Monday, April 11, 2011

Dollars and Sense - Brian

This whole collective bargaining dispute between the NFL owners and players is ridiculous. It's a shame that the fans have to suffer the most because the billionaires can't agree with the millionaires. Eventually, they will agree and both sides will receive billions of dollars.

As a preface, I disagree with both sides on this issue. They are both being a little overly selfish. They both have good points and arguments, but they are handling the entire situation poorly.

With that said, I want to comment on one of the more ridiculous arguments people have said in favor of the players.

I have heard countless amounts of analysts and fans argue that the NFL isn't doing a good enough job of providing health care for the players after they retire. People argue that because football is causing long term injuries for the players, that the NFL should be responsible for all medical bills afterwards. I have even heard people say that the players don't have enough money to cover medical bills.

My argument is two-fold. First, the players know that long term injuries are possible for playing football. They KNOW this. They aren't ignorant. They are told of all of these medical problems that can happen. There is a reason they get paid millions of dollars to compete. It's partly because they are the best at what they do, partly because they provide entertainment for a multi-billion dollar business, and also because they are putting themselves in harms way.

You are more than welcome to tell a rookie that he will probably not live past 50, and how many will turn down the money and the chance to play? None. They know. Trust me.

The second facet is even more ridiculous. Players don't have enough money to cover their medical bills after they retire? Oh I'm sorry that you couldn't save some of that $40 million contract. Maybe instead of buying a 14 bedroom house when you live alone, you could try a 10 bedroom house? Or instead of having 9 cars, perhaps cut it down to 5? If average Americans can save money and live modestly, why can't an NFL player pay for medical bills when he retires?

You're counter argument will probably be "Well what about the players who get paid the minimum contract!" You mean the ones who still make $340,000 a year? The average amount of time in the NFL for minimum contract players is less that three full seasons. That isn't enough time for them to sustain super serious life long injuries. These guys probably played four years of high school football and four years of college, but you don't hear anyone crying for the NCAA or OHSAA to foot the medical bills.

Look, I understand that the owners could fork over some money to pay for some medical bills. But it's not like the players are struggling THAT much with money. For either side to hold up negotiations over something like this is insulting to fans.

Last time I checked, the fans are the reason the NFL is so successful.

But the again I'm biased - I'm a fan.

5 comments:

  1. Are you ok with building liquor stores and selling lottery tickets in poverty stricken portions of a city?

    Are you ok with advertisers brain washing children on cartoon channels?

    Greedy corporations and business men all over the country have been taking advantage of ill informed populations for decades!

    Of course 22 year old kids with their faces all over ESPN aren’t going to worry about when they are 50 years old. The last thing they are thinking about is healthcare. The owners are taking advantage of the ill informed college athlete.

    Just because a 22 year old makes terrible financial decisions doesn’t mean his children and wife should have to pay for those mistakes for the rest of their lives. Can you imagine if your dad was an exNFL player and around 50 he could barely think and move? And because he bought something he shouldn’t have over 30 years ago now everyone in your family has to suffer? Have you ever made a mistake? We all do so forcing those greedy owners to cough up a few extra mill is a small request when you think about how much joy the players bring you.

    you especially Brian should agree with the players I don’t see you wearing a Rooney jersey on Sundays.

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  2. You could be like some players, and go to strip clubs and make it rain down Benjamin Franklin, right Pacman Jones? In his defense, he did try to collect all of his paper rain which did start the scuffle/shooting. Or you could be like the numerous NFL players that have been arrested in Vegas, right Richard Seigler/Mike Vrabel/ Levi Jones/and Joey Porter? I hear Vegas is a pretty inexpensive place to hang out these days. The goose and hennessy are more important than health, I guess.

    Players and owners alike should take tips from Carson Palmer, who has "$80 million" saved up in the bank for when he retires.

    Maybe they should all just save their signing bonus and stick that into a medical funds account. If that were the case, JaMarcus Worthless Russell would have $42 million locked up for medical expenses, just for signing. He could spend his weekly game paycheck on his Purple Sizzyrup. Prime example of where the cash goes, since his home in Oakland is getting foreclosed.

    http://bankruptcycourtonline.com/bankruptcy-court/avoiding-bankruptcy/foreclosure/jamarcus-russell-foreclosure-sacks-former-oakland-raiders-quarterback/

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  3. I've heard the "slave" speech one too many times from pro athletes enough.
    No one is forcing them to play football
    I live by a high risk high reward motto so the high risk of injury results in the high reward of fame and wealth.
    I would hope the players know the dangers of playing the game.
    I'm against setting up retirement funds and stuff like that I mean didn't we try that already with social security? and when does it end? if we have someone else determine how to save for retirement then maybe we should have someone take gas money out of our paycheck and grocery funds and clothing heck take the whole check I'm not smart enough to know what I should do with my own money.

    http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2011/03/adrian-peterson-players-place-in-nfl-like-modern-day-slavery/1

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  4. Why shouldn't they have to pay for "stupid decisions" made when they're 22? Everyone else does. And if getting millions of dollars, a famous name, big cars, ridiculously big houses and luxurious lifestyles only lasts so long for them then at least they got it in the first place. Boo-freakin-hoo.

    Professional dancers are also aware that their career may end too soon because of injury and that they're not likely do be hired after the ages of 30 or 35 but you don't hear them whining about it and they're not getting paid nearly as much as the NFL players. They know what they're in for, they work their entire lives for it and they do it for as long as they can and then they get a job like the rest of the world.

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  5. "Why shouldn't they have to pay for 'stupid decisions' made when they're 22? Everyone else does." - Exactly. So if you're 18 and you kill somebody, that doesn't count because you're not old enough to be accountable for your decisions? Or less serious: let's say you vandalize a strip club like good ole Pacman Jones and you're 19. Does the cop give you a pass because you're too stupid to know better?Doubtful. Where is the line for accountability? 5 years old? 10? Maybe it's 22 years, 6 months, 4 days, 15 hours, 36 minutes, and 11 seconds...precisely.

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