Should The NFL Have A Draft Lottery Like The NBA?

[Yavin4]

This weekend, the Niners are playing the Texans. The loser of this game actually is better off than the winner. To ensure against any kind of competitive fraud, shouldn't the NFL follow the NBA's lead and have a draft lotter to determine the overall #1 pick among the five worst teams in the NFL, with the subsequent rounds of the draft going in order of the team's finish.

With a draft lottery, a team wouldn't have any incentive to finish worse than another team.

[Goblinmonger]

1. As a Viking fan

45 minutes from Packer central, I thought it was hilarious how jacked up everyone was here when they beat the Lions. Christ, they probably dropped 5 slots with that win. They would have been better to lose and join the Bush race.

I think a lottery would be a good idea.

[democracyindanger]

2. A local sportsguy here in SF

said something interesting: Paul Tagliabue should step in and say that the winner of the Niners/Texans game gets the first pick. It'd never happen, but it's a different take.

[the other one]

3. Yes. Here is my idea copywrite 2005

The eighteen teams who don't make the draft are automatically in the lottery. Each team is given an equal chance of getting the first pick. That way there is no incentive to lose any game ever.

Have the lottery drawing during half time of the Super Bowl. Draw pingpong balls starting at the eighteenth team and work up all the way to no. 1.

It will be more interesting than any other half time show. It will give a lot of dissappointed fans a reason to watch the big game. It gives Vegas something else to take action on.

[erpowers]

4. Complete Draft Lottery

I contend there should be a complete draft lottery. There should be a lottery for all the picks from first to last. None of the team records should matter in the draft.

[rinsd]

5. "a team wouldn't have any incentive to finish worse than another team"

You do realize the lottery is heavily weighted by the finishing ranks of the teams. Teams still have "incentive" to stink it up down the stretch. In fact instead of limiting it to just that two or three worst teams for having the potential to mail it in as the season closes, you have opened it up to teams on the cusp of suckdom who get a shot at the #1 pick based on the lottery.

The draft lottery also leads to rumors of tampering, see Patrick Ewing in the 1st lottery.

[Yavin4]

6. There's A Difference Between Losing EVERY Game In Order

to enhance your chances and losing enough to make the lottery. For example, after the 8th week of the season, if a team is 2-6, then that team has every incentive to lose their remaining games, esp. a teams like the Texans and the 49ers who desperately meed a franchise star.

With a lottery, a 2-6 team has no incentive to lose EVERY game because they know they would probably be in the lottery, and tanking your games to get an extra ping-pong does not work. If it did, Tim Duncan would be playing for the Celtics.

[northzax]

11. but honestly

what incentive does any team not making the playoffs have to win any games? besides the professional pride of the thing?

[DaveinMD]

7. players don't tank games

it isn't in there best interest. They don't give a crap about draft position. They give a crap about having jobs in the league. To get a job, you must look good on game film. You can't look like you aren't giving full effort. This is especially true if you are a marginal player. Do you think Capers cares if the Texans get the first pick? He won't be there next year anyhow.

[Robeson]

9. Agreed. A lottery for the NFL is a bad idea, and I have no doubt, ...

...it wouldn't even be considered by the commish, or owners.

[sniffa]

8. no - NFL has had parity

NBA hasn't it in a Long time.

[northzax]

12. and one player makes a much bigger difference in the NBA

than in the NFL. plus, probably 25% of the Texans will be looking for work next season, they aren't going to tank intentionally to help a team they won't be playing on and hurting their prospects. Do some players tank? sure. but except for the truely brilliant ones, they don't last long.

[Burma Jones]

10. Death Matches

Each Team (including the two SB teams)sends an (expendable) veteran to the Super Bowl Halftime Show. The Vets fight to the death in a tournament. The fallen are honored as heroes and have their hearts ripped out and burned to appease the Divine Dubya. The draft picks are then divied up according to how long the team's guy lasted.


Or a draft lottery would work too, with non play off teams jockying for position....

[SammyBlue]

13. No. . .the worst team should get the 1st overal pick.

Draft for the second round, not the first!

[hasbro]

14. Long ago the NFL did have a Lottery

It was for everyone for the 1st pick and they were disqualified from future lotteries, but this was when the league was like 8 teams.