I don’t know how the NFL gets away with this, and I don’t know why the players association lets it happen. As of yesterday, if an NFL player held out of training camp, he could be fined up to $5,000 per day. As of today, however, that same NFL player can now be fined $14,000 per day.
I understand that the league wants to do something about guys missing camp, that it’s bad for the league, it’s bad press, etc… but why does it have to come at the expense of the players? How does the NFLPA agree to this? It’s as if Gene Upshaw walks into every meeting with the NFL, extends his hand and says, “Hi, I’m Gene Upshaw. Flip me over and do me dry.”
The NFL generates more money than any league in America, probably the world, and it’s players get arguably the worst deal. Even NHL players get guaranteed money. There’s very little a player and agent can do if they feel like they’re getting a raw deal, and now, it just got even harder. The best option seems to be to just show up to camp, but do a Terrell Owens impersonation when you get there. Threaten to call the starting quarterback a homo on ESPN every day until you get a new deal.
And all of this contributes to me not feeling any sort of sympathy for the Saints when Reggie Bush threatens to sit out the year. Get what you can, while you can, young fella. The NFL isn’t going to cut him any slack along the way, so hey, whle you’ve got the leverage, use the hell out of it. He should hold out until the Saints agree to give him at least as much as he got as USC. And if he has to threaten to to miss camp, sit out the year, burn down the practice facility, nail Sean Payton’s wife, take Mickey Mouse hostage, and steal Katrina relief funds from the Red Cross offices… have at it, man. I couldn’t be mad at you.
john
NFL players do get guaranteed money — it’s called a signing bonus, and for someone at Reggie Bush’s level, it makes up a significant portion of their entire package. And I disagree that NFL players get the worst deal in pro sports. In fact, they probably get one of the best. They receive a higher percentage of overall revenue than any other sport. And the fact that contracts are only partially guaranteed means that players actually playing the game get more. So, the money is going to players who are actually playing. Seems fair to me.
As for players getting fined for holding out, that’s the way it should be. Reggie Bush is asking for #1 money even though he wasn’t, you know, the #1 pick. I’m with NO on this one.
July 24, 2006 at 2:05 pm
Spectacular Sam
“Hi, I’m Gene Upshaw. Flip me over and do me dry.”
That’s tremendous. Because it’s true.
July 24, 2006 at 3:00 pm
el-duderino
Maybe it’s not a coincidence that the NFL is the most financially sound professional sports league and there are no guaranteed contracts.
July 24, 2006 at 3:04 pm
Suss
Since when did Drew Rosenhaus start writing for you?
–Suss
July 24, 2006 at 3:15 pm
Bouj
Someone want to remind me why I should feel sorry for millionaires fighting with billionaires over money?
This is exactly why the Texans didn’t draft Bush. He wanted to set the record for the highest #1 pick contract ever. Now he wants #1 money when he was picked #2. I’m not saying it’s the media’s fault but it sure seems like he bought the hype that he was God’s gift to football. Maybe if ESPN had been able to keep their head out of Reggie’s lap then he would have signed sooner.
Not that I care. The Texans already signed Mario. 5-11, here we come!!!
July 24, 2006 at 3:38 pm
Fred Garvin
That fine is only going to apply to guys who are under contract and are holding out. Don’t sign long-term deals if you don’t want to live up to them. Keep playing a year at a time. But if you’ve signed on the line which is dotted… Get your ass in camp. If you’ve out-performed the deal, get your agent to bust their balls daily. You sign a multi-year deal, that the way it goes.
As for unsigned guys like Bush, that’s a little different. I have no problems with them using the leverage they have. They have no deal and I realize it is a short career so you have to get the most you can. But wanting to be paid more than the guy ahead of you is just greedy.
July 24, 2006 at 3:49 pm
King Dan
I agree with the idea “You should get paid for what you do.” The only problem with that is in the NFL, you will get hurt, especially if you are a running back. In no other job do you work hard, take punishment, probably get hurt, and then most likely lose your job due to the loss in ability from the pounding. The NFL and the teams don’t care about the players(Eddie George,Jerry Rice), so why do the players have to care about the team? Reggie should sign because he owes it to the fans and the city. Doesn’t the ownership owe it to the fans and city as well?
