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Adrian Peterson, the Sooner legend and current NFL superstar, recently compared his plight to that of the early-American slave. Slated to make $10.72 million if the 2011 season occurs, just about everyone who can complain about “A.D.’s” bold pronouncement has done so. The thing is, he might have had a point, even though he did a poor job of making one. If NBA owners get their way, basketball players will be next in line to talk about “modern day slavery.”
The hang up for most who gripe about Peterson’s lack of tact is that he will make more for one game than a vast majority of un-enslaved Americans hope to make in a lifetime. However, it was not the poor wages and fringe benefits that made the slaves slaves. Freedom, or more accurately, the lack thereof, was the foremost issue. By the system that is being negotiated currently, the NFL restricts the ability of their players to control their own destiny worse than any other sport.
Players have little input regarding where they begin their career, unless they have a name like “Manning” and are willing to withstand a PR nightmare. Then, if the player turns out to be a good, the odds of them being allowed to change teams are minimal. When the NFL team is satisfied with the player’s production, they have the ability to restrict the player’s ability to even test the market. That eliminates their ability to maximize their salary potential or select the job situation that they prefer. In essence, over the years the NFL Player’s Union has collective bargained away the freedom of the elite players.
The power structure is mostly one-sided. Most likely, it will become even more so.
After a Summer in which several teams were left with a void after their stars chose to pursue their own individual happiness over that of their previously loyal fan bases, the collective bargaining negotiations have involved discussions of ways to curtail player-controlled movement. Some of the contract language has likely been written using comic sans.
What is overlooked while the owners suggest instituting an NFL-style “Franchise Tag” to keep free agents from bolting is that it is entirely hypocritical to complain about players leaving. Less than a year after Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert was generally praised for his comic sans manifesto attacking the character of LeBron James for exercising his right to sign with the Miami Heat, the league witnessed the most interesting trade deadline in recent history. While they argue for ways to force players to remain loyal to one team, they simultaneously send those players across the country without any interest in their desire to be traded. The power structure is mostly one-sided. Most likely, it will become even more so.
Basically, these guys are going to ruin it for everybody
Before going any further, it is probably important to define what a “franchise tag” entails. In the NFL, a player who is deemed a “franchise” player has their rights to free agency stripped. In return, the team holding their rights has to pay them the average of the five highest paid players at that position. So, for those who lambasted Adrian Peterson because he has already been well rewarded fiscally, it will be tough to convince them that tagging is unfair. Arguing that if one were working for a boss they hated in a city they despised, they could quit tomorrow and find a similar job elsewhere probably would not do much to get people to look past the giant dollar signs. Of course, with the NBA such a system is not likely to show players the money. Already, the maximum amount a player can make is set in stone. When LeBron shopped around for a new team last Summer, money was the furthest thing from his mind. Regardless of where he chose to play, he was limited to approximately $16 million (which is obviously well below what he could make on a truly open market since many inferior players have signed contracts for similar dollar values)…so the ability to choose his location was the only variable he had control over.
Of all the demands made by the owners, I project “franchise tags” as the second easiest (behind re-defining the minimum age) to ram through in the negotiations. Were the truth to be told, it affects only a small number of players and the 95+% of players who would never be tagged are not going to give up something that benefits them to protect the guys who make the money they only dream about.
If tagging does not make it into the new CBA, it probably stems from an ownership hesitance. Remember, franchise tagging protects teams that currently have superstar players, but not everyone wants to see those stars cater to the same fans for their whole career. The reason the Summer of 2010 was loaded with free agent movement is that there were plenty of teams very eager to poach the stars. So for every Orlando who is afraid of losing a Dwight Howard, there are ten teams who would do everything in their power to procure Howard’s services.
Where do you think you're going?
Even the league offices are probably tentative about restricting free agent stars that much. Yes, they prefer players remain with a team for their whole career, otherwise they would not have protected “Bird Rights” for so long to the detriment of their true desire for a more solid salary cap. On the other hand, the free agent extravaganza of 2010 kept the sport in the ESPN headlines during times of the year when no basketball was being played. LeBron’s primetime special, “The Decision,” was one of the highest rated NBA programs in history. That doesn’t even factor in all the media coverage of speculation regarding those players in the years leading up to the big moments. All things considered, the front office would probably prefer to keep the free publicity.
