International Football League Alex DeClaire
Earlier this week the Los Angeles Chargers owner Dean Spanos aggressively shot down the rumors of his team moving to London. This is the second time in recent history that a team has been involved in the London rumor, the other being the Oakland Raiders. Is it feasible to have a team “across the pond” as they say or do the negatives outweigh the positives for a full franchise to be located there.
Since 2007 the NFL has hosted games outside of the United States, but prior to that we have to look back at the short history of the WLAF, World League of American Football. The WLAF was founded in 1989 and did not last through the 90s before being rebranded to NFL Europe, which then slowly died until 2007. The league had reportedly been losing over $30 million dollars a year. However, in a sharp turn of events and fortune, the NFL since 2007 has had incredible success with the games in London. As the years passed and the NFL continued to see success, they gradually added more games both in London and eventually branched out to Mexico in 2016. Now it has been reported that the league has plenty of opportunities in Europe for games to be held in other countries besides the UK, which I am sure we will see in the near future. To take it a step further it has been reported that the NFL would like to have a franchise in London by “around 2021.”
Sure, the games since 2007 have been successful but is it enough to establish a franchise and deal with all the logistical issues it would face. First off, the time zone difference is a major issue and the first in many people’s mind. “Traveling to or from London, with its five-hour time difference, might be a minor inconvenience for East Coast teams, but it could be a serious disadvantage for the West Coast ones. The time zone difference between London and somewhere like San Francisco during much of football season is eight hours,” Bryan Gardiner writes on Wired.com. Bryan is absolutely right; it is not only a serious disadvantage but if you also think about the issues we currently have with the short rest for Thursday night games imagine traveling 5-10 hours overseas for a game. Secondly, the divisions are set and unless a team voluntarily moves to London the expansion for the NFL could lead to multiple issues that we saw in the WLAF. The last issue is the money and not only the currency difference but the infrastructure that would be required to be on the same level as a major NFL team in the states. With an NFL team you need more than just the stadium to play in, you also need a practice facility with all the amenities that we see NFL franchises spend so much on. Just so you understand the financial investment required, the Dallas Cowboys recently built their new HQ/Practice facility for $1.5 billion dollars.
I’d love to see the NFL go global and redeem their efforts from the mid 90s, but just because there has been recent success and possible opportunities does not mean it is time. The important thing about this maneuver is to get it right this time around, don’t rush it and certainly don’t force it. There are plenty of opportunities to expand the international circuit to other countries and continue to build a rock-solid fan base overseas. I am sure we will eventually see the NFL go global and until that day I will enjoy the early morning games from Wembley here in the states.
USA Three-Peat Alex DeClaire
The FIBA World Cup starts September 1st for the USA Men’s Basketball team amidst a whirlwind of roster issues and changes. Despite a majority of the top tier NBA players not joining the roster, Head Coach Gregg Popovich and Assistant Coach Steve Kerr still feel optimist about gold medal chances and the team’s shot at history. The team has the opportunity to be the first nation to three-peat in FIBA World Cup/World Championship’s history. Luckily, when you have two of the greatest coaches in the game, the team’s chances are still strong even without A tier NBA players. So, how did we get to this point where players are withdrawing and what are really our chances at making FIBA World Cup history?
The 90s were a historically great time for both the World Cup and Olympic USAB teams. Here’s a quick recap, the ’92 Olympic “Dream Team” had some of the greatest to ever play the game and dominated every matchup winning by at least 30 points. Two years later in the 1994 World Championship, “The Dream Team II” had a different roster but still dominated going undefeated with a +37.7-point differential. In fact, all but two of the teams in the 90s went undefeated and captured the gold medal in all world tournaments. As for all-time records, USA World Cup’s team record is 123-27 with two gold medals in the last two tournaments (2014,2010) and USA Olympics’ team record is 138-5. Clearly, the USA has been dominating in both tournaments since they started handing out medals for basketball. So how did we get to a point where we have players not committing or withdrawing from the FIBA World Cup team?
In 2014 Paul George fractured his leg horribly in Team USA Basketball scrimmage, and it seems to have opened a lot of players eyes to the possibility of serious injury. In an era of load management and player rights there have been many measures taken by individuals to prolong their careers. Also, a compounding factor is the timing in relation to NBA open camps. Team open camps typically start near the end of September and the FIBA World Cup runs pretty close to then giving players limited time to recover and prepare for the long season ahead. These reasons allow players to see that their time is better spent in the gym on their own terms.
