Today's Sports Dynasties Can Sometimes Compare to Those of the Past

If there's one thing we are all guilty of, it's living in the past.

Regardless of how old we are, we think TV was better when we were kids as opposed to the drivel that's on TV now. We think music was better when we were kids than the nonsense that's played today. Our parents think music and TV was better in their time.

And, for the sake of balance, today's kids will probably see their kids' music and TV shows as a bunch of tomfoolery.

Heck, we think sports was better back in the day. That could be the case with any of the "Big Three," otherwise known as the NFL, MLB and NBA. Most people might think the New England Patriots couldn't hold a torch to say the Dallas Cowboys of the 1990s, the San Francisco 49ers of the 1980s or the Pittsburgh Steelers of the 1970s. Most people think the San Antonio Spurs couldn't hold a torch to Michael Jordan's Bulls or Magic Johnson's Lakers.

One reason for those thoughts is people believe the game is not played as well as it was "back then," which there might very well be some credence to that theory. Though some would say, "there are no more great players." To that, I say baloney. You mean to tell me that LaDainion Tomlinson isn't already great when he's on the verge of shattering Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton's rushing records? You mean to tell me that Tom Brady isn't great when he's won more Super Bowl titles than John Elway and is one short of tying Joe Montana? Ray Lewis is virtually every bit the impact player Lawrence Taylor was. You mean to tell me that Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan are not great players? They might be in the same category as Michael Jordan or Bill Russell but each has four titles and at least belong in the conversion of "Top Ten" of all-time.

The reason, however, is not because today's athlete is not better than the past; it's largely because of free agency. If anything, the potential of today's athlete gets greater each year. Some would say that expansion has watered down the talent but that too in my mind is baloney. In 1995, there were 28 NFL teams. I find it hard to believe there's not enough talent to field the four more teams the league has since filled.

The bottom line is that free agency makes it hard to build the chemistry because players come and go each year. Football is the ultimate team sport in that 11 different guys play offense, defense and special teams. Therefore, chemistry matters there more so than any other sport. It's not like in baseball, where there is a team element but no can help the pitcher strike out the side or help the batter hit a home run.

In football, if you don't have 11 guys working together, the team is screwed. Quarterbacks still need offensive linemen to block and receivers to catch. Kickers still need help from long-snappers and holders.

That's why we shouldn't be so quick to write off the Spurs and Patriots of the world because they have stayed at or near the top when dynasties were thought to be a thing of the past.