NFL Commish weighs in - says the Cap works..

[Jazz]

Did anyone see the SCORE (in Canada) just a few minutes ago?

From the corner of my eye NFL commish Paul Tagliabue says the Cap works and is an effective solution to keep teams competitive - there was more but the phone rang (it sucks being at work..) so did anyone else here see it?

I'm sure they'll repeat it at the top of the hour....and maybe also at half past..

Click to read more...

 

[Jobu]

Did anyone see the SCORE (in Canada) just a few minutes ago?

From the corner of my eye NFL commish Paul Tagliabue says the Cap works and is an effective solution to keep teams competitive - there was more but the phone rang (it sucks being at work..) so did anyone else here see it?

I'm sure they'll repeat it at the top of the hour....and maybe also at half past..

How is this news? Is Tagliabue going to say the cap doesn't work?

 

[Cropduster]

How is this news? Is Tagliabue going to say the cap doesn't work?

Relax, all he was doing was mentioning that Tagliabue had a point about the NHL situation. I am glad to hear it, and in todays world the cap does work

 

[CarlRacki]

NFLPA head Gene Upshaw and several NFL players have stated publicly the cap works as well.

 

[Ar-too]

How is this news? Is Tagliabue going to say the cap doesn't work?

I know. I mean, who wants the NHL to be as successful as the NFL, right? I mean, that league is always on the brink...



Save us from the salary cap!!! :lol :lol

 

[Jobu]

Relax, all he was doing was mentioning that Tagliabue had a point about the NHL situation. I am glad to hear it, and in todays world the cap does work

Actually, Tagliabue refused comment on the NHL lockout, only to wish both sides luck. He only suggested that the salary cap works for the NFL (duh - I'm sure Bettman would agree), although in terms of parity I'd say that that's not entirely true. After all, the Pats are going for their 3rd Super Bowl in how many years?

 

[nomorekids]

Actually, Tagliabue refused comment on the NHL lockout, only to wish both sides luck. He only suggested that the salary cap works for the NFL (duh - I'm sure Bettman would agree), although in terms of parity I'd say that that's not entirely true. After all, the Pats are going for their 3rd Super Bowl in how many years?

hm, i wonder if that has anything to do with the emergence of a backup as a franchise quarterback and smart free agent moves...not to mention a surefire hall of fame coach.

Darn that cap. Won't let anyone but the Pats win :lol :lol

 

[Jazz]

NFLPA head Gene Upshaw and several NFL players have stated publicly the cap works as well.

Correct - here is a post I made a few months ago (unfortunately the link is not longer active)...

Now this is interesting....(more food for thought)

....With a degree in business from Syracuse, Dolphins fullback Rob Konrad owns a brokerage company and manages the money of a number of NHL players, including some Florida Panthers. He feels a salary cap would help the NHL.

"After studying it the last couple years, I think [the salary cap's] a good system and I like what we've done," said Konrad, the Dolphins' union representative. "You have to get past the accounting of professional teams, but I own a business and business is business. You're in business to turn a profit, and if you're losing monies and there's negative revenue, what you're doing isn't right on either the labor or management side.

"So I think the cap is fair as long as it's regulated and as long as it's moved percentagewise with the revenues that are coming in.".....

NFL's Dolphins say cap might help hockey

Note that this is not just any average player, this is Dolphin's union rep! Further proof that NHLPA is not giving it's players an accurate protrayal of what is going on..... You hear NHLPA President Trevor Linden talk and it is like the NFL players are on the verge of mutiny.... .

Anyways, I'll re-iterate one point I keep making: I'll agree with Saskin in one aspect (expect for his pathetic attempt to spin in this article) that there must be significant revenue sharing among the NHL owners with almost all revenue (ie. the NYRangers should be giving up a part of their revenue to the Edmontons and Carolinas of the league).

 

[Ar-too]

Actually, Tagliabue refused comment on the NHL lockout, only to wish both sides luck. He only suggested that the salary cap works for the NFL (duh - I'm sure Bettman would agree), although in terms of parity I'd say that that's not entirely true. After all, the Pats are going for their 3rd Super Bowl in how many years?

4. In any case, the Pats are there not because they spend more money than anyone else, it's that they spend it better than anyone else. That's why the cap works.

 

[Jobu]

hm, i wonder if that has anything to do with the emergence of a backup as a franchise quarterback and smart free agent moves...not to mention a surefire hall of fame coach.

