In '07 the New England Patriots have signed Baltimore lb Adoulous Thomas and traded for Raiders' receiver Randy Moss. The NFL is backing this and hoping for a Patriots' super bowl. They are a very good team but is this part of the new parity the NFL has been asking fans to buy since 1996? Why would the league be so happy these stars landing in the no. 2 AFC super bowl contenders lap when teams like Green Bay and San Francisco could have used this talent and what about balance? Maybe its hard to see any favoritism, politics or bias for profit and to please powerful groups but how can the NFL explain its treatment of one team above other teams.

Since the league decided there would be no more dominante teams (49ers and Cowboys). The game has become wealthier but the quality of play may have suffered. Also, groups are investing billions of dollars in the league, even though most of this is for advertising rights and investments can some of this money be to have influence over who wins and loses? And what about the leagues treatment of teams/ owners like Jerry Jones (Cowboys) and Al Davis (Raiders) doesn't some of there accusations deserve to be hear?

1. The play on the field. Most of the games are mediocre with sloppy play on both sides of the ball. Complaints about this and game officiating has gotten so bad the NFL has put rules keeping any NFL employee from criticizing refs or the league. Fine or suspension could result if someone does. This includes the past three super bowls.
2. What parity!? the Pats’s, Broncos, Steelers, Panthers and Bears are always in the playoffs. If parity allows average and good teams to make the playoffs why have these teams’ dominated their divisions nearly every season since 200?
3. Bias/ favoritism: the NFL backs the Patriots and Steelers heavily. Not until the Moss trade has the Pats looked like contenders of the 70s’. Yet they dominate their division, something the NFL was supposed to be against. That trade alone shows that the NFL really wants them to succeed over other teams. The Cowboys and Raiders get bad press from ESPN (NFL’s media),terrible schedueling and no relief from the refs.

the AFC: The Patriots play in a weak AFC East, the weakest its ever been. There would up to three playoff contenders and at least two pro bowl qbs’in the 70’s-90’s. There hasn’t been any team to challenge the Patriots since Marino played in Miami. Pittsburg will bounce back because the NFL backs them too. K.C. and S.D. are twins with great running backs, tight ends and average qb’s the NFL will hype them while having bias against the Raiders- Denver is very talented but also hyped by the NFL.


the NFC: Carolina and Seattle are hyped and don’t do as good a job in personnel as the Cowboys but they do bring in huge revenue so they have to win. Seattle plays in a terrible division and Dallas has to deal with NFL bias because the league doesn’t want to see a dynasty rise again. my opinion: the new parity is to make the owners and league richer and has nothing to do with any level playing field. With so much revenue sharing and corporations investing in the league, owners get millions upfront before one regular season game. They know they don’t have to win to win financially; it could be profitable to allow another team to beat yours so they can make the playoffs- and split the revenue from local t.v. ratings and ticket sales with other teams. Instead of competing to win games, owners compete to get a bigger share of the revenue. This is one reason for the sloppy play on the field. Tagliabues’stadium program, is helped by fans paying for mediocre games at high prices to see their teams defeat the defending champions but still miss the playoffs. NFL marketing experts hope those fans will be pumped by the upset and keep spending on tickets and food at the new stadium to fill the leagues and owners pockets. If any owner or employee says something in public against this none sense, then his/ her team might have problems with the refs and get seriously bad press. That’s my opinion about the NFL today. I feel the parity system might have been used to improve the league at first, but now I see lots of misuse and abuse. Bottom line: teams have the right to make as much money as possible but they owe it to their fans to try and win as many games as possible too.


NFLs Favorites? Are these teams getting special treatment by the league to succeed over other teams?

• SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
• NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
• PITTSBURG STEELERS
• CAROLINA PANTHERS
• DENVER BRONCOS
• CHICAGO BEARS