Commentary
Dynasties are impossible to sustain in today’s NFL PITTSBURGH -Warren Sapp proclaimed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defense one of the best in NFL history and Steelers fans scoffed.
They had the same reaction a few years ago when the Baltimore Ravens rode a stifling defense and average offense to a Super Bowl victory.
The answer was the same both times: Do it for several years, not just one. But is that possible in today’s NFL?
With free agency and a salary cap, it’s impossible to keep a team together the way the Steelers of the 1970s did.
Had the current system been in place then, there would have been choices to make: Jack Ham or Jack Lambert.
Joe Greene or L.C. Greenwood?
Mel Blount or Donnie Shell?
If anyone remembers some of Blount’s contentious contract negotiations, there seems to be little doubt he would have gotten the contract he wanted, either in Pittsburgh or elsewhere.
But players of that era had no real choice so they stayed where they were. That allowed the Steelers to keep intact a defense that dominated the NFL over a six-year period and generated four championships.
Smart teams can still maintain success but they won’t do it with the same cast of players.
Baltimore needed only one year to get into serious cap trouble, which forced the Ravens to dismantle their team. They took their run at the top and made it, which is more than the Jacksonville Jaguars can say.
NFL people like to talk about the “window of opportunity.” Teams gear up when they think they can take a run at a title and mortgage some of the future to take advantage of the chance that’s present now.
Maybe the Buccaneers’ defense is as good as anyone’s. The proof won’t be in their ability to sustain that success.
The system doesn’t allow it.
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Steve Mariucci is scheduled to be introduced as the new head coach of the Detroit Lions today.
Everyone and his uncle knows that the Lions wanted Mariucci. That’s why they abruptly rescinded their support of the hapless coach whose name no one can spell and fired him.
So why couldn’t the Lions just hire Mariucci as soon as the office was vacant?
They had to go through the NFL-mandated procedure of interviewing minority candidates for the job.
Problem was, everyone knew that Mariucci’s hiring was such a slam dunk that some of the minority candidates didn’t even bother to go through the interview process.
Steelers defensive coordinator Tim Lewis was among those who rejected a chance to go to Detroit and interview with the Lions.
A system that’s designed to make sure minorities are represented instead wound up providing nothing but blatant tokenism in this case.
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There is nothing quite like the reaction of a Penguins crowd when it realizes Mario Lemieux will play in the game.
It’s equal parts elation and relief. Hockey tickets are expensive and people live in fear the game they’ve picked will be a game Lemieux has to miss.
Makes you wonder what things are going to be like when Lemieux again retires and the Penguins have to sell hockey instead one of three greatest players in NHL history.
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The Pirates’ taking 33 pitchers to spring training isn’t as unwieldy as it may seem at first glance.
Ten of those pitchers have no chance to make the major league staff and will be on their way to minor league camp in quick order.
Barring injury or trades, nine of the others are locks to make the opening day staff so the priority will be getting them ready to start the season.
That leaves the rest to audition for the few vacancies and there’s enough time and innings to do that. It’s not like everyone has an equal chance to make the team. Some pitchers are already ticketed for the minor leagues, although the staff is willing to be surprised by someone who turns out to be better than expected.
Sports correspondent John Mehno can be reached at: johnmehno@lycos.com.