Should NFL Players "Strike" Over Pay??

[GNG]

Yeah... but that doesn't even get you a sweet house. The average price of a home in San Fran just crossed a million dollars. They can't even buy a house their. 1.5 after taxes is faaaar from being rich.

Most folks would happily work three years for 1.5 million.

 

[PhoenixEagles1]

Most folks would happily work three years for 1.5 million.

Yes... but if you can get more, go for it! I'd take it!

 

[GNG]

I'm a Cowboys season ticket holder and pay $4,000 for two

Yes... but if you can get more, go for it! I'd take it!

You'd take 1.5 million for 3 years...

 

[PhoenixEagles1]

I'm a Cowboys season ticket holder and pay $4,000 for two

You'd take 1.5 million for 3 years...

Yep, but if I could get more because of my 1 in a million talent I'd go after it. That is the American way. Nothing wrong with going for more. But there's a segment of society who thinks they should shut there mouth and be happy. But it's only the athletes theyre mad at and it's stupid

 

[HaroldSeattle]

Oh those poor chaps making only half a million.

Sounds like a lot, but like mentioned earlier gets whittled down quickly. Agent, taxes, etc add in a mortgage, car payment and the fact that for some it could be year one making this kind of money, they don't have the cash reserves needed to go without a paycheck.
Also not saying I feel sorry for them or anyone involved, just trying to look at this practically.

 

[GNG]

Yep, but if I could get more because of my 1 in a million talent.

You can walk and chew gum at the same time...

 

[richig07]

NFL players don't get what NBA/MLB players get, because they're not as good of investments. Period.

They break down quickly, their careers are short... The average career length for an NFL player is 3.5 years, and even for good players, their primes are microscopic compared to that of an all-star in the NBA or MLB. Every year guys break out, only to disappear forever the next. If you get hurt, and miss a full season. That's like a 1/5th of your career.

For such a smart guy, Sherman sounds pretty stupid when he implies that football players are functioning within the same market as other sports leagues. People don't want to invest in football players, what they do for baseball/basketball players... because quite simply, they're not worth it.

Football players are compensated exactly as they should be, relative to MLB/NBA players.

 

[richig07]

Sounds like a lot, but like mentioned earlier gets whittled down quickly. Agent, taxes, etc add in a mortgage, car payment and the fact that for some it could be year one making this kind of money, they don't have the cash reserves needed to go without a paycheck.

Okay, and most bartenders probably make somewhere between 20-30 grand per year, and I'm sure they could use more. What's your point?

Everyone could use more cash. That's a horrific arguing point. "Well, it whittles down quickly!"... Yeah, it does for us all. Whether you're a Wall Street banker, a professional basketball player or a waiter. Money goes fast.

How are these points even semi-relevant to the topic of football players being paid more?

The bottom line, is that football players are terrible long-term investments compared to baseball and basketball players. That is it... end of discussion. That's why they don't get paid as much, and why the money isn't guaranteed. Because so many break down, and so many get hurt... and their careers are usually over while their still in their damn 20's.

Why in sports, do we forget that this is a business? Not only that, but that these athletes are not all in the same competing market-place. Comparing a basketball player to a football player is no different than comparing a construction worker to a school teacher, and wondering why they get paid different salaries.

Athletes are investments for big businesses. Football players are risky investments.

Think about it like a life insurance risk assessment.

Look at this strictly in black-and-white business terms, like owners do. Hypothetically, you have to put all of your net-worth into one of these two investments.

Investment A:

Average Shelf-Life: 3.5 Years
Ceiling Shelf-Life: 7-10 Years (Non-QB's... another reason they do get the big money)
Probability of Early Breakdown Resulting in no Return on Investment: High

Investment B:

Average Shelf-Life: 5.5 Years
Ceiling Shelf-Life: 15-20 Years
Probability of Early Breakdown Resulting in no Return on Investment: Low

No brainer...

