"Not Conducive to Suggestions"
My ears always perk up when I hear the word “suggestions.” Again, it was in a football context. But unlike the ASU Sun Devil example, it was the other way around. As my new team (the Cowboys) was still losing…
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The Sun Devil Suggestion System
My wife is an Arizona State alumna, so we’re watching the annual Arizona St / Arizona rivalry football game (well, I’m watching it, she just cares if ASU wins… sort of). The sideline announcer just told a quick story about…
NHL Backing Off like the NBA Did?
B’s seek more offensive firepower – BostonHerald.com: Is the NHL starting to go back on their revolutionary uniforms that players started complaining about before the season? According to sources in the [Bruins] dressing room, Reebok has been unable to correct…
Sunday Night Muda
I’m in Seattle, about a mile from the stadium where the Seahawks are playing the Saints tonight. I was tempted to get a ticket, but I should be working and I’m able to watch on TV (providing some background noise…
Long-Term vs. Short-Term Thinking in Major Sports Leagues
Sports Leagues as Systems: A Lean View of Long-Term Thinking Editor’s Note (2026):This post from 2007 still resonates today as professional sports leagues wrestle with decisions about rule changes, media rights, scheduling, and fan engagement. The tension between short-term revenue…
The Patriots are like Toyota?
Unbeaten Patriots see room for improvement – NFL – Yahoo! Sports The above headline blew me away this morning. The Patriots have basically been perfect this year. Tom Brady is completing 80% of his passes. They’ve won every game by…
Suboptimizing the New NHL Uniforms?
Penguins training Camp: Players say uniform changes all wet I’m getting excited about the upcoming NHL season. I grew up a Red Wings fan, but I go to a lot of Stars games now that I live in Dallas (including…
"Bad Systems in the News" Update
Here are some updates on the “Bad Systems” I featured last week, Northwest Airlines and the NBA. I know I promised more positive posts, but let me follow up on these stories… First, the NBA. I don’t have a link…
Bad Systems in the News: NBA
Last week, I saw a number of news stories that caught my eye, non-manufacturing stories about systems (or lack thereof) and blame. What do the Transportation Safety Administration, the National Basketball Association, Detroit Public Schools and Northwest Airlines have in…
The Cost of Unsold Uniform Inventory
ESPN – Jersey change too costly for Raiders WR Porter – NFL Bad news for Oakland Raider Jerry Porter: The Oakland Raiders receiver said Wednesday he would have to pay $210,000 to switch his uniform from No. 84 to 81…
Competition, Lean Accounting, and Baseball
Russell Roberts on Cafe Hayek had an interesting commentary the other day about the Power of Competition, relaying a bit of the story of Billy Beane and the Oakland A’s told in the book Moneyball: The Art of Winning an…
Quick Changeover for American Airlines Center
Juggling act sets up rink Even though I’m still a pretty die hard Red Wings fan, I live in Stars country now. Don’t ask me what I’ll do if the Wings and Stars meet in the second round. I went…