Now assuming a franchise tag were instituted as part of the new CBA, it would protect Thunder fans for the next 10-15 years. Using the tag, Sam Presti’s need to woo players like Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, and James Harden into remaining in the 405 would be minimized. They would not be able to leave unless he decided they were expendable. That would be great news for Oklahoma City fans who would hate to lose their homegrown talent.
The downside would come when this core breaks down and/or begins retiring. Where the franchise tag protects us now, it would restrict our ability to replace these players once their glory days have passed.
@justin
Seems too costly to pursue in courts. One of the good things about paying lawyers so much.
Non-compete clauses can be flimsy, depending on what state you are working in. I worked under a CNC in Texas, and when I moved to Florida to pursue other opportunities in related fields my former employer didn't even try to enforce it... I guess I can be different depending on the nature of the work you are doing, though.
@Keith
I believe that "non-compete" contracts are unamerican because we have a capitalistic economy where an owner could fire you for any number of reasons giving them all the freedom for change but not the employee. Does the non-compete clause stay in effect if you are laid off? Honestly, I don't know how they would even enforce this and whether or not it would stand up in court.
I don't know about you guys but I wish that scientists and philosophers were paid a tenth of what these players are paid. This is a conundrum that I constantly battle within my self because I'm such a fanboy of these players even though I know they don't contribute anything close to what Hitchens, Gould, Dawkins, Collins, Novella, Ehrman and others do... but I won't miss a game and I do ignore these scholars from time to time.
There are many reasons to not care whether or not AD can play where ever he feels like (and to not care if an owner can't get the stadium they so desperately deserve).
@Floppy Punch!
The slavery comment was stupid. The players' objections are not.
Just throwing this out there, but my job and company requires noncompetitive contracts for all employees. Granted, we work with sensitive information, but its not some demonic attempt to enslave employees. I don't think the franchise tag makes sense for the NBA, but its not immoral or anti American either.
Another thing, location isn't a given for any job. I don't mean me having a long drive to work, I mean everyone. Tom Cruise can't decide where a movie is filmed. Unless you are the CEO, you are always at the mercy of availability and location.
Not to re-direct the subject, but I think you guys are missing the point of the contract re-negotiations. The way I look at it, the owners are like all the greedy homebuyers who got sucked into the housing bubble and mortgaged their a**ses off, then screamed blue murder when the home values went down. Buyer (or renter as in "of the talent of a professional athelete") BEWARE!! The league owners want protection of their investments. It is EXACTLY like "no-compete" clauses, and they are rarely if EVER inforced in the pedestrian world. I don't think the professional atheletes deserve special treatment, but I support their rights absolutely to sell their skills and loyalty to the highest bidder! If George Shinn goes bankrupt because he throws $987,987,000/ year at Peja Stojakovic---I DON'T CARE! The salary cap rules should be enough to level the field for the smaller markets. Let's keep it simple.
justin :@dylan
We called that a slump buster.
Yep. First time I heard that was from Mark Grace when I was like 8. Good times.
@dylan
We called that a slump buster.
bouzi4real :
TempBoy Brandon :I would’ve granted her a hall pass for Russ.
lol Hell to that Nawwwww!
What if I told you that it would help Russ average 30/10/6 on 55% from the floor with just 1 TO per game? Is that something you would be interested in?
TempBoy Brandon :I would’ve granted her a hall pass for Russ.
lol Hell to that Nawwwww!
I would've granted her a hall pass for Russ. ;)
@dylan
a crowning moment in my life ;)
@bouzi4real
That’s awesome [(for you) as long as she didn't go for it]
bouzi4real :
dylan :
TempBoy Brandon :@PNT Oh, it never fails: almost every single girl I know thinks that Serge is by far the hottest guy on the team. And they seem to think that KD is “adorable and sweet” and that Russ is “so cute”. After those three, it’s a huge dropoff on the girl scale. Oh, and Mullens is universally chided for his looks. Poor guy can’t catch a break.
