We're all on pins and needles watching and hoping for a new agreement so we can all get our "football fix." I am a fan of other sports but, they just don't seem to matter all that much. As a kid, I could name starting lineups on almost every baseball team, and was a huge fan, as was my father, and his father before him. In Basketball, I played the game and could not wait to go to the playground to try out new moves and passes I had seen live or on TV. Now, I'm pretty much bored with both until it comes to playoff time. Football is different. I try to watch every game at least twice, try to analyze every player, every play, who we could add in FA, and what we are gonna do in the draft. It's become a part time job, which I love. Why do other sports pale in comparison? Length of season, parity, physical play, or something else? Opinions?
IMO football has hit that sweet spot of having enough games but not so many as to diminish their importance. IMO as long as they stay below 20 games they will always have that. Every game is always an event for a fan. I like basketball but its really no big deal if I miss seeing a game. In fact, I would say that the NBA strike season was the only one I recall where nobody (players and media surrounding the mid season lull) complained about the season dragging on in the middle. And baseball is worse. Who cares if you miss a game as they'll probably play again in a few hours. What football has is anticipation. You build anticipation all week for that all important game. And as we all know, anticipation can be better than the thing itself. Everybody has wanted something that turned out to be a let down once they finally got it. But during the waiting/wanting phase, it was the best thing ever. Football gives us that on a weekly basis. And even when/if the game/season doesn't match that anticipation its okay b/c we can start anticipating immediately for the next game. As for the game itself, football has a nice mix of simplicity and complexity. It is the ultimate team sport as having a weak link can be disastrous to any given play. It is impressive to watch 11 individuals work together. The strategy of the game is riveting and deep. Yet, its still enjoyable for the +90% of fans who don't see or understand all that complexity. They still enjoy great athletic feats and can understand enough to have their opinions about what a team should be doing. Even those athletic feats have something for everyone, whether you prefer power or speed, grace or brutality. Football is at the same time a thinking man's game and a game that appeals to our basic animal instincts.
Rafael did a pretty god job explaining, it has just enough games where fans want to watch all of them and for the majority of teams every game still has meaning until the last couple of weeks. Only team that comes close to the same level of passion I have for Miami is the UNC men's basketball team. I watch every game and losses sting but it's not like Miami. For me I'm thinking win enough games to get to the NCAA tournament and then it gets serious. I think having almost every game on the same day also helps, it becomes ritualized in a way. Humans like order and routine and knowing almost every week your team is kicking off at 1:00 PM EST on Sunday helps. For the fans really into it they just clear off Sundays every week from September to February if it's at all possible. The parity surely helps too. If you're a Charlotte Bobcats fan are you thinking next year you have a chance to win the title? No. Sure it was a perfect storm but what team's fans know more about a quick turnaround than we do as Dolphins fans? 1-15 to 11-5 and a division title in one year? Even the Panthers who had a terrible year could be in the playoffs within three years if the right decisions are made and a little luck. That gives every team's fans something to be optimistic about and reason to tune in every year. Even the lowly Rams who have not had much success in recent years were one game away from going to the playoffs, after having the top pick the year before. Also another thing Rafael touched on is different tiers of knowledgeable football fans being able to enjoy the game. I can watch a game with my mom who doesn't know as much as I do but she'll cheer and enjoy it like I will, and there are fans who are five times smarter about the game and intricacies of it than I, but doesn't matter. Last aspect I think is the fact it's marketed and the majority of the fans buy more into the team than any individual players. I love Steve Nash and enjoyed watching him play with Dirk so I watched and cheered for the Mavericks, was no local NC team around either at that time. Once Nash got traded I didn't care as much about the Mavericks and found myself hoping the Suns would win the West. We all loved Dan Marino but after he retired it was back to business as usual in regards to me being a fan. Eagerly awaiting the Draft, preseason, regular season to start, etc. and wondering who would be slinging the ball around for us next year. There are a lot of players on the Dolphins I like right now but any five of them could be traded and wouldn't matter, I'll still bleed aqua and orange.
NBA is gonna be fun this year..but iam addicted to football, the construction of our team, how to build that team into a champion, in season, offseason, iam all good. I dont get bored. combine is here, me happy.
Well said Raf. I would add off season to your anticipation. The combine is of some interest. Free agency gets crazy, and it's not only about the stars. Just look at this forum when a player is cut or even rumored to be available like OJ and assorted QB's. This is before a real FA period which could have 500 available players, and every team is a player. Other sports offer little in comparison with few teams able to compete. Then we have "The Draft." This has become an event to light up forums, and all other media, for weeks. Hell, we were talking about it before the season ended. It's not just the top picks, it's down to the last player drafted, and then those who were not. It's not just about the skill positions, it's about the "Big Uglies" as well as ST players. Teams in other sports hope to find one player. In the NFL, small market teams like Green Bay and Pitt do much more than compete. Other sports, for the most part, cannot, could be looking at contraction, and or shutting down until they sort out how to fix things. The big difference here is that most fans understand and agree that shutting down the NBA and MLBB may be in the best interest of the games. Not so with the NFL
Good points Starry. Look at the Marlins, who have won two World Series. You want to fall in love with the team. They win a title, and are ripped apart. Then they win another, and are ripped apart. All because they cannot or will not compete to keep their players. Look at what happened to the Cav's, Raptors, and now Nuggets in the NBA. Stars don't want to be with those teams. I agree that, in the NFL, we love the team more than the players. I also believe that is the result of the way they market their teams and player contracts.
I'm with ya DJ. I'm looking forward to my Heat kicking some *** and winning a title. I'm in construction, and love the building as much, if not more so, than the finished product. I am already missing the speculation on FA's.
