Uncle Rico

Just reading Peter King on the "Lose for Luck" story. Talks about all that's at stake this Sunday for teams at the top of the draft, obviously with Luck as the focus. Some good historical stuff too.

So anyway he talks to Bill Polian about whether he's discussed the merits of losing this week with his coaches or players ("no conversations whatsoever'' ), and I thought these quotes were interesting:

"I am proud to be part of an organization and part of a league where players and coaches give 100 percent effort in every game,'' Polian said. "Maybe that's why we're such a popular sport.''
...
"How can you build an organization with a culture of winning and look players in the eye and tell them to give their best effort every day but this one?'' Polian said.

Ahem. And King doesn't even call him on it.

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PatsWickedPissah

King doesn't call him on it because being a media toady is all about accessibility. Confront and confound a source and you're toast. I have SO little respect for the profession and its practitioners.

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RelocatedPatFan

Maybe i need to read the article. It sounds to me like Polian was saying. We expectthem to give 100% every day, every time. How can we tell them not to give 100% now (or for this last game)?

Doesn't seem to be sayingthe team shouldn't.

Even if he did entertain such thoughts or even have those conversations, he would never admit it in the public.

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ctpatsfan77

He can't admit it, because the league's by-laws, IIRC, require teams to make a good-faith effort to try to win every game.

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captain insano

i often dream if i was a famous athlete how much i would endlessly f--k with the media. my god i would drive them nuts. words cant describe how pathetic and unprofessional they are.

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PatsFan24

With the Vikings win last week doesn't that mean the colts have the top pick?

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PatsFan24

The media? Or the teams that will boycott them if they face tough questions?

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Patriots Dynasty!!!!

Super Bowl XXXVI XXXVIII XXXIX Champs

"Stats are for losers, the final score is for winners." - Bill Belichick

patsfaninpa

No. Indy and St. louis each have 2 wins. An indy win and a Rams loss. Gives St. Louis the top pick. If they both win, or if they both lose. Indy gets the top pick.

vuudu

Is the hypocrisy from an earlier stance or just this article? I am confused as to what King should have called him on.

tobias funke

Technically:

Resting starters to get them ready for the playoffs, while starting backups who are giving 100% effort, falls under the categories of 'within the rules' and 'trying to win'.

It's also impossible to prove that any particular personnel decisions (or lack thereof) are made with the intent of sabotaging a team's chances of winning.

So regardless of whether or not everyone in the country knows a team is 'throwing' a game in practice, it doesn't really matter, because it's not done by telling the players to play poorly. It's simply done by making subtle roster decisions that will lower a team's chances of winning.

If we needed a name for it, we'd call it "Starting Curtis Painter for 12 weeks of the season", a.k.a. 'plausible deniability'.