There is a long list of players who withdrew or opted not to join, but there are still All-Star caliber players who did. Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, and Khris Middleton are just a few of the names wearing the red, white, and blue this year. However, the problem is not what the USA does or does not have; instead, it’s the other teams in the way of making history. Teams like Spain with Ricky Rubio and Marc Gasol, France with Rudy Gobert, and Serbia with Nikola Jokic can no longer be overlooked. On the bright side, the USA is still ranked first in the FIBA World Rankings!
In my opinion, the USA team has enough talent to get the job done and the current team assembled is stronger than most in the field. Also, when you factor Gregg Popovich and Steve Kerr into the equation, Team USA looks good. I hope this load management issue fades so we can see legendary teams again like the ’92 Dream Team or 2008 Olympics team. I understand the gamble but also love seeing superstars dominate in Americas colors. Basketball players practice best through live action so I would love to see them come back to playing international instead of in a LA Fitness gym or blacktop court.
Little League, Big Attention Alex DeClaire
The Little League World Series is back and already making headlines this August with story lines like Maddy Freking and “Chicken Little.” Every year it is always great to witness these talented young kids on such a big stage. The players have such a fun-loving attitude and passion for the game that reminds us of why we love sports. It is important to remember what the Little League World Series does for sports history and the people in it, our society and others around the world, and the kids who get this great opportunity.
The LLWS has given us memories over the years that are seemingly unforgettable. Last year, we got the famous quote, “Hi my name is Alfred Delia, at home they call me ‘Big Al,’ and I hit dingers.” Middletown’s ‘Big Al’ blew up the internet and the phrase “I hit dingers” is cemented in LLWS history despite his team not even making the tournament. In the 1982 LLWS, Cody Webster led his team from Kirkland, Washington to a championship against the seemingly unbeatable Taiwanese. Underdogs was an understatement as the nation witnessed for the first time on TV the Kirkland team bring Taiwan’s 31-game winning streak to a halt. Cody pitched an incredible game only giving up two hits and hitting the longest homerun in LLWS history at 280-feet. The 1957 Championship featured Angel Macias pitching the only perfect game in LLWS history as Monterrey, Mexico won 4-0 making them the first international team to win the LLWS. All of these players and more have created stories in sports history that still resonant today.
I mentioned a young lady in the first paragraph by the name of Maddy Freking, only the 19th girl to play in the LLWS and the 6th pitcher. Maddy had an incredible outing this past weekend and brought back memories of Mo’ne Davis from 2014 who was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated and won an ESPY. Maddy may not feature on the cover of Sports Illustrated or win an ESPY, but it is important to realize the barriers these young women are breaking before they’re teenagers! These stories bring together members of society that may not share common interests or opinions, but in the world of sports we overlook those things. Furthermore, one of the greatest things about sports is its innate ability to bring people together behind a great story.
Lastly, I want to talk about the importance this tournament brings to the kids around the world especially in countries that aren’t typically front-page news. Deivis Ordoñez, or “Chicken Little,” from Venezuela gave us another great example of kids who don’t take themselves too seriously. It’s great to watch them do goofy dances and celebrations showing us they are having the time of their life playing the game they love. Countless other examples throughout history have shown us that the “little” in Little League is what makes it different from other tournaments in televised sports.
The LLWS is important for more reasons than what I am able to list out on one page, but like the World Cup this is another opportunity to bring the nations together for a common cause that provides unity amongst people. It is one of those sporting events you can throw on and expect to laugh at the silliness, cheer for the underdogs, and sometimes catch yourself gripping the chair during thrilling moments. Just another reason to love sports.
Loyalty, Loyalty, Loyalty Alex DeClaire
With NFL Preseason underway it is about time teams start dealing with player holdouts. Last season, we witnessed a Le’Veon Bell holdout that in fact lasted the entire season affecting both the Steelers and Bell’s offseason. Ultimately, this paid off well for Le’Veon and set an example of how players in a position like Bell can take control and maximize their profits. Unfortunately, Earl Thomas who was a part of the early player holdouts eventually took the field only to break his leg four games into the season before signing an extension. Luckily, the Baltimore Ravens signed Earl Thomas to a deal, so it worked out in the end. Both of these players will be examined as we talk about the current holdouts and why it is important to receive a contract before committing to the field.
