I wish....

Topher · Post by **Topher** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 9:31 pm

Ok I realize this is not a college post, but you guys do not have a random topic on here but here goes.........

I wish I had a job where even after I signed a contract with an organization I could just up and demand not to honor the agreement. I wish that whenever I felt like it I could say, "Even though you are paying me millions of dollars a year for the greatest job in the world, I am not happy, and I chose to go to another company that will pay me millions of dollars a year for a sweat job" Or "Even though I am under contract, I do not want to do the task or job you are asking me to do, now give me my gargantious check"

These days I find myself worrying for professional athletes. It is clear that they do not understand the purpose of a contract, and that their agents are not explaning the context of the agreement clearly enough to them. Some of you may know I am directly talking about recent MLB conflicts. My question to MLB baseball players is this, What planet do you live on? Here on Earth when we go to work we don't get to tell the boss what we will and will not do (it is actually vice versa). When we make a professional agreement we are binded to it, whether we like what we are doing or not. Why do players have agents? What do agents do if not explain to atheletes the details of a contract? How in the world can a person get 10% of a millions of dollars for vurtially doing nothing? So really, Manny Ramirez, Alfonso Soriano and Miguel Tejada I must ask. What planet do you live on?

lifeloyalsigmsu · Post by **lifeloyalsigmsu** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 11:41 pm

Topher wrote:Ok I realize this is not a college post, but you guys do not have a random topic on here but here goes.........

I wish I had a job where even after I signed a contract with an organization I could just up and demand not to honor the agreement. I wish that whenever I felt like it I could say, "Even though you are paying me millions of dollars a year for the greatest job in the world, I am not happy, and I chose to go to another company that will pay me millions of dollars a year for a sweat job" Or "Even though I am under contract, I do not want to do the task or job you are asking me to do, now give me my gargantious check"

These days I find myself worrying for professional athletes. It is clear that they do not understand the purpose of a contract, and that their agents are not explaning the context of the agreement clearly enough to them. Some of you may know I am directly talking about recent MLB conflicts. My question to MLB baseball players is this, What planet do you live on? Here on Earth when we go to work we don't get to tell the boss what we will and will not do (it is actually vice versa). When we make a professional agreement we are binded to it, whether we like what we are doing or not. Why do players have agents? What do agents do if not explain to atheletes the details of a contract? How in the world can a person get 10% of a millions of dollars for vurtially doing nothing? So really, Manny Ramirez, Alfonso Soriano and Miguel Tejada I must ask. What planet do you live on?

To quote Soriano, "I will not play an outfield position!"

bozbobcat · Post by **bozbobcat** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 12:29 am

This kind of thing is far too common in professional sports today. Especially baseball. There's a reason why it's no longer the national pastime. Professional athletes should be grateful that they are receiving millions of dollars to play a kid's game and have people come and watch them play. Soriano and Ramirez are two players who have had histories of being lazy, dogging plays, and just not playing to potential. That's why I admire the little guys in baseball and all sports that aren't playing for the multimillion dollar contracts. There are even some big contract guys like Albert Pujols who don't do this kind of thing. Pujols has played about 5 positions without complaining and is one of the great baseball players, both on and off the field. (Sorry, I'm a Cardinals fan so I think very highly of Pujols) Alex Rodriguez is another example. Even though he earns more money than any athlete, there is no question that he plays hard every day. He even moved from being a top-caliber shortstop to third base in New York so he'd have the chance to win and also he acknowledged that the Yankees captain Derek Jeter has the right to his own position. And who can blame A-Rod for taking that money? So I don't really understand why guys like Manny Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano feel that it's necessary to complain so much.

Platinumcat · Post by **Platinumcat** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 8:19 pm

I really can't say that I enjoy professional sports anymore. So few are role model caliber, the I'm-the-center-of-the-universe attitude by so many players, so often the lack of emotion in their play.

I tend to center my attention on college sports. I guess I appreciate the raw emotion these players tend to exhibit.

MSUCATS · Post by **MSUCATS** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 10:20 am

I tend to center my attention on college sports.

Me too. I especially dislike the NBA. This sport has become a JOKE!!

CelticCat · Post by **CelticCat** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 10:53 am

barechestcat wrote:I really can't say that I enjoy professional sports anymore. So few are role model caliber, the I'm-the-center-of-the-universe attitude by so many players, so often the lack of emotion in their play.

I tend to center my attention on college sports. I guess I appreciate the raw emotion these players tend to exhibit.

Especially at the I-AA level. There is a lot of recruitment "bonuses" at the IA level *coughColoradoOhioStatecough*. I-AA is my favorite football.

