Big Ben Gives NFL Another Chance To Side With Fans

Charade Continues For
Pro Sports Leagues

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

Frequently when an athlete gets in trouble and embarrasses his employer, he'll offer up a public apology to his team, his family and of course his fans.

I'm currently thinking about Ben Roethlisberger. Last week it was Tiger Woods and I forget who it was the week before. I'm anxious to see who it will be next week.

And then when the owner or some other high-ranking team official reacts in his tedious corporate language, he, too, always seems to cite the importance of upholding the team's traditions and standards "that our loyal  fans have come to expect" or some such thing.

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League commissioners, no matter what the sport, often cite how important the fans are, but is that just lip service?

I'm certain that it is.

If sports were truly for the fans the way the rich, old, white men in suits like to say they are, then:

+ Baseball would still play some of its postseason games in the afternoon and they sure as heck wouldn't end after midnight.

+ Pro football would still play its games on Sunday and one on Monday night. Unless there's a turkey in the oven, no Thursday or Saturday games.

+ College football would have an undisputed national champion every year.

+ College basketball would not consider expanding its perfect tournament.

+ NBA and NHL playoffs wouldn't last for two months. How about a best-of-three in the first round and a best-of-five in the second before a best-of-seven in conference finals matchups? And in the NBA, how about no four-day layoffs between opening-round games?

+ Boxing wouldn't have shit its pants and made a huge mess of itself. Can you name all the divisions or more than two of the sport's organizations?

Every aforementioned ill is rooted in money and I can accept that. But while I know the leagues want to remain profitable, does everything always have to be about maximum profitability? Can't the margins just be good enough? Or is the NFL in danger of being run out of business by that other American pro football league that seems to be enjoying so much success?