There are several players still holding out but the top ones we will talk about are Ezekiel Elliott and Melvin Gordon. Both players in tough positions who receive a lot of touches which means a lot of potential for injuries. Last year, Le’Veon was smart enough to realize this and instead of burning through the finite amount of touches he has left, he decided to hold out and conserve those touches. Earl Thomas was one who made headlines after holding out and breaking his leg during a regular season game followed by a flashy exit on the medical cart. “If he doesn’t come, then he’s not a team player. If he does come and gets hurt, then it’s ‘he shouldn’t have came.’” Bobby Wagner quotes after the infamous exit from the game. Bobby’s right, this is a brutal business where team owners have to make decisions that affect a man’s future and his family, so why is there so many issues with these holdouts when we witness situations like Earl’s?
Zeke and Melvin are two players in particular who absolutely should hold out before receiving a new deal. For one, the running back position is already a short career so why not get the most you can out of it. Secondly, Ezekiel Elliott led the league last year in total touches and average touches per game with 381 total and 25.4 on average. Although, Melvin Gordon missed 4 games last year he still had 225 touches by the end of the year with almost 19 per game. Both players are focal points in their respective offenses giving each a possibility of getting injured. Melvin already has 6 injuries on his resume throughout his four-year career and they are all lower body injuries. In the 2017-18 season, Melvin was 4th on total touches and Zeke was 2nd in average touches per game, but guess who was first in both categories, Le’Veon Bell. Le’Veon understood how important he was to the Steelers and the history of great backs who get run into the ground until they can’t produce. Holding out, especially at a position like running back, is maybe the only true leverage a player still has.
Look, should the NFL change their policy on how these contracts and holdouts are dealt with, no. However, players like Zeke and Melvin should understand they have a finite career length and they should maximize their earnings where they can because unlike other sports you can’t play for 20 years and make hundreds of millions doing it. Holdouts are good for the players and in a league where you have situations like Earl Thomas, the players need to feel a certain amount of control over their careers and earnings. As for the owners and management, there needs to be some consideration towards the players future and what is best for the most important asset the game has, its players.
Let's Run it Back Alex DeClaire
Your favorite running back in the league right now might not last long enough to break the records you hope to witness. The running back position has the shortest average career of all positions in the league at 2.57 years. In an analytically driven world, running backs have seemingly been phased out of importance and the running back market reflects that in recent years because of late draft finds, salary distribution, and length of peak value.
NFL teams are learning they can draft running backs later especially in this decade where an average of 1.6 are taken in the first round. For comparison, in the 2000s there were an average of 3.2 running backs taken in the first round, which was down from the 90s where the average was 3.4. Teams are learning you can find diamonds in the rough like Alvin Kamara (2017 3rd round) and Devonta Freeman (2014 4th round) in later rounds. Other notable backs taken outside the first round include David Johnson (2015 3rd round), Ahmad Bradshaw (2007 7th round), and Brian Westbrook (2002 3rd round). In fact, there has only been two times a running back was not taken in the first round since 1963, those years are 2013 and 2014. Clearly, the league has shifted early draft pick focus onto franchise quarterbacks, durable offensive linemen, and edge rushers who get to the quarterback.
According to Over the Cap’s positional spending chart, the running backs average the lowest salary at 8.4 million, and they are the lowest maximum salary of all offensive players with the Bills at the top of the list paying just over 15 million to their running back group. What this shows is the distribution of cap space given to other players who provide longevity and equal or better impact. Kevin Clark from the Ringer wrote an article over this issue and stated, “It seems impossible to think that any running back will match the $99 million Adrian Peterson has made in his career, or even Frank Gore’s $60 million. Emmitt Smith, who’s been retired for 15 years, made more money in his career than all but one active back despite a salary cap that’s about $100 million higher than it was in Smith’s last season in the sport. The best days of the running back market are in the past.”
Remember Demarco Murray in 2014 when he seemed unstoppable and the future of the Dallas ground game? Peyton Hillis who was on the EA Madden 2012 cover? These are just two examples of players whose peak value in their career lasted one year. Unfortunately, the running back life in the NFL is a short and brutal one, and with NFL teams relying more on analytics their value continues to decline.
Now, the era of running back dominance may be behind us but that does not mean their value deserves to be depreciated this heavily. Players like Christian McCaffrey and Le’Veon Bell have shown the league that the position can change into more of an offensive weapon that attacks both on the ground and through the air. Catching may now be a requirement of high-level running backs not only because of the league’s future but also the durability of the player. “Your best ability is your availability,” a common quote around the world for all kinds of topics, and it is extremely relevant for the average NFL running back who last 2.57 years.
