Mark Cuban, "Mavericks did everything possible to lose once eliminated from playoff contention"

[Nails]

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/19402712/owner-mark-cuban-says-dallas-mavericks-tried-lose-being-eliminated-playoffs

Had to share, even if it means an increase in blood pressure thinking about our starting QB in Tampa.

[Saca312]

Wat

[uncfan888]

So what Cuban is saying is that the players are always going to play their hearts out and it's up to the coaches to save them from themselves.. You hear that, Ron? 

[dpm0409]

Well damn, Cuban came right out and said it, ha, didn't even attempt to sugar coat it.

[Bartin]

10 minutes ago, dpm0409 said:

Well damn, Cuban came right out and said it, ha, didn't even attempt to sugar coat it.

The honesty is refreshing. Once you are eliminated from playoff contention there is literally zero benefit to winning games.

[dpm0409]

From a business perspective I definitely agree with there being zero benefit to winning games / playing your best players once you've been eliminated from post season contention (avoiding injury to best players while playing for basically nothing but pride and draft reasons of course)......but from a fans perspective, people want to see the stars play if they spent good money to attend a game.

Although, if you've been eliminated from the playoffs, there probably isn't much incentive to attend a game, ha

 

[Chaos]

Solution: get rid of playoffs and hand every team/player a participation trophy at season's end. I mean that's the way of 'Merica now right?

[AndrewLaskoski]

The only system proven to prevent tanking is the demotion system used by soccer leagues over in Europe. Doubt that'll happen anytime soon in American sports but maybe one day.

[Nails]

7 minutes ago, AndrewLaskoski said:

The only system proven to prevent tanking is the demotion system used by soccer leagues over in Europe. Doubt that'll happen anytime soon in American sports but maybe one day.

In the NFL, using a snake/reverse order 32-1, for rounds 2, 4, and 6, would go a very long way in helping to keep the tank appeal down, maintain competitive balance, give hope to the needy, yet give far less reward for flat out sucking.  Picks 32 and 33 for the champs still wouldn't be enough to get into the top 12.

[Nails]

4 minutes ago, #PanthersKing said:

That's why Charlotte sucks every year !!!! We try to get the #8 seed. 

A lot of truth to that.  They tried tanking but are scared now since the league owned the New Orleans franchise and wanted Anthony Davis there.

The only professional title this state has ever won in the 4 major sports is the Stanley Cup, which stemmed from sucking bad enough to draft Eric Staal.

[Davidson Deac II]

Fwiw, I doubt that intentional losing is going to help them very much.  Once you get past the top 5 picks or so, its more of a crap shoot anyway.

[Nails]

Greg Olsen won't admit it, but how often will he "slip" just as he did on the 2 point conversion in the Bucs game?  He gets it.

[beastson]

9 minutes ago, Nails said:

Greg Olsen won't admit it, but how often will he "slip" just as he did on the 2 point conversion in the Bucs game?  He gets it.

Tanking for a high draft pick is real.

[Nails]

8 minutes ago, beastson said:

Tanking for a high draft pick is real.

It's common sense in many cases.  Obviously if you need a QB, the Colts and Bucs proved how real it was.  The Jets already this year.

With a young team and QB already in hand and if looking for experience, it's better in many cases to actually build experience and try to win games (i.e. us vs Tampa on Christmas Eve in 2011-we won the meaningless game, had a good time, still got Luke Kuechly).  

But in MANY cases, winning is utterly stupid (i.e. after winning 17 games, train wreck season, on the road, MASH unit combined with numerous guys that would be on different teams in 2 months-like @Tampa in week 17 would have been).