Darn that cap. Won't let anyone but the Pats win :lol :lol

The point is, it's silly to justify a cap based on parity. Arguably, the NHL has better parity than the NFL.

 

[X8oD]

Actually, Tagliabue refused comment on the NHL lockout, only to wish both sides luck. He only suggested that the salary cap works for the NFL (duh - I'm sure Bettman would agree), although in terms of parity I'd say that that's not entirely true. After all, the Pats are going for their 3rd Super Bowl in how many years?

the pats are a well run team. They are well with in the limits of the cap. They draft well. And more importantly, unlike many other teams, they dont have players who hold out for the big bucks. They let them Walk, and STILL win.

the pats are the epitome of why teams can STILL build dynastys in a cap system.

 

[Crazy Lunatic]

Actually, Tagliabue refused comment on the NHL lockout, only to wish both sides luck. He only suggested that the salary cap works for the NFL (duh - I'm sure Bettman would agree), although in terms of parity I'd say that that's not entirely true. After all, the Pats are going for their 3rd Super Bowl in how many years?

And what does that have to do with a lack of parity? A cap insures that every team has a fair shot and is playing on even ground, it doesn't insure badly run teams make it to the Super Bowl. The Patriots are a franchise thats run incredibly well and deserve their success, it has nothing to do with a cap. There will always be good teams and bad teams no matter what the financial system. The difference is that in the NFL, the bad teams actually have hope of becomming good teams if they draft and trade better.

 

[CarlRacki]

The point is, it's silly to justify a cap based on parity. Arguably, the NHL has better parity than the NFL.

Depends how you define parity. If you define it by more teams making the playoffs, and making them more often, the NFL has a clear edge. If you define it soley by the number of different teams in the final game/series, then a small edge goes to the NHL.

 

[Jobu]

4. In any case, the Pats are there not because they spend more money than anyone else, it's that they spend it better than anyone else. That's why the cap works.

And the Lightning didn't win the Cup because they spend more money than anyone else either.

 

[Jobu]

the pats are a well run team. They are well with in the limits of the cap. They draft well. And more importantly, unlike many other teams, they dont have players who hold out for the big bucks. They let them Walk, and STILL win.

the pats are the epitome of why teams can STILL build dynastys in a cap system.

So why can't this happen where teams aren't spending the exact same amount? Under Brian Burke the Canucks were generally considered to be a "well-run team." Even though the Rangers spent oodles more, the general consenus is that they are not "well-run." Funnily enough, the Canucks performed better, and may have even won the Big Prize with a real goaltender and Bert.

 

[Jobu]

And what does that have to do with a lack of parity? A cap insures that every team has a fair shot and is playing on even ground, it doesn't insure badly run teams make it to the Super Bowl. The Patriots are a franchise thats run incredibly well and deserve their success, it has nothing to do with a cap. There will always be good teams and bad teams no matter what the financial system. The difference is that in the NFL, the bad teams actually have hope of becomming good teams if they draft and trade better.

So what you want is badly run teams to be given an artificial advantage by restricting the ability of all other teams from a fiscal point of view?

Why not encourage excellent managerial competence by staying away for such artificiality, which at least theoretically ENCCOURAGES managerial incomeptence (i.e., DISCOURAGES managerial competence) with the safety net of fiscal equality?

 

[Ar-too]

And the Lightning didn't win the Cup because they spend more money than anyone else either.

Yes, but everyone loses when the Rangers spend $8M/year on Bobby Holik and $5M/year on Darius Kasparitis.

 

[hubofhockey]

side note, but thought I'd mention...

.. Yes, the NFL caps work -- to the point that the league could be labeled ``government'', but not even government works so well.

One thing the cap has done in the NFL--churned rosters more rapidly than ever, with clubs constantly bringing in new, cheaper ``parts'' at the bottom of the roster when their second- and third-tier players get too pricey (witness: Lawyer Milloy, ex- of New England).

All of that is fine (not sure Milloy would agree), but it has put increasing emphasis and important on asst. coaches. They have to craft the raw material faster, and keep the roster churning.
Now, have you noticed the incredible spike in salaries for those NFL assts. and coordinators? Through the roof.
So what is a league to do? Watch. In very short order (12-24 months, maybe sooner), the league will cap salaries on coaches, too. It not only will save the owners money, but it also will stop the continual raid on coaching talent.

