Love MLB, but like NASCAR, a shadow of what it was 15-20 years ago

[Fishhead]

What a shame

[GiveMeaBJ]

Explain for the younger generation.

[Fishhead]

Explain for the younger generation.

NASCAR.........restrictor plate and safety madness, over marketing, new point system, generic new tracks

MLB.........new divisions and playoff formats, steroids, new parks



These are but a few of the reasons.

[MartinBlank]

What exactly is wrong with the new parks in baseball?

Take Minnesota for example....they are playing at Target as opposed to the Metrodome, why is that bad?

Take Philly----Citizen's Bank Park versus the Vet---oh yeah, the rat-infested Vet was much better.

The Rangers have the Park at Arlington versus that POS they had?

The Reds have Great American BallPark versus Riverfront----and this is bad why?

And truthfully----this year----there are probably less steroids in baseball than there were in the early 1990's. At least now there is a testing program.

I think Baseball is a better product today that it was 10-20 years ago.

[Fishhead]

In the last 20 years, the NHL has declined also...........




Oh, and CBB has become a complete farce, especally from the glory days of the 70's and early 80's............expanded tourney, 3pt and shot clock, and of course, huge talent dropoff are all key factors contributing to this garbage sport.

[Fishhead]

Make no mistake about it, SOCCER is closing the gap every year on these traditional American sports that are crumbling before our very eyes............and fast.



AMERICAN FOOTBALL is still king though, and will be for a long time.

[MartinBlank]

Fish...still waiting for you to tell us why new ballparks in baseball is a bad thing.

[Fishhead]

The great thing is that we punters can wager on all this garbage..............which is a huge saving grace.


Without gambling, the USA would be in far worse shape than it is currently.............way worse.


Yet another reason why every state(with the exception of Utah and Kentucky) should legalize sportsbetting and precisely why bookie joints should be as popular as WALMARTS and BURGER KINGS in this decaying country.

[Fishhead]

Fish...still waiting for you to tell us why new ballparks in baseball is a bad thing.

Many positives with the new ballparks, but many negatives also...........I guess it equals out and I will indeed give you the benefit of the doubt.

[bruceBRUCEbruce]

In the last 20 years, the NHL has declined also...........

No doubt. But if you ask me which sport has had the most pronounced decline in the last decade or two, it's the NBA. And that's probably because the 80's and early to mid 90's will be seen as a golden era for that game.

Not sure I agree with you on MLB.

[Fishhead]

No doubt. But if you ask me which sport has had the most pronounced decline in the last decade or two, it's the NBA. And that's probably because the 80's and early to mid 90's will be seen as a golden era for that game.

Not sure I agree with you on MLB.

When I was betting the NBA heavily from 82-85............I was telling everyone I could what a great sport this is becoming.

[MartinBlank]

The NBA blows. Expansion has killed that league.

I think College Hoops is better-----I love that a team like Butler can come out of nowhere to get to the title game, and teams like George Mason can make the final four.

There clearly is much more talent available to college programs these days and that has increased parity and leveled the playing field.

[BRAVES1985]

mlb is still a great sport

nba blows

[Mr. Jones]

You want to know what has declined the most over the years. There is not even a close second really.
It is thoroughbred racing. First there was a housing bubble; then came the horse bubble.

Horsemen I know in central Kentucky are having their phones shut off and each weekend sees many farms being sold at absolute auction. Unless you bred to the very top echelon stallions with a blue blood mare, you are hoping and praying to get just your stud fee back when the yearling goes to auction. Lately that has been a longshot. Stakes placed broodmares are virtually being given away if somebody will take them. I heard its even worse in Ocala.

Meanwhile owners of horses in training can't afford to pay training fees when running for a pittance at most tracks. Handle going down= purses going down. Racino money is starting to go to ravaged state economies and not the horsemen.

The very top of the game appears to be doing well but that is an illusion. The foundation upon which it sits is crumbling each day.

[k13]

Early 90's was the best for majority of sports.

92-93 nhl one of the best seasons ever, huge decline soon after.

early 90's baseball, 4 millions even in Toronto

early 90's nfl, niners-cowboys, real football, real teams, not parity junk

early 90's nba, bulls-jordan obviously


college b-ball, no one really left early,

[MartinBlank]

Football is king, but I wouldn't say the NFL is better now than it was 20 years ago.

It certainly is bigger, but not sure if it is better.

Free Agency the way it is structured hurts the game.

[ronjon619]

The NBA blows. Expansion has killed that league.

yes sir. That game is watered down with too many journeymen players. A lot of teams are looking for athletes in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. In the 80's I can't recall non American players playing, now every team seems to have a European 2 guard with an African 7 footer. When the US born player can't cut it, teams look overseas.