My girlfriend says Serge is “sexy,” KD “has too much acne,” Russ looks “like a frog,” and Harden is “cute but his teeth are messed up”
And robert vaden “looks like an old man”
Russ and harden tried to get at my wife in the club once while my brother and I ran to get some drinks from the bar. It was a funny scene when we came back to see them trying tp spitt dome game. My wife was like “who the hell was that guy with that 70′s beard? “
That's awesome [(for you) as long as she didn't go for it]
The whole last page and a half deserves a 'pause'.
dylan :@Floppy Punch!Looking back, I don’t thing we even disagree at all.
Oh, okay. :) Nevermind, then.
Carry on, people...
dylan :
Floppy Punch! :
dylan :@Floppy Punch!It fails because given enough time you can train just about anyone into capability for 99% of the jobs in the world. For every job that requires a high-level of training that the average person could never aspire to (we’ll use your job that you alluded to as an example,) there are hundreds of jobs below that person that anyone could learn in a year or two.Being an athlete at your sport’s highest level is something you or I, given enough time, could never do. If we gave a random person the best weight room in the world, the best coaches, trainers, etc, he would still not be good enough for an NBA contract. The job pool for top level athletes is so thin, it’s just not comparable at all.Saying “well just go get a job like a normal person” doesn’t apply, these are not normal people.
But, that’s true of many careers. I used to work a relatively high-paying warehouse job and saw many people try and fail to do the job–some were too weak (every woman that tried), most weren’t bright enough believe it or not, some were just too lazy. The hiring pool was small, so we all made a good living. That’s just capitalism. It’s true of poker players and investment bankers and any other job.
You basically just made my point for me.
If you think so, I guess you forgot what we were arguing about.
@justin
lol Sha Nay nay
dylan :
TempBoy Brandon :@PNT Oh, it never fails: almost every single girl I know thinks that Serge is by far the hottest guy on the team. And they seem to think that KD is “adorable and sweet” and that Russ is “so cute”. After those three, it’s a huge dropoff on the girl scale. Oh, and Mullens is universally chided for his looks. Poor guy can’t catch a break.
My girlfriend says Serge is “sexy,” KD “has too much acne,” Russ looks “like a frog,” and Harden is “cute but his teeth are messed up”
And robert vaden “looks like an old man”
Russ and harden tried to get at my wife in the club once while my brother and I ran to get some drinks from the bar. It was a funny scene when we came back to see them trying tp spitt dome game. My wife was like "who the hell was that guy with that 70's beard? "
dylan :
TempBoy Brandon :Haha I just think it’s great that I’m not the other one who has his girlfriend and girl friends rank the Thunder players by hotness.
Now if she’ll just give in and sleep with all them so we can compare weiner sizes, I’ll be golden.
Hahaha!!! Oh, I have no doubt that Nate is numero uno there. Big things come in small packages. (And I'm not just saying that because I'm 5'7.)
PNT :@justin It sounds trivial but my big problem with B. Davis is the mispronunciation(sp?)of player’s names. He got Nenad’s last name wrong for 2 years. It’s KRIS-tich not KURS-tich. There are several other examples.
That would have been one of the worst things if we had acquired 'Nay Nay'.
@Floppy Punch!
Looking back, I don't thing we even disagree at all.
GonePostel :
Floppy Punch! :Nonsense. NFL players have absolute freedom. They can choose to work for the NFL or to not work for the NFL. Likewise, basketball players can choose to work for the NBA or to not work for the NBA. There are other sports leagues to choose from, and if the compensation is not sufficient, then another line of work (like insurance sales as a weeping Tom Brady will tell you) is another option.Many of us have tried and failed to be reassigned to a different location within our own company or been denied a promotion. We handled it like grown ups by either resigning or accepting that our current job is the best job currently available to us.
I have to quibble with your analogy here…
A franchise tag is comparable to a “no compete” clause. My employer recently presented me with a contract which, had I signed it, would have prevented me from working for any of their competitors, direct or indirect, within the United States, for a period of 2 years. This is essentially what a franchise tag does.
