What's the difference in athletes?

[Boca Vol]

That is a good point and it goes to the very real aversion that fans and sports experts have to conforming their perception to reality.

If I was an owner, I would hope that I could weather the storm of short term fan criticism to gain the long term success that getting better athletes, cheaper, would produce.

Everything I am reading suggests that the NFL draft is ripe for a "Money Ball" Oakland A's style shake-up. Wasn't it that from like 1999-2004 the A's (the team with the smallest budget) and the Yankee's (the team with the largest budget, who economically behave like the NFL where expensive players are viewed as better) were within 4 games a year of each other?

I think you're correct on the A's vs Yankees. The A's and Rays have absolutely won using Sabermetrics. Teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, & Dodgers don't do it that way. They just open the checkbook. Sometimes it works, other times it doesn't. But the fans can't say the ownership is cheap which seems to matter to those large market teams.

I just hate seeing really good players for Tampa leave because their market value is way more than the Rays will spend. Carl Crawford, BJ Upton, and soon David Price are great players that left or will leave.

The NFL is a different animal in that the contracts aren't guaranteed. Only the upfront money. Look at that ridiculous contract the Redskins and Donovan McNabb agreed to in 2010. On paper, it looked like an 80-90 million contract but the Skins only wound up paying him around $4MM because they cut him.

 

[Spartacavolus]

heart is the main difference. Mix in God given instinct, good timing and a little luck and you differentiate between 6'3 200 lb guys that can run and jump, and there are a ton out there.

 

[ntxVOL]

heart is the main difference. Mix in God given instinct, good timing and a little luck and you differentiate between 6'3 200 lb guys that can run and jump, and there are a ton out there.

This and the mental part of the game cannot be ignored. Especially for HS kids, when they come to a D1 school and find everyone is a stud. They not only have to have the physical skills but they must also be strong enough mentally to be able to compete, take constructive criticism, and earn their spot. Athleticism by itself is no longer enough. A strong work ethic is important also.

 

[pa136761]

Extra tendon

 

[volberry]

This and the mental part of the game cannot be ignored. Especially for HS kids, when they come to a D1 school and find everyone is a stud. They not only have to have the physical skills but they must also be strong enough mentally to be able to compete, take constructive criticism, and earn their spot. Athleticism by itself is no longer enough. A strong work ethic is important also.

Makes sense.