FA rant - sorry in advance

[shaunpinney]

I 'm sat here, working my ass off just to stay in credit with the bank, like many others I'm sure, and I've got to be honest some of the attitudes of some players stinks in my mind, to complain and then be happy to go and play for another team for lets say $12m instead of $10, just goes to show the lack of respect for a team and to some respect it's supporters - am I the only one that thinks that these wages are seriously obscene, overrated and just plain wrong.

 

[jrry32]

I 'm sat here, working my a** off just to stay in credit with the bank, like many others I'm sure, and I've got to be honest some of the attitudes of some players stinks in my mind, to complain and then be happy to go and play for another team for lets say $12m instead of $10, just goes to show the lack of respect for a team and to some respect it's supporters - am I the only one that thinks that these wages are seriously obscene, overrated and just plain wrong.

Supply and demand dictate the market. If another company offered a higher salary to you to work the same hours and the same job, would you consider it?

Has nothing to do with respect. It's a business. The teams know it and the players know it. Just like it's not disrespect when a team like the Rams let SJ go or cut another player. It's part of the business.

I don't mind them getting paid what they can while they can. They have short careers and many of them deal with a lot of health issues during and after their career ends.

As for their wages, like I said, supply and demand...they get paid what they are deemed to be worth. Like any other job in the economy. The more unique your skill-set, the less replaceable you are and the more you get paid.

 

[shaunpinney]

Supply and demand dictate the market. If another company offered a higher salary to you to work the same hours and the same job, would you consider it?

Has nothing to do with respect. It's a business. The teams know it and the players know it. Just like it's not disrespect when a team like the Rams let SJ go or cut another player. It's part of the business.

I don't mind them getting paid what they can while they can. They have short careers and many of them deal with a lot of health issues during and after their career ends.

As for their wages, like I said, supply and demand...they get paid what they are deemed to be worth. Like any other job in the economy. The more unique your skill-set, the less replaceable you are and the more you get paid.

I understand the supply and demand thing, the unique skill sets, but it sounds like there's a commitment to the paycheck and not the team and that can drive people to 'not give their all' - I dunno, maybe I'm having a bad day and these guys deserve their $60m dollar contracts for playing a sport that they love. Good on 'em.

I'll just say this, a brain surgeon gets a salary of around $850,000 a year - I know deep down who I think deserves the money... :neh:

 

[-X-]

Well, I look at it a couple of different ways.

If *I* was lucky enough to have been able to further my career into the NFL, would *I* think I was being over paid for working that hard to get to that level? It's essentially the highest "position" an athlete can attain. The smartest and most motivated financiers get to work on Wallstreet or for some Fortune 500 Company. The lazier, or less studious financiers, work for H & R Block. They both do the same thing, essentially, but one is more motivated and more talented.

Then I look at it this way.

[espn]7697710[/espn]

No amount of money can make that go away when all is said and done.

 

[Yamahopper]

Flip side.
Look at the teams and what they do to get under the cap.
If they can save a little cap space then they cut a player and bring in another player a little cheaper. Loyalty is on on the field.

Football & the business of football are two separate games played with the same intensity.

 

[fearsomefour]

"No amount of money can make that go away when all is said and done."

Speaking of this, I have often wondered what became of Chris Miller. He was a very good QB in my opinion. Had several tough and good years for the Rams. He was the only guy I actually feared for watching play the game. I remember him saying there were times when he had to ask the guard (Tom Newberry I believe in his last season) what the play was after it was sent it. Played all the time with concusions or not fully recovered from ones he had suffered. I also recall him saying that he would convince the team doctors/trainers that he was ok (assuming they actually cared about that) and would go in and finish a game of course obsorbing more hits. He would drive out of the parking lot of the stadium and have no idea how to get home....would have to call on the way to get guided home several times.

 

[Stranger]

I 'm sat here, working my ass off just to stay in credit with the bank, like many others I'm sure, and I've got to be honest some of the attitudes of some players stinks in my mind, to complain and then be happy to go and play for another team for lets say $12m instead of $10, just goes to show the lack of respect for a team and to some respect it's supporters - am I the only one that thinks that these wages are seriously obscene, overrated and just plain wrong.

Would you rather the money ALL go to the owners, who aready are obscenely wealthy?

 

[bluecoconuts]

I 'm sat here, working my ass off just to stay in credit with the bank, like many others I'm sure, and I've got to be honest some of the attitudes of some players stinks in my mind, to complain and then be happy to go and play for another team for lets say $12m instead of $10, just goes to show the lack of respect for a team and to some respect it's supporters - am I the only one that thinks that these wages are seriously obscene, overrated and just plain wrong.

