| "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
Parity being the word. The issue, if parity is involved at all, should be a 'lack of parity' issue. But really that's still a poor way to put it, so the word ought to be left out. And there are arguments for both sides. Me, I think the NFL levels the playing field a bit too much, so that you're not sure what the playing field even is. Are the Patriots good? Are the Cowboys? Will the Super Bowl champs from (any given) last year even make the playoffs? Is my favorite player still on my favorite team? The NFL fan no longer knows.
As for the two leagues with 'lack of parity' issues - MLB and the NBA have the same problem but for completely different reasons. The NBA's problem is inherent in the sport itself. There are only 5 players on the court for each team. A top player can play the whole game, every game. Get a star - Lebron, Kobe, MJ, Hakeem, Bird, Magic, Duncan - and you'll win. Get a few stars and you'll win. And so on. But there are only so many legitimate stars at a given time, and once on a team, they tend to stay put for a long time. It's not fair, and I find the NBA unwatchable on account of it (it's the only sport, baseball included, where you can accurately predict division champs and playoff seeds and finals matchups before a game has been played), but it's not the league's fault. Unless they somehow force teams to trade their best player every 3 years, it's going to continue like it's always been.
Baseball, tho - that's not inherent in the sport. That's a league problem. I feel bad for fans of Pitt, KC, and so on in the modern era. They have no chance at all. Baseball ought to reward scouting and drafting and player development, as well as shrewd trading and free agent signing. But they don't. The Yankees botch seven free agent signings, and sign seven more people to make up for it. The Cubs (my team, so no bias here) make a horrible trade, but make up for it in free agency or by stealing players in a deadline deal with Pittsburgh. And on and on.
No league but maybe hockey has it just right. |
NBA MVPs
NBA Championship Coaches
NCAA and NBA Title
