EXTREME
FANATIC
DIE-HARD
PATRIOT
Brady's Chin Dimple is Just Sooo Cute
10/6/04
I was listening to
Mike & Mike (Golic & Greenberg) on ESPN Radio a few weeks ago when
I heard a discussion surrounding the “value” of NFL Teams. There was apparently an article in Forbes recently that
ranked each NFL team according to their operating income and profit
margin. Much of this is a
result of stadium ownership, advertising contracts, and the salary cap.
Here’s the
interesting, and – dare I say – amusing item: the Washington Redskins
were determined to be the most valuable team in the NFL, followed by the
Dallas Cowboys, the Houston Texans, and the Patriots at number Four.
What I find amusing is how much money has been invested in the top
two teams, to no avail. The
Texans are still in the development phase, so an influx of money is not
surprising (although I don’t agree with the means by which the team was
acquired and the stadium was built, but that’s a different story). According to the article, suite licenses net the
Redskins $35 million, $22 million more than the NFL average. Despite the huge cash infusion over the last five years, the
Redskins have had 5 straight non-winning seasons, including last year’s
5-11 debacle.
Why is it that the
wealthiest team in the NFL has encountered so many problems?
Could it be the fact that the owner of the Redskins doesn’t know
when to leave well enough alone? Can
you really blame Spurrier for quitting (despite his inexperience in the
NFL)? Apparently Snyder
handled the Free Agency negotiations himself, which I think explains a
lot. It’s obvious that
money and love of football ain’t enough.
So what does it take?
My opinion (and what else is all this dribble I write?) is that
there are several intangibles that impact the performance of a team – 1)
the absolute and firm belief that you are a team, 2) the chemistry among
the players and coaches, and 3) the development of the talent already
available and the ability to modify and refine that talent, as well as
develop a system that plays upon those strengths.
The most interesting
section of the article for me was the player-costs-to-win ratio.
The Patriots ranked first as the best “bang-for-your-buck”
among all NFL teams, paying their players only $96 million, which is what
the Chicago Bears pay at 23rd among the 32 teams.
The Patriots scored an impressive 218, more than double the NFL
average of 100.
How have they managed
to do so much with so little (financially)?
They pay attention to the attitude and dedication of the players as
well as the chemistry of the team, they don’t cater to the whims of the
selfish and self-centered, and they identify the strengths of their
players and work within the confines of that knowledge.
Simultaneously, however, the coaching staff also works to amend
player weaknesses, encouraging each player to identify and improve upon
their weaknesses. Players are
placed in other positions as well, including on the opposing
side (Dan Klecko and Troy Brown for example), to allow them to develop a
different (and bigger) perspective of the system.
The owner is also a
major contributor to the team, as Snyder has demonstrated for the
Redskins. I understand that
it’s their (and their investors’) money at stake, but an inability to
delegate can create significant problems, especially if the owner has no
direct football experience (and being a huge fanatic is not enough).
Kraft has demonstrated his ability to remove himself from the daily
workings, but still actively contributes where he feels he can be the most
helpful. Anyone who leads for
a living has to find the right experience and ability, guide and/or
provide support, and trust that individual to make the appropriate
decisions. Regardless of the
industry, that is a fine line for anyone to walk, and everyone who slips
now and then.
Don’t get me wrong
– I think it’s important to pay your players well, give them the
opportunity to flourish, and treat them with respect.
What I disagree with is paying players more than they’re worth,
as well as catering to the temper tantrums that seem so commonplace.
Maybe that’s the “Protestant Work Ethic” (for lack of a
better term) I was taught as a kid that asserts that everyone should earn
their pay. God
Forbid…