Sick of Free Agency

[jermus22]

Maybe a little off subject, but I saw some posts earlier about salaries and bonuses of athletes. I agree that there should be a maximum allowable bonus for players; they are already getting overpaid. My dad has been in the military for nearly twenty five years and I don't think he gets paid even a third of the minimum salary for a rookie. I may be a huge fan of football, but our policemen, firemen, military, etc. deserve to make more money than athletes.

[MTK]

You know what I get tired of? Fans who think players need to play for 'loyalty' and for the 'love of the game'.

It sure is easy for us to sit here on our couches and say this, but this is these guys' livelihood we're talking about. Not only is it their career, it's their lives they're putting on the line.

Any player is just one hit away from being seriously injured, hell even paralyzed for life.

Are professional athletes extremely overpaid? Of course. But it's society that's created this monster.

Don't hate the player(s), hate the game.

[mooby]

when the eagles actually win something other than a soup endorsement then they can talk. until then, im just gonna ignore that incoherent babbling from that eagles fan.

[Daseal]

The difference is if we were paying firemen, policemen and servicemen half what we paid football players our taxes would be outragious. If we go to a monarch maybe we could up their salaries!

Not saying they don't deserve it, just saying it's near impossible because football teams have wealthy owners who are making massive bucks from the team to pay them. Vick got that 100M contract because he sells seats and merchandise. He's an exciting player, but still has a lot of development ahead of him. Since he makes the owner money it's more than worth it to put him on the field (of course I'd trade nearly any QB in the league for him since he has amazing ability.)

Amen Matty. I was trying to say that but wasn't able to get the wording right at 4am!

[LongTimeSkinsFan]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

You know what I get tired of? Fans who think players need to play for 'loyalty' and for the 'love of the game'.

It sure is easy for us to sit here on our couches and say this, but this is these guys' livelihood we're talking about. Not only is it their career, it's their lives they're putting on the line.

Any player is just one hit away from being seriously injured, hell even paralyzed for life.

Are professional athletes extremely overpaid? Of course. But it's society that's created this monster.

Don't hate the player(s), hate the game.

Agreed, and I also agree with Daseal on this point also. We all have to rememeber that our players are no greedier than the next guy and just trying to get what they feel they deserve based on how they evaluate their abilities compared to the rest of the NFL. I for one have hoped that we would keep guys like Pierce and Smoot in the fold. But if both will get better deals from other teams, then so be it. I hope they do well for their new teams and are able to continue their careers and if they can come back at some point in the future all the better. The last thing I'm going to do is HATE them for trying to get the most out of their talent and celebrity. I know that I don't get paid the $$$ these guys do, but then again society doesn't place the value on the jobs that I do (call center CIS, comic seller on eBay). We all try to make the most of our abilities and get the most for them, so I sure can't fault players for doing nothing more than what I do.

[itvnetop]

the players are only balancing the system of professional sports... while a person can wonder how smoot wants a few million more to stay in DC, that's chump change to the owner. no one ever seems to make the owners/management into the bad guys- it's always the players' faults for wanting more money. like stated above, the players are one play away from ending their careers.

and loyalty? how can players show loyalty when management rarely shows it? how many times do you see franchise performers get cut because they are getting old, a younger backup is starting to show starter capability, or because they were signed (by management) to an unfriendly cap number by no fault of their own? the owners have proven that this is a business- and the players have to do what they need to for their own well-being.

[monk81]

I'm tired of everyone picking on the ATHLETES' salaries............

What about the actors/actresses who make more for ONE movie or TV show than an NFL player will get............of course, they show up for one charity benefit and make sure to have their picture taken so everyone will think they are caring concerned citizens........ :vomit-smi .

Then there are the rock stars.......sex, drugs, music...........and how many of you have paid $75 or more to go to a concert to have the singer lip sync their music

Then there's the politicians.......Let's vote ourselves a raise because despite our high salaries we can't afford to send our kids to college........well we middle class citizens can't afford to pay you

If I had to have one of these groups be overpaid......then let it go to the ATHLETES at least they work hard in the weight room, have to risk injury, being paralyzed, or after they retire are crippled for the rest of their life!

[TheMalcolmConnection]

Oh, I have problems with ALL of the aforementioned groups because of their salaries.

[mooby]

lol yeah they all get too much. although i do think the athletes deserve it more.

[sportscurmudgeon]

First of all, I think the Eagles' fan had a valid point. The problem is that when he puts on a hat, you can't see it.

I THINK he was trying to say that the Redskins' Front Office is less than fully successful in its forays in to free agency. Now that is a point that Redskin fans should simply acknowledge and move on from because having the list of stiffs signed by this team in free agency for the past 5-6 years posted for review yet one more time is not a pleasant thing at all.

Free agency is not going away for one very simple reason. A Federal Court has ruled that the prior NFL personnel rules - the ones without free agency - are illegal. I believe that ruling came down in 1992 but don't hold me to that. So, unless the Congress changes the anti-trust laws, NFL free agency is here to stay. Deal with it!

[SkinsRock]

Originally Posted by monk81

I'm tired of everyone picking on the ATHLETES' salaries............

What about the actors/actresses who make more for ONE movie or TV show than an NFL player will get............of course, they show up for one charity benefit and make sure to have their picture taken so everyone will think they are caring concerned citizens........ :vomit-smi .

Then there are the rock stars.......sex, drugs, music...........and how many of you have paid $75 or more to go to a concert to have the singer lip sync their music

Then there's the politicians.......Let's vote ourselves a raise because despite our high salaries we can't afford to send our kids to college........well we middle class citizens can't afford to pay you

If I had to have one of these groups be overpaid......then let it go to the ATHLETES at least they work hard in the weight room, have to risk injury, being paralyzed, or after they retire are crippled for the rest of their life!

While I agree that most of these people are overpaid...if you are talking about the ones on the top level. There are hundreds...no...thousands of actors, actresses, musicians, and athletes that make a living doing what they do, and aren't making these huge amounts of money.

Most bands or music artists...even some of the top ones...don't make the money most people think they do...the record companies, promoters, etc. are making the big money, unless they manage to get a good deal, which is very hard unless or until they are already established and have proof they can be successful. Not like a rookie that turns into a bust, but still makes a mint because of "potential".

Ok, athletes risk injury, but is working out and staying in shape any different than a musician practicing daily to keep his/her chops up? I think not. Also, for most serious musicians, it's not "sex, drugs, music". Plus that type of thing can be said for athletes just the same these days...with all the sex and steriod/drug scandals that keep popping up.

Non-big name actors, bands/artists that aren't in the top 100, athletes in minor leagues (Minor league baseball, Arena football league, etc)....these are people making a living doing what they love and aspiring to rise to that top level. If they do, don't they deserve the same as everyone that has come before them? I think they do, even though it is way too much than it should be. But the bottom line is that if someone is willing to overpay them why not take it? I would.

So I agree that it's not just athletes that should be "picked on"...it's really anyone with any kind of celebrity status. But this is a football forum, isn't it??? We can complain about the other ones somewhere else.