The Indiana Pacers may have had a tough day, but their misfortune shines a spotlight on a bigger issue in professional sports: the draft lottery system. The NBA is actively working to revamp its draft process, with a clear goal of discouraging "tanking"—the practice of losing games on purpose to secure a better draft pick. Reports indicate the league is considering three different options, all of which would expand lottery access to every non-playoff team. It's a move that makes sense, and frankly, one that all major sports leagues should consider adopting.

In today's sports world, finishing with a .500 record is often seen as the kiss of death—mediocrity. It's a strange paradox: in a society that hands out participation trophies, being average is somehow worse than being outright terrible. Just look at the Colts. Fans here have voiced frustration over the team's tendency to hover in the middle of the pack. And it's not just Indianapolis—Pittsburgh fans have even called for Mike Tomlin's head, despite his streak of non-losing seasons. Somehow, being reliably average is less desirable than being consistently bad. It's a mindset that's hard to wrap your head around.

For those of us who remember the dark days of Colts football—the era B.P., or "Before Peyton"—the contrast is stark. I had the dubious honor of attending every home game for 26 years, including those painful seasons when the Colts were outscored by nearly 1,000 points. We called them the "Dolts" and wore paper bags over our heads. One late-season game offered more entertainment from watching paper airplanes—crafted from team photo posters—soar through the stands than from anything happening on the field.

That experience sticks with you. It might explain why some fans have a higher tolerance for mediocrity. But make no mistake: being stuck in the middle is just as hard to overcome as being at the bottom. Chronically bad teams are labeled poorly run, while mid-tier teams are said to be in "purgatory." So why should teams that consistently lose be rewarded with top draft picks? A lottery system levels the playing field, making it harder to game the system and giving every team a fair shot at building a winner. It's time for all leagues to take a page from the NBA's playbook.