NBA and NFL Should Swap Draft Ideas.

Let’s face it. When you're the NBA and you're in the middle of a gambling scandal, your reputation is on shaky ground. Your credibility is such that you have to have a draft lottery to keep teams from tanking (they do anyway—ahem Minnesota a few years ago). How are we supposed to respect a product when you can’t even trust your teams to do the right thing?

I understand that with five starters and a smaller rosters, a single player can make more of an impact on an NBA team than an NFL one. However, you can’t tell me you’re unable to police a handful of teams to make sure they are on the up and up. If you can’t do that, how can we expect you to keep your refs in line. Not to mention that doing away with the lottery removes the conspiracy theories about rigged drafts.

I, for one, would like to see the actual selection take place. Sorry, I’m not big on trusting a league that is so secretive. You say its for suspense and drama, but come on. I’m not buying it. Adapt the NFL’s reverese record for determining draft picks.

Don’t get all high and mighty NFL, you have your own problems. Did you happen to see the contrat that Matt Ryan signed with Atlanta. I think he has enough to spring Michael Vick from jail. I don’t understand how a rookie coming into the league can make more than a Pro Bowler at the same position. Sorry, that doesn’t sit well with me.

I understand that the window to make a living in the NFL isn’t open very long, but there has to be a better way. How about coming up with some sort of slot like the NBA does. I know different positions make different amounts of money, so it will be complicated.

The NFL has a full year, plenty of money, and enough talented people to throw at this problem to come up with a viable solution. I don’t care if it’s complicated. I just want to know that Jake Long isn’t making as much as Walter Jones, or that McFadden is pulling in more than Brian Westbrook. Even if the perfect solution isn’t discovered right away, at least doing something will bring you closer to it. Something has got to give.