Business is Booming Alex DeClaire
Major League Baseball has been struggling to keep fans engaged for more than a decade now because of a multitude of reasons constantly debated about. “The regular season is dull,” some say, “The games are too long,” others say. Regardless of the reasons for the decreasing fan interest, viewership and attendance at stadiums the money still continues to flow in for the MLB. “Major League Baseball continues to hit home runs on the business side.” Maury Brown reports on Forbes.com, “ According to sources at the league, 2017 marks the 15th consecutive year MLB has seen record gross revenues, surpassing the $10 billion mark for the first time.” The question is, if fans are losing interest, then how is the MLB still setting financial records? In this edition of One Page Report, I will discuss how the MLB continues to generate revenue through lucrative TV deals, stadium rights, and technology investments that are already paying out.
Every MLB team has a deal with local TV and radio stations, some notable ones include the LA Dodgers 25-year TV deal that brings in roughly $334 million per year and the NY Yankees 30-year TV deal that brings in roughly $190 million per year. The list of TV deals continues on with multi-year contracts for every franchise in the MLB and this does not include the national TV networks such as ESPN, FOX, and Turner Sports. Between those three national TV contracts, each team receives roughly $52.3 million per year, and Facebook of course is not left out of the party contributing another million to each team for 25 exclusive afternoon games.
Although there is a ton of money in stadium deals as well, there are still holdouts from historic franchises like the Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field, the Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park, and the New York Yankees, Yankee Stadium. However, the others that have dipped their hand into the stadium deal pot have seen serious dollars. Most notably, “The San Francisco Giants just cut a deal with Oracle technology to rename AT&T Park “Oracle Park” for the next twenty years.” Richard Dyer of thesportsdaily.com reports, “ It’s estimated that the deal is for about $325 million, an average of over $16 million a year in revenue for the Giants.”
Lastly, the MLBAM, Major League Baseball Advanced Media, created a tech company in 2015 that specializes in direct-to-consumer video streaming, BAMTech. BAMTech, or Disney Streaming Services, was a subsidiary of the MLBAM at first with 33% ownership stake bought by Disney, which generated roughly $33 million for each MLB team before Disney purchased majority ownership of BAMTech. For those that do not know, BAMTech powers services such as ESPN+, which passed 2 million subscribers before its first full year, NHL streaming, and the WWE streaming services, among others. Although you have most likely never heard of the MLBAM or BAMTech, they are key contributors in keeping the revenue flow steady for the MLB.
With the highest attendance numbers over a decade ago, 2007 with roughly 79 million, and the continual decrease of fans attending or viewing games, these business contracts and forward-thinking actions are keeping the MLB fiscally reliable. What is interesting is how they will continue to renew huge contracts like this when attendance continues to drop. The business side will have to continue to carry the load while the teams and league figure out a way to bring the fans back. One thing is for sure, the business of baseball is definitely still booming.
NBA Summer Holiday Alex DeClaire
As every summer approaches, the NBA world cheers for the beginning of the most anticipated part of the NBA “season.” NBA free agency has been growing in recent decades with an average of 70 trades this past decade, 57 from 2000 to 2010, and 34 during the Jordan era. This leads to many questions on the origination of this new NBA holiday, but one thing is for sure, it is not going to slow down. The growth of markets, talent, and the birth of analytics are the reasons I have researched for the holiday we now celebrate as NBA fans, the beginning of free agency.
From 1949 to 2000, the Boston Celtics won 16 NBA Championships, the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers won 11, and the Chicago Bulls won 6. That is over 60% of the available championships. These are huge United States markets which attract a lot of media coverage unrivaled by others then and now. Well, since the birth of the internet and social media there has been a decreasing importance amongst younger players on these major markets because of the increased connectivity through these new age tools. This allows smaller markets such as Milwaukee or Oklahoma City to receive attention from top tier players unlike in the past.
What goes hand and hand with social technology growth is the advancement of medicine and training in sports. Players are receiving better training starting at a younger age and the best medical care throughout their NBA careers prolonging father time. The influx of talent the NBA has seen since the Jordan era is unbelievable. Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant are just a few examples that have shown us this is truly an era of amazing talent entering the league. So, when an NBA team is trying to build a championship dynasty the players available at free agency each year have increased in skill allowing for more options.
