An Observation on Team Sports: "What Have You Done for Me Lately?"

This past weekend none of my sports teams played except for the New York Rangers, who are off to a great start, I might add.  The Atlanta Braves were out of the playoff hunt a long time ago, I really do not have a NFL or NBA team I cheer on to victory, and Auburn had a much-needed bye week this past weekend.

So on this off weekend, I watched as many sports as I could that did not involve my teams.  In this rare moment of pure objectivity, I started to think about what the sports world in general has come to be.  One common thread I have come to see in all realms of sports is the matter of "the season" or "the moment."

Now, it is my personal belief that sports, much like many things in life, are a reflection of society.  Most would say that society these days tends to drift to the matter of instant gratification, or "What have you done for me lately?"

This is an interesting angle because it applies differently to different sports across the country.  Many professional sports take this mentality and build their teams for each coming season.

It has been applied to college sports as well, but it is much more difficult to plan for each season due to the recruiting process, process of building a program, and maintaining the level of competitiveness within not only your conference, but the national scene as well.

Let's take a look at how this idea is applied to the different professional and college sports we have in the United States.

The National Football League

Now this to me is the ultimate example of playing for "the season."  Organizations have pretty much everything under one roof.  You have your rookies, your practice squad, and your depth chart players all in one place.  The main way to shake up the roster is to make trades during the first half of the season and the offseason. 

The game is set up to go after the Lombardi Trophy year after year.  One season can change a franchise for a lifetime.  The idea of a "dynasty" is different from what it was earlier in the NFL's days as a sports organization (see the Patriots during its earlier successes this decade).

Each year, playoff teams rotate more often than other professional sports.  This may be due to the number of quality players coming out of the college ranks these days. The salary cap also has a say in how teams utilize their resources effectively. 

The pressures are greater for these teams to perform, and perform quickly.  Essentially, all these teams are on an "even" ground money wise, and quality players that are available during the draft are abundant depending on the needs on the franchise. 

The National Hockey League and the National Basketball Association

Now you may be wondering why I am grouping both these organizations together. It's quite simple really: Both of these sports have a decent "farm" or development system that allows players from the lower leagues to come to the big time.  Both of these groups also have easier access to international players. 

Salary caps still have a big say on how the teams look and operate day to day.  Big name players on these squads can change the outcome of several games during the season. 

The drafts for these organizations can easily impact the way the next season will go if the players immediately start for the team. At the same time, big trades and money moves can impact the way a season will transpire. 

Dynasties are much more abundant in these games, and the idea of a dynasty (such as the Bulls in the '90s, the Celtics, and the Red Wings, Oilers, Canadiens, etc.) has remained pretty constant as time has passed. 

Again, the idea of being on a "level playing field" money-wise puts pressure on organizations, but not as much as in the NFL.  There is a little bit more room for development of organizations as time goes along. 

Major League Baseball

Now this is the most interesting of the professional sports in the country.  This professional league bases itself on both "farming" young talent in the minor leagues and making the big moves from trades.  What makes it even more interesting is the number of ways baseball organizations can win the World Series each and every year. 

Some teams, like the Yankees and Red Sox, have used their higher payrolls to get competitive players.  Some teams, including more recent examples like the Tampa Bay Rays, use their farm systems to raise young talent into the high caliber athleticism you see on the field every day. 

Baseball teams go in cycles, unless you're the Cubs (just kidding Cub fans): Some years they will be up, some years they will be down.  A championship is most desired by all the players, but organizations are not considered "failures" season to season if they do not win the World Series every year. 

Pressure is only applied when teams start showing promise only to falter down the road.  Everyone wants to win it all "this season," but fans realize that it's not the end of the world if it is not to be.

College Athletics

In my opinion, this is the most intriguing of all the sports in the U.S.  This, by far, is the most debatable example of how teams should be run and what should be considered successful. 

There are no salary caps, only scholarships.  Players are not pulling in huge paychecks. They are playing for two reasons: College athletes play to further their careers and mature as young men and women, and they play for pride.  Fans have more of a "personal" and emotional attachment to these teams for a multitude of reasons. 

Players cannot be "traded." They can only transfer, only to sit out for a season, for the promise of playing for a championship team.  Talent levels range all over the spectrum on what is considered "competitive."

Success is measured on many different levels in many different parts of the country.  Some places expect championships, while some just expect to be bowl eligible or just to be invited to the postseason.  Dynasties and tradition are more rampant in the college ranks than in professional teams.

But the pressure to perform can be quite suffocating depending on what part of the country you are in and what sport that university prides itself upon.  It can be as volatile as the NFL, but it can also be very smooth as long as the standard is not raised too high from year to year.

Common Themes

In listing all the differences between the major sport attractions for this country, there are two things that remain common among all fans.

The first theme is that we all want to be part of something special.  Whether it be actually playing in these events, attending them, or cheering for a team that you have cheered since the womb, we all want to see our teams succeed.  We all want it every year.  We all want it now.  We all want to see our team on top. 

The second theme is that people are passionate about their teams.  Every person that is interested in sports has a special feeling for a certain team, whether it be in the pros or watching college kids play on their own "field of dreams."

Passionate fans know their team's history, the traditions to that team, and have stories of their own on how a certain fan stayed out in the freezing cold in a 56-10 blowout.  It's what makes competition and sports the way it has been for many, many years.

Conclusion

Now, what can we say about sports today?  Are we, as fans, really concerned about our teams winning championships every year?  I believe it is just human nature that humans are competitive.  We want to be better, so therefore we want our teams to be better than other people's teams. 

In general, I believe that the professional ranks have more pressure to perform than on the college level.  Professional teams have more of a level playing field than college universities.

Now, that's not to say that college teams don't have their own pressures to deal with, but more of it is pointed towards the coaching and the staff than at the players.  You can't exactly "fire" college kids like you can coaches or professional players.

I also believe people adopt the "What have you done for me lately?" ideal, but they take it in stride.  Fans want to see their teams succeed, but they realize, for the most part, the road to the crown is tough.  Let's also remember, as fans, we are not the ones out on the field.

My final thought is this: Winning is great, but it takes time.  Nothing lasts forever, so don't expect to win it all every year, but build upon successes to reach the highest achievement you can get.

After all, isn't that what we are taught in life to do?