Cross sport trading: NFL Quarterback possible trade to a Single-A affiliate Minor League Baseball Team?

The creation and structure of a myth, according to Roland Barthes (1972) "Mythologies" partially involves the signifier and the signified. The signifier is the word itself without any content, for example the word Tebow. The signified, or the idea that the word implies is thus created, for example the word Tebow implies kneeling down on one knee and placing one's fist on their forehead. The relationship between the signifier and the signified is arbitrary, it is not a natural relationship however, over time the language of the signifier and the signified language become the signification or the myth. The myth as Barthes further explained is always motivated. As we discussed in class, humans are hard wired for myth and narratives, thus NFL quarterback Tim Tebow is a perfect example. Sports fans have created a narrative around Tim Tebow, who has come to represent more than an NFL quarterback. People, some of who are not even sports fans have know what people mean when they say "Tebowing." Thus it will be interesting to see if the narrative for Tim Tebow changes as his position and playing time dramatically changes this next season...

Tuesday, first round NFL draft pick in 2010, Denver Broncos quarterback (current trade to the NFL's New York Jets) Tim Tebow has been scouted by Minor League Baseball team The Lake Elsinore Storm (Single-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres). Denver Broncos are looking to trade Tim Tebow and an offer from a minor league team is one of the offers on the table. Interestingly, The Lake Elsinore Storm have offered the Denver Broncos two mascots: The Rally Cop and the Grounds Crew Gorilla. Unsure of his baseball ability, Jones stated, "We're not sure about Tim's baseball past, but we are sure he could bring some of that Tebow magic to Lake Elsinore and would be a great addition to our ballclub." Further, Jones stated "Tebow actually has some recent experience with the national pastime. The former Florida quarterback supposedly dropped by a high school in Memphis following the 2010 draft to work out. While there, Tebow took his turn in the batting cage as well, supposedly blasting 12 of the 15 pitches he saw for home runs. Talk about a narrative created for an athlete that dictates the rest of their playing career. Now that the Denver Broncos have signed Peyton Manning, the Storm's offer to John Elway was one he surprisingly did not accept: two mascots for Tebow and the Storm promised to change the name of their stadium to Elway stadium.

How old is too old? Is younger really better?

Are the Colorado Rockies looking too old? The aging curve for baseball players is a short stretch of years in a man's late 20's, typically from age 25 to 29, "with 27 being the most typical peak season for ballplayers" according to Bill James, author of 1980's book "Baseball Abstract." This typical peak, in my opinion, should not hinder any player from progressing long after this age, nevertheless, 27 seems to be the age in which many baseball players experience their peak season. This being said, it is assumed that after age 27 ones ability will dissipate.

The aging curve of the Colorado Rockies has come into question as many members of the lineup exceed this peak age. Can the older lineup holdup against the younger players and lineups of other teams?

Baseball fans want to see the new, young baseball players with memorable statistics. In describing the baseball fan, Filreis stated, "the tail of productive performance is said to wag the dog of fan involvement" (Cassuto and Partridge, 126). It is no doubt ideal to have a younger lineup, I mean lets be realistic younger players are closer to their peak age and are favored for their longevity and potential, and are almost certain to advance past a productive performance in every game. The love for baseball demonstrated by fans seems to be dictated by the " "fan-as-customer philosophy" that pervades baseball economics, in which spectators are defined as "fan-nies" to fill seats... this economic view parallels the ascendancy of hyper-rational, economics-driven notions of improving a team's output" (Cassuto and Patridge, 126). To full-fill the "fan-as-customer philosophy", seats have to be filled, and one way to fill the seats is to have young new players right on the cuff of their peak season out on the field, ready to change records and create memorable statistics.

Not every fan wants to see new players out on the field, there are still aspects of an older lineup that benefit the team as a whole. Older players are needed as levelheaded and resourceful leaders. They are reliable and generally more insightful than the younger less experienced ball players. This is obviously not true for all older baseball players, but the notion of 'older and wiser' does play a role. So really, how old is too old? There is no definitive answer because there are benefits of both younger and older players to create a team worth watching. Is younger really better? In relation to statistics and peak season age and technical ability, yes younger does seem to be better, however there are plenty of older ballplayers who have exceeded their peak season expectations at an older age. This discussion is relevant to the aging curve of the Colorado Rockies.