The Atlantic best summarized the importance of analytics in 2015 stating:
While the movement to employ more sophisticated metrics has been in motion for some time, the turning point could perhaps be pegged as 2013—the year the NBA installed player-tracking systems in all 29 of its arenas. This was a watershed moment for the league: Every micro-movement on the court could now be tracked, quantified, and eventually archived. No longer could a player “hide” his deficiencies on the court. Coaches, their assistants, and the data-crunching backroom staff now had far more knowledge about players’ tendencies, and how certain groups of players work together than ever before.
Analytics created another way to assess this amazing new talent during roster construction in the NBA offseason. Now, do I believe the internet and social media have rendered the dynastic major markets of the 1900s irrelevant, absolutely not. However, the influx of talent since the turn of the century along with the recent birth of analytics have created opportunities for small markets to build upon. Thus, creating an NBA holiday fans look forward to because of their ability to forecast the future of the league. Personally, I believe the growth of trades around the league is a combination of shorter contracts to analyze team cohesion and player performance coupled with voices and actions from the stars shifting the narrative of the league. No matter what anybody says, NBA free agency is great for the league because of the ability to stretch the interest of basketball throughout the year maintaining fan involvement and excitement.
Award for Fixing the Awards Alex DeClaire
TNT hosted the annual NBA Award Show last Monday, and the number of viewers continue to decline following last year’s trend. According to Sports Media Watch, “Monday’s NBA Awards earned 1.11 million viewers on TNT, down 8% from last year (1.21M) and down 38% from the inaugural edition two years ago (1.79M).” This sparked the annual question across the sports world, “Is it time for a change, if so, what is the solution?” The NBA’s version of the ESPYs clearly has not generated the same level of excitement to fans; therefore, in this edition of One Page Report, I will analyze the downfalls and benefits of the current iteration, other methods or options for presentation, and my take on the annual award show.
“Viewership was below average compared to regular season NBA games on TNT, which averaged 1.49 million.” Sports Media Watch reports, “ Of the 167 games on ESPN, ABC, and TNT last season, 136 had a larger audience.” We can most likely attribute this lack of interest due to the timing of the award show. The ballots were cast 10 weeks ago, and the regular season ended over 2 months ago. These are regular season awards and for that time of year to be so far gone in an age of instant information fans lose interest quicker than ever.
However, there are positives to this style of presenting the awards. First, it is a great opportunity for all the players to gather and showcase the different personalities around the league. Secondly, this event allows the public to see the strong culture that is present inside the NBA and the brotherhood amongst its members. The presenter is a big part of this along with the different segments throughout the show. Drake, Anthony Anderson, and Shaq were all great characters who embody the culture of the NBA. Lastly, the non-player awards and segments are memorable just like the ESPYs. Each year we get at least one great speech from a person like Robin Roberts this past year or a legend addressing the new generation of players like Bill Russell or Larry Bird.
Lots of fans are harping on the idea of going back to the commissioner tour for presenting the awards in front of the home crowds. The issue with reverting back to old ways is the revenue the show generates along with reasons I previously discussed. Others suggest moving the timetable up before the playoffs and extending the start of the playoffs to accommodate. The issue that seems to strike this is the number of players available or willing to travel during an important time of year. A lot of organizations are receiving their first playoff berth in a while and want their players to stay focused.
I believe the NBA Award show is a great idea on paper, but in action has struggled for many reasons. First, the time of the awards definitely needs to be fixed and people just do not have the same level of interest as they did at the end of the regular season. Secondly, the presenter has to be appealing, like a comedian, along with the different segments throughout the show. Most segments are great and semi-memorable, but some jokes miss, and some segments seem farfetched. Lastly, this goes really for a majority of sports currently, the award show needs to focus on sports and only sports, there does not need to be a political undertone or agenda being pushed. I understand it is a great opportunity to make a statement about serious USA or World issues, but a sports award show is just not the place.
National Unity Alex DeClaire
The United States National Women’s Soccer Team is on another historic run this World Cup following their championship in 2015. Women’s International Soccer was founded in 1985 and the USWNT is currently the most successful with 3 World Cup titles. To put this in perspective, the MNT (Men’s National Team) has never won a World Cup title and they started competing in 1930! Of course, there are a lot of reasons for this major discrepancy but that should not downplay the amount of attention this recent iteration of the WNT has garnered, which has unified the United States behind a seemingly unexpected hero.
