BharatBhasha.com
 
Free Articles  >>  Sports >>  Page 77  >> 

Genius On The Gridiron

Stereotypes plague many places in our society, and nowhere is that more evident than the football field. The stereotype of the big strong jock - body like a refrigerator and head like meatloaf - still permeates our consciousness. However, anybody who has seen an NFL playbook with its X's and O's, patterns, timings, understanding and strategies knows that in order to play this game at the professional level you don't just need to have a lot of strength. You need good brains under the helmet as well. Perhaps it is the complexities of the sport itself the lead NFL policy makers to make some of the wisest decisions in professional sports. Compared to other leagues, NFL decisions show excellence in structure, discipline and ensuring the future of the game itself.

Salary caps

Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association are frequently criticized for building teams of the rich by the rich for the rich. A team with more money to attract better stars is able to do become a powerhouse, while teams with less financial support or struggling records are unable to get the top-quality players to make the grade in the field. The NFL battled this long ago with their system of salary caps, salary minimums and contract requirements. According to the salary cap, each team has so much they can pay all of their players and must adjust salaries within the guidelines. This balances out the sources for each team and keeps any one group from building a dream team, while smaller teams suffer from lower salaries. Caps are based on a percentage of the revenue generated by the teams, but still ensure each team has to play within the same common grounds.

Tough drug policy

The NFL consistently has the toughest drug policy of any professional sport. This has led to it being one of the only sports not currently besieged by drug-related problems. The policy is so tough; many have protested that it is too hard on athletes caught using performance-enhancing drugs. However, the NFL maintains that it will not be a drug enabled sport, and will suspend anybody caught in its practice. The policy consists of suspending an athlete for four games, which is one fourth of the season, when they test positive for drugs, eight games for the second offense and 12 games or one season for the third positive result. A positive drug test after the third suspension calls for expulsion from the NFL. Although some have failed in this new drug policy only two players have ever failed a test past the third positive and both were allowed to retire from the sport. However, considering the performance-enhancing drug scandals in baseball, and the National Basketball Association, the NFL's tough standards may be the model to use in the future.

Draft policy

The NFL draft has gotten to be such an interesting mix of mathematics, statistics and guesswork that they televise it because it's almost as interesting as watching a football game. The draft policy, like the salary cap, insures equity between teams, which makes for more interesting competition throughout the year. Their policy allows the team with the worst record from the previous year to have the first draft pick in the next year. This inverted way of allowing people to choose the new talent coming out helps the teams to maintain a balance and also have leeway to contract with athletes and to work with other teams so that they can trade other draft picks. By using a draft policy based on an inverted paradigm the teams create an equality of basics and share some of that power.

Between drug scandals in baseball and basketball dynasties, fans are beginning to realize that the NFL's stringent standards and rules have kept a balance that maintains a forward moving sport.


Article Source: http://www.BharatBhasha.com
Article Url: http://www.bharatbhasha.com/sports.php/64066


Article Added on Thursday, August 9, 2007
Other Articles related to "Genius On The Gridiron" by James Brown

•The Birth Of Basketball
Basketball has been around for ages. For sure it has existed as a formal sport way before the icons we look up to in this sport were even born. Thanks to James Naismith, basketball's founder and inventor in 1891. Mr. Naismith was a Canadian instructor of physical education in 1887 at McGill University and at the Y.M.C.A Training School of Springfield College in Massachusetts during the 1890s. While backyard and street basketball games are now a fad, Mr. Naismith intended basketball to be an...