Would you rather the money ALL go to the owners, who aready are obscenely wealthy?

That's my point of view as well. It's either this or the owners get even more than they already have.

 

[CGI_Ram]

I 'm sat here, working my ass off just to stay in credit with the bank, like many others I'm sure, and I've got to be honest some of the attitudes of some players stinks in my mind, to complain and then be happy to go and play for another team for lets say $12m instead of $10, just goes to show the lack of respect for a team and to some respect it's supporters - am I the only one that thinks that these wages are seriously obscene, overrated and just plain wrong.

Would you rather the money ALL go to the owners, who aready are obscenely wealthy?

That's my point of view as well. It's either this or the owners get even more than they already have.

Or maybe the games could actually be affordable?

Let's face it; more and more corporations are spinning the turnstiles than ever before. Average Joe can't afford to dedicate this much of his budget at current prices (parking, tickets, concessions).

 

[bluecoconuts]

I 'm sat here, working my ass off just to stay in credit with the bank, like many others I'm sure, and I've got to be honest some of the attitudes of some players stinks in my mind, to complain and then be happy to go and play for another team for lets say $12m instead of $10, just goes to show the lack of respect for a team and to some respect it's supporters - am I the only one that thinks that these wages are seriously obscene, overrated and just plain wrong.

Would you rather the money ALL go to the owners, who aready are obscenely wealthy?

That's my point of view as well. It's either this or the owners get even more than they already have.

Or maybe the games could actually be affordable?

Let's face it; more and more corporations are spinning the turnstiles than ever before. Average Joe can't afford to dedicate this much of his budget at current prices (parking, tickets, concessions).

I'd love it, but it won't happen. Owners could do that now if they wanted. They don't though, they want the most they could have.

 

[-X-]

"No amount of money can make that go away when all is said and done."

Speaking of this, I have often wondered what became of Chris Miller. He was a very good QB in my opinion. Had several tough and good years for the Rams. He was the only guy I actually feared for watching play the game. I remember him saying there were times when he had to ask the guard (Tom Newberry I believe in his last season) what the play was after it was sent it. Played all the time with concusions or not fully recovered from ones he had suffered. I also recall him saying that he would convince the team doctors/trainers that he was ok (assuming they actually cared about that) and would go in and finish a game of course obsorbing more hits. He would drive out of the parking lot of the stadium and have no idea how to get home....would have to call on the way to get guided home several times.

Chris was the QB coach for the Cardinals a couple of years ago.
Here's a semi-recent article on him from ESPN

No concussion bitterness from retired QB

Mike Sando
<a class="postlink" href="http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/62271/no-concussion-bitterness-from-retired-qb" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/ ... retired-qb</a>

Chris Miller played and coached in the NFC West, most recently serving on the Arizona Cardinals' coaching staff through last season.

Concussions interrupted and ultimately ended his playing career after one Pro Bowl appearance and more than 19,000 yards passing.

Miller, 47, says he "feels fantastic" now and probably took far fewer hits than players at other positions. He knew something was wrong, however, when he kept nicking the golf ball with his putter instead of striking it solidly while on the practice green.

With an assist from Rob Demovsky, I ran across a 21-minute podcast featuring Miller answering questions about concussions and the NFL.

Miller isn't crusading against the game. He calls concussion risks part of the game and applauds the league for improving how it deals with head trauma. He sounds relatively unconcerned about his future in relation to the roughly eight or 10 concussions he suffered:
"I was surfing over in Maui a couple weeks ago and caught a decent wave and got knocked down, the surfboard hit me right in the temple. I was dinged for a little while and felt crummy the rest of the afternoon, but came through pretty quick and felt normal before too long.

"You know, I'm concerned about it, but I try to be proactive. I used to drink a lot of beer back in the day, used to get after it pretty good with the boys. I quit drinking, felt a lot sharper from that standpoint. No backwards days in terms of going out and having a large night with the guys. And I try to keep my mind active doing Sudoku puzzles and crossword puzzles, and I take ginkgo biloba, which is good for brain function and mental clarity and some of those things.

"I cognizantly try to take care of myself in terms of dealing with those issues, so I won't have to deal with them when I get older."

Overall, Miller sounds concerned about concussions. He's supportive toward players dealing with them. He expresses no bitterness toward the league for how his concussions were handled, chalking it up to how the game was played in a different era.

 

[iced]

I 'm sat here, working my ass off just to stay in credit with the bank, like many others I'm sure, and I've got to be honest some of the attitudes of some players stinks in my mind, to complain and then be happy to go and play for another team for lets say $12m instead of $10, just goes to show the lack of respect for a team and to some respect it's supporters - am I the only one that thinks that these wages are seriously obscene, overrated and just plain wrong.

