Atlanta Proves The Cap Works:
West Valley College
By Michael Saltzman
After the NBA lockout finally concluded, a great sense of relief came over me. The NBA hardened the salary cap and extended rookie contracts to make every team feel optimistic about the upcoming season. Pro football has had this for a while now.
The Atlanta Falcons worked harder then any other team in the National Football Conference to make it to Super Bowl Sunday and the Denver Broncos were able to keep most everyone from last year's championship team.
The Falcons proved that with the right players in the right system, every team can reach the peak of professional football. Even in a losing effort, they made a great statement on the league.
With all the pouting from fans that the talent level of their favorite teams like the 49ers and Cowboys have ruined the game, they are missing a crucial point. Every team has its ups and downs and a good draft or a good coaching staff can bring a good team to a consistent, winning levlel.
Dan Reeves, Bill Parcells, and Jimmie Johnson have done that with total team control. The 49ers have been successful teh last twenty years because of its front office as well. Johnson, the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, has improved the team each year he has been there with great drafts, an established work ethic, and a commitment to win the Super Bowl.
Miami did not have a running game or a defense when Johnson came back to Florida. With the drafting of Karim Abdul-Jabbar and John Avery, the Dolphins running attack is much improved. When you add linebackers Zach Thomas and Derrick Rodgers, defensive lineman Jason Taylor and Daryl Gardner, and defensive backs Patrick Surtain and Sam Madison through the draft, your 'D' becomes one of the best in football.
Competition is what makes football the best professional sport today. Baseball will not regain the title of "America's Pastime" until they bring in a salary cap. You might be thinking I'm crazy; Well let me change your mind.
Football, in 1998, only Philadelphia, St. Louis, and Cincinnati were out of the playoff hunt late in the season. Baseball, in 1998, had 14 teams in the running for the post season. The teams in Oakland, Kansas City, Montreal, Minnesota, Detroit, Florida, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh knew in April they would be home in October.
The Florida Marlins, winners of the 1997 World Series, could not afford any of their high priced talent and shipped everyone off to ballclubs that could. The other sad fact of pro baseball is that the Cleveland Indians will win the American League Central. Sorry to upset anyone hoping another team will jump ahead of the Indians. It won't happen.
Ironically, the "Tribe" was the doormat of the American League for 40 years. Cleveland climbed the ladder because of their talent in the minors with players like Manny Ramirez, Jaret Wright, and Bartolo Colon.
Make the right trades and build up your minor league system, and some of the other small market teams can catch up to the Big Dogs. Unfortunately, teams like the Yankees, Braves, and Mets were able to sign players to over-priced contracts to seperate themselves fromt he rest of the league.
Here is another point that might effect your thinking. The Minnesota Vikings went to the NFC title game and the Minnesota Twins can't beat a Triple-A team. Now most people were very upset with the NBA lockout and will ban games much like the loyal fans of baseball after the 1994 walkout. As for me, I was thrilled that Shaquille O'neal and Kevin Garnett are going to get huge paycuts. I'm also glad that Scottie Pippen will not receive $175 million to play for Houston.
Salaries are getting out of hand. Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez are both up for free agency next year and could command anywhere from $150 - $200 million.At the current demand for talent, this is a reasonable price for 'Junior' and "A-Rod.'
If you are a Yankees fan, then you might take this article with a grain of salt. But for the die hard A's fans out there, remember why you lost Mark McGwire to St. Louis.