Rapid Fire

"Brown Bear"
Most people who know Chase and I know that we don't necessarily have the same views on quite a few issues. I bleed red, Chase bleeds blue. I'm a lone wolf in the desert, while Chase is quickly climbing up the corporate ladder with his hot wife by his side. We kind of feel like this dynamic leads to some pretty good discussions that we've had, and are going to try and do one of these dialogues every week. This week we're discussing Sports; Is it business or personal? Enjoy

I'm not sure if anyone else has feels the same way, but in America,I think that our little worlds revolve around the dollar. Unless you feel like pulling a Unabomber and heading for your rustic cabin in the forest, the simple fact is that we are all businesses. In no place is this more apparent than in sports. Darrelle Revis, the superb corner of the New York Jets and founder of "Revis Island" is currently giving money back to the Jets because he is dissatisfied with his current contract. Years ago, this would have been front page news, but I'm betting that half the people I know that I would call avid sports followers don't even care that he's given back more in the last week than most HOUSEHOLDS make in a year. Kids are raised to become top drawer athletes instead of engineers or scientists or teachers due to the financial stability it provides. I don't have the numbers, but I am sure the amount of money generated by the big three (NFL, NBA, MLB) is enough to bail America out of debt completely. This and so many other reasons prove that sports is strictly a business anymore. I dare you to tell me otherwise, Chasey T....

"Chasey T"
Brown Bear you make a good argument, but I have to correct you. My first reason is the sole fact that LeBron and Chris Bosh took their talents to South Beach. LeBron could have stayed in Cleveland or gone somewhere else and made some serious cash outside of just a contract. If he would have gone to New York he would of become a global sports Icon in America's most beloved city. Instead he chose to leave a few dollars on the table to win the ultimate prize! The NBA title. Both these men in Bosh and LeBron decided a title meant a lot more to them than making more money. They are already rich and fine for life. They left the "Business" out and took the "Personal" best choice for them to win a title. Wouldn't you agree Brown Bear?

"Brown Bear"
I feel like Big Papi at the home run derby right now, with pipe shots like that. You said it yourself, LeBron from the beginning knew what he wanted out of his career, to be a Global Icon. Plenty of great, hall of fame caliber players(Malone, Stockton, Barkley, Ewing, Wilkens, etc) never won any championships. Jordan won six. Who has their own shoe brand? Majority owner of an NBA franchise? Makes more money getting out of bed than I ever will in my lifetime? Jordan. People pay to see winners, and Bron Bron knows this as well as anybody. Forget the lack of a state tax in Miami, LeDecision is smart and has thought this out beyond his playing years. He knows the best way to keep those checks coming in is winning championships. Why not bring some friends along on the journey? Greg Miller, owner of the Jazz, knows this as well as anyone. His first two years as head of the Jazz have been spent in the luxury tax, and although they seem to forfeit some wins every now and then by continuing not to play Sunday games, this is another business decision. He continues to write big checks to try and keep the fifth-smallest market team competitive, because he knows they can't make any money without putting marks in the win column. Forfeiting three or four games a year still makes them a second round playoff team, and keeps his bank account full.

"Chasey T"
You feel like Big Papi at the Home Run Derby and I feel like Barry Bonds in 2001 going yard 73 times. LeBron knows he already has made his mark and has decided to win titles. That will bring the personal satisfaction and love of the game you have as a young kid. You mentioned Karl Malone. What did he do at the end of his career? Chased a title because it was what he personally wanted. He already had car dealerships and recognition. He didn't have championships. That is what he wanted and desired. All the money in the world doesn't change the mind of the true competitor. This isn't the Yankees or Carlos Boozer. Money can help bring players to the town, but the players personal desire to compete is what wins the game. Not to mention you're a fan for personal reasons and excitement of the game. Not the business side. You don't watch the front office in the meetings and board room on a daily basis. There's no highlights of meetings and signatures. There's highlights of dunks and touchdowns.

