On The TunneySide of Sports November 12, 2018 #718 Up next… Tanking
After further review… The National Football League is in the second half of its 2018 season, with some T*E*A*Ms sitting on losing records. Fans of those teams are shouting “Wait’ll next year,” hoping that if their team is at or near the bottom of the league, they qualify for a first round draft choice, thereby gaining a quality player for the 2019 season. While some fans with this attitude have given up hope for this year, it is unethical for teams, coaches, and/or players to do so.
Signs of giving-up, or tanking, at this point of the season are like trading-away quality players for future draft choices or claiming “injuries” for some players by holding them out, thus allowing them to heal for next season. All of the above and other so-called strategies, that allude to tanking, are closely monitored by the NFL. It is dishonest to fans, who pay top-dollar for tickets, to be cheated out of the best performance from players and coaches every game.
It behooves players and coaches to follow the Edwards Code. Midway through Herm Edwards tenure as head coach of the New York Jets, he was asked by a Jets reporter (it being apparent the Jets record was not on the winning side and playoff-chances looked dismal) did he (Coach Edwards) plan to forego this season and look for a better Jets future? Thunder and lighting filled that room as Edwards verbally stormed with “You play to win the game. Hello? You play to win the game!” He followed with the statement that every player and coach on the Jets T*E*A*M will give his best effort to win every game this season.
Whether a team does or doesn’t win is not the issue, but each player and coach must practice and play to achieve a victory – every time/every game! The late HOF coach Vince Lombardi of the Green Bay Packers has said, “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.” The interpretation here is that you play to win – it’s your approach to whatever needs to be done. Moreover, when a player does not play with his full effort, he is more likely to get injured and thus truncate his career. Similar for a coach since his players can see that lack of effort and soon will not follow his coaching. Further, it certainly can be detrimental to any coach’s future.
Will you log-in your thoughts about why you should give your best effort every time?
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