If you were to compare the United States professional leagues across both men and women, the disparity is frightening. Almost every professional men’s league has a TV deal with a major network, and in professional women’s sports there are not only a fewer amount of sports to choose from but also only one TV deal, the WNBA. They have by far been the most successful women’s sport outside of international soccer, but the average salary for a player in the WNBA is 79,000. In case you were not aware, the starting salary for an NBA player is 560,000. So, why the disparity in World Cup Championships between the MNT and WNT when other professional leagues are skewed in the opposite direction. The reasons lie in the youth selection of sports, the emphasis placed by society behind certain professional sports, and the availability of professional level opportunities in women and men sports. For these simple reasons and many more we see more success in the WNT than in the MNT.
Soccer is the most popular sport in the entire world with roughly 4 billion fans, and according to Forbes, “World’s Highest-Paid Athletes 2019” the top three are male soccer international super stars. So, when the US viewership numbers came in for the 2015 USWNT final against Japan it actually turned out to be roughly 5 million more than the 2014 Men’s World Cup Championship featuring Argentina and Germany, 22.5 to 17 million respectively. This showed that even though soccer is the 5th most popular sport in the United States, the USWNT was incredibly unifying amongst all Americans. Also, according to qz.com, “It was the most-watched US soccer game in history, beating out US-Portugal on ESPN in the 2014 men’s World Cup.” The USWNT final in 2015 in Vancouver was also the largest attended women’s sports league event with a total attendance of 53,000 people.
As we continue to watch this amazing iteration of the WNT we must remember the importance this has on our society today. With women barely having attention in the US sports world while we watch our national team compete in the championship of the most important tournament for the largest sport in the world, we must remember the gravity of this. In the current sports climate, I would like to say we generally enjoy watching the WNT more than the MNT because of their success and excitement. I can only hope that this can make waves throughout society like Muhammad Ali, Jackie Robinson, Ronda Rousey, and others did who broke barrier and defied odds. The unification this national team brings the United States should not be understated and we should have pride in our WNT because with 4 billion fans around the world it is really impressive to watch our country stand out on the big stage.
Dynastic Ratings Alex DeClaire
Across all sports there are dynasties. Lakers and Celtics in the 80s, Yankees in the early 2000s, Patriots throughout the 21st century, and Alabama in the past decade. Some of these teams you hate, some you miss, and others you know you loved. All the same, dynastic teams create memories and make us tune in to watch them. In the NFL and NBA, TV ratings continue to increase while other sports such as the MLB have decreased dramatically over the years. This calls to question whether the ever-present dynasties in the NBA and NFL help the viewership of each sport or if the record numbers should be attributed to other factors.
The MLB is the only major sport that has been steadily declining over the years in viewership, suffering especially in recent years. Even the 2016 World Series where the Cubs “broke the curse” averaged only 22 million per game throughout 7 games. From 1984 to 1999 there was only one series that had lower viewership in the World Series (1998 Yankees 4 – Padres 0 with 20 million average viewers). The MLB has not seen a dynasty like the other sports since the Yankees went to 6 out of 8 World Series from ‘96-‘03. Clearly, the golden years of baseball are behind us and the 1850s quote that referenced baseball as the “National pastime” is very much outdated.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, The NFL Super Bowl has increased in viewership every year since its birth in 1967. According the NY Times, “The 17 most-watched programs in TV history have all been Super Bowl games.” Twelve teams have not even won a Super Bowl while the top 5 teams in Super Bowl appearances have been 41 times combined! The most recent dynasty in the NFL being the New England Patriots bring in an average of 100 million viewers per Super Bowl in their past 9 appearance over 17 years.
The fascinating thing about the NBA is the best ratings were during the Jordan era despite the relevance the NBA has in this new social media driven world. The Warriors ratings have been constant throughout the previous 5 years, but what’s different about the NBA Finals viewership is the driving force being the star power in big games. Throughout the 90s the NBA reached its peak in viewership because of arguably the greatest dynasty in all of sports, the Chicago Bulls. The average throughout the Bulls six championships was around 25.5 million people, and the two years the Rockets won in between Jordan’s championships averaged 18.5 million.
I believe there are three reasons the masses tune into the championship game featuring a dynasty: you love to hate them, you love the story, or you want to watch the greatest players make the best plays on the biggest stage. Teams like the Patriots, Alabama Football, or the Golden State Warriors have more haters than lovers because of their constant dominance. When the Cubs were in the World Series in 2016, everyone who was not a Cleveland Indians fan was rooting for them to “break the curse” because we wanted a story book ending. When the Patriots were down 25 points to the Falcons in the Super Bowl, we didn’t necessarily want the Patriots to win but an unexpected 31 unanswered points from one of the greatest players in NFL history made for a great championship game. I believe these are the primary reasons people still tune in to watch the dynasties play in championships and the numbers definitely reflect it.
