NFC East or West?
by tdships on Aug 29, 2009 10:22 AM CDT
Email
PrintSomething stuck me in the 5 Questions post about how a team as clearly flawed as SF can be forecast at 8-8 while most pundits have a talented DAL team at 9-7. The answer, of course, is the strength of each team's division - with the East generally conceded to be 'The Best Division in the NFL'(apologies to AFC South) and the West considered 'The Worst Division in the NFL.' It's basically a no-brainer that the Cowboys would win the West outright with a virtual sweep of Division foes - conceding a Road loss to AZ just to temper any charges of homerism.
The larger point is this - during Divisional realignment a couple of years back, JJ insisted the Cowboys stay in the East - traditional rivalries and history as the reasoning. But the real motivation is, as it should be for an owner - dollars. Simply - ratings, merchandise sales and interest will be highest if these are maintained. But does this stand up in reality? Do theCowboys/NFL really need this to ensure ratings? Competitively, are the Cowboys served best in this alignment, taking into account this is all cyclical. Doesn't winning = playoff seeding = success? Wouldn't that produce the same if not better, commercial results as being less competitive in a traditional alignment? Travel would be less burdensome (and 'Greener'). Certainly, late season weather would be less of a factor as well.
I hate the Giants, having gown up in NY. I despise the Redskins and went to college in DC. And I absolutely loathe Philly and basically have left town as soon as I could whenever I went there(except for visits to Bookbinders). But do I need those rivalries - not so sure anymore. What say you?
<!--Session data-->
Another user-created commentary provided by a BTB reader.
16 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
i probably would stop caring about football all together if we were put in the nfc west. i would rarly get to see a game and it would be against teams i dont really care about. i live in northern va and the worst thing to happen to the nfl was the ravens bringing awful gams vs the browns and bengals 4 timse a year. if the cowboys were in the west it would be like that for me except 100 times worse. they probably wouldnt even get as many primetime games as they do now since they would be playing such trash teams so often. its just something i would and i dont think any cowboys fan would like to see. the drama of hating the redskins, giants and egals is half of what makes being a cowboys fan so fun.
i would rather have the divisions stay the same and the cowboys never win another superbowl then have them changed. it would change what the nfl is to me.
Never change it!
Don’t forget those Eastern TV markets too.
Trade the NY market for Seattle, I don’t think so.
Just change the names of the divisions instead. Ideas?
With the media being based out of the northeast I wouldnt think so.
Plus I love to hate those guys. I have invested anger. Plus, the tough divisions produce the most SB Champions.
Im mean, nasty, and tired. I eat concertina wire and piss napalm, and I can put a round through a flea's ass at 200 meters. So you go and hump someone else's leg mutt face, before i push yours in. Gunnery SGT Tom Highway
Although
I hate the 3 other teams in the division, I wouldn’t trade spots with anyone, ever. I love this division. Rivalries everywhere, good storylines, good football. I bet you could make the argument that any of the NFC East teams could go into the NFC West and take the division easily. Except maybe the Skins … cause they SUCK!!!
Sugar ... water .... and, of course, purple.
dam shame when a football fan
thinks to hell with rivalries and tradition and lets just get some easy wins.
'he nails an open three from the corner....just like you and me, this one was made by penetration' - Truthaboutit - Round 1 Game 5 Recap
exactly.
So many championships have come out of the NFC East because of how tough the division is. I’d never want it any other way.
"Everybody wants something but nobody wants to pay the price" - Michael Irvin
Just another reason to despise them.
"Everybody wants something but nobody wants to pay the price" - Michael Irvin
That was not my point at all
As I stated, this is cyclical and teams will rise and fall.
Also surprised that anyone’s appreciation for DAL or football in general relies on divisional rivalries
The 7th Rule of "Fight Club": Fights will go on as long as they have to.
the question is, how do rivalries NOT increase your enjoyment of football
the concept of rivalries isn’t a NFL thing, it is what competitive sports has always been about. from peewee/little league to high school to college to football. it’s the purest form of fandom.
the interaction with redskins giants and eagles fans and media, without a doubt, increases the level of enjoyment I get from following my Cowboys. i have no concern over how much money JJ makes from this team, unless I feel cheated in how much I spend and don’t see returns on which I dont feel.
'he nails an open three from the corner....just like you and me, this one was made by penetration' - Truthaboutit - Round 1 Game 5 Recap
Yeah, this just wouldn't be right.
Especially considering that there’s a good chance the Seahawks will experience a resurgence and rule that division again. That would mean the Cowboys’ most intense and competitive rival would be an old AFC West Stalwart. Why not just trade ’em to the AFC West for the Chiefs instead?
I would never want to leave this division
Sure if we went ot the west, wed be looking at probably our 4th straight division title + wed probably have a couple playoff wins due to likely homefield plus 1st round bye for three straight years (the AFC west is THAT BAD), but frankly, i think theres more pride in making it to the playoffs out of this tough division than winning a playoff game or two. The rivalries are great, theres a ton of hate between nearly everyone now, these games are big money, national headline games, every one is competitive, i wouldn’t trade it. I’ve always felt like these games ARE playoff games.
If anything we should switch w/ Carolina
And be in the south. Geographic wise at least
"We play to win the game" - Herm Edwards
by nicholas.rodriguez on Aug 29, 2009 10:14 PM CDT reply actions
If you can survive the East, you’re much more ready for the playoffs, than beating on poor division chumps.
Well...
It comes in cycles. While the East is by far the dominant division right now, one could say that the NFC West back in the late 90’s was far better, with a good San Fran, St. Louis, Seattle, and the crappy Cardinals.
Look at the Eagles in the late 90’s early 2000’s. IMO they missed tons of opportunities because you had a Dallas and Washington that lets face it… sucked. The Giants were good but besides that year they went to the bowl against the Ravens, they weren’t anything special.
It all comes in cycles.
by The Immortal Iron Fist AKA AFB on Aug 30, 2009 2:35 PM CDT reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
