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thefoss1957 · 10-20-2014, 11:19 AM

I personally despise Tanking for picks BS. For my team, it wasn't a conscious effort to tank, Toews and Kane were good, but, at the time, neither was a slam dunk #1 pick (Toews was a #3 pick, and Kane was viewed as "undersized"). For us it was a combination of inept politics in the front office (Pulford (and $Bill Wirtz) vs. Peter Wirtz (and more progressive thinkers), and a lack of proper talent utilization on the ice, due to a succession of untried coaches, in Yawney and Savard.

There is a historical lesson in the dangers of tanking...the 1979 Detroit Lions were determined to get Oklahoma halfback Billy Sims in the 1980 draft. The shed talent, and really just threw games. They got their guy. Then, lacking talent to surround him, he wasted a decent career, as the Lions sputtered, and for the next THIRTY YEARS couldn't put together the whole package of balanced talent. When their offense was good (with Sims and Sanders), their Defense stunk...when they built a Defense, the Offense was on the downswing. The ethic of losing pervaded the organization from the Owner on down. Karma. They only eked into a couple of playoffs, and were destined, even then, for a quick loss and attendant fist round exit.

Alienating the loyal fans, and courting a losing tradition, is the price of tanking...

Moreover, there are no guarantees that the targeted pick will ever perform at the expected levels once he gets to the top leagues, injury or intangibles can derail a promising career...after all, in the NFL, for instance, wasn't Ryan Leaf the slam dunk prospect, and Peyton Manning more the risk, as merely a product of his college system?

10-20-2014, 11:19 AM	#37
thefoss1957 Franchise Player Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Chicago Native relocated to the stinking desert of Utah Exp:	I personally despise Tanking for picks BS. For my team, it wasn't a conscious effort to tank, Toews and Kane were good, but, at the time, neither was a slam dunk #1 pick (Toews was a #3 pick, and Kane was viewed as "undersized"). For us it was a combination of inept politics in the front office (Pulford (and $Bill Wirtz) vs. Peter Wirtz (and more progressive thinkers), and a lack of proper talent utilization on the ice, due to a succession of untried coaches, in Yawney and Savard. There is a historical lesson in the dangers of tanking...the 1979 Detroit Lions were determined to get Oklahoma halfback Billy Sims in the 1980 draft. The shed talent, and really just threw games. They got their guy. Then, lacking talent to surround him, he wasted a decent career, as the Lions sputtered, and for the next THIRTY YEARS couldn't put together the whole package of balanced talent. When their offense was good (with Sims and Sanders), their Defense stunk...when they built a Defense, the Offense was on the downswing. The ethic of losing pervaded the organization from the Owner on down. Karma. They only eked into a couple of playoffs, and were destined, even then, for a quick loss and attendant fist round exit. Alienating the loyal fans, and courting a losing tradition, is the price of tanking... Moreover, there are no guarantees that the targeted pick will ever perform at the expected levels once he gets to the top leagues, injury or intangibles can derail a promising career...after all, in the NFL, for instance, wasn't Ryan Leaf the slam dunk prospect, and Peyton Manning more the risk, as merely a product of his college system? __________________ "If the wine's not good enough for the cook, the wine's not good enough for the dish!" - Julia Child (goddess of the kitchen)