Jumping for Jumpers Alex DeClaire
The Golden State Warriors dynastic run this past half decade has shown us that the small ball style, which is focused on three-pointers is the current winning formula in the NBA. Throughout the 2018 NBA Finals, the Warriors top three scorers each shot above 40% from behind the arc and attempted 103 3-pointers over the course of a 4-0 sweep. In the past four NBA seasons, they have been there at the end of the playoffs competing for a championship and walked away with three rings. This calls into question some of the NBAs great players who lack the ability to score consistently from behind the arc, and some of the newer players coming in who show promise in most areas except in their shooting ability, is this cause for panic?
The Oklahoma City Thunder have been in the conversation for a deep playoff run every year since early in Russell Westbrook’s career, but have been unable to capitalize on great seasons. Russ, being a drive and dish guard with explosive athleticism, has averaged a triple double for three straight seasons, yet he has not reached the Western Conference Finals since Kevin Durant left in 2016. Now in his 11th year and still struggling from outside 16 feet, where he takes roughly 37% of his shots and averages below 35%, we can comfortably say that Russell Westbrook is not a consistent perimeter threat. On the other hand, from inside the paint where he takes 35% of his shots, he averages an astounding 59%. What these stats and the eye test show us is that he probably will not adapt his game to mimic other stars on teams like the Warriors or Rockets. However what Russ lacks in deep range effectiveness he makes up with in his heart and hustle, which is infectious amongst his teammates notably long-time big man Steven Adams. The question remaining during the peak of Russ’s career is how much does heart and hustle make up for in a league now driven by the idea that simply making 3 points is better and easier than making 2.
Over in the East, Ben Simmons captured a controversial Rookie of the Year last year, made his first All-Star team this year, and is a primary component in the young and coming 76ers. Like Russ, Simmons heavily lacks a game outside about 16 ft and is unwilling to attempt three pointers on a regular basis so far in his career. As for the numbers, Simmons has attempted 17 3-pointers in his 2-year career and has not made a single one. Of course, it’s too early to put a stamp on Ben as a non-shooter, but the fact that he won’t even attempt a 3-pointer most of the time is nerve racking. Still, Ben is an incredible young talent with unbelievable size at his position and handles that remind us of Magic Johnson and Lebron James. With players such as JJ Redick and Joel Embiid, do the 76ers need Ben to shoot threes in order to win a championship or can you rely on him in other aspects of the game like Russell and the Thunder.
First of all, should it be a goal for every player to improve his outside shot, yes. However, you do not need to copy today’s winning formula for tomorrow; instead, you need to build a system that is both unique and comfortable for all the parts in it. Embrace your weaknesses with strengths that counterweigh, and most importantly inflict your style of play throughout a game. The Warriors do an amazing job of consistently playing their style against every opponent, adapting in each matchup, and inflicting pressure to change the moral and/or style of their opponent.
2019 NBA MVP Debate Alex DeClaire
The NBA this year exploded with records being broken in almost every aspect of the game. With the regular season over and the playoffs underway I have decided to tackle the largely debated topic of MVP which will be awarded June 24th. This is the most controversial discussion in the NBA this year because of one simple reason, there is no wrong answer.
Originally the three players in this discussion were Giannis Antetokounmpo, James Harden, and Paul George. However, Giannis and Harden were attracting a majority of the hype because they were the primary guy on consistently winning teams. Harden broke an unbelievable amount of records this year; meanwhile, Giannis and the Bucks cruised to a 60-win season in the East and seem to be the favorites coming out of the East. The numbers for Harden are incredible, (36.1 PPG, 7.5 APG, 6.6 RPG, 2.0 SPG) while shooting 45% from the field, 37% from behind the arc, and 88% at the line. The scoring gap between James and Paul George (second in PPG) is 8.1 which is the largest since Michael Jordan won it in 1986-87. Other stats that stand out to me include Harden’s incredible 56 games over 30 points, almost 70% of the season, including the record 32 games in a row behind only Wilt in 1961-62. While Harden has had a legendary performance on the offensive end, Giannis has dominated both ends of the court. By defensive win shares currently displayed on NBA.com, Giannis ranks #2 while Harden ranks #103. Even though Giannis did not have to take on as much of an offensive load as James, he still had outstanding numbers (27.7 PPG, 5.9 APG, 12.5 RPG, 1.3 SPG, 1.5 BPG) and ranked just outside the top ten in FG%. Also, Giannis had 29 games over 30 PPG, and 22 games over 15 rebounds. With no true definition of MVP, the voters are scrambling for miniscule details to hold against each candidate. If you are just comparing numbers Harden is the walk away winner despite Giannis’ incredible season, but there is the team discussion that I find extremely relevant in differentiating the two.
