PawmSWAT
Active Roster
Nowadays one cannot go through an entire page for any given thread on this website without reading the word "tank" or "tanking." I feel the word is used way too liberally these days and especially around here.
What exactly is tanking? And who exactly is responsible for the decision to tank or not?
YOUNG PLAYERS:
GM/PLAYER PERSONNEL:
These are the only individuals that I could see who could be part of a tanking effort. But to what capacity would they do this? And how would they actually "tank"?
I guess what I am trying to get at is IMO tanking is purposefully putting your team in a situation to lose to get in a better draft position. I think more of what is happening here is we are ripping off the band-aid of mediocrity: throwing away bad contracts, establishing a culture of personal conditioning and mental aptitude, cutting players we as a fan base deluded ourselves into thinking were legit play-makers, and building through the draft (THIS IS WHAT ALL PERENNIAL SUPER BOWL CONTENDERS DO).
What exactly is tanking? And who exactly is responsible for the decision to tank or not?
YOUNG PLAYERS:
How exactly and why exactly would a young player on his rookie contract "tank"? He is 100% going to give it his all so he can get that second contract and hopefully get paid to secure his and his family's livelihood.
How does the grizzled vet (becoming harder and harder to find on our team these days) buy into tanking? Why would he? If he knew a tank job was going on, why would he spend his last years on this roster?
The answer is he wouldn't. No player in their right mind is part of any tanking effort.
COACHING STAFF:How can any member of the coaching staff from the HC on down to basic positional coaches in their right mind contribute to a tanking effort?
Do they purposefully teach players ineffective technique?
Do the coaches systematically design game plans in order to lose? Wouldn't this bode very poorly for their futures as coaches in the NFL?
GM/PLAYER PERSONNEL:
These are the only individuals that I could see who could be part of a tanking effort. But to what capacity would they do this? And how would they actually "tank"?
Is it by releasing older veterans to create cap space? No - all good teams do this.
I know somebody will bring up Vincent Taylor getting cut since he allegedly had so much of an impact. He was picked up by the Bills (another floundering franchise) and add to their practice squad. Not even their final roster. The Dolphins have been deprived of good, young talent for so long we convinced ourselves a 6th round DT who made the Bills practice squad was a promising young piece for our future.
You can say "hey! trading away Tunsil was clearly a move to tank!" I hope most people on this board realize we got more for Tunsil than the Raiders got for Khalil Mack. Stop and think about that for a second. NOBODY is off limits. Not even Tom Brady to Bill B. Good teams always build through the draft. This trade enabled us to have MUCH more flexibility in the next two drafts. Whether that is trading up to get to a spot where we take our future QB or just draft a ton of guys to flood the team with young, hungry, and competitive talent we have our options.
I guess what I am trying to get at is IMO tanking is purposefully putting your team in a situation to lose to get in a better draft position. I think more of what is happening here is we are ripping off the band-aid of mediocrity: throwing away bad contracts, establishing a culture of personal conditioning and mental aptitude, cutting players we as a fan base deluded ourselves into thinking were legit play-makers, and building through the draft (THIS IS WHAT ALL PERENNIAL SUPER BOWL CONTENDERS DO).
