The Draft Process Needs To Be Changed.

[KirkCousins#8]

We need to adopt what the NBA does to keep the competitve balance within our league and prevent teams such as the dolphins,...gulp and our colts from tanking it for the top pick.The top 10 teams with losing records should be drawn from a lottery type system and the rest aligned from record.That's fair to everyone involved and improves our sport.Thoughts...anyone?

[ruksak]

I don't like the lottery system. Interestingly enough, the NBA is seen by many as crooked and their draft process enforces this notion.

I remember the old days before free-agency. When dynastic powerhouses ruled year in and year out. To volley the draft process to a game of chance would trend the league backward in direction.

Lets talk "tanking". Free agency and contract incentive sets an atmosphere wherein individuals are rewarded for their individual efforts. For a team to strategically tank a season, they would have to instruct individual players to perform poorly. Which would affect their incentive bonuses and their respective resumes.

For a team to tank it would require illogical logistics, such as, sliding money under the table as compensation for foregoing incentive clauses and only asking players that aren't in a contract year to drop the ball or otherwise foul-up a game.

Not to mention what something like this would do to the respective coaches involved. Which would require promises of maintaining their contract in the face of a horrendous season.

Essentially to successfully accomplish this, a team would have to fool the world in a way that makes 9/11 conspiracies seem simplistic.

[John Waylon]

No.

The NBA lottery hasn't resulted in great strides for the NBA, and most associated with the NBA want them to adopt the NFL's draft system because it is proven successful.

The worst team gets the shot at the best player. That's the best chance at parity, and there are numerous examples of that: Look at us. We had the high picks that led to Manning, and James, and that helped turn our fortunes around. Detriot has been picking high for a long time now, and now that they finally got someone who knows how to evaluate players, those high picks are translating into on-field success.

A look at the Pacers recent sting of draft unluckiness is the quintessential reason the draft lottery does more harm than good. We should have gotten higher picks than we have more often than not in the past decade, and it's cost us several chances at success.

The team with the most need should get the first pick.

The idea of throwing games to get the #1 pick is a total media and fan fabrication. Ruksak just touched the tip of the iceberg when he explained why it's an illogical notion at best, and if it were really true, we'd see a lot more teams on the bottom fighting for that spot than we already do.

[jgstriker]

Some good responses here. There is far too much on the line for 53 players for them to purposefully underperform and make mistakes. Garcon fumbling the ball in the fourth quarter last week was on him. He is in a contract year and is in a position where he could either set himself up for a big pay day or enter the lower paying middle ranks of wide recievers. Had he not fumbled that ball, not only would the Colts have had a chance to win but he would have had the chance to more solidify his current contract. Don't think for a second that there is a coaching staff who doesn't want to win every one of these games

[doogansquest]

The NFL may not be perfect, but it's the most well run of all the professional sports as evidenced by the fact that their draft gets higher ratings than the World Series.

[KirkCousins#8]

Thanks for all the well thought out replies.Yes,it does seem that our system is currently the best,but still flawed in my opinion.Regardless,i like to see various perspectives from others.

[Ramblinwreck7]

I don't like the lottery pick stuff, it doesn't guarantee the worst team the 1st pick and so on. There's a reason why teams in the NBA stay bad for so long, and it's probably because of their "lottery" draft system...

[eaglejoe8]

I like the process as is now. I also like the time being shortened in rounds 1 and 2. It really streamlined the process, and it has a much better flow to it. Only thing I'd do differently, is move the draft back to the weekend exclusively, with rounds 1-3 on Saturday with a Noon start, and rounds 4-7 on Sunday starting at 11AM.

[CCH]

I don't like the NBA Draft system, some people think it's fixed and unlike the NFL, bad NBA teams stay bad.

[ruksak]

The NFL may not be perfect, but it's the most well run of all the professional sports as evidenced by the fact that their draft gets higher ratings than the World Series.