Milwaukee ended the season with a league-high 60 wins and Houston had 53. A largely overlooked point is the players around Harden and Giannis. Harden has Chris Paul who missed 24 games collectively but is a perennial All-Star, and Giannis has a first time All-Star in Khris Middleton. As for the coaches, Mike D’Antoni has more experience in the league, but Mike Budenholzer was an assistant to Popovich when the Spurs won four championships. As for the rosters, I give the advantage to the Bucks for talent and experience on the surface, but the Rockets made it deep into the playoffs last year and are poised for another run.
So, who should win MVP? I am riding with my preseason pick, Giannis. He averaged a double-double, is 3rd on the scoring list, 2nd in defensive win share, basically unguardable in transition, and led his team to the #1 seed overall. Being a huge Rockets fan, it is hard to pick against The Beard but when you take Giannis off the Bucks, they do not play the same. I will not say they play bad, but they do not play the same style or at the same level. Harden averages top 5 in every category of offensive possession including 1st in time of possession and average seconds per touch. So, when James steps off the court the team plays a similar 3-pt centered style, but the ball moves around and allows others to get in a rhythm. I am not saying the Rockets play better without Harden, but it does open up a different side of their offense. There is no wrong answer in this discussion it is more about what you value in a player.
2019 NBA Rookie of the Year Alex DeClaire
There has been a raging debate recently over who deserves the prestigious Rookie of the Year award. Is it the Slovenian phenom that has blown up the NBA and is actually quoted at one point saying, “here in the NBA it is easier to score compared to Europe, of course.” On the other hand, is it the young man out of the University of Oklahoma who lit up the college game last year with his deep range, and recently has some of his peers advocating for him to win the award. This article will lay down the important facts you need to know, and I will give you my personal opinion all in one page.
For a majority of the year Luka Doncic was the runaway favorite in the eyes of fans, media, and players. However, after the All-Star break in mid-February there has been a surge of support for the Atlanta Hawks rising star after putting up six 30-point games and trending in the right direction at the perfect time. Donovan Mitchell, Kyle Kuzma, and Blake Griffin are just some of the players to comment on Twitter stating Trae Young should be the Rookie of the Year after this recent surge. After all Young has been a stand out star on his team since the break averaging just over 25 PPG (an increase of 8), 9.26 APG, and 4.63 RPG. Meanwhile, Doncic has remained steady throughout the whole season averaging just over 21 PPG, 7.6 RPG, and about 6 APG. In December, the NBA world was ready to hand the trophy over to him; in fact, the fans by mid-January actually had Luka 3rd overall in All-Star votes behind only Lebron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Despite Trae’s recent surge in scoring and overall play, Luka still holds a steady lead in PPG, RPG, and FG% while Trae leads in APG by 2 (8 to 5.9). It has been a tale of two halves this NBA season with Luka exploding out of the gate and Trae closing in as the season begins to wrap up.
On the team side of this discussion, Luka leads the 30-46 Mavericks, second to last in the West, in PPG and in APG. Meanwhile Trae leads the 28-49 Hawks, fourth to last in the East, in APG but trails only John Collins in PPG.
Now that I have given you the stats and outside opinions to form your own thoughts, here is my opinion. I believe Luka will win this award barring a catastrophic event such as an injury or a massive slump combined with an even bigger Trae Young surge. The reason I believe Luka will win is because I used the key words earlier in the article, WHOLE season. Does the end of the season matter more than the beginning in voters’ eyes? Yes, but that does not mean the beginning of the season is brushed over or forgotten about. Luka prior to the All-Star break had five 30-point games to Young’s two, and almost averaged five PPG more than him in that longer stretch. Granted Trae now has eight total 30-point games to Luka’s six throughout the season. As for Trae’s 3-point shooting, the staple of his game, Luka actually averaged a better 3P% prior to the All-Star break (35% to 31%). Since then Trae has climbed back ahead, but the two are neck and neck (33.1% to 32.7%). Lastly, Trae on the defensive side of the ball is viewed as a liability due to his size and lack of strength while Luka leads his team and Trae in steals (1.1 to 0.8). Both will have great careers but as for this award Luka will be the winner in my opinion.