[dwaechte]

You mean 15-20 years ago during the strike?

[dwaechte]

yes sir. That game is watered down with too many journeymen players. A lot of teams are looking for athletes in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. In the 80's I can't recall non American players playing, now every team seems to have a European 2 guard with an African 7 footer. When the US born player can't cut it, teams look overseas.

Worst. Logic. Ever.

So you're saying everyone worse than Nash, Nowitzki, and Yao would not have gotten on the court in the 80's?

I realize I'm pushing it, but the way you said that makes it seem you think US players are automatically superior and that if the size of the league was the same and US players hadn't "regressed' teams would not look for talent in other countries. That is preposterously untrue.

[milwaukee mike]

fishhead i'm gonna have to disagree with you
i was betting sports in the late 80s/early 90s and everything looks better through the rearview mirror

the "glory days" you speak of weren't all that great
very few games were televised

i can now watch any baseball game i want every day of the week, 15 years ago i couldn't even watch 1/2 of the brewers games

even if the games themselves were more exciting to watch (which they weren't) having to wait for radio sports updates, and more recently waiting for the scores to go by on the bottom of espn2 was nowhere near as much fun as watching your bets

[ronjon619]

Worst. Logic. Ever.

So you're saying everyone worse than Nash, Nowitzki, and Yao would not have gotten on the court in the 80's?

I realize I'm pushing it, but the way you said that makes it seem you think US players are automatically superior and that if the size of the league was the same and US players hadn't "regressed' teams would not look for talent in other countries. That is preposterously untrue.

who's the first Euro you remember in the league? For me it's Drazen Petrovich http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dražen_Petrović for the Blazers. He entered the league in 89 right around the time of expansion. There may have been others before him, but for me it was him. A 6-5 2 guard.

[Mr. Jones]

who's the first Euro you remember in the league? For me it's Drazen Petrovich http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dražen_Petrović for the Blazers. He entered the league in 89 right around the time of expansion. There may have been others before him, but for me it was him. A 6-5 2 guard.

Lithuanian Sarunas Marciulionis was drafted in 1987 and appeared in 1989. He was one of the first to get significant playing time and paved the way for fellow countryman Arvidas Sabonis to arrive in the NBA.

Marciulonis was a key factor in the creation of the Lithuanian flying skeleton skull man tee shirt.

[djefferis]

As far as nascar, its gotten away from its roots. Mixed bag with chase format, no run away pts leader w/ 3 races left, but too many guys get in. Templates for all makes shows this is no longer about auto makers promotion only. I miss the old days, to corporate.

Bases are better, easier to get to a game now more than ever. Players have been spoiled a while, will take todays product over 20 years aago.

Nba was jordan alone...now we have variety again. Prefer college, but 10 stars is better than one mega statrfor regular season play. Of course everyone loved rooting for or against the bulls come finals time.

[djefferis]

As far as nascar, its gotten away from its roots. Mixed bag with chase format, no run away pts leader w/ 3 races left, but too many guys get in. Templates for all makes shows this is no longer about auto makers promotion only. I miss the old days, to corporate.

Bases are better, easier to get to a game now more than ever. Players have been spoiled a while, will take todays product over 20 years aago.

Nba was jordan alone...now we have variety again. Prefer college, but 10 stars is better than one mega statrfor regular season play. Of course everyone loved rooting for or against the bulls come finals time.

[Vegas_bond]

The title of this post should be: "I hate American sports, and I love soccer, so American sports should be banned from America, and play only soccer".
Its very clear that Fishhead is a soccer fan, and he loves it. No problem with that. What I dont understand is this: why he should hate the other sports?. We, as gamblers, or wannabe gamblers, need
as many sports as we can get. Not just one.
And we need those sports where the same teams play everyday, and sports that produce SIGNIFICANT DATA everyday. MLB and NBA, NHL maybe, are those sports.
If Fishhead, or some other guys, dont like American sports, or find them to hard to beat, just switch to simpler stuff. For instance, take a look at the stats from soccer;they will remind you of kindergaden Math.
But please dont do what many soccer fans do: hate American
sports, mainly baseball, because we, baseball fans, dont hate soccer. Dont be the Hitler of Sports.

Greetings from Tequila land (Mexicouuu...).

[milwaukee mike]

vegasbond speak for yourself

some of us baseball fans DO hate soccer

[NrmlCurvSurfr]

I just gotta say...NASCAR has ALWAYS suckd. F1 is king. And as far as soccer goes...I don't see it EVER becoming the top choice as far as American sports go. Soccer does not sell, and has little integrity. And if you think the US is in "bad shape" you are on the outside my friend.