"Brown Bear"
The Mailman was as much a brand manager as anyone, he ended his career wearing Apex shoes for crying out loud. The only shoe they made were his! I won't argue that there were better options to win a title, but he knew like everyone else that winning a championship was validation for his future. It was when he started to go downhill that he decided to leave Utah, because he knew he couldn't carry the load and Utah wasn't going to be able to build up a surrounding cast quick enough for him. Winning the ring was the push-off to his future career. Stockton didn't even try to chase the ring. He was content to move on to his next endeavor because he knew that the ring wasn't the key to him being able to make money. The man was all business every night. Now its all business every day for the both of them. I agree that people don't want to watch meetings and signatures, they PAY for entertainment. I get just as hyped watching the underage kids on campus here run from the cops as I do watching the football team down here. Would I pay to see it every night? Probably, just like I'll pay to see a movie or band, because it entertains me. As long as we are talking local, the Utes move to the Pac-10/12 is another prime example. Does Larry Scott really feel it is necessary to add the U based on their outstanding research or skiing titles? Fail. He did it because they are willing to take less money for two years and because it gives him leverage negotiating their next TV deal having both the Utah and Denver markets. Why is Bronco Mendenhall so indifferent to the continuation of the rivalry game? Because he knows that the fierceness of the rivalry is leading to people getting injured, and that means lawsuit. Lawsuit for the Lord's University puts them in danger of losing that program, and that means a significant loss in his paycheck. Risk ain't worth the reward....or lack thereof.

"Chasey T"
The separation in this argument needs to be made. Sports is a business in the front offices around the leagues. To some players it is a business. To NO fans should they ever say "hey we lost cause it's a business." You should never be content because your team doesn't have the money and another does. That's why us Jazz fans continue to expect a Title year in and out because the way our front office does business, it keeps us contending and leads to personal satisfaction for fans. Utah to the Pac 12 is all business for the Pac 12. If it really wanted a better fit on the field and team to take they would of taken BYU over Utah or taken Utah and BYU instead of Colorado. BYU dominates the Utah market, but the research facility and dislike for the LDS religion among residents in PAC 12 they left BYU out. I get frustrated when Utah fans think they have already won the Rose Bowl now that they're invited. Utah will make more money soon enough and that "business" side of NCAA will affect facilities and sometimes recruits. That does not automatically equal wins. Utah should know as good as anyone it's who and how you recruit that helps you win games. Utah has been recruiting pretty well without the facilities and money it will be getting. They also have 2 BCS trips and wins. If this "business" decision the PAC 12 and Utah made to join forces affects how many wins Utah has in a negative way you will see a loss in fans and personal satisfaction of being a fan. All a fan really wants to see is wins and quality play. Business doens't always decide that.

"Brown Bear"
But while all that may or may not be true, let's look into the heart of why schools even have football programs. Every university president under the sun will tell you that the football team is the most visible and wide-reaching way to market their school. Have you seen the fan girls at Florida State or Georgia or Arizona State? I'm not surprised they can't win their conferences, if I were there I'd probably have a hard time choosing between hitting the playbook, or hitting on the girls across the hall. Actually, I wouldn't. I'd be across the hall every night, because I can see every weekend what I would get if I went to school there. Football teams make great marketing tools, it's no coincidence that Ohio State, Texas, Florida, and Penn State are both top ten perennially on the football field AND in class enrollment. More exposure means more students, and more students means more money, and everybody wants more money. Money means security. It's sad, but invested, passionate fans like you and I are being pushed out of the arenas in favor of corporations and businessmen that care more about entertaining "clients" than watching a game. Look at LA, people don't go to those games because they really care about the Lakers winning, they go to be seen, promoted, exposed, so the next movie or TV show they make has an audience and guarantees a paycheck. I guarantee the same thing will happen in Miami because of the "Superfriends". Our nation lives by the credo "It's not personal, it's Business." I wish things were different, I really do, but I just don't see things changing anytime soon.

"Chasey T"
It is hard for me to argue some of your points. Sports have obviously turned into a money making business that people get involved in to make a profit on. It's a shame and hard as a true fan of sports and teams to see all the hidden agenda's going on. The NFL has it right though as a business is concerned. They make the most money, are the most visible and enjoyed in our country. The fron offices are all about making money. Even the players at times. I like how they have it set up though. Non-gauranteed contracts. As a fan you know your player is giving his all to earn his money most of the time. If not, he can be released. That's real life. If I don't give it my all and have results at my work I can be let go. There shouldn't be any difference in sports. I have a hard time watching the NBA when players who have 5 Year max deals pack it in for the season or one night because they know they are getting paid. Go earn your paycheck everyday. That's what the rest of the world has to do.

I guess this argument may never end, But for now we can proabably both agree that Sports are a "Business" and a "Personal" hobby or job. Depending on who you are.

Stay Good - Chasey T and The Brown Bear