 

[richig07]

Injuries and salary cap make it impossible to guarantee NFL contract. Many here have said Sherman is a smart dude so why cant he see that?

I have no real problem with Sherman. However, it's impossible not to see why he's a bit difficult to deal with.

He seems to NEED some sort of stir, or controversy around him. The man can't function if there isn't some tension.

 

[HaroldSeattle]

Okay, and most bartenders probably make somewhere between 20-30 grand per year, and I'm sure they could use more. What's your point?

Everyone could use more cash. That's a horrific arguing point. "Well, it whittles down quickly!"... Yeah, it does for us all. Whether you're a Wall Street banker, a professional basketball player or a waiter. Money goes fast.

How are these points even semi-relevant to the topic of football players being paid more?

The bottom line, is that football players are terrible long-term investments compared to baseball and basketball players. That is it... end of discussion. That's why they don't get paid as much, and why the money isn't guaranteed. Because so many break down, and so many get hurt... and their careers are usually over while their still in their damn 20's.

Why in sports, do we forget that this is a business? Not only that, but that these athletes are not all in the same competing market-place. Comparing a basketball player to a football player is no different than comparing a construction worker to a school teacher, and wondering why they get paid different salaries.

Athletes are investments for big businesses. Football players are risky investments.

Think about it like a life insurance risk assessment.

Look at this strictly in black-and-white business terms, like owners do. Hypothetically, you have to put all of your net-worth into one of these two investments.

Investment A:

Average Shelf-Life: 3.5 Years
Ceiling Shelf-Life: 7-10 Years (Non-QB's... another reason they do get the big money)
Probability of Early Breakdown Resulting in no Return on Investment: High

Investment B:

Average Shelf-Life: 5.5 Years
Ceiling Shelf-Life: 15-20 Years
Probability of Early Breakdown Resulting in no Return on Investment: Low

No brainer...

I was talking about the likelyhood of the players winning a strike. I just doubt the players could/ would stay on strike long enough to win.

 

[richig07]

Richard Sherman fired a salvo across the bow of the NFL owners yesterday stating that Players in the NFL should strike for a better pay system. A pay system equal to what the better players in the NBA and MLB get in comparison to what the NFL players get.

It's sort of like comparing apples to bananas and apples to cucumbers.

The critical item is that NBA and MLB contracts are guaranteed. The reasons are that most players will play out their contracts. That's not always possible in the NFL.

NBA and NFL contracts are generally much longer and the money is generally evenly spread over that contract.

Generally the stars in all sports are the guys who get the money. The problem in the NFL is that every position has a different value. In basketball, you have 5 position and point guard might be more valuable to one team than a power forward or a center. On a different team, the center may be more critical. Overall, every position is a position of value. In baseball, every position is pretty much equal. A power hitting 1B who can steal bases and hit home runs is pretty much equal to a closer or a starter.

Then you have the number of games played. Regular season in the NFL is 16 games including the Bye. Basketball and baseball have 80-82 game seasons. Football is much more violent. Injuries often cut short a player's career in the NFL and more often than not, end a career. Basketball and baseball have their injuries also, but most players can return during the season, if not the following season.

As with any professional sport, you have the stars and the rest. If your not a star and are at the bottom of the payscale, do you strike for those stars to get a bigger payday, while yours might get a bit bigger, but most likely won't be significantly changed.

Sherman like others in the NFL are seeing the incredible contracts for the NBA free agents and are thinking that they'd like to get a 5 year $210M contract.

The NFL CBA is up in 2020. Think the NFL owners are going to change things drastically?? Think any of them will be willing to hand out a Curry contract to an offensive tackle or a defensive end? The only way I can see anything getting done is if the union and owners agree to pay substantial bonuses to every player who plays all 16 games, with no shenanigans like leaving a guy off the 46 man roster in week 16 who's played 15 previous games. Then....what's the bonus? Half a player's contract? What about a guy who comes off the practice squad in week 2 and plays the rest of the season??