To say “well they could go sell insurance, or play another sport” is to make light of the situation. These guys have invested their time and effort in to becoming basketball players. They have then submitted to a draft, and given up their right to choose their initial team/city. For that team to be able to indefinitely decide whether or not that player can leave doesn’t seem right to me.
Also, on a side note, I don’t know why people get so upset about players complaining about money. Owners make a lot more, and do every bit as much whining. PerkIsABeast has a point: when owners give up their right to leave a city, then players can consider giving up their right to leave a team.
I don't have an opinion on whether players are paid too much, not enough, or just right. Same on the owners. I don't care, really, except as to how new rules might effect the health of the leagues I enjoy watching. But, I don't have a moral quibble with people getting paid. It's only the slavery bit that irritates me.
TempBoy Brandon :
Haha I just think it’s great that I’m not the other one who has his girlfriend and girl friends rank the Thunder players by hotness.
Now if she'll just give in and sleep with all them so we can compare weiner sizes, I'll be golden.
Haha I just think it's great that I'm not the other one who has his girlfriend and girl friends rank the Thunder players by hotness. :)
Floppy Punch! :
dylan :@Floppy Punch!It fails because given enough time you can train just about anyone into capability for 99% of the jobs in the world. For every job that requires a high-level of training that the average person could never aspire to (we’ll use your job that you alluded to as an example,) there are hundreds of jobs below that person that anyone could learn in a year or two.
Being an athlete at your sport’s highest level is something you or I, given enough time, could never do. If we gave a random person the best weight room in the world, the best coaches, trainers, etc, he would still not be good enough for an NBA contract. The job pool for top level athletes is so thin, it’s just not comparable at all.
Saying “well just go get a job like a normal person” doesn’t apply, these are not normal people.
But, that’s true of many careers. I used to work a relatively high-paying warehouse job and saw many people try and fail to do the job–some were too weak (every woman that tried), most weren’t bright enough believe it or not, some were just too lazy. The hiring pool was small, so we all made a good living. That’s just capitalism. It’s true of poker players and investment bankers and any other job.
You basically just made my point for me.
dylan :@Floppy Punch!It fails because given enough time you can train just about anyone into capability for 99% of the jobs in the world. For every job that requires a high-level of training that the average person could never aspire to (we’ll use your job that you alluded to as an example,) there are hundreds of jobs below that person that anyone could learn in a year or two.
Being an athlete at your sport’s highest level is something you or I, given enough time, could never do. If we gave a random person the best weight room in the world, the best coaches, trainers, etc, he would still not be good enough for an NBA contract. The job pool for top level athletes is so thin, it’s just not comparable at all.
Saying “well just go get a job like a normal person” doesn’t apply, these are not normal people.
But, that's true of many careers. I used to work a relatively high-paying warehouse job and saw many people try and fail to do the job--some were too weak (every woman that tried), most weren't bright enough believe it or not, some were just too lazy. The hiring pool was small, so we all made a good living. That's just capitalism. It's true of poker players and investment bankers and any other job.
My wife thinks RW is the most attractive Thunder because he has pretty skin
In terms of what they can require for their services, what you said about "we just enjoy watching them" is exactly the point, and the reason WHY they are different.
Their elite athletic ability offers them a chance to join the most elite job market on earth, exactly BECAUSE we "enjoy watching them." That's the whole point.
@dylan
You are putting way to much weight in a person's athletic ability...these are normal people they just get glorified because we enjoy watching them. Would I be said if there wasn't the NFL, NBA, or MLB yes, but that doesn't mean I couldn't function. When you say statements like normal rules don't apply to these people, is the very reason athletes do some of the stupid stuff they do (i.e. Vick and the dogs, Pac-man and the countless things, Ron Artest running into the stands, etc.) The moment people believe that athletes are a "better" person because they can run, jump, bat, throw, dribble in my opinion is the moment we have gone way to far!
Sammy :@dylan
Your girlfriend knows what Robert Vaden looks like? I barely know what Robert Vaden looks like.