When you're talking about $12m vs $10m, I'm assuming you mean Wes Welker.

And given that particular situation - I'm fine with it. The Pats were low balling him (they offered $18m last year). But most importantly, the NFL is similar like any other job - the people you're around and who you work with can make or break you. Same thing I found out when I went on deployment - it wasn't so much of where I was going, as much as what group of people was coming with me..particularly at a leadership level.

With all that being said - consider the friction between Welker and Belicheck. There was something personal there, without a doubt. From Wes being benched to even a comment he made after a 11 catch game - "It's kind of nice to stick it in Bill's face every once in awhile."

Now add in the history between Agents and the Pats - there's one agent who won't deal with them (can't remember the name but it was a story a few months ago). I think a big reason Welker went to the bronco's, was: 1) money obviously, 2)opportunity, 3) Agent perhaps wanted to help stick it the Pats by sending him to the only other team in the AFC who's on a legitimate superbowl run

 

[fearsomefour]

Dude,
Thanks for the article on Miller. Glad to see he is doing well.

 

[shaunpinney]

When you're talking about $12m vs $10m, I'm assuming you mean Wes Welker.

And given that particular situation - I'm fine with it. The Pats were low balling him (they offered $18m last year). But most importantly, the NFL is similar like any other job - the people you're around and who you work with can make or break you. Same thing I found out when I went on deployment - it wasn't so much of where I was going, as much as what group of people was coming with me..particularly at a leadership level.

With all that being said - consider the friction between Welker and Belicheck. There was something personal there, without a doubt. From Wes being benched to even a comment he made after a 11 catch game - "It's kind of nice to stick it in Bill's face every once in awhile."

Now add in the history between Agents and the Pats - there's one agent who won't deal with them (can't remember the name but it was a story a few months ago). I think a big reason Welker went to the bronco's, was: 1) money obviously, 2)opportunity, 3) Agent perhaps wanted to help stick it the Pats by sending him to the only other team in the AFC who's on a legitimate superbowl run

I wasn't specifically talking about Welker, he has been royally screwed by the Pats, it was just the amount of money being banded about, in our current economic climate.

I know that agents are all about the money and you can't blame them for getting the most for their client, it's just it's the fans paying for it all really, the fat cat owners aren't really paying for it...

ahh what's the point of this rant, things aren't going to change are they...

 

[Angry Ram]

I tend not to care about the money. They're gonna get it, so there's no use fighting. But I don't think any player ever reaches the full potential contract.

 

[OnceARam]

When you're talking about $12m vs $10m, I'm assuming you mean Wes Welker.

And given that particular situation - I'm fine with it. The Pats were low balling him (they offered $18m last year). But most importantly, the NFL is similar like any other job - the people you're around and who you work with can make or break you. Same thing I found out when I went on deployment - it wasn't so much of where I was going, as much as what group of people was coming with me..particularly at a leadership level.

With all that being said - consider the friction between Welker and Belicheck. There was something personal there, without a doubt. From Wes being benched to even a comment he made after a 11 catch game - "It's kind of nice to stick it in Bill's face every once in awhile."

Now add in the history between Agents and the Pats - there's one agent who won't deal with them (can't remember the name but it was a story a few months ago). I think a big reason Welker went to the bronco's, was: 1) money obviously, 2)opportunity, 3) Agent perhaps wanted to help stick it the Pats by sending him to the only other team in the AFC who's on a legitimate superbowl run

I wasn't specifically talking about Welker, he has been royally screwed by the Pats, it was just the amount of money being banded about, in our current economic climate.

I know that agents are all about the money and you can't blame them for getting the most for their client, it's just it's the fans paying for it all really, the fat cat owners aren't really paying for it...

ahh what's the point of this rant, things aren't going to change are they...

With all due respect; you need to take a look at your relationship with money. Money is just a marker that you're doing something with your time that society at large values. And because we live in a (relatively) market-based society, which values the best of the best in all human endeavors, NFL players get paid.

However, money is not a marker of your worth. Nor is society at large a valid gauge of who you are. Your worth is infinite. If you don't believe me, go do a selfless act to help another person (who will allow you to help them); embrace your child, talk to your mother lovingly, teach your nephew how to read, etc.

If you still don't believe me go visit the countries of the former USSR and see how people live (especially the older generation), or sign up with your church/temple/humanitarian organization to bring medical supplies to Cuba. You won't believe the incredible devastation that communism has left behind in its wake.