2019 NBA Playoffs thread

[Montalban]

Yea. I used to watch football until I started to see how the league mistreats it's players. I couldn't believe they made getting a retirement package out of reach for most players. I know it has been changed but that is ridiculous. I also can't believe how the majority of players aren't offered guaranteed money when we consider how much of a risk they are taking by playing and the amount of money the league is making off of them. When you add to the fact they don't even want to provide medical benefits to retired players it is actually disgusting IMO. So, no I don't patronize that league in any capacity.

Yes, in that regard I fully understand. I love the game itself though. Its a shame what has happened to so many players once they got older but I bet even if you showed them what they faced when they got older, almost all of them would play anyway. Too hard to resist that fame and playing in the very top level of the game. Most say nothing that they've done subsequent to their football careers compares to that thrill of competition and being part of a team.

 

[shopson67]

Yes, in that regard I fully understand. I love the game itself though. Its a shame what has happened to so many players once they got older but I bet even if you showed them what they faced when they got older, almost all of them would play anyway. Too hard to resist that fame and playing in the very top level of the game. Most say nothing that they've done subsequent to their football careers compares to that thrill of competition and being part of a team.

Look no further than the Seahawks cutting Chancellor and Baldwin this week. The NFLPA really needs to fight for guaranteed contracts.

 

[LAD]

Yes, in that regard I fully understand. I love the game itself though. Its a shame what has happened to so many players once they got older but I bet even if you showed them what they faced when they got older, almost all of them would play anyway. Too hard to resist that fame and playing in the very top level of the game. Most say nothing that they've done subsequent to their football careers compares to that thrill of competition and being part of a team.

Oh I agree the players would play anyway, as we continue to see the league prosper. However, with the amount of money the league makes & the popularity it has they should do the right thing. It's about ethics IMO.

 

[trojanfan12]

Look no further than the Seahawks cutting Chancellor and Baldwin this week. The NFLPA really needs to fight for guaranteed contracts.

The problem is that their biggest weapon is to go on strike. But because they have a hard salary cap and have to pay 53 players under it...the rank and file NFL players (which are the majority) can't afford a long strike.

I don't know if they have tried or not, but they should have players paying into an account that can be used to get money to the rank and file guys in a long strike.

 

[Montalban]

Look no further than the Seahawks cutting Chancellor and Baldwin this week. The NFLPA really needs to fight for guaranteed contracts.

I think those two did not pass their physicals so were cut. They should get some kind of severance pay when that happens. I read that Chancellor was out all of last season with injury but still got his salary so that's good. Its a cruel business though.

 

[Montalban]

Oh I agree the players would play anyway, as we continue to see the league prosper. However, with the amount of money the league makes & the popularity it has they should do the right thing. It's about ethics IMO.

Yep. When they say "its a business" they aren't kidding.

 

[LAD]

Yep. When they say "its a business" they aren't kidding.

A bad business for the players in most cases, albeit a business.

 

[bksballer89]

 

[tlance]

Imagine living your life under such scrutiny that you have to cover your mouth to avoid having lip readers out the details of a private conversation.

 

[dtgold88]

Yea. I used to watch football until I started to see how the league mistreats it's players. I couldn't believe they made getting a retirement package out of reach for most players. I know it has been changed but that is ridiculous. I also can't believe how the majority of players aren't offered guaranteed money when we consider how much of a risk they are taking by playing and the amount of money the league is making off of them. When you add to the fact they don't even want to provide medical benefits to retired players it is actually disgusting IMO. So, no I don't patronize that league in any capacity.

All good points (and not trying to turn you into an NFL fan...you like what you like), but think you need to look at both sides here. Is it a good thing NBA and MLB players sign contracts and do not come close to living up to the value of the deal? Where often their teams pay them tens of millions of dollars to either suck or sometimes not even play (Deng and Mozgov come immediately to mind)?

Cannot speak of the retirement package as I don't know what it was, when/if it changed and what it is. I know Dustin Fox (sportstalk host here) - a former OSU DB who had a short, middling career for Minnesota and the Bills, which ended about a decade ago - says he qualified for his retirement package. Never gave a number but he certainly doesn't sound like he's complaining.

 

[dtgold88]

Ya gotta love these "reports".

While this could be true, discussions could be the following.....

friend or reporter - "any thought to playing for the Lakers next year?"
Kyrie - "Hmm.....not sure, but I wont rule out anything."

 

[dtgold88]

Look no further than the Seahawks cutting Chancellor and Baldwin this week. The NFLPA really needs to fight for guaranteed contracts.

Or NBA and MLB owner need to fight against them. Think they enjoy paying Stanton, Darvish, Deng and/or Mozgov to underachieve, suck or not play?

Seems like each sport needs to be in the middle of where they are (guaranteed - nonguaranteed).

 

[trojanfan12]

All good points (and not trying to turn you into an NFL fan...you like what you like), but think you need to look at both sides here. Is it a good thing NBA and MLB players sign contracts and do not come close to living up to the value of the deal? Where often their teams pay them tens of millions of dollars to either suck or sometimes not even play (Deng and Mozgov come immediately to mind)?

