Sports What Ifs.

Back to the Last Dance: Jackie McMullan (one of the people on the ESPN show Around The Horn) said that Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf didn't want the dynasty to go on too long like the Celtics dynasty did (when they won 11 of 13 from 1957-69). So, instead of going for another, it would have been interesting to see what would have happened if they broke it up after the fifth title.

First, let's look at what Jerry Krause may (or would) have done. I know that he wanted to trade Pippen to the Celtics for the sixth pick in the 97 draft (and take Tracy McGrady with that pick). In this world, he has the OK to. Then, he would have brought in Tim Floyd to replace Jackson as HC. A young T-Mac and Toni Kukoc would have been his two best players, and Ron Harper, Bill Wennington, Randy Brown, & Dickey Simpkins may have also stayed (they did stay for the lockout-shortened 99 season).

T-Mac only averaged 7 ppg in his first year with Toronto, but he only averaged 18.4 min. per game. With Chicago, it may have been 25-30 because they would have had a worse roster. The Bulls probably don't win any more than 25 games in 98 with that roster, giving them the sixth-worst record in the NBA.

In reality, Sac-Town had the sixth-worst record, and they got the seventh pick in the lottery. Let's say the Bulls get that, instead. They probably don't get Nowitzki (and I don't think that Krause would be interested in an undisciplined Jason "White Chocolate" Williams), but Paul Pierce is available, and they take him (they put him at SG, with Kukoc at PF and T-Mac at SF). Those are the three players that Krause starts to re-build around.

As for Phil Jackson and the other Bulls, MJ "retires" and takes at least a year off. Jackson probably takes a year off as well, and I could even see Rodman doing the same thing. Kerr probably joins someone like the Spurs, but maybe only commits for one year just to see what Jackson does. Then, in 98, Jackson ends up in NY or LA, and Rodman and Kerr join him (I don't think MJ does. Maybe he stays retired, or he joins the Celtics to team up with Pippen).
 
Here’s an idea: what if the Colts didn’t trade away a bunch of assets to get the #1 pick to take Jeff George in the 1990 NFL Draft? IOTL, the Falcons traded the #1 pick and a fourth-round pick to the Colts in exchange for OT Chris Hinton, WR Andre Rison, a fifth-round pick that year and a first-round pick in the next year’s draft (1991). The Colts took Jeff George with the #1 pick in 1990, and he turned out to be a bust. What if the Colts had waited a year? Let’s say they don’t make the trade and instead hang on to those assets. They’d probably do worse in the 1990 season, probably causing them to get a better draft pick in 1991 (IOTL, that ‘91 first-round pick they sent to the Falcons ended up being the #13 pick. Let’s say they trade down to the late first or early second round. Guess who would be available to fill the Colts’ hole at QB (and interestingly, was drafted by the Falcons IOTL)? Brett Favre.
 
Here’s an idea: what if the Colts didn’t trade away a bunch of assets to get the #1 pick to take Jeff George in the 1990 NFL Draft? IOTL, the Falcons traded the #1 pick and a fourth-round pick to the Colts in exchange for OT Chris Hinton, WR Andre Rison, a fifth-round pick that year and a first-round pick in the next year’s draft (1991). The Colts took Jeff George with the #1 pick in 1990, and he turned out to be a bust. What if the Colts had waited a year? Let’s say they don’t make the trade and instead hang on to those assets. They’d probably do worse in the 1990 season, probably causing them to get a better draft pick in 1991 (IOTL, that ‘91 first-round pick they sent to the Falcons ended up being the #13 pick. Let’s say they trade down to the late first or early second round. Guess who would be available to fill the Colts’ hole at QB (and interestingly, was drafted by the Falcons IOTL)? Brett Favre.
Isray will find a way to fuck it up. Seriously the Colts have had a pair generation talents at QB and a single Super Bowl win between them, and they threw Manning overboard following a serious injury and drove Luck out of the League. I will never trust Isray with generational talent level QB in any alt-history set up.
 