I think the owners are just going to say......"You don't like the pay system in the NFL, then play basketball."

Any ideas??

Why do football players HAVE to be paid like those other athletes though? They're two different jobs, in two separate markets.

Hell, while they're at it. I want my job to have their contracts structured like the MLB too!

From a business stand-point, football players are shitty investments. That's really where this conversation both starts, and ends.

 

[richig07]

I was talking about the likelyhood of the players winning a strike. I just doubt the players could/ would stay on strike long enough to win.

Ah, gotcha. Thought you were arguing that the players compensation was not fair.

I agree on that.

I also don't think that this is a group feeling among the players. Nobody is striking... Sherman's a helluva player, and a smart guy... but he's a whack-job.

 

[redseat]

I'm just challenging you in the arena of ideas. No need to get upset.

It wasn't just directed towards you, I just happened to have quoted your post when I said it.

 

[NEhomer]

This entire question rests upon two factors. 1) How much money does the owner make and 2) how essential are you to him making that money?

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Just looking at the Seahawks on over the cap, there are 50 players making less then million, half which make .5 mil or less. Most won't make the roster, but they'll still be union members. I'm guessing it's about the same for every team. Those low paid players will simply swamp the rich players when the vote to strike happens, or shortly there after.

Yeah, these rosters right now are loaded with guys that won't be on the team in Sept. but even after that time...30+ guys will be under a million per.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Kind of nailed it IMO. There is more to a strike than just making more money and hopefully they realize it this time as they didn't last time. They got their rookie wage scale but all it did was hurt the union of "middle class members". If they don't strike fine but I truly am sick of players bitching about X,Y, and Z when they could solve all of it (except all getting outrageous contracts) if they put their foot down. Then it's on them not to come crying back to the table after 4 missed game paychecks.

Yeah, the players probably didn't see that coming, mid level vets are needed on a successful team when the guys on rookie contracts are not quite ready, but mid level guys are getting squeezed out.

Randy McMichael...former UGA Bulldog and NFL TE now does sports talk radio here in town...he expects a strike and is on record saying it could be the most prepared the players ever have been. But even he says the travesty of the NFL is not the star players money, it's the rank and file. While he wasn't a star player, 4th rd pick, but was a good player and played 10+ yrs and is doing fine.

That nature of negotiation is give and take, so for the players to get whatever it is they really want, the owners want something in return

 

[ATL96Steeler]

A half million a year for 3 years is more than many folks make in a lifetime.

That's mostly right, but it's also part of the problem.

Kind goes on the theory of why most lottery winners end up broke....If you make a million dollars over 25 yr period...you have a lifestyle that fits that.

You make 1.5 mil over 3 yrs...you most likely will have a lifestyle that fits that.

 

[Oldschool739]

Agreed....there is clearly wider divide in the have and have nots in the NFL.


Curious...where do you think the players need to be angling this next CBA? We know minimizing Goodell's power already is one.

But it won't happen.....As much as I despise him, he is the juggernaut that keeps the money coming in and the players from turning it into a neighborhood gang of thugs.....
Somebody has to keep these animals in check or they will destroy the cash cow....

 

[ATL96Steeler]

But it won't happen.....As much as I despise him, he is the juggernaut that keeps the money coming in and the players from turning it into a neighborhood gang of thugs.....
Somebody has to keep these animals in check or they will destroy the cash cow....

Actually I think it might. Not totally, but I don't think he will remain, judge, jury and executioner.

What has he actually done to bring in money? The big cash cow is TV, and Jerrah and his crew handled the TV deal.

 

[Oldschool739]

Actually I think it might. Not totally, but I don't think he will remain, judge, jury and executioner.

What has he actually done to bring in money? The big cash cow is TV, and Jerrah and his crew handled the TV deal.

You need to read up on it I guess then....Why do you think the owners love him and give him the leave way he has ?......He's the one negotiating the tv and orchestrated the London and Mex expansion....
The guy is a dog, but he's the owners prize dog....That's all !!