Cannot speak of the retirement package as I don't know what it was, when/if it changed and what it is. I know Dustin Fox (sportstalk host here) - a former OSU DB who had a short, middling career for Minnesota and the Bills, which ended about a decade ago - says he qualified for his retirement package. Never gave a number but he certainly doesn't sound like he's complaining.

The biggest problem, imo, is the strength of the respective Players Unions. The NBA and MLB have strong ones, the NFL does not.

NBA and MLB players pretty much all make enough that they can afford to sit out an entire season if need be. The NFL does not. So, the rank and file NFL players end up returning before they get what they want because they have to.

That may finally be changing though. I heard a report this morning that the NFLPA is in the process of putting together enough money so that in the event of another strike (which could be 2021), they will be able to pay every player their base salary for a full season.

 

[tlance]

All good points (and not trying to turn you into an NFL fan...you like what you like), but think you need to look at both sides here. Is it a good thing NBA and MLB players sign contracts and do not come close to living up to the value of the deal? Where often their teams pay them tens of millions of dollars to either suck or sometimes not even play (Deng and Mozgov come immediately to mind)?

Cannot speak of the retirement package as I don't know what it was, when/if it changed and what it is. I know Dustin Fox (sportstalk host here) - a former OSU DB who had a short, middling career for Minnesota and the Bills, which ended about a decade ago - says he qualified for his retirement package. Never gave a number but he certainly doesn't sound like he's complaining.

I don't know man.

The billionaire owners are always going to make money unless they manage their team poorly, or they treat it like a hobby and don't try to make money.

I am always going to favor a financial structure that favors the athletes putting their bodies on the line every competition over the billionaire owner. I don't feel bad at all for an NBA owner that signs a player to bad contract. In most cases, it is their own fault for overpaying mediocre players.

The NBA's contract structure has its flaws for sure, but the NFL structure is really unfair to players.

When an owner signs a player to a long term deal, they should not be able to change their mind a year later. NFL contracts should all be guaranteed like the other major sports are. But it won't happen for the reasons @trojanfan12 stated.

 

[LAD]

I don't know man.

The billionaire owners are always going to make money unless they manage their team poorly, or they treat it like a hobby and don't try to make money.

I am always going to favor a financial structure that favors the athletes putting their bodies on the line every competition over the billionaire owner. I don't feel bad at all for an NBA owner that signs a player to bad contract. In most cases, it is their own fault for overpaying mediocre players.

The NBA's contract structure has its flaws for sure, but the NFL structure is really unfair to players.

When an owner signs a player to a long term deal, they should not be able to change their mind a year later. NFL contracts should all be guaranteed like the other major sports are. But it won't happen for the reasons @trojanfan12 stated.

Agreed. I think it's disgusting that they don't have guaranteed money which would allow a means to take care of themselves later in life or in the event of an injury & the league doesn't want to provide help (in the form of medical benefits) for the players that they made money on hand over fist.
Especially considering how brutal the sport can be.

 

[bksballer89]

Looks like porzingis got his ass handed to him lmao

 

[bksballer89]

 

[dtgold88]

The biggest problem, imo, is the strength of the respective Players Unions. The NBA and MLB have strong ones, the NFL does not.

NBA and MLB players pretty much all make enough that they can afford to sit out an entire season if need be. The NFL does not. So, the rank and file NFL players end up returning before they get what they want because they have to.

That may finally be changing though. I heard a report this morning that the NFLPA is in the process of putting together enough money so that in the event of another strike (which could be 2021), they will be able to pay every player their base salary for a full season.

don't dispute this at all.....only point is that players who do have guaranteed deals are as big an issue to the sport as players not having them. If one even thinks it's an issue.

 

[dtgold88]

I don't know man.

The billionaire owners are always going to make money unless they manage their team poorly, or they treat it like a hobby and don't try to make money.

I am always going to favor a financial structure that favors the athletes putting their bodies on the line every competition over the billionaire owner. I don't feel bad at all for an NBA owner that signs a player to bad contract. In most cases, it is their own fault for overpaying mediocre players.

The NBA's contract structure has its flaws for sure, but the NFL structure is really unfair to players.

When an owner signs a player to a long term deal, they should not be able to change their mind a year later. NFL contracts should all be guaranteed like the other major sports are. But it won't happen for the reasons @trojanfan12 stated.

If that is your view I don't think it's out of line at all (favoring the players over owners). But also not crazy to think owners should have as much right to get out of a bad deal as there is to have no recourse.

 

[dtgold88]

Agreed. I think it's disgusting that they don't have guaranteed money which would allow a means to take care of themselves later in life or in the event of an injury & the league doesn't want to provide help (in the form of medical benefits) for the players that they made money on hand over fist.
Especially considering how brutal the sport can be.

I don't know. In some cases, sure. But what about the players who rarely helped a team in any way who barely played (and had far less injury risk)?

Now I agree 100% players from a while ago like the 70s and 80s (and earlier, of course) got a raw deal when the money was not nearly what it was today. I know some things have been done to better take care of these guys, but my guess is it's not enough.