To make the draft more enjoyable for the fans, they need to address the way the media informs the viewers of the impending pick before the announcement is made. It totally kills the excitement when they use that "Phone call cam" bit. I cannot believe how foolish the presentation is and that they haven't changed they way that all gets presented to the viewer.

[eaglejoe8]

To make the draft more enjoyable for the fans, they need to address the way the media informs the viewers of the impending pick before the announcement is made. It totally kills the excitement when they use that "Phone call cam" bit. I cannot believe how foolish the presentation is and that they haven't changed they way that all gets presented to the viewer.

I agree with this. They can still show the players' reactions, but do it after the fact.

[274ridge]

that promotes teams to be really good or really bad. Teams wont say in mediocrityso it would become more crooked

[super8todd]

The NBA Lottery is crap. NFL doesn't need that. The worst team never ever gets the 1st pick. it always ends up being a team with the 8% chance of getting the pick.. and it happens EVERY year. With those odds you'd think the system is rigged. :scared:

ANd in the NFL that means an 8-8 could possibly get the #1 pick while the 0-16 desperate team doesn't, that's not right.

[doogansquest]

To make the draft more enjoyable for the fans, they need to address the way the media informs the viewers of the impending pick before the announcement is made. It totally kills the excitement when they use that "Phone call cam" bit. I cannot believe how foolish the presentation is and that they haven't changed they way that all gets presented to the viewer.

Ugh! I totally agree. I hated knowing the picks before the announcement. Sort of like sneaking a pick of a Christmas present before it gets wrapped. Takes all the fun out of it.

[Jason_]

To make the draft more enjoyable for the fans, they need to address the way the media informs the viewers of the impending pick before the announcement is made. It totally kills the excitement when they use that "Phone call cam" bit. I cannot believe how foolish the presentation is and that they haven't changed they way that all gets presented to the viewer.

The NBA Lottery is crap. NFL doesn't need that. The worst team never ever gets the 1st pick. it always ends up being a team with the 8% chance of getting the pick.. and it happens EVERY year. With those odds you'd think the system is rigged. :scared:

ANd in the NFL that means an 8-8 could possibly get the #1 pick while the 0-16 desperate team doesn't, that's not right.

Totally agree with both. I've never liked the lottery concept and I'm glad the NFL doesn't use it. The way they have it setup is the most fair way. I also agree about the phone-cam. Some team should fake out the cameras and the announcers and call up a random player they have no intention of drafting. "Hey this is Chris Polian...we're not drafting you but just wanted to let you know we think you're a great player and wish you all the best." Might seem a little mean to the player receiving the phone call but would be funny none the less.

[pacolts56]

Totally agree with both. I've never liked the lottery concept and I'm glad the NFL doesn't use it. The way they have it setup is the most fair way. I also agree about the phone-cam. Some team should fake out the cameras and the announcers and call up a random player they have no intention of drafting. "Hey this is Chris Polian...we're not drafting you but just wanted to let you know we think you're a great player and wish you all the best." Might seem a little mean to the player receiving the phone call but would be funny none the less.

Jason....I bet you'd just love to see him do that to Andrew Luck. rotfl

[Thewholefnshow28]

We need to adopt what the NBA does to keep the competitve balance within our league and prevent teams such as the dolphins,...gulp and our colts from tanking it for the top pick.The top 10 teams with losing records should be drawn from a lottery type system and the rest aligned from record.That's fair to everyone involved and improves our sport.Thoughts...anyone?

Do you even follow the NBA much? Teams that are in the lottery routinely tank when they know they have no chance to make the playoffs. They shed salaries and then mysteriously certain players miss games due to minor injuries. Teams do this all the time so it is not like it will magically fix the tanking. Teams at 11 or 12 could easily tank to fall inside the top 10 to get in the lottery.

If anything the NBA needs to adopt what the NFL does because it is pathetic that teams who barely miss out on the playoffs have a chance at the first overall pick.

