In principal I thinks its a good thing, but has it really done what its meant to do? Sure, its slowed down in who we can go for and when, but come July 22nd (??) we are able to go after whoever we want, so if a team really wants a player or a player wants to come to us, theres nothing to stop casual conversation and playing the waiting game. I hope this never happens, but if a team tanks a game just so they don't make the final 8, with realistic aspirations that they won't get any further than the next round, is that playing the system or cheating?
I can't think of any justification as to why a team would tank a game in the playoffs. The F8 rules were written as a temporary measure. Hopefully they will be written out whenever they get through negotiating the new CBA/braving the lockout.
Just a hypothetical. If a team thought they had little or no chance to progress and more to gain by not making the final 8, I could see this happening, of course no one will no for sure, but it remains an absurd possibility. I do like the idea of trying to keep the playing field in the NFL as level as possible, and the draft is the best way of doing so. The final 8 is also a good idea but needs tweaking.
I think the final 8 rules are stupid, but I would rather have to deal with them then not. Good news is that this is likely the only year it exists, when the new CBA is put in place they should go away....
The Final 8 rules are just another rule put into the uncapped year by the owners that hurt the players this off season. Just like the 6 instead of 4 years RFA, 30 percent and 50 percent rule. The owners are going to make a ton of money off this season while the players that should be receiving their 2nd contract got screwed. I have no idea how the players association allowed the owners to put all this language in the uncapped year that screwed the players.
Yep, this is my view also. The union obviously thought that an uncapped year meant that teams would be falling all over themselves to spend lots of money, so they agreed to a few givebacks as a sign of good faith. The truth, of course, is that there was no reason for teams to spend a dime more, since it's not like revenue in the NFL is particularly connected to team success. I think that in the context of a salary cap the F8 rules are terrible, so I certainly hope that they disappear when a new agreement is made that includes a salary cap (in which I am a big believer).
You have no idea how they allowed this to happen? Because it's been in the rules for A LONG TIME, that's how. With that said, the Final 8 rules are completely acceptable on a temporary basis. You can sit here and lie and act like the Jets were so screwed by the rule, but it hasn't affected them at all - or any of the other top teams.
Of course it screwed us. We couldn't sign a UFA! We let our reliable kicker go just so we could sign a free agent! Now, we're hoping someone else from our team last year leaves, so we can get a backup QB. We just have a proactive GM who understands the rules and knows how to get around them to improve our team. But it would have been nice if we could, you know, sign Darren Sharper tomorrow? But we can't. And htat's due to the rules. On a temporary, one-year basis, I'll deal with it because I have to. But it's a crap rule, especially with New England and Miami in the division able to spend whatever they want. You say it hasn't affected us at all. Who knows how it affected the Jets or any other team. Maybe the Jets didn't want to bring in all these "bad character" guys and are just doing what they have to do within the rules. Who knows?
Sounds like you are reaching about Sharper. Especially considering the only point you are making has to do with Darren Sharper - someone who hasn't even scheduled a visit to New York and has already gone on two others. And rumored to be interested is Miami and another team, and even the New Orleans Saints want him back. Moreover, you are telling me your team MIGHT have brought all these low character guys because of a ONE YEAR rule? No, they were brought here because Rex Ryan wants to make a splash and wants to try and "change things up". And if you think it's a crap rule simply because "New England and Miami in the division... spend whatever they want" well then you're pretty foolish. Most, I'd say 28+ teams, are using self imposed salary caps. Why? Because if they don't next season they will all be in cap hell. Stop being dramatic, the ONE YEAR rule is not screwing over anyone.
It was just a strange thing to add a year that's uncapped but then prohibit teams from giving out big contracts to only a very few select players. The rules basically only allowed a player with 6 or more seasons to get a big contract. You basically can't restructure a players contract who is still under contract and if a player has less then 6 years service you can just make the restricted tender on him and see what happens next year. The Jets could have given Braylon or Leon a big contract extension but why should they if they don't have to? Whoever negotiated the uncapped year for the players union must have really felt that they would have a new cba prior to this year.
This was a one shot one time deal because of the CBA opt out. You won't see this once a new deal is put in place.
It was meant to hurt free agency in the uncapped year, as well as save some owners from themselves....
Final 8 rule is fine for this uncapped situation this year as the contract expired, but long term if the league goes uncapped there shouldn't be any restrictions. but the idea that a team would throw a playoff game because they don't think the have a legit chance to win is beyond fucking stupid. what kind of team would do that? maybe a 9-7 team that needed help to get into the playoffs, with a rookie QB and first year head coach? if the Jets at 9-7 didn't think they didn't have a chance and didn't roll over, why would anyone think another team would do so? that's just plain stupid. I hate to break this to you, every team in playoffs, when they step on the field, believes they are going to win or they'd just go home. that's why they practice and then show up.
Seriously. Nobody is losing a playoff game so they can sign free agents. A Dolphins fan telling a Jets fan that not being able to sign free agents isn't a big deal at all after his team gives Karlos Dansby a massive contract as a UFA seems very ironic. The only purpose the rule has was to give the teams (and players) a reason to come back to the negotiating table. It didn't happen. So now, eight teams are a little screwed. It's not being overdramatic, it's a fact that the Final Eight rule screws over 8 teams by not letting them sign unrestricted free agents. You certainly can't argue it helps us out, and it gives lesser teams like Miami a chance to sign players that the top eight teams could not sign. And it's not like I or anyone else are making excuses. It's not something we didn't know about, and Tannenbaum adjusted accordingly, bringing in guys in trades like Holmes and Cromartie rather than going after free agents. Would the Jets have gotten them otherwise? Who knows? The Jets are just playing the hand they were dealt. Hopefully, it's not like this again next year because I expect the Jets to be in the Final Eight teams again.
I don't know, maybe the Bengals didn't feel they had a legit chance to win the Super Bowl and let us win. anyone who would assert a team would throw a game would have to inherently believe that to be a possibility, which would certainly damper our excitement about the victory which was predicated on the Jets actually being better than the Bengals. and what if the Chargers threw the game against the Jets because they didn't think they could beat the Colts and didn't want the Final Four restrictions? now, here we are, the organization and the fans, thinking we are better than we really are because two teams threw the playoff games and let the Jets into the AFC Championship game that they didn't belong in, which hinders our ability to get better next year as well and creates a lofty expectation about the team which the team isn't ready to meet because we aren't even better than the Chargers or the Bengals who let us win. how disappointing, the Jets still suck apparently.