July 24, 2006 at 3:49 pm
max power
Boo hoo, the NFL doesn’t care about me. Whaaa whaa.. Guess what? Nobody anywhere works for a company that gives even the slightest shit about them.
I love the NFL, but if your contract ain’t big enough and you’re gonna sit out? Do me a favor and fall of a cliff. You wont be missed.
July 24, 2006 at 7:02 pm
Socraticsilence
See in most sports I’d be all over abouyt how reggie’s being a piunk but in the NFL, where they can and wil cut you if you get hurt, or aren’t performing up to a level, or hel;ll if yhey just don’t feel like honoring your contract any more I don’t see why a hold out or even pulling a T.O. is that bad I mean when you get treated like a bitch on the corner why should you honor your contract?
July 24, 2006 at 7:27 pm
Paging Roger Cossack
Like Fred said, this does NOT concern Reggie Bush’s situation or any other rookie’s. He doesn’t have a contract, so it doesn’t matter. He’s not “tecnically” a holdout.
July 24, 2006 at 7:36 pm
Ron
Man it bugs me when people bring up that NFL players don’t have guaranteed contracts. What people other than professional athletes have guaranteed contracts? Like quite your freaking whining.
This fine thing by the way, I believe it is only for players already under contract. Any other job in the world if you are supposed to work and you don’t show up, your fired. In sports they fine you. I don’t believe the NFLPA has much to whine about here. If you signed a contract live up to it. If your a class act and have earned a larger contract, most teams will negotiate one with you.
July 25, 2006 at 8:37 am
Fightclub3230
It bugs me when people think that just because someone makes a lot of money, they should get treated like shit. If you went to an interview and someone offered you less than what you thought you were worth, would you take it? I sure as shit wouldn’t. Especially since they can cut him whenever they want if he snaps in half or something.
July 25, 2006 at 2:29 pm
Black & Gold
WAIT A Minute!!!!! NBA salaries are guaranteed!!!! NFL teams will ask a player to take a paycut or cut the player whnever they feel like it to get under the cap…..SO why shouldn’t a player try to get as much as possible….Why shouldn’t these billionaire owners PAY the players who make them rich….I mean, if the players aren’t making the big bucks, then who is pocketing all that money???? The Owners…It seems only fair that players try to get as much as possible….I’d personally like to see more money in players pockets….The nfl has the shortest player life span than any sport….You gotta get yours while you can because the NFL doesn’t give a crap about you!!!!
Everyone always talks about the team, and how selfish players are…Give me a break…What about all the crazy rich owners….There is no loyalty anymore, so why should players be expected to be loyal as well???
July 25, 2006 at 3:03 pm
timby
I have no problem whatsoever with players trying to get the most money they can (within reason — like Reggie Bush’s life will be significantly different if he gets $2 million less on his signing bonus than he wants).
My problem is with jackoffs like Deion Branch or Terrell Owens. As Fred Garvin said, if you’ve signed a contract, that’s that: A signed deal is a signed deal. Branch (or any other player) holding out for more money is like me refusing to go to work for the next three weeks because I want to be paid more, despite my signing a six-month consulting deal.
Ray Bourque, back when he was still playing hockey, slammed Alexei Yashin pretty hard a few years back when he was demanding that the Senators give him more money. “A contract has to stand for something. It’s your word.”
Think about this: A player signs an agreement to play football at the specified pay, and then complains about the contract that he signed voluntarily? It’s ridiculous.
July 28, 2006 at 2:33 am
the mighty mjd
My problem with the “a contract is a contract” argument is that the team is under no obligation to stick to the contract. They can, perfecly legally, tear up the contract and release the guy at any time they want. They might take a salary cap hit for doing so, but that doesn’t help the player much. Teams can terminate contracts at anytime… players have no such recourse. Holding out is about the only way they can get any leverage at all.
July 28, 2006 at 3:29 am
timby
I can understand that, but given the astronomical signing bonuses going around these days, and given that said signing bonuses *are* guaranteed, it’s not like these star players are left destitute by a release.
July 28, 2006 at 3:09 pm