Sorry folks, but I am back for another topic that I would like to bring up. Here it goes.. and it starts with the Webster’s Dictionary of a contract. The definition is as such:
Contract: “Con-tract” – An agreement between two or more parties for the doing or not doing of a specified something. An agreement enforceable by law.
The reason I bring this up is it has been apparent in the NFL that players no longer have to abide by contracts. Training camp seems be full of players not going to workouts, skipping meetings because they want a new contract. Recently players such as Ryan Grant, Shane Andrews and Steven Jackson have recently skipped practice in an effort to obtain a new contract. Players such as Plaxico Burress and Jeff Garcia have hinted that they may or threatened to in the recent past to holdout as well. Further talk is that Brian Westbrook may walk out of practice in an effort to get a new contract or an extension to his current contract. Which leads me to this – aren’t they all under contract? Who forced them to sign the old contract? And when you sign a contract, aren’t you bound to fulfill that contract?
It seems that agents and players go into a contract with the idea of “let’s get what we get this year, have a good year on the field and then get the owners to give us more money.” Given the size of signing bonuses – are owners are allowed to ask for it back if a player doesn’t perform? Obviously not. So where does the line draw for players to honor their contracts and get into camp?
For the most part, I blame the system. I blame the fact that owners don’t really haven’t any leverage to get a player to honor his contract. Yet, I blame the system because while the signing bonuses are guaranteed – nothing else is. The system has allowed agents to have so much power in the game that a Drew Rosenhous or a Scott Boras can have a huge influence on a success of a team’s season. So where does it end? Is it going to get worse? Am I the only one annoyed by this?
Let’s hear from you..
Got news for you, Smitty. The teams don’t have to honor the contracts either. So, if the owners can void the contracts, why can’t the players use whatever leverage they have when the shoe is on the other foot?
I have to agree with Charles. I do not begrudge guys in the NFL getting what they can when they can. Seems to me that guys in the NFL get one good chance for a big contract. They have to get it when they can because it is a short career.
Don’t forget about the coaches (insert Petrino/Saban commentary here). Not to say that it makes the situation any more correct. All this does is perpetuate the stereotype that athletes are truly out of touch.
Teams may not have to honor contracts, but they do have to deal with player unions and last time I checked those entities are becoming pretty strong.
Loved your line last week Smitty about trying to use ‘Manny’ logic when dealing with your employers. Yeah – I recently signed my one-year contract. Students I work with are getting some pretty good test scores. You know what that gets me: a pat on the back and a wage increase that is dwarfed by inflation.
Plaxico is holding out?!? Give me a friggin’ break. For the first time in his career he has decided to stop impersonating Casper the Friendly Ghost and actually APPEAR in the playoffs. And now he wants how much? Whatever he is asking for, I am sure it is enough for him to retire at age 35 and never work another real job for the rest of his life and still be able to support his entire extended family.
Do your job and stop whining! Do you want to play or not? Cause the rest of us would love to do what you are doing.
Unfortunately, a few athletes tend to be representative of the whole group and that is unfair. I am trying to imagine Jeter holding out, or Peyton Manning, or Marvin Harrison to name a few.
Plaxico and the rest of them are using contract negotiations as a way to get out of work.
Completely disagree. I believe that players have a lot more leverage. I think it is part of the reason that the NFL owners have opted out of the current bargaining agreement.
If a players isn’t happy, he doesn’t before, he is released and is more then likely to be picked up by another team. Considering that players are recycled throughout the NFL ( see Trent Dilfer, Jeff Garcia, etc. ), a player gets a new start or is rescued (see Terrell Owens), they have a great season or even a good season and they suddenly want their contract ripped up. An owner is left with a cap mess of any guaranteed money, which with today’s contracts is front loaded signing bonuses.
If a player holdouts, the owner is stuck without an integral part of his roster and has to find production from elsewhere. Given how rosters can be thin in the NFL – that doesn’t always happen. That forces the owner to give in and usually settle on a contract is – yes, front loaded with guaranteed money.
As Casey has already pointed out – if an owner should decide to fine a player, well chances are the union comes to the rescue or an agent steps in a gets the team to waive the fines.
Didn’t Brian Westbrook just get a new contract? I don’t begrude a player for trying to get his. I just have a problem with the way they do it.