Here’s an idea: what if the Colts didn’t trade away a bunch of assets to get the #1 pick to take Jeff George in the 1990 NFL Draft? IOTL, the Falcons traded the #1 pick and a fourth-round pick to the Colts in exchange for OT Chris Hinton, WR Andre Rison, a fifth-round pick that year and a first-round pick in the next year’s draft (1991). The Colts took Jeff George with the #1 pick in 1990, and he turned out to be a bust. What if the Colts had waited a year? Let’s say they don’t make the trade and instead hang on to those assets. They’d probably do worse in the 1990 season, probably causing them to get a better draft pick in 1991 (IOTL, that ‘91 first-round pick they sent to the Falcons ended up being the #13 pick. Let’s say they trade down to the late first or early second round. Guess who would be available to fill the Colts’ hole at QB (and interestingly, was drafted by the Falcons IOTL)? Brett Favre.
Isray will find a way to fuck it up. Seriously the Colts have had a pair generation talents at QB and a single Super Bowl win between them, and they threw Manning overboard following a serious injury and drove Luck out of the League. I will never trust Isray with generational talent level QB in any alt-history set up.
Worse...Irsay and Favre might share enough drugs to kill the other
 
What would be the repercussions of a perfect 19-0 season (if Pats over Giants in 2007 Super Bowl)?
How would this affect the wider NFL that a perfect season was made?
 
What would be the repercussions of a perfect 19-0 season (if Pats over Giants in 2007 Super Bowl)?
How would this affect the wider NFL that a perfect season was made?
Honestly not much would change. Everyone knows that run would been a fluke and unlikely to repeat anytime soon.
 
What would be the repercussions of a perfect 19-0 season (if Pats over Giants in 2007 Super Bowl)?
How would this affect the wider NFL that a perfect season was made?
Brady and Bellichick certainly aren't ones to take their foot off the gas pedal, I don't think they'll get cocky and lose their edge or whatever. Maybe Randy Moss retires early with the satisfaction of a ring and doesn't bounce around to Tennessee and San Francisco but he's only 30 in 2007, that retirement isn't coming for a bit. The real game changer comes with the schedule change. As the defending champs the Patriots get a marquee matchup Week 1 Thursday night, which probably means the Pats aren't playing the Chiefs and Bernard Pollard isn't there to shred Brady's ACL. I have to imagine Brady is one game better than Matt Cassell and the Pats can get back into the playoffs, where they should have a real shot at a championship.

For the Giants, Michael Strahan maybe doesn't retire in the summer, though I'm not sure how much that team is improved given the rotation of excellent pass rushers the Giants had during that time. Getting to the Super Bowl still is a huge moment for Eli and Coughlin, but maybe without the confidence of actually winning the whole darn thing the Giants don't go 12-4 and catch the 1 seed in the NFC in 2008? That might be a stretch. Either way I don't think Coughlin will get canned any time soon, his loss is probably seen as inevitable and a good job just making it close with the team he had. Eli surely isn't on a HOF path without that win, and his Super Bowl 4 years later is way too far in the future to take for granted in this universe.
 
What if on March 8th 2004 Steve Moore turns around and drops the gloves and fights Todd Bertuzzi this avoiding the Bertuzzi/Moore incident.
 
I was watching a video about the September 2006 Deion Branch trade and it got me thinking: what if the Deion Branch trade never happened? Let’s say that instead of giving up their ‘07 first-round pick for Branch, the Seahawks sign Jabar Gaffney (who ended up replacing Branch in New England IOTL).

In week 6 of the 2006 season IOTL, Deion Branch made a 19-yard TD reception to cap of the Seahawks’ first drive of the 4th quarter, and the Seahawks eventually beat the Rams 30-28. ITTL, without Branch, let’s say the Seahawks have to settle for a field goal on that drive instead, and end up losing to the Rams 28-26. This means they go 8-8 instead of 9-7, meaning that draft pick that they kept ITTL is better (I’m not exactly sure what position it would be, but the important thing is that they’d definitely be picking before the Chiefs; since the Chiefs played the Rams and Seahawks once each that year, KC’s overall strength-of-schedule would be the same.) Since they don’t have Deion Branch, the Seahawks decide to take a wide receiver in the first round rather than the sixth, and end up drafting Dwayne Bowe.

Meanwhile, with Branch still on the Patriots, how would New England fare in 2006 (particularly against the Colts)? Who wins Super Bowl XLI ITTL?