I took her to Game 5 against Denver, and while we were waiting to get in, I had her rank the Thunder pictures above the entrance doors in terms of attractiveness. Also, Cole Aldrich "looks like an idiot"
Floppy Punch! :
Nonsense. NFL players have absolute freedom. They can choose to work for the NFL or to not work for the NFL. Likewise, basketball players can choose to work for the NBA or to not work for the NBA. There are other sports leagues to choose from, and if the compensation is not sufficient, then another line of work (like insurance sales as a weeping Tom Brady will tell you) is another option.
Many of us have tried and failed to be reassigned to a different location within our own company or been denied a promotion. We handled it like grown ups by either resigning or accepting that our current job is the best job currently available to us.
I have to quibble with your analogy here...
A franchise tag is comparable to a "no compete" clause. My employer recently presented me with a contract which, had I signed it, would have prevented me from working for any of their competitors, direct or indirect, within the United States, for a period of 2 years. This is essentially what a franchise tag does.
To say "well they could go sell insurance, or play another sport" is to make light of the situation. These guys have invested their time and effort in to becoming basketball players. They have then submitted to a draft, and given up their right to choose their initial team/city. For that team to be able to indefinitely decide whether or not that player can leave doesn't seem right to me.
Also, on a side note, I don't know why people get so upset about players complaining about money. Owners make a lot more, and do every bit as much whining. PerkIsABeast has a point: when owners give up their right to leave a city, then players can consider giving up their right to leave a team.
@Floppy Punch!
It fails because given enough time you can train just about anyone into capability for 99% of the jobs in the world. For every job that requires a high-level of training that the average person could never aspire to (we'll use your job that you alluded to as an example,) there are hundreds of jobs below that person that anyone could learn in a year or two.
Being an athlete at your sport's highest level is something you or I, given enough time, could never do. If we gave a random person the best weight room in the world, the best coaches, trainers, etc, he would still not be good enough for an NBA contract. The job pool for top level athletes is so thin, it's just not comparable at all.
Saying "well just go get a job like a normal person" doesn't apply, these are not normal people.
I'm pretty sure in the NFL you are only allowed to franchise one guy, so it wouldn't be like we could keep every single player from year to year with the franchise tag...we would have to choose one guy who is a free agent to assign the tag too. And correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure you can only tag someone once. So it wouldn't be the worst thing to happen, but personally I don't like it. The owners and GMs should be held accountable when their teams aren't good. Portland has had every reason to be a terrible team because of injuries yet they still fight and compete in this league. I highly doubt they are overly worried about Aldridge walking because he can't win there.
@dylan
Your girlfriend knows what Robert Vaden looks like? I barely know what Robert Vaden looks like.
@justin
It sounds trivial but my big problem with B. Davis is the mispronunciation(sp?)of player's names. He got Nenad's last name wrong for 2 years. It's KRIS-tich not KURS-tich. There are several other examples.
TempBoy Brandon :@PNT
Oh, it never fails: almost every single girl I know thinks that Serge is by far the hottest guy on the team. And they seem to think that KD is “adorable and sweet” and that Russ is “so cute”. After those three, it’s a huge dropoff on the girl scale. Oh, and Mullens is universally chided for his looks. Poor guy can’t catch a break.
My girlfriend says Serge is "sexy," KD "has too much acne," Russ looks "like a frog," and Harden is "cute but his teeth are messed up"
And robert vaden "looks like an old man"
@justin
I don't care so much about that. I just hate how he sounds when he gets excited over a big play. It's an aesthetic thing really; his excitement sounds fake and he often describes mildly nice moves/passes as if they're the most astounding basketball plays he's ever seen in his life.
dylan :
Floppy Punch! :
dylan :Why some people still can’t grasp that a professional athlete’s job/pay/whatever is in no way comparable to their everyday bs job is beyond me.I’m sorry you hate your job typing up TPS reports for some faceless corporation, but that has nothing to do with professional athletes.We’re talking about the ultimate in rare talent/skill/ability in the ultimate job marketplace on the planet. It’s in no way comparable to some bullcrap secretarial work or whatever. They have special skills and should be treated specially.
