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What’s your favorite sport? You can bet on Super Bowl for instance. Or, you can bet on another sport of your choice. However, there is no secret that there are millions of NFL followers around the world – simply because the game’s too exciting.
Football is what the entire world swears by. It is nearly regarded as sacred. So much so, that we actually listen to each and every word these so-called football announcers have to say all the time without blinking an eyelid. But what if the football announcers go awry? What it their announcements are wrong and misplaced?
Because that is what happened in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs against the Dallas Cowboys and the Rams. With the Dallas Cowboys trailing with nine points, Troy Aikman, an analyst from Fox said that the Cowboys should be happy with one point only making them trail by eight rather than try to get a two-point conversion and try to trail by seven.
And while Maher, one of the Cowboys kicked the ball, getting the score to 30-22 with barely any time to spare, was it really the best decision to take?
In fact, if data is to be believed, the right decision in such a stage would have been to reduce the margin between the teams by seven points. Of course, according to simple logic, this would increase the chances of a win for the team that is trailing.
It was pretty evident to everyone who watched the match tat the Dallas Cowboys were in an almost no-win situation, but it was in their best interest to reduce the margin to seven instead of only eight. And isn’t that what is the duty of a football coach? Doing what is best for your boys to have still a shot to win and keep the hope for a win alive? Every coach who has spoken on this issue including Dirk Koetter who used to coach Buccaneers have said the same thing.
However, all this strategy has done is create controversy for the team, the players and the announcer himself.
What could have been done instead are these alternatives? Any team trailing by nine points try to get a two-point conversion and fails. It is still better than not trying at all. Secondly, they work conversion and succeed, thereby increasing their chances to win. They can either tie the game and win it in extra time or win it the regular way with another successful two-point conversion. The second option is definitely a win-win. Now, all you have is the third and final option. This one is of not much use as was demonstrated by the Cowboys. In this option, you go for an extra point, manage to keep the pressure on your opponents but ultimately lose the game.
The moral of the story is that an attempt to have at least trying to win it would have been better appreciated, compared to giving away the match to your opponents.