Since Deion Branch was definitely better than Jabar Gaffney, I think the Deion Branch trade NOT happening would ultimately have been better for both sides.
 
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Has there ever been any discussion of how a specific sports game PoD could have immediate and clear effect on the course of non-sports history, outside of intangibles (like a how game affected the national mood,* or general butterflies)? For example, how a high school or college game affected the academic careers of non-athletes?

*e.g. how the 1970 World Cup might have affected the 1970 UK Election
 
Had the 2001 Mariners won the ALCS - do they beat the Diamondbacks in the World Series? And does the team build on that success and become a consistent contender?
 
Kevin Dyson is tackled a few inches forward and scores a touchdown, Super Bowl XXXIV goes into overtime (first ever), Titans win 26-23. Start of a Titans dynasty in the early 00s with Steve McNair, Eddie George, Jevon Kearse as superstars? Titans beating the Patriots in '03 and/or '04 and advancing? McNair would be regarded as the greatest African American QB ever (at the time) and the effect on both the Titans and the city of Nashville going forward would be interesting.

I have a feeling the AFC Championship game of the 19-20 season will be an important Titans WI game in the future since the Titans had smashed the Patriots dynasty and upset the Ravens at that point and managing to eek out a win against the Chiefs would be a very memorable game for the franchise and a long-awaited return to the Super Bowl under the unlikely skill of Ryan Tannehill.
 
Here's a what if I've been thinking about as a fan of college football, and in particular Big Ten football. What if the Chicago Maroons never dropped football? So the story is that the University of Chicago had a pretty good football program from its beginnings in the `1890's until the 20's. They won two mythical national titles and produced some good alum like Fritz Crisler who later went on to be coach and AD at Michigan (he also introduced the Winged helmets.) Anyways, the president of Chicago, a guy called Robert Maynard Hutchins, hated athletics and felt that it distracted from learning, and so he basically gutted the football program, first by firing their only coach Amos Alonzo Stagg in 1933 (he was 70 years old though, but he coached until he was 92, most notably at the University of the Pacific in California) and putting heavy recruiting restrictions on the team so that they got much worse (they already were struggling by the late 20's and early 30's) and in 1939 they played their last season. So lets say Chicago has a new president or something like that. What would happen in college football? Obviously Chicago would be another Northwestern more than likely (Northwestern was terrible for years)but might it affect other things? Would the Big Ten add Michigan State (they were added in 1949 to replace Chicago) and another school to make it 12? If they didn't does Michigan State become a big time independent like say Penn State or Notre Dame? Also, might Chicago be able to at least get some decent local players, like say a Dick Butkus? Might they even somehow get a lucky Rose Bowl bid?

Expanding above 10 doesn't seem warranted until conference expansion is driven by television contracts - assuming the CFA falls apart and similar NCAA rules changes permit a 12-team conference to stage an exempt championship game... I'd also be curious of the effect Chicago remaining would have on other more academically inclined private schools that had a strong football heritage prior to the Second World War - e.g. many of the members of the University Athletic Association of which the Chicago Maroons are current members.

Regarding Michigan State - Munn/Dougherty have already had a relatively good run by the time Michigan State would have joined the Big Ten, so being a first-class independent seems to be in the cards. There simply aren't any other options of a similar caliber - the MAC/MVFC wouldn't be good enough by half. The Big 7 is a bit too far away...

I would expect Michigan State to slot in nicely in a Paterno-built Eastern Conference in the late 70s or 80s that probably expands south in later decades:
  • Michigan State
  • Pittsburgh
  • Penn State
  • West Virginia
  • Syracuse
  • Rutgers
  • Maryland
  • Boston College
Perhaps this league would be Catholic-friendly enough to lure Notre Dame out of its redolent independence, since that seems to have been a recurring issue with Big Ten membership. And when the Big Ten does go looking for new members... they would likely look to the Big 12 region.

Honestly, as an MSU alumna I might write this timeline...
 
One for Australian/New Zealand readers, and fans of rugby codes..

What if the Sydney clubs that signed with Rupert Murdoch/News Ltd's Superleague (rebel rugby league competition) were different to OTL?

