Perhaps it’s because Albert Haynesworth just signed a $100 million dollar contract...
Perhaps it’s that Jay Cutler is “infuriated” and wants to be traded...
Perhaps it’s because I heard that Kurt Warner is flying on private jet to San Francisco...
Whatever it is, I’ve had it.
I can’t take it anymore.
I really think I’m close to a breaking point, and I don’t think I’m alone.
The words “private jet” are what really helped solidify just how I feel about all these multi-million dollar athletes that are coddled their entire lives.
I get it. They’re talented.
I get it. The market pays them what they’re worth and they don’t have to apologize for that.
However, considering the state of the country, the economy, and the morale of the people that are tied up in both…I can’t think of a more ridiculous time for professional athletes to make the money that they do.
Where is Congress? Where is the committee asking Kurt Warner to raise his hand for using a private jet? Is anyone going to call out the 49ers for using money on a quick trip for a free agent QB?
Probably not. Fast forward to a month from now, when the 49ers are forced to lay some people off: I wonder if the woman that loses her job as a marketing assistant will feel that she was wronged. I hope her son buys a Warner jersey.
I wonder what it’s like to get laid off at work, and then find out the new defensive tackle is making $100 million dollars over the next 7 years. Haynesworth’s deal represents 3,333 salaries of $30,000.
The Redskins cut out 30 employees in two sweeping cost cuts. They had room for Al. I wonder if he’d give back ONE of those $30,000 bills if he was asked nicely. Do they make a thirty-thousand-dollar bill? They might have to soon, to pay some of these guys.
***
It all leads to one BIG question. WHEN will the sports bubble burst? The “dot com” bubble burst. The housing bubble burst. Rome fell. The NFL bubble WILL burst. The sports bubble WILL burst.
The NHL went through this already. They actually got a 25% rollback in salaries as part of the lockout deal. Remember that? My guess is we’ll have some loooooooooong work stoppages, and rollbacks will be a BIG part of it. 50%? Is that unreasonable?
The unions…the agents…the players…the greed…the blatant disregard for PERSPECTIVE in this time of economic downturn…the time will come.
***
I’m reading online that Jay Cutler is “infuriated”. Really? Why? Because the place where he works got a new “district manager” that might want to bring in some of his own people? And what would happen to poor Jay. He’d be shipped to another city, and be forced to do the same job?
Gee…that’s NEVER happened to anyone in the real world.
Cutler is mad. Now he wants out, to spite the Broncos. Today, I heard Jim Rome blasting the Broncos because Cutler has “given everything to that organization”. Like what? Seems to me, they’ve given him just plenty. Cutler’s ENTRY LEVEL deal to the NFL was 6 years, for 48 million. Yes, he’s really “given everything to that organization”. Cry me a river.
***
It all adds up. Toss it all in the mix. In fact, let’s go ahead and make a stew.
Give me one Haynesworth, one Warner, a Cutler, a few $125,000 PSL s in Dallas. I need four overpaid CBs (just wait to you see the Jabari Greer deal that’s on the way). Annnnnd…what else?
Let's add Jason Taylor who didn't want to add an off-season workout to his Redskins contract, so he's out of Washington. He would have made 8.5 million dollars. Imagine being able to say "Nah...I'm good" on THAT amount of money.
I'm still missing something for this stew....Hmmm…OH, I’ve got just the thing. Can I get a baseball player to repeatedly turn DOWN 45 million dollars to play for 2 years? Yes that’s right…this sports stew wouldn’t be complete without Manny Ramirez. There is ONE team bidding, and the opening bid is 45 million.
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Not only do I dislike all of these men to some degree. I hate the analysts (myself included) that entitle them, by talking about whether or not they are worth it. I hate it. It makes me sick to my stomach.
Bill Simmons of ESPN writes that 12 NBA teams are seeking financial help. A report in the Toronto sun has as many as 6 teams on the verge of collapse. The recession WILL hit Major League Baseball this season. The NFL? Nah…not yet. At least not by the look of things.
The league will continue to embarrass many Americans, and itself to some degree, with these ridiculous contracts. I can’t wait for work on Tuesday morning. We’ll talk more about millionaires, that make millions off of each of us. I can’t help but feel like a sucker right about now.
So that’s it for my article…my rant. I have thank those that I couldn’t have done it without:
~Thanks to the NFL…the NBA…the NHL…and MLB.
~Thanks to every athlete that just wants to feed his family.
~And of course, thanks to every athlete “insulted” by a contract offer.
- I'd love this to be a topic on the show Tuesday. Email
whitey@wgr550.com, or call us in the morning.
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