Articles In LimeLight
  • Abraham-Hicks vs Eckhart Tolle
    By Gary Evans Added on Thursday, April 24, 2008
  • How Accurate Are Standard Iq Tests?
    By Amy Nutt Added on Friday, April 25, 2008
  • How To Control Your Diabetes?
    By Safron Jeen Added on Friday, April 25, 2008
  • How To Potty Train A Yorkshire Terrier
    By Michelle Arthur Added on Wednesday, April 23, 2008
  • Residential Vertical Platform Lifts
    By Brad Brubaker Added on Sunday, April 27, 2008
  • What Is The Best MLM / Network Marketing Company?
    By Jason Paul Added on Thursday, April 24, 2008
  • Surviving The First Year In Network Marketing
    By D.H. Cannon Added on Friday, April 18, 2008
  • Fathers Day Gift Baskets
    By La Tunya Sifford Added on Sunday, April 20, 2008
  • Using Myspace For Advertising
    By N. Robbins Added on Sunday, April 27, 2008
  • Staying Informed With The Help Of A Realtor
    By Eric Bramlett Added on Sunday, April 27, 2008
  • Wrought Iron Outdoor Furniture Is Built To Last
    By Ann Marier Added on Wednesday, April 23, 2008
  • Mountain Bike Accessories - What's Essential And What's Not
    By Rob Pool Added on Monday, April 28, 2008
  • Why Knowing "Why" Beats Knowing "How"
    By D. Hurley Added on Friday, April 18, 2008
  • The Various Wall Decorating Styles Available
    By Mr.Andrew Caxton Added on Sunday, April 27, 2008
  • Focus On Your MLM Genealogy Lead
    By Dustin Heath Cannon Added on Sunday, April 27, 2008
  • How To Buy Plus Size Lingerie For Complement Your Curves
    By Amanda Cotterill Added on Monday, April 28, 2008
  • Butterfly Download Network Review - Butterflydownloadnetwork.com - Good Or Bad?
    By Mark T. Davis Added on Sunday, April 27, 2008
  • Try Cappuccino From Fair Trade Coffee Beans
    By Johnathan Bakers Added on Sunday, April 27, 2008
  • Martin Yale Rapidfold P7400 Automatic Desktop Paper Folding Machine Product Rev
    By Jeff McRitchie Added on Thursday, April 17, 2008
  • Most Money Spent On Marketing Network Scams
    By Dustin Heath Cannon Added on Friday, April 18, 2008
  • About Author James Brown :

    James Brown writes about http://www.nflgearshop.com

    Publishers / Webmasters
    Tell A Friend
    Comments / Questions?
    Download this article in PDF
    Search through all the articles:


    372 Users Online!
    Related Articles:
    Latest Articles:
     
    sports >> Top 50 Articles on Sports >> All Articles in this category
    Category - >
    • Advertising • Advice • Affiliate Programs • Automobiles
    • Be Your Own Mentor • Careers • Communication • Consumers
    • CopyWriting • Crime • Domain Names • DoT com Entrepreneur Corner
    • Ebooks • Ecommerce • Education • Email
    • Entertainment • Environment • Family • Finance And Business
    • Food & Drink • Gardening • Health & Fitness • Hobbies
    • Home Business • Home Improvement • Humour • House Holds
    • Internet And Computers • Kiddos and Teens • Legal Matters • Mail Order
    • Management • Marketing • Marriage • MetaPhysical
    • Motivational • MultiMedia • Multi Level Marketing • NewsLetters
    • Pets • Psychology • Religion • Parenting
    • Politics • Sales • Science • Search Engine Optimization
    • Site Promotion • Sports • Technology • Travel
    • Web Development • Web Hosting • WeightLoss • Women's Corner
    • Writing • Miscellaneous Articles • Real Estate • Arts And Crafts


    Disclaimer: The information presented and opinions expressed in the articles are those of the authors
    and do not necessarily represent the views of Bharatbhasha.com and/or its owners.


    Copyright © AwareINDIA. All rights reserved || Privacy Policy || Terms Of Use || Author Guidelines || Article Search
    FAQs Link To Us || Submit An Article || All Products || Free Downloads|| Contact Us || Site Map  || Advertise with Us ||
    Click here for Special webhosting packages for visitors of this website only!