Wrong. On nearly every point. The analogy is apt. There are people with rare talent/skill/ability in other careers and they are compensated handsomely. Also, there are professional athletes who absolutely hate their jobs, hate working for their bosses, hate going in to work and wish they could do something else. But, you missed the point. AD is not wrong becasue he’s rich and talented. He’s wrong because he’s an idiot. Athletes are not slaves.
I’m not talking about what AD said, comparing himself, or whoever, as a millionaire, to a slave, is about as dumb as you can get.
But 99.9 percent of the poor schlubs like you (presumably) and me, and our jobs, have nothing to do with the way professional athletes should be treated in respect to their work.
Well, I used to be a poor schlub, but worked my way up. ;)
Anyway, where does the analogy fail?
@PNT
Oh, it never fails: almost every single girl I know thinks that Serge is by far the hottest guy on the team. And they seem to think that KD is "adorable and sweet" and that Russ is "so cute". After those three, it's a huge dropoff on the girl scale. Oh, and Mullens is universally chided for his looks. Poor guy can't catch a break.
My main gripe with Brian Davis is that he just comes off like he doesn't have much bball knowledge sometimes. Like when he was talking about the playoff race last year and got almost everything wrong.
@Sammy
Make Marv Albert retire. Move Kevin Harlan to the #1 crew and add Gus Johnson to the #2 crew. You are right. This is what TNT should do.
@TempBoy Brandon
You know Serge has gotta be the chick magnet on the team.
Floppy Punch! :
dylan :Why some people still can’t grasp that a professional athlete’s job/pay/whatever is in no way comparable to their everyday bs job is beyond me.
I’m sorry you hate your job typing up TPS reports for some faceless corporation, but that has nothing to do with professional athletes.
We’re talking about the ultimate in rare talent/skill/ability in the ultimate job marketplace on the planet. It’s in no way comparable to some bullcrap secretarial work or whatever. They have special skills and should be treated specially.
Wrong. On nearly every point. The analogy is apt. There are people with rare talent/skill/ability in other careers and they are compensated handsomely. Also, there are professional athletes who absolutely hate their jobs, hate working for their bosses, hate going in to work and wish they could do something else. But, you missed the point. AD is not wrong becasue he’s rich and talented. He’s wrong because he’s an idiot. Athletes are not slaves.
I'm not talking about what AD said, comparing himself, or whoever, as a millionaire, to a slave, is about as dumb as you can get.
But 99.9 percent of the poor schlubs like you (presumably) and me, and our jobs, have nothing to do with the way professional athletes should be treated in respect to their work.
Sammy :So OKC players keep using “CP3″ as a verb on twitter and I could never figure out what they meant. Some guy finally explained it means hooking a brother up with a girl at a club. They call it “CP3″ because they’re throwing assists.
Haha! I've been wondering what that meant too, cause apparently Maynor wants to either hook up or be hooked up by Serge. :)
Also, when is the All NBA team announced?
Also part two, I like Brian Davis and Grant Long. Nice, humble dudes who are fans of the team. Watching it with your buddies is the perfect description. I like Brian's bizarro sayings and Grant is a good balance with his knowledge of the game.
dylan :Why some people still can’t grasp that a professional athlete’s job/pay/whatever is in no way comparable to their everyday bs job is beyond me.
I’m sorry you hate your job typing up TPS reports for some faceless corporation, but that has nothing to do with professional athletes.
We’re talking about the ultimate in rare talent/skill/ability in the ultimate job marketplace on the planet. It’s in no way comparable to some bullcrap secretarial work or whatever. They have special skills and should be treated specially.
Wrong. On nearly every point. The analogy is apt. There are people with rare talent/skill/ability in other careers and they are compensated handsomely. Also, there are professional athletes who absolutely hate their jobs, hate working for their bosses, hate going in to work and wish they could do something else. But, you missed the point. AD is not wrong becasue he's rich and talented. He's wrong because he's an idiot. Athletes are not slaves.
Put Grant Long with Matt Pinto and simulcast radio and TV like the Lakers used to do with Chick Hearn and I would be happy. Pinto is top notch.
I'm having serious basketball withdraw symptoms.... thank goodness I have this support group called Daily Thunder.
I like Mike Breen, too.