Week 16 GDT Packers @ Jets "I Believe That Gute..."

[Norm]

I feel like nobody is pointing this out, but there's a massive difference between losing your last 2 or 3 over indifference than like the NBA teams basically giving up on at least half their games. IDK if I'd call losing your last two games because it don't care something to worry about, or tanking. I'm more worried when that **** starts week 6 or something 

[Striker]

53 minutes ago, Mr. Fussnputz said:

Most kids adopt sports heroes independent of their parent's advice. As a matter of fact kids do a lot of things independent of their parent's advice. LOL

Did you ever see an old movie called "Breaking Away"? The protagonist idolizes the Italian bicycling team. He trains feverishly. His father just wants him to get a job and lead a normal life. One day the Italian team shows up to race any of the local cyclers. Our hero signs up with a lot of other people. The Italian team leaves them all in the dust, except our hero. He pushes them. They don't like it, so the stick a tire pump into his spokes as they're passing him. He is crushed. He quits cycling. Even his father starts to worry about him. 

Tanking is like sticking that pump into Packer fans' spokes. What message do you want to send to fans? During the offseason the Packers' emissaries to the non-Packer NFL football players are the Packer players. What do you want the Packer players telling FAs? They could say Packer management is trustworthy and acts with high integrity. They could say management believes in their players and is 100% committed to winning each game every Sunday. Or the could tell their friends who are FAs Packer management doesn't believe in us. They threw us under the bus, and intentionally IR-ed guys to lose the last two games of the season to move up a few spots on the draft board. What message do you want to send to FAs? 

Yes, kids do tend to rebel. But it still doesn't mean there shouldn't be an attempt to guide. If they see parents worship sports, then odds are pretty good the kids will adopt a similar attitude.

I've never seen that movie, but it basically sounds like the same idea of "your heroes will betray you". Especially ones recognized for athletic achievements vs. acts of compassion.

With regards to fans, it would be tough to swallow, but it's short vs. long term game. I'll *almost* always play the long game. Plus, teams ultimately can't care about what the fans think. They should from a fan standpoint, but from a 'good business' and 'winning standpoint, they should not. Example - They traded Brett Favre. That might have been the most unpopular decision any GM will probably ever make for this team. 

I guess I could also ask - what will the 'moral victory' fans think if Rodgers tears his ACL in the Detroit game? Do you think it will be "at least we're trying" or do you think it will turn into palpable outrage at Gute and Philbin for exposing Rodgers?

I don't think any of these players would care about if a team is tanking. No one would ever have signed with Cleveland during their not-so-obvious but totally obvious tank. Good players wouldn't constantly go to bad teams. They wouldn't sign with teams that let players hold out and get injured. Players wouldn't want to go to New England despite the various scandals. They will chase the money. Some of these hypothetical scenarios also seem to assume the players are stupid. But they know it's a business.

[Norm]

Bowles comments on the refs lol I hadn't seen this yet since we were too busy discussing how to raise children. Good stuff.

[FinneasGage]

3 hours ago, Fl0nkerton said:

 

[CWood21]

I think this thread has ran it's course...if you want to continue discussing the game, start a post-game thread.  If we're talking about parenting skills, take it to TAST so I don't have to have to read it.