Just look at how the Bulls got Rose. The Bulls had a 1.7% chance of getting the number one pick. To me what the NBA does upsets the competitive balance more then what the NFL does.

[John Waylon]

Teams in the lottery usually stay in the lottery (Oh, hey, Golden State, what are you doing here?) because it's not a system that promotes betterment of a team. In the NFL, perennial top 10 picks usually results in a top 10 exodus within 2-4 years unless those making the picks are totally inept (Hey, Matt Millan has joined this thread now too! How 'bout that?) in which case a draft lottery isn't going to fix that, it's just going to compound the already present problem.

[KirkCousins#8]

Teams in the lottery usually stay in the lottery (Oh, hey, Golden State, what are you doing here?) because it's not a system that promotes betterment of a team. In the NFL, perennial top 10 picks usually results in a top 10 exodus within 2-4 years unless those making the picks are totally inept (Hey, Matt Millan has joined this thread now too! How 'bout that?) in which case a draft lottery isn't going to fix that, it's just going to compound the already present problem.

I can understand your point john.I guess that really does make more sense.What do you think about a lottery type system put in place for the playoff teams from the year before?I always thought it kind of sucked that the colts always got pick 29,30,31,32.

[John Waylon]

I can understand your point john.I guess that really does make more sense.What do you think about a lottery type system put in place for the playoff teams from the year before?I always thought it kind of sucked that the colts always got pick 29,30,31,32.

It's more practical there, but still kind of upsets the system of parity the NFL wants to have in place. The NFL would never outright say it, but they want a team to win the Super Bowl and then go away for a few years and let others have the success. Making the more successful team take potentially less successful players than the teams in front of them get gives the notion is that it will make it a little harder on them to stay successful.

[KirkCousins#8]

It's more practical there, but still kind of upsets the system of parity the NFL wants to have in place. The NFL would never outright say it, but they want a team to win the Super Bowl and then go away for a few years and let others have the success. Making the more successful team take potentially less successful players than the teams in front of them get gives the notion is that it will make it a little harder on them to stay successful.

Yeah,the parity really is what makes the nfl unique.I like the notion that any team(lions/bengals)could win it all any givin' year.That's what makes us(colts)so special.We've been able to field solid teams for over a decade,despite almost always picking last.But i also think manning had a lot to do about that.

[Jason_]

Jason....I bet you'd just love to see him do that to Andrew Luck. rotfl

Ok seriously, I swear I didn't have that in mind when I posted..in fact I only added Chris Polian's name as an afterthought...I was originally not going to put any name in it and just leave it anonymous like it could be any team calling any player. That being said, however....yes I would find it absolutely hilarious if the Colts did that to Luck. LOL

That being said, your post did make me realize that this year at least there is a better chance of there being some mystery. No matter who has the #1 pick, I think they'll at least listen to and entertain trade offers. Some teams are obviously going to be more likely to take him than trade him but still, I don't see any team just flat out refusing to listen to offers. So when we see Luck on the phone when the first pick comes around, the question obviously won't be "who's getting picked" but rather "which team is picking him". So yeah at least this year there may be a chance for a little mystery.

Edited October 21, 2011 by Jason

[rockywoj]

...So when we see Luck on the phone when the first pick comes around, ...

Hopefully the NFL and Broadcasters will wise up for the sake of good tv and NOT show the player on the phone before the pick. They should take a lesson from the NHL draft, where the players are sitting out in the stands and it's a mystery to them who is being picked, until the pick is actually announced. The TV drama of seeing their reaction. No anti-climatic spoiler about what prospect's name will be indeed announced.

Wise up, NFL, stop allowing teams to contact the prospects during the draft. Let all the congrats flow AFTER the prospect's name is announced and he is selected.

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As for the thread premise, I dislike the lottery system. I say leave it as it is.

Edited October 21, 2011 by rockywoj