I think this article is right on concerning this subject! Redskins Go A Little Too Quietly By Michael Wilbon Tuesday, October 30, 2007; Page E01 College teams can object to the playground bully running it up. Little Murray State can be legitimately annoyed when nationally ranked Louisville guns it to 73-10. But no pro team, certainly no NFL team, can ever whine about an opponent zooming up and down the field at will. There's no difference in admissions policies in professional sports. Nobody has an advantage in walk-ons or scholarships. With salary cap restrictions and the yield from the college draft, NFL teams compete on the most level playing field imaginable. So the notion that another team should voluntarily stop beating another team's brains out is, well, dumb. Article ==> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...7102902167.html
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Washington1788 @ Oct 31 2007, 01:42 PM) [snapback]533006[/snapback]</div> As a coach (travel basketball and travel soccer for over a decade) of younger boys - where "mercy" rules are in effect, when you get to the big leagues (professional level), they should do whatever they want to do. I agree with you - and hence i found it amusing that the Redskins did NOT take matters into their own hands. Professional sports have sure been "feminanized"(sp?) over the past decade or so to make it multimedia friendly - there is no doubt in my day too a guy like Butkis would have done something - and the thought of keeping Brady in the game should have never entered the decision making process - years ago the head coach would have worried about somebody doing something - not today :-(
NE has been a bit unfairly criticised about this. They did pull Brady. But they continued to throw the ball for a good reason. L. Maroney is just finally getting healthy, and his backup is hurt already. What is NE to do? Down the ball 3 times and punt throughout the 4th quarter? Hand it to Maroney and risk losing him again right before they play the Colts? No. They had Matt Cassel in there throwing to Jabar Gaffney. 2nd stringers, trying to make a name for themselves.
Fortunately, it's just a game. I don't see where any professional athlete has much to whine about. The whole bunch is over payed, considering that they make no real contribution to society other than entertainment. Find a cure for cancer or AIDS, and then you would be worth the sort of money they get. Tom
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(qbee42 @ Oct 31 2007, 02:00 PM) [snapback]533016[/snapback]</div> Well that's a lovely thought....in Shagri-la. Panem et circus. (Bread and Circus) As long as fans pay to watch, there is money to be made. I'd rather see that money go to the athletes than the billionare owners. The athletes are the ones with chronic knee problems from age 30 on. They are today's gladiators. It is a role in society that has always been there and always will be.
I'd have yanked Brady and the other key starters off the field late in the 3rd mainly to eliminate the risk of injury but also to get the second stringers and third stringers some live game time. This would both protect the starters and get the bench warmers better prepared to come in in later games should there be a need. That probably would have had the effect of not running up the score...but maybe not...that would not ever be the intent...I'd expect the 2nd and 3rd string guys to play their hardest as well. But, I won't criticize Bilichek's decision to keep playing...it's the pros. Hell, in the recent environment with refs being charged with game fixing and such I wouldn't be suprised to see someone suggest that he was intentionally NOT running up the score because of betting....he's in a no-win with the critics.
"he's in a no-win with the critics." It's lonely at the top! I don't think this domination is going to last. Moss is healthy for the first time in YEARS, and his ability to stretch the field is what has opened everything up. But as a Vikings fan, I know a lot about Moss and his legs are very injury prone. Anything less than 100% health for Randy makes him an average receiver at best (IE: his last year in MN and entire stay at Oakland). I'll bet he twists an ankle/knee at some point and the NE offense starts to sputter. (though If I had to pick a SB winner now, it's still gotta be NE, their D is just that good). By next year, they'll lose free agents due to the success.
