It's About the Money, Stupid
On a day when Ryan Howard of the Phillies signed a $125 million contract to hit a ball for the next five years; and the Boston Red Sox gave $5 to a Cuban defector; the Yankees visited the White House to celebrate last year's championship; and the Sabres were eliminated from the playoffs for the 41st time - much to the chagrin of a passionate fan base.
George Steinbrenner once said that there are two kinds of owners in professional sports - those who want to win and those who want to make money.
Unfortunately in Buffalo the owners of the sports teams are about mind-control and money-grabbing. And people wonder why I've become cynical about the march of our teams.
Think of it - here in Buffalo, a hard-working town, the Sabres and Bills have sold nearly every seat to every event for the past twenty or so years. There has never been a championship. Yet each year the fan base does the 'little train that could dance' and complains about money spent by others.
"We spent to the cap," someone argued the other day.
Well, there are ways around the cap - ever hear the expression - 'it doesn't count against the cap?'
The San Francisco 49ers won a couple of Super Bowls because they had the best accountant. How do the Indianapolis Colts give Peyton Manning enough money to render his own cap and still sign 55 other players. The Tampa Bay Lightning, the Carolina Hurricanes, the Florida Marlins (twice), and countless other teams have won league championships by throwing all their chips in - one time - for the chance to bring home the hardware.
Follow the green.
The Sabres had a nice year. They always have representative years - they have a good coach and a young talent base, but 3/4ths of the way through the year everyone knew they just weren't good enough. To be better they would have to bring in a couple of reinforcements. Spend a little money. Go for it.
They didn't.
The media sold the blue-collar, us against the world act, and people lined up for tickets and even lined up to stand outside the place where the game was being played.
"You gotta' believe!" Signs were waved all around town.
Sitting back, I was cynical. I aggravated everyone in the world on FaceBook. I didn't believe. I know an owner that goes for it, against all reason, to make a fan base happy, and whether you're playing with a little money or a lot of money that is something that has to be there for you to have the chance to win.
Now, I'm not just a fan-waving Yankee fan. I realize they have distinct advantages, but they also give back as well - that's a whole 'nother argument.
What they do have - in the end - is someone who makes an assessment with 90 games left to upgrade the pitching no matter what the budget is, no matter who doesn't like it.
The owners of the Bills and Sabres play the pauper card and sell it to a passionate public.
These guys are billionaires, people.
Because they just want to make money.
Off of you.
Little train that could.
Seriously.
George Steinbrenner once said that there are two kinds of owners in professional sports - those who want to win and those who want to make money.
Unfortunately in Buffalo the owners of the sports teams are about mind-control and money-grabbing. And people wonder why I've become cynical about the march of our teams.
Think of it - here in Buffalo, a hard-working town, the Sabres and Bills have sold nearly every seat to every event for the past twenty or so years. There has never been a championship. Yet each year the fan base does the 'little train that could dance' and complains about money spent by others.
"We spent to the cap," someone argued the other day.
Well, there are ways around the cap - ever hear the expression - 'it doesn't count against the cap?'
The San Francisco 49ers won a couple of Super Bowls because they had the best accountant. How do the Indianapolis Colts give Peyton Manning enough money to render his own cap and still sign 55 other players. The Tampa Bay Lightning, the Carolina Hurricanes, the Florida Marlins (twice), and countless other teams have won league championships by throwing all their chips in - one time - for the chance to bring home the hardware.
Follow the green.
The Sabres had a nice year. They always have representative years - they have a good coach and a young talent base, but 3/4ths of the way through the year everyone knew they just weren't good enough. To be better they would have to bring in a couple of reinforcements. Spend a little money. Go for it.
They didn't.
The media sold the blue-collar, us against the world act, and people lined up for tickets and even lined up to stand outside the place where the game was being played.
"You gotta' believe!" Signs were waved all around town.
Sitting back, I was cynical. I aggravated everyone in the world on FaceBook. I didn't believe. I know an owner that goes for it, against all reason, to make a fan base happy, and whether you're playing with a little money or a lot of money that is something that has to be there for you to have the chance to win.
Now, I'm not just a fan-waving Yankee fan. I realize they have distinct advantages, but they also give back as well - that's a whole 'nother argument.
What they do have - in the end - is someone who makes an assessment with 90 games left to upgrade the pitching no matter what the budget is, no matter who doesn't like it.
The owners of the Bills and Sabres play the pauper card and sell it to a passionate public.
These guys are billionaires, people.
Because they just want to make money.
Off of you.
Little train that could.
Seriously.
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