Low Lights
Everywhere you look, you see highlights for each team after every NFL
contest. In most cases, what we get to rehash, over and over again, are
the highlights generated for fantasy football. Well ... to be direct, it
is my belief that fantasy football is in fact destroying the parity in today's
NFL football, along with many other factors, and I don't care a lick for the
additional fans generated by fantasy football.
Although those splash plays are nice, my greatest interest is in the NFL's
"Low Lights". Now consider for an instant that the greatest play
of interest in the 2018 season was in fact a non-pass-interference-call in the
NFC championship game. These are what I affectionately call the
"Low-Lights" of the NFL.
So you're an NFL player, or a coach, or an owner and your thinking to yourself
... hey, we need to sweep these misfortunate things ... these misfortunate judgments
... under the rug. To which we all could collectively say ... maybe that's
why these unfortunate things happen over & over again. To say it
another way, "The 2019 Season" was the first year, dating back to December
28, 1975, that the NFL had in place a correction to what happened on that
day. On that day, back to back controversial plays occurred, where today they
can now be reviewed & corrected for content. Unfortunately, under the
present system, there is the appearance that they intend to do nothing to
correct any calls however that may change in time but there is definitely a
cause & effect to consider. Does sweeping the NFL's "Low
Lights" under the rug in fact correct anything & does a self correcting
approach ensure proper course of action?
It is as if the league, year after year, comes up with the concept or idea of
having a "Blue Ribbon" commission to investigate itself. If this
sounds like congress, or any government entity for that matter, that gets to
police itself ... then you would be correct. On the other hand, if you
think for one moment the league is not trying to correct itself, then you would
be absolutely in the wrong, as there are billions more dollars to reap that are
at stake. The owners cannot afford to lose any part of the publics
interest. The problem of course is that we live in a society of self
interest where just because you have come up with an idea ... well ... it
doesn't mean that it is a good idea.
In other words, with the probationary changes in place now, the result caused by
the rules of bad structure, can in fact be used to destroy any progress
whatsoever. In other words, in the way things are set up now it would be
easy for the owners to destroy the notion of this new probationary rule, rather
than work to correct their flawed approach. If you don't think the
players, coaches & owners don't see the review of pass interference to be
drastically flawed, then you'd be wrong.
So ... what's my point?
Well, first of all, what happens on the field is in the public domain.
Whatever happens ... happened ... and we move on. You cannot change what
is out there ... nor should you attempt to do so. So, we must ask
ourselves how do we in fact make things better? Do we confront our
problems or do we sweep everything bad under the rug? Well, to be direct,
to be able to handle any major or minor problem, it is necessary to know the
truth. What the owners need to come to grips with is that sweeping it all
under the rug has an inverse impact upon their wallets, which is to say that
their present billion dollar industry should actually be many times greater than
it is now.
Why is this a fact? Well ... quite simply, the NFL's product could be much
greater than it is today however that doesn't happen by telling everyone that
what's in the market is remarkable ... great ... and the best that it will ever
be. In other words, putting your head in the sand never results in
progress. It is a shame that each and every owner today will never have to
say that each day, we live hand to mouth, because there is a great deal more to
learn from this perspective, than it is to listen to someone that has an idea
... that is most likely a bad idea based upon dealing within someone's
kingdom.
Again, what is the point?
Well, the owners shouldn't be avoiding the obvious. Your consumer ... the
average Joe or feminine Joey ... just doesn't remember the good times, only
fleeting parts of them. On the other hand, what we clearly remember are
the times of our greatest struggle because lessons of this type are hard to
learn. This is called the roller coaster of life. As much as I would
like to remember what has transpired over the 2019 season, unless I go back and
watch actual highlights, it is quite difficult for me to recount all that has
occurred in each & every game. On the other hand, for one moment do
you think that any true member of the Viking Faithful will ever forget what
happened on December 28, 1975. If you said yes ... then you'd be
mistaken. Now go ahead & walk the French Quarter in New Orleans, LA
and see if anyone can recount what occurred in the 2018 NFC Championship Game
and you'd get an idea of what I'm talking about. Now ask me if I can
recall all that dirty laundry in A. A. Ron's favor on September 15, 2019, up in
Lambaeu Field. Do you think any of that laundry helped A. A. Ron to win
yet another contest versus my beloved? Do you now get an idea of what is
really important?
On the other hand, for one moment, do you think any particular casual pin-head
in a rotisserie league cares a lick about the integrity of the history of this
league? If you said yes, then you'd be mistaken. In my opinion, it
is clear that the NFL owners within this league don't need casual's, as they
don't generally fill my stadium, nor does it pay the basis within all those fat
television contracts.
Simply stated, the casual fantasy owner has the attention span that can be
measured in nano-seconds. For all purposes, they are just an alien race to
me. I have true contempt in my heart as they are counter to the foundation
of this league.
So, what is the solution? Well instead of running away from the NFL's Low
Lights, you would be better served by directing the focus directly upon them
like the focal point of a laser. Show us the overview of all
those holding penalties, that don't occur on just about every play, but show us
when they rose to the occasion. Then show me the Low Light of the offender
... one on one. Show all those Low Lights in a montage ... one after
the other ... as if we held the coaches eye ... as if we were reviewing the game
film. Allow us the opportunity to personally judge the calls for
ourselves. Allow us the opportunity of stirring the pot of controversy
versus that awarded to all the leagues dynasties. Let us determine if a
call is questionable versus having to come to grips with the shortcomings of our
players ... the players on the team that we support. In other words, open
the doors to something completely different from where we are today, to allow
that next individual, the opportunity to absolutely hate the Cowboys (as they
say in the City of Brotherly Love). What I'm talking about is passion
rather than the miss of Wham Bam Thank You Mam!
Is fantasy here to stay? Yup, but much like them that don't care a lick
for this league ... nor do I care for them, nor will I bend to whatever they
might think. Is it any wonder why there are some that are still drafting
Joe Montana? Go fantasy!
So, if you think that a particular play rises to the level of an NFL Low Light
... put it into that montage and let us all digest it and savor the pain of all
that was. Whatever you do, don't evaluate it ... just let it be ... WHAT
IT BE! We'll hash it out at the water cooler. Maybe we'll actually
start to talk to one another again rather than to blindly follow some high tech
visual piece of obsolete garbage.
Embrace it! Allow us the ability to embrace our pain.
Have a great day!
The Viking Ghost Writer
http://MyVikingBlood.org
Date: November 7, 2019
