(Angela, I'm sorry...it's about sports.)
A sports news posting came across the wire. Apparently, the Washington Nationals baseball franchise signed their first round draft pick at the last minute tonight. If they hadn't signed him by midnight, he would have been eligible to re-enter the draft next year, and Washington would have been left with nothing.
Here's the funny part. Really.
This young man will earn $15.67 million over four years. Without having thrown a pitch for the team. That's roughly $4 million a year.
Add to that the fact that Michael Crabtree of the San Francisco 49ers football franchise is still holding out. He was drafted in the number 10 position, but feels that he deserves the money that goes with the number 2 or 3 position. He has not played a down for the team.
What's wrong with this picture? We get these young guys who hold out for a maximum contract without even having proven themselves in the leagues. With that in mind, guys like Reggie Bush of the New Orleans Saints or Ryan Leaf of the San Diego Chargers received tons of cash and have been busts. (Sorry, Reggie, but you just haven't lived up to the hype.)
At least in the NBA, there is a rookie salary table. If you are drafted at #4, here is the money you get. If you prove yourself, the team can offer you more when it is time to renew your contract.
Where else in the world can you get tons of cash without even proving yourself at the highest level of the field? (Well, besides CEOs of companies...) It's sickening that in this economy, Stephan Strasburg (the pitcher) thinks he is entitled to so much money without having thrown a pitch. Granted, a pitcher's career can be short. But who ultimately pays the salary? The fans of the Washington Nationals. All 15 of them.
To Strasburg and to Crabtree I say, "Get a clue about real life." This may be fantasy land for you guys, but the rest of us have to work for our money, and many can't even get jobs. Prove yourselves first, and then see what the market will bear for you. We have to do that in our regular jobs. Sure, I can't throw a curveball. But I'd like to see you run a payroll every two weeks pal.
I'm rambling now. Good night.
3 comments:
I read it anyway ... lol
I was nodding in agreement while reading this post. Talk about people who don't live in the real world!!
A minor wrinkle I'd like to add is the leeches that surround pro or about-to-be-pro athletes. It's hard to be reasonable and rational about your own worth and be willing to prove yourself first (like the rest of us) when all around you are your posse, your dad, your brothers, your cousins, your business manager, and your agent who all constantly tell you how great you are and how you deserve to be getting paid NOW so that they can get THEIR piece of YOUR pie NOW.
I don't mean to remove all responsibility for contract-holdout ridiculousness from the athlete and only blame those around him, because it is still ultimately his decision and his life. But we all know how powerful a force associations are, and if you choose associates who have any agenda other than agape/philea then you're in trouble.
You're absolutely right. I met someone whose son is good friends with the young guy from Yuba City who signed a contract with the A's. He decided to take the $1.5 million so he didn't have to crack books at UCLA. He's going to buy 2 houses: one in Arizona and one in Yuba City.
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