2 Worst Things to Happen to Sports
People talk about how certain replay rules, timing rules, substitution rules, etc. are ruining sports as we know it. While things like the DH may be taking an element away from the game I can single-handedly point to the two worst things aka the two biggest things ruining sports today.
#1 Drew Rosenhaus
#2 Scott Boras
I will start with Rosenhaus. Drew represents probably the largest base of drama queens in the NFL. His players routinely hold out for more money even if they are in the midst of a contract. He has led to this notion that players who sign 5 year contracts for change and suddenly become good have the right to hold out and get more money. If a player wants to be paid what he is worth, he needs to start signing 1 year contracts and at the end of each season a new contract can be signed according to the value of the previous season's performance. This is only logical. But Rosenhaus continues to have his clients sign long contracts and then they complain that they are underpaid half way through. He often uses the fact that NFL contracts are not guaranteed. But what he doesn't talk about is players who play an entire season and put up substandard numbers and still get paid millions of dollars. Case and point, Javon Walker is going to make all the money in his contract even though he didn't play in all 16 games. Javon Walker held out with the Packers because he wanted more money because he felt the multi-year deal he had signed a few years prior wasn't adequate enough. Play it out Javon. You signed, you earn it.
Next we have Scott Boras. The baseball equivalent of Drew. Scott really went extra far to shoot himself in the foot recently. In the midst of the World Series (final game none the less, and a nail biter to boot) Boras announced that his client Alex Rodriguez was going to opt out of his contract with the Yankees. Because of Scott Boras and his need to drive 6-10 year contracts of double digit millions per year down the throats of GMs the cost of a baseball team has gone through the roof. A-Rod opts out of a contract that will pay him millions of dollars. Instead he would prefer to sign a 10 year deal worth over $300 million. What happens if A-Rod gets severely injured, what if he loses his swing. Unlike football, teams are on the line for those contracts. If a team cuts a player and another team picks him up, previous team is still on the line for some of his money.
These two men have caused sports to be about $$$$$$$ and not about the game. Kobe in basketball, A-Rod in baseball, take your pick in football. People have forgotten about the game. If I were a GM I would refuse to put up with these things and I would tell my fans that I am going to build the best team I can without breaking the bank. Yes we may not always be the best team, but you can see a game for under $100. There are lots of teams out there doing well with small payrolls. I think it is time we stop paying these ridiculous contracts and make these players be unemployed for a bit. If they want big bucks, lets through incentives in there for wins, hits, etc. I would also include penalties for strikeouts and errors. It would definitely send a message to players. If you are going to play for us, you are going to play to win not to get rich.
#1 Drew Rosenhaus
#2 Scott Boras
I will start with Rosenhaus. Drew represents probably the largest base of drama queens in the NFL. His players routinely hold out for more money even if they are in the midst of a contract. He has led to this notion that players who sign 5 year contracts for change and suddenly become good have the right to hold out and get more money. If a player wants to be paid what he is worth, he needs to start signing 1 year contracts and at the end of each season a new contract can be signed according to the value of the previous season's performance. This is only logical. But Rosenhaus continues to have his clients sign long contracts and then they complain that they are underpaid half way through. He often uses the fact that NFL contracts are not guaranteed. But what he doesn't talk about is players who play an entire season and put up substandard numbers and still get paid millions of dollars. Case and point, Javon Walker is going to make all the money in his contract even though he didn't play in all 16 games. Javon Walker held out with the Packers because he wanted more money because he felt the multi-year deal he had signed a few years prior wasn't adequate enough. Play it out Javon. You signed, you earn it.
Next we have Scott Boras. The baseball equivalent of Drew. Scott really went extra far to shoot himself in the foot recently. In the midst of the World Series (final game none the less, and a nail biter to boot) Boras announced that his client Alex Rodriguez was going to opt out of his contract with the Yankees. Because of Scott Boras and his need to drive 6-10 year contracts of double digit millions per year down the throats of GMs the cost of a baseball team has gone through the roof. A-Rod opts out of a contract that will pay him millions of dollars. Instead he would prefer to sign a 10 year deal worth over $300 million. What happens if A-Rod gets severely injured, what if he loses his swing. Unlike football, teams are on the line for those contracts. If a team cuts a player and another team picks him up, previous team is still on the line for some of his money.
These two men have caused sports to be about $$$$$$$ and not about the game. Kobe in basketball, A-Rod in baseball, take your pick in football. People have forgotten about the game. If I were a GM I would refuse to put up with these things and I would tell my fans that I am going to build the best team I can without breaking the bank. Yes we may not always be the best team, but you can see a game for under $100. There are lots of teams out there doing well with small payrolls. I think it is time we stop paying these ridiculous contracts and make these players be unemployed for a bit. If they want big bucks, lets through incentives in there for wins, hits, etc. I would also include penalties for strikeouts and errors. It would definitely send a message to players. If you are going to play for us, you are going to play to win not to get rich.
posted by Chris | 4:38 PM
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