There's an argument to be made for finding a way to eliminate road back to backs but keeping home back to backs in the schedule.
There are very few home back to backs yeah? I hardly remember more than a couple since I've been a fan.
The biggest drop off I see is not our team...we're looking fresh...it's the Dirks and Lebrons that have been sprinting out of the gate..they rest them before the playoffs so they can bring it then...that's the MO but we rested for the first half of the season and have started sprinting since the allstar break.
All players should work 5 days per week, every week of the year except for a two week vacation, 4 work days per week when there is a national holiday. Every workday should be 8 hours long, including games, practice, paid travel time to away games only, with a one hour meal break and two 15 minute coffee/pot/quickie breaks. All players should receive 8 “sick” or “personal” days per year, with pay. All players that get injured on the job would go on state workman’s comp insurance, and be removed from the team’s payroll and cap. You know, like the rest of us working dawgs.
All sports do that. NFL, MLB. The NFL doesn't play back to backs and they will rest a player before the playoffs if their playoff spot is guaranteed. What was the knock on Lebron, that he had to leave and play with Wade and Bosh before he won a ring. Not that he didn't play enough regular season games. It's the playoffs that matter. Regular season doesn't mean shit. Look at the discussions about Lillard and his legacy with the Blazers. Majority of fans won't consider him the greatest Blazer ever until he either wins a ring or at the very least gets the Blazers as far as Drexler did. What he does or doesn't do in the regular season doesn't enter in to the discussion.
I think you couldn't play 82 games in a year with those rules. Players put in a lot of time we don't see, I think.
the NFL has a small army...we have a dozen guys..I understand why they do it....but reality is those 4 year olds with the Steph Curry jerseys might have only got to go to one game all year and watch the bench against the champs bench....what doesn't suck about that? Kids looked bummed...
Not many. Perhaps there should be more. I've proposed something like this before, but I'd like to see an 86-game schedule--4 games against each team in conference (4 * 14), and the current 2 against each in the opposing (2 * 15). Games would only be Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday/Sunday. Back-to-backs would only be played at home; If you're on the road, you only play once on the weekend, so only 10 teams would be at home on any given weekend. On average, teams would be playing 7 games every 14 days. It would take 25 weeks of games to play 86 games. Add in a week for the all-star break, that's 26 weeks, or 6 months. I'm sure there are logistical issues with something like this, but I think there would be value in something structured like this.
NICE! I think we are thinking similar, 87 games to play each team 3 times, no bad back to backs or 4 in 5 nights. I like adding one more week off earlier to make games in January a little better. Those always feel like bad quality games!
That means a heck of a lot less press and exposure for teams. You can only fit in so many highlights per broadcast on shows like ESPN sports center, Blazers would get even less mention than they do now. The league wants games talked about every night of the week.
This is a great start. I'd propose two changes. First, keep the schedule at 82 games, for historical reasons (I know, that makes me sound like a baseball traditionalist - I'm not) AND because I doubt the players union would agree to an even longer (in terms of games) regular season schedule. Second, make the schedule more compressed at the beginning of the season than at the end. Let the guys play all of their back to backs early in the year when they are fresh. Then space the games further apart over the second half of the season, Basically, no back to back of any kind after the all star break. It is during these last two months that teams start resting their veterans. So, why not give everybody more time off so they all get all the rest they need and are healthy and rested some playoff time? Basically, move the start of the regular season up by a week or two, keep the current schedule density for the first half of the season and then gradually spread the games out as the season progresses. So, that by the time late March and April rolls around the frequency of games is getting closer and closer to what it becomes in the playoffs (no back to back games and frequently two days off between games). BNM
How about no back to backs after the all-star break? Resting players usually doesn't become a problem to then. Start the season around October 12th, and have the season slow down before playoffs. Simple. That means more teams can get on national TV, and players wouldn't be rested (or wouldn't be rested as often).
The worst games are right before the all star game. Maybe give them the first week in January off instead, and let them rest?
Would it? Or would the highlight shows adjust their coverage based on the availability of highlights? Would the day off between game nights allow for better build-up to the nights with games? I'm firmly of the belief that the NFL benefits from the appointment-viewing style weekly schedule they created, and feel the NBA would probably benefit similarly with a schedule like that which I proposed.
