My view on professional sport in the United States....

[duckmeat]

I don't think the length of the baseball season holds it back at all. And people who don't think baseball is exciting and think it is slow don't fully get the strategy of it. I do think MLB is killing itself though. Steroids makes the last era either literally or theoretically have an asterisk beside it, the best hitter and the best pitcher I've ever seen were both cheating. How often do you turn on the TV and see baseball talk when steroids aren't mentioned? The lack of a salary cap means that the Yankees can go out and spend more money this off season than the entire NL, while small market teams like my reds bring up great talent only to see them go make their millions somewhere else.

The NFL just plain dominates. The games are played when most people aren't working, the season is nice, short and easy to follow. Every team has a chance to be shitty one year then go to the Superbowl the next or make the playoffs(Dolphins, Falcons, Cards). Even their freakin draft is a bigger event than alot of other sports playoff games. Fantasy football(more popular than baseball IMO) also helps the NFL tremendously. People tune into awful teams like the Lions because Calvin Johnson is on their team. Betting is also really popular in the NFL. Jersey sells are greater than any other sport. I could go on and on and on...but like I said, the NFL just dominates.

[R13]

I understand the strategy completely and things can be exciting, but not nearly as much as football or basketball. I can watch a NBA Finals or Superbowl that doesn't have the cowboys or suns in it and that is every year, but i can't do that with the World Series or any other baseball game that doesn't have my team in it.100 times worse. The salary cap means squat, the Yankees spent hundreds of millions last year and were sitting at home with the Reds come October. The Yankees sale tickets, they sure sold a lot last year with the last year of the old Stadium and they'll sale a lot with the new one this year...but most of all they usually win and have a lonnnnnnnng history of winning, that sales tickets year in and year out. A lot of teams have chances to bring in good players but back out, how many times have those braves did that? These teams can win games, sale tickets/merchandise and you'll have money. Look at a Marlins game, see how many fans are in the stands? It'd be different if the Yankees won it all every year, but its been almost ten years since they have and they've outspent every team in those years...it hasn't made a difference. Look at the Rays, the Yanks and the sox outspent them by miles last year..but they mopped up the floor with both of them.


It doesn't reallt hurt them, but compared to 16 games it definitely makes a difference. I know you love the NFL and the boys duckmeat, but if it were 160 Cowboy games a year..would you geet into every game like you do now? Would you care as much if we just lost one game in a 16 game season or one where you have dozens and dozens more to make it up? Would you be more likely to miss some games if you had that many chances to watch more? You hit the nail on the head with the Sundays though, I think the dramatically shorter season then baseball or basketball for that matter helps the popularity insanely...wait longer for the season, the games are more important /costly etc. The anticipation is far greater, which means the popularity and excitement will be high too.

[duckmeat]

I disagree. The lack of a salary cap hurts. When Boston, NYY, NYM and the usual suspects are always the only teams in the hunt for marquee free agents that can turn a franchise around, be the guy on the front of the media guide, and give them some identity. Why would you stay with the Reds when they only offer you five mil, and the Yankees give you twenty? Not only do teams like this get one or two of these top tier guys, they build their whole roster with them. Small market teams can't keep their players, it's just disheartening to watch a player come up through the minors and watch him grow into a superstar only to know his contract is up and your team has no chance to keep him. The Rays this year were a result of being constantly awful, and building their team the right way. They won't stay on top though, their best players will be gone in a few years. The Yankees and the rest will stay at the top or near the top, because they will just keep buying what other people built, it really is like the majority of the MLB is a farm team for these big time teams.

I couldn't deal with a 160 game Cowboys season. I couldn't take having to play the rest of the NFC East that many times a year, I'd go crazy. I still would probably watch them all though. I stay on Cowboys forums every day I'm near a computer, and do it even more in the offseason.

Random trivia for you R13, and proof that I guess these studies people do don't mean squat. In a poll that was about sports fans and their tendencies, it was proven that with Liberal and far left leaning people that baseball is their favorite sport. Pretty interesting stuff though, I'll see if I can find the whole poll and the results. Heard it on Colin Cowherd's show.

[pvfan]

Yea, I heard the same poll. I found it odd, around here the more conservative you are, generally the more you like baseball, well from my expereince at least.

If Edinson Volquez/Jay Bruce/Joey Votto/Johny Cueto turn into studs and the Reds let them walk I seriously may fall out with baseball. This is the first time in a decade the Reds really have a chance to make some hay in a few years if their players develop. I think the Reds will flirt with .500 this year, could be wrong but the Central is worse this year than it has been. The Brewers are much worse as are the Astros and the Pirates, well they are the Pirates. St. Louis has problems on defense, and are counting on Chris Carpenter to come back healthy and be the pitcher he used to be. The Cubs will be the class of the division again, sadly.