Although my team in the pros never has the salary problems. The Rams. Bruce, Holt, Faulk never complain. Hell, Faulk even handed the reigns over to Jackson by telling Martz he wants Jackson to start.

cornbreadfred · Post by **cornbreadfred** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 11:54 am

Although professional athletes are out of control, agents are the reason that those athletes, especially in baseball, get such high contracts. Contracts nowadays also aren't simply, 80 million for eight years, they are a legal document with tons of legal wording and pages of information that the agent has to go through and explain to the athlete. It would be great to believe that players would be able to negotiate contracts but Owners and GM's would take advantage of them, and although I dislike TO he has some very strong points. Currently NFL contracts are not guarenteed, therefore if a team wants to cut a player two years into his contract they can, and pay him nothing. That is why, in the NFL right now so many players are trying to get as much guarenteed money in the form of signing bonuses as possible, and this is where GOOD agents come in.

MSUCATS · Post by **MSUCATS** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 12:16 pm

I don't necessarily dislike the NBA because of their salaries. I just don't think the game is challenging enough for them anymore. Some people might like to see everyone on any given team be able to dunk the ball, but I liked it better when you never knew when or by who. It seems so aggressive inside the key, and yet so much garbage is allowed... I don't know, this is my own opinion, but I just think it's time for the NBA to step it up another notch!

catatac · Post by **catatac** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 12:26 pm

Yeah! 11 foot rims... 11 foot rims... 11 foot rims...

MSUCATS · Post by **MSUCATS** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 3:36 pm

Don't you think that would be sweet? And maybe they should make it so that players only get 5 fouls like everyone else does. Keep the free throw line where it is at, 'cause they can't seem to hit 100% of their free throws

catatac · Post by **catatac** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 3:49 pm

And how about a 4-point line... and maybe a 5-pointer for anything over half-court!!!

Bleedinbluengold · Post by **Bleedinbluengold** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 4:52 pm

cornbreadfred wrote:Although professional athletes are out of control, agents are the reason that those athletes, especially in baseball, get such high contracts. Contracts nowadays also aren't simply, 80 million for eight years, they are a legal document with tons of legal wording and pages of information that the agent has to go through and explain to the athlete. It would be great to believe that players would be able to negotiate contracts but Owners and GM's would take advantage of them, and although I dislike TO he has some very strong points. Currently NFL contracts are not guarenteed, therefore if a team wants to cut a player two years into his contract they can, and pay him nothing. That is why, in the NFL right now so many players are trying to get as much guarenteed money in the form of signing bonuses as possible, and this is where GOOD agents come in.

The future payments are not guaranteed, but that's why contracts now-a-days come with giant bonuses, as you pointed out. The bonus is basically the guaranteed portion of the contract. I just think its an empty argument to say that contracts aren't guaranteed. You'd have to smoke dope or be some sort of premadonna before you'd lose some bonus money.........nobody is that stupid!

Bleedinbluengold · Post by **Bleedinbluengold** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 4:58 pm

Topher wrote:Ok I realize this is not a college post, but you guys do not have a random topic on here but here goes.........

I wish I had a job where even after I signed a contract with an organization I could just up and demand not to honor the agreement. I wish that whenever I felt like it I could say, "Even though you are paying me millions of dollars a year for the greatest job in the world, I am not happy, and I chose to go to another company that will pay me millions of dollars a year for a sweat job" Or "Even though I am under contract, I do not want to do the task or job you are asking me to do, now give me my gargantious check"

These days I find myself worrying for professional athletes. It is clear that they do not understand the purpose of a contract, and that their agents are not explaning the context of the agreement clearly enough to them. Some of you may know I am directly talking about recent MLB conflicts. My question to MLB baseball players is this, What planet do you live on? Here on Earth when we go to work we don't get to tell the boss what we will and will not do (it is actually vice versa). When we make a professional agreement we are binded to it, whether we like what we are doing or not. Why do players have agents? What do agents do if not explain to atheletes the details of a contract? How in the world can a person get 10% of a millions of dollars for vurtially doing nothing? So really, Manny Ramirez, Alfonso Soriano and Miguel Tejada I must ask. What planet do you live on?

I understand where you're coming from, but as soon as you have a contract, or some other written agreement, there becomes a basis for negotiating. Anything can be negotiated once you have a basis. I don't put any blame on players for asking to re-negotiate, and I don't blame any owner for not wanting to re-negotiate. It seems like when the two parties have a great working relationship, the player and owner renegotiate if it works for both parties. This is what happened with Randy Moss a few years back with the Vikes. McCombs made him the 75 mil receiver and Moss still had a year or two left on his contract. I thought it was a great move at the time, and still do.

Baseball players just make to damn much for what they do...imho. But, I can't fault them for obtaining what the market will bear. That's the name of the game. The only way it changes is if fans stop watching. It's analogous to Hollywood stars. As soon as an actor becomes obsolete, the actors don't see those huge movie contracts...

MSUCATS · Post by **MSUCATS** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 8:46 pm

And how about a 4-point line... and maybe a 5-pointer for anything over half-court!!!

Are you making fun of me, Catatac? Or are we really on the same page?(<--Serious question... I'm just wondering)

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