The NFL Is A Business, And I Don’t Care
By Natasha Sims
January 25, 2014; Honolulu, HI, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Dexter McCluster (22) and linebacker Justin Houston (50) during the 2014 Pro Bowl Ohana Day at Aloha Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
This free agency has been action-packed, right?
Not that I am anything more than a casual observer, but the 2014 free agency has seemed more active than any I can recall. Maybe that’s because our neighbors are buying like their quarterback has only one more year left in his middle-aged arm. I could be misinterpreting that situation though …
Anyway, nothing brings the fans and the NFL closer together than Twitter. Games, team practices, free agency: Twitter is the front porch, and we’re all watching the parade from our rocking chairs.
If you can separate yourself from the so-called horror of this free agency, the online outcry was actually quite comical. From the smug (Helloooo, Broncos fans), to the Chicken Littles of the world, (Hello, Addicts, and a big welcome to the 49ers fans who are now the proud backers of the University of Missouri’s greatest NFL contribution, QB Blaine Gabbert*), fans did not disappoint with reactions to their team’s FA moves.
*Here’s a fun little activity: search Blaine Gabbert and let Google fill in the rest of the search. I get “Blaine Gabbert bust” as the first option.
I kid because I care. I think I’ve heard the mantra, “the NFL is a business,” more times over the past week than in my entire lifetime. Look, I get it. The NFL really is a business, er, nonprofit, actually, so decisions are made based on numbers and statistics. There will be blood casualties to The Almighty Salary Cap, which no one truly understands from what I gather. Players will leave their adoring fanbase for money, and front offices won’t re-sign players for the same reason.
Blah blah blah. No one cares. I certainly don’t. I don’t watch the Chiefs or root against the AFC West because it’s a business. I do it because I’m a fan, and as fans, we’re going to be a little irrational at times; yes, even if that means we’re upset because we lost Dexter McCluster.
To recap the obvious, we Chiefs fans quickly lost five players at the beginning of free agency, which was not unlike witnessing the carnage of the Red Wedding for 90 minutes.
But who did we really lose?
- Branden Albert
- Geoff Schwartz
- Dexter McCluster
- Jon Asamoah
- Tyson Jackson
Meh.
With time comes some perspective. If those losses hurt, what would we feel like if Justin Houston were to walk because the Chiefs re-signed Branden Albert to a ridiculously expensive contract? There, that loss feels better already, doesn’t it?
Still, while cooler heads may prevail, I say it’s OK and even justifiable to be upset when Denver has purchased every player on the market, and the Chiefs get Joe Mays, who plays… oh, who cares? It feels like we’re not doing anything.
We devote so much time and energy to a team and our beloved players, and sometimes even money because those dog jerseys don’t pay for themselves. It’s hard to divorce ourselves from the reality that the players and teams we adore are looking at this “game” as a business, and making decisions thusly. We don’t want that. Fans think with their hearts, businessmen think with their heads. That’s cold, and I don’t like it.
Now that we’ve established we’re in this together, what are our options?
- Bury our heads in the sand, because historically, that’s worked well.
- Take to Twitter and announce our dissatisfaction in 140 characters, or perhaps two tweets, if we are really upset (DENVER!!!).
- Commiserate and argue with fellow Addicts in the comments section (please do!)
OR, we can swallow that rising panic, remain calm because Reid and Dorsey have got this, and instead laugh at the Atlanta Chiefs and Team Pioli.
I feel better already!
How are you feeling about the Chiefs right now, Addicts?