseas

From the outside looking in on all of these sports labor negotiations, I feel that when it is all said and done the owners, who represent the billionaires could and will out last and out spend the players, who represent the millionaires.

Well it seems that the players of the NBA may have something that no other players union has had in times of labor lockout and uncertainty.  The players of the NBA have a similar trump card that the owners of the NFL had in 1987 when they went to replacement players.  At that time the NFL had a players strike on their hand and went to replacement players and a means to collecting revenue while negotiations took place.

Well it seems that times have definitely changed.  Currently the NFL is going through tough labor negotiations which are jeopardizing the league and its revenue, but replacement players aren’t an option for the owners and the players have no where else to play so in the end they will have to work something out for their to be a positive resolution for both parties.

With all of this said most would think that the NBA players are in the same position as their counterparts.  Well that perception changed when superstar Deron Williams announced that he has a deal in place to play for a team in Turkey if the NBA lockout isn’t resolved in time.

Yet there may also be another problem bubbling up for the owners if things go the way Deron thinks they will.  In an article by Chris Broussard from ESPN.com he goes on to interview Deron about the decision to play overseas and his thoughts on the landscape of the game.      

" If the proposal (the owners) have, if that's what they're sticking with and that's what they want, then I think it would be hard for a lot of guys to come back to the NBA," Williams said Friday in an interview at a private golf resort in San Diego.

"(Kobe) could go make more money overseas, I guarantee you." said Williams, who has a one-year, $5 million deal with Besiktas. "If (European teams) knew he could be there for a full season, or they knew I could be there for a full season, or they knew LeBron James could be there for a full season, they'll pay more money, of course."

These were thoughts by Deron Williams but eventually they will become the greatest bargaining tool for the players as this lock moves forward.  Deron believes that there may be an exodus by the players if the owners get their way and lower player salary.  It would be pretty easy to see how the option to play in Europe becomes the thing to do.  European teams have contacted other players such as Rudy Fernandez, and Carmelo Anthony, in attempt to sign them away from the NBA.  Other players have even gone so far as to inquire about contracts and insurance if they were to decide to play overseas.

 It is clear that there are some serious issues that will come into play when it comes to the labor negotiations in the NBA.  The players have options but the owners don’t so I see a different turnout when it comes to the final outcome of this situation.

Reference:

1)  http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nba/news/story?id=6753259

NBA in Trouble ?

                        Being a diehard fan of basketball and specifically the NBA is becoming a hard thing in the last few years.  For me it is not the tattoos and personalities that liter the court.  For me it is not the off the court image, because the NBA does a good job of marketing that they care.  For me it is not the politics of the league, whit teams changing cities and marketing promotions that advertise the idea that one person makes the game. For me it is the way that the game is being officiated.  There have always been whispers that the NBA is fixed and the referees have a hidden agenda.  This all came to a loud crash when the Tim Donaghy story broke in 2007.  Being that I grew up a fan of Michael Jordan and I am realist, I understand that he got every call and that was probably not because he was the greatest basketball player I have every seen.  So, for me I understand that the referees may hold some calls and blow some calls because of things that have nothing to do with the game.  My major issue is with the referee’s inability to either see or make the call for traveling when it occurs in a game.  I have seen Dwayne Wade, a prominent NBA figure take the ball and take three steps before dribbling.  Traveling is defined as a player moving his pivot foot or taking too many steps before dribbling according to Wikipedia.  Now it seems that all of the major stars are getting away with traveling and to me it affects the younger group who are aspiring to become a great player.  They are being taught that the game is supposed to be played this way.  Most aren’t old enough to understand why things like this occur so for them it must be ok because Lebron James did it.  I was playing my son in a good one- on one game when he takes two steps and a crab step before he dribbled the ball.  After I called the play he turns around and ask why did I call traveling?  He was shock to learn that what he did was traveling due to what is considered ok in NBA standards.  I think it is time for the people who run the NBA to understand that their efforts to gain finically now will affect their product in the long run.  Unfortunately their long run is now, and to me the current prospects from the NCAA shows the decline in fundamentals and ultimately the decline of great players.  It is hard to say who will be the next Kobe, Lebron, or Iverson, when the next generation of players all have no role model for how the game is truly suppose to be played.

Reference:

1.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traveling_(basketball)