Now, if only the NHL had these worries, right. Meanwhile, about 85 percent of NHL coaches only know how to do one thing: turn their players into trappist wonks!

hoh/kpd

 

[Jobu]

Yes, but everyone loses when the Rangers spend $8M/year on Bobby Holik and $5M/year on Darius Kasparitis.

Wouldn't everyone lose under a salary cap system if the going-rate for Kaspar was $2m but he signed for $4m? Or Holik was "worth" $2m but signed for $5m?

Don't kid yourself - just because there is a cap doesn't prevent poor signings that may have the effect of rippling through the league, especially in the context of UFAs. It may just happen on a less perceptible scale.

 

[Ar-too]

So what you want is badly run teams to be given an artificial advantage by restricting the ability of all other teams from a fiscal point of view?

Why not encourage excellent managerial competence by staying away for such artificiality, which at least theoretically ENCCOURAGES managerial incomeptence (i.e., DISCOURAGES managerial competence) with the safety net of fiscal equality?

That's a whole lotta big words that say a whole lotta nothin.

Let me boil this down for you:

NFL + salary cap = successful
NHL - salary cap = unsucessful

 

[Biggest Canuck Fan]

.. Yes, the NFL caps work -- to the point that the league could be labeled ``government'', but not even government works so well.

One thing the cap has done in the NFL--churned rosters more rapidly than ever, with clubs constantly bringing in new, cheaper ``parts'' at the bottom of the roster when their second- and third-tier players get too pricey (witness: Lawyer Milloy, ex- of New England).
hoh/kpd

I agree with this. I am a die hard 49ers fan and let me tell you, this NFL season sucked very bad for me. The 49ers are still 4 years away from being a playoff team, never mind a SB contender.

 

[Wetcoaster]

Did anyone see the SCORE (in Canada) just a few minutes ago?

From the corner of my eye NFL commish Paul Tagliabue says the Cap works and is an effective solution to keep teams competitive - there was more but the phone rang (it sucks being at work..) so did anyone else here see it?

I'm sure they'll repeat it at the top of the hour....and maybe also at half past..

And there are numerous sports economists, labour law experts and others who disagree with him - including the head of the NFLPA, Gene Upshaw who has stated the NFLPA is not prepared to extend the salry cap with out significant modification.

A cap exists to guarantee profitablity to the owners regardless of performance - it has nothing to do with parity despite Bettman's propaganda as supported by his NFL counterpart.

Everyone agrees a salary cap will increase profitability. Teams will make more money because the amount teams can spend on player salaries will be limited to a set amount. That may sound fine and dandy on the surface, but some argue there are underlying costs.

"Things need to be done to permit well run teams to make money. The problem is the salary cap guarantees all teams, well run and poorly run . . . will make money," Stephen Ross, an Illinois University law professor told the Canadian Press. "Yes, it does protect owners in advance from making really stupid decisions.

"But what it also protects the owners against is an owner who could spend wisely on a new free agent who will put his team over the top. If a team has not been a contender recently, and they can spend more money to make more money, there should be no limit on their ability to do so."

In other words, you are placing limits on good business owners and propping up poor ones. There is only one group that can be a possible winner in a cap system and that is a team owner.

 

[Jobu]

That's a whole lotta big words that say a whole lotta nothin.

Let me boil this down for you:

NFL + salary cap = successful
NHL - salary cap = unsucessful

Wrong. NFL + multibillion dollar TV contract = successful. NHL + $0 TV contract = supposedly unsuccessful.

If you're under the impression that with a salary cap the NHL will suddently turn into the NFL, you're sorely mistaken.

Absent a cap, the NFL would still be "successful." With a cap, the NHL may or may not be more successful than the league is now.

Not to mention the difficulty in defining "successful."

 

[txomisc]

I agree with this. I am a die hard 49ers fan and let me tell you, this NFL season sucked very bad for me. The 49ers are still 4 years away from being a playoff team, never mind a SB contender.

Unfortunately, the 49ers made their own bed. They have huge cap issues as a result of poor management. Hell I wouldn't be surprised if Jerry Rice still counts against their cap number.

 

[John Flyers Fan]

Now, if only the NHL had these worries, right. Meanwhile, about 85 percent of NHL coaches only know how to do one thing: turn their players into trappist wonks!

hoh/kpd

You know that if Bellichek was coaching in the NHL, he'd be all over the trap.