OTL the Penrith Panthers, Sydney Bulldogs & Cronulla Sharks signed to Superleague, but what if the Newscorp money found a home at one of the weaker Sydney clubs that stayed loyal to the ARL establishment in OTL like Western Suburbs Magpies or Balmain Tigers, or if the North Sydney Bears took the money to help with their relocation to the NSW Central Coast?

All the Sydney clubs that signed to Superleague in OTL survived the rationalization of the united NRL in the early 2000s, but what if all that News Ltd money saved Norths from having to merge with Manly (the ill-fated Northern Eagles), or Balmain and/or Wests didn't have to find merger partners in the new combined competition?
 
Expanding above 10 doesn't seem warranted until conference expansion is driven by television contracts - assuming the CFA falls apart and similar NCAA rules changes permit a 12-team conference to stage an exempt championship game... I'd also be curious of the effect Chicago remaining would have on other more academically inclined private schools that had a strong football heritage prior to the Second World War - e.g. many of the members of the University Athletic Association of which the Chicago Maroons are current members.

Regarding Michigan State - Munn/Dougherty have already had a relatively good run by the time Michigan State would have joined the Big Ten, so being a first-class independent seems to be in the cards. There simply aren't any other options of a similar caliber - the MAC/MVFC wouldn't be good enough by half. The Big 7 is a bit too far away...

I would expect Michigan State to slot in nicely in a Paterno-built Eastern Conference in the late 70s or 80s that probably expands south in later decades:
  • Michigan State
  • Pittsburgh
  • Penn State
  • West Virginia
  • Syracuse
  • Rutgers
  • Maryland
  • Boston College
Perhaps this league would be Catholic-friendly enough to lure Notre Dame out of its redolent independence, since that seems to have been a recurring issue with Big Ten membership. And when the Big Ten does go looking for new members... they would likely look to the Big 12 region.

Honestly, as an MSU alumna I might write this timeline...

Expanding to 12 teams doesn't seem out of the question for the Big 10 in the 40's, the SEC had 12 teams at the time and conferences like the Big Eight were actively recruiting during this time, both of which are universities centered around flagship universities. A large land grant university like Michigan St would certainly be appealing for the Big Ten to invite even without Chicago's leave, especially with the strong football success it had in the post-war years.
 
Kevin Dyson is tackled a few inches forward and scores a touchdown, Super Bowl XXXIV goes into overtime (first ever), Titans win 26-23. Start of a Titans dynasty in the early 00s with Steve McNair, Eddie George, Jevon Kearse as superstars? Titans beating the Patriots in '03 and/or '04 and advancing? McNair would be regarded as the greatest African American QB ever (at the time) and the effect on both the Titans and the city of Nashville going forward would be interesting.

I have a feeling the AFC Championship game of the 19-20 season will be an important Titans WI game in the future since the Titans had smashed the Patriots dynasty and upset the Ravens at that point and managing to eek out a win against the Chiefs would be a very memorable game for the franchise and a long-awaited return to the Super Bowl under the unlikely skill of Ryan Tannehill.

If it goes like that, the GSOT probably either disintegrates or regroups and wins it all in 2001. I don’t see much difference for the Titans except an awesome story; at best, they pull an upset of the evil Ravens empire in 2000, but that probably gives it to Oakland. It also probably means that, if the Rams regroup, they fix their flaws and handle business against the Pats in 2001.

Another wrinkle: the overtime rule changes sooner. If the Titans won the OT coin toss and kick a field goal right away to win it, this is almost certainly the catalyst to change the OT rule.

So the Titans get one, the Ravens get stopped in their tracks while Oakland plows over the overmatched Giants, the Rams take care of the Pats (realistically it’s close until the Rams pull away in the 4th quarter) and Gruden, having won a title, never gets sent to the Bucs, so SB38 is closer and Gannon doesn’t throw five fucking picks. The Bucs may still win but it won’t be a blowout.

Beyond that, this means that the Pats are reduced to two titles at most, still an accomplishment but not quite a dynasty. It may mean that the Raiders are tied forever to Oakland; Davis might use that 2000 title and a hard-fought one in 2002 (win or lose) to get help for a new stadium. So that means no Vegas - does that mean another team tries out Vegas?
 
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