DMN Burnett Blog: Player Salaries

[WoodysGirl]

1:38 PM Thu, Jun 12, 2008 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Kevin Burnett http://www.***BANNED-URL***/blogs/images/email-icon.jpg E-mail http://www.***BANNED-URL***/blogs/images/email-icon.jpg News tips

Do you think players make too much money? Do the owners make too much money?

If you think players get paid too much then look on Forbes and see in comparison what an athlete makes vs. an owner. You also have to think about how long a player can play vs. how long a team can be owned. A team can be passed down from generation to generation. A retired player has to go find another job. A retired owner can watch his son and grandson run the team while he still collects the checks. MAKES YOU THINK. I admire Jerry because he is a business mind he knows how to keep it in the family. Jerry's grandkids (Shy in particular) probably knows more about running a football team than I do. I have a Master's degree in Sports Administration and Business.

Shy out of high school will make more than I do right now as a 4th year pro athlete. You don't see anything wrong with that? I don't, I just want to put things into perspective. I know you guys see players upset about contracts and wonder WHY. Let me answer this in detail.


Don't forget this is a JOB. Yes it's all fun and games on TV but believe this is a full time job. HOW SO? You only play a max of 7 months (no sick or off days).

- Feb. to March mandatory off period
- Last week of March offseason begins (13-15 weeks)
- May OTA's start I think you have between 14- 21 days approx.
- June Mini Camp
- July Training Camp
- Average life span in NFL use to be 3 years now it's 18 months

And your asking me Why players are pissed about their contracts. Your asking me to put my life, my health, and my overall metal well being on the line day in and day out for, HOW MUCH? Yes this is a touchy subject for me.

I want to ask you guys as fans, how much you would like to be paid for playing football? I (all players) am risking not being able to walk for the rest of my life every day. I'm risking not being able to play with my kids every day. At very worse I want to know that if I am not able to play I can continue to have great quality of life. Yes money is not everything but it sure is good to have. I love the fact that players asking for what they are worth. If you don't get what your worth then shame on you.

Buress and Shockey are worth what they are asking for. The both of them are two of the most talked about and feared offensive players in the league. Rightfully so they should be paid accordingly. Now how they go about it is totally up to them. As players you can't help but be upset about how much you're paid in comparison with how much is brought in on your name, likeness, etc. I mean how many of you don't want to be paid more? If you could get your salary increased you wouldn't do? I would like to hear your thoughts on this.

TBC, I'm going to do some research on Forbes.

Not personal. just conversation ...

 

[superpunk]

Breaking news - owners bank more than their employees.

No, I do not have a degree in business.

But I did sleep at a Holiday Inn last night.

 

[tunahelper]

Do fans pay to much for tickets because owners and players are greedy? YES!

Dont play that card with me please.

 

[adamknite]

Breaking news - owners bank more than their employees.

No, I do not have a degree in business.

But I did sleep at a Holiday Inn last night.

.......**shock**........**awe**

 

[DallasEast]

Do you think players make too much money?

Yes.

Do the owners make too much money?

No.

Shy out of high school will make more than I do right now as a 4th year pro athlete. You don't see anything wrong with that?

No. That's Shy. You're you. If you wish to do exactly what Shy is doing, copy him. It's highly likely you may succeed. However, if your career suddenly has a financial windfall, it's highly unlikely that Shy will ever be able to copy you. Heck, he can't copy you now.

Don't forget this is a JOB. Yes it's all fun and games on TV but believe this is a full time job. HOW SO? You only play a max of 7 months (no sick or off days).

It's a job alright. A job which I highly respect, but the respect ends there.

Your asking me to put my life, my health, and my overall metal well being on the line day in and day out for, HOW MUCH?

I'm not asking you to do squat. It's your livelihood that's on the line. The risks you take to better your bottom line are yours to make. If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen.

I want to ask you guys as fans, how much you would like to be paid for playing football?

Excellent question. If I'm greedy, I want Peyton Manning money, regardless of position, that's for sure. However, if I making the veteran minimum, I hope that I'm intelligent enough to invest and spend wisely. That path will take me far beyond my playing days .

As players you can't help but be upset about how much you're paid in comparison with how much is brought in on your name, likeness, etc. I mean how many of you don't want to be paid more?

I'm guilty of wanting to be paid more, but just how much is 'too much' if your likeness is a FatHead stuck on some Commander kid's wall that he uses as a dartboard? Huh? HUH?

If you could get your salary increased you wouldn't do?

Yes, I would. And if I could have it dramatically increase as some of your peers, I would probably be more sympathic. However, I live in the real world and it's dog-eat-dog. I'm worried about the price of regular gasoline and guys like Cedric Benson are making enough bank to be chauffeured around and look what happened to him!

oops. bad example. :

 

[THUMPER]

I want to ask you guys as fans, how much you would like to be paid for playing football? I (all players) am risking not being able to walk for the rest of my life every day. I'm risking not being able to play with my kids every day. At very worse I want to know that if I am not able to play I can continue to have great quality of life.

You know Kevin, cops risk their lives every day and they get paid squat. Firemen, military personnel, oilworkers, and a host of others work in life threatening jobs for a minute fraction of what professional athletes make.

Now for football players I can understand some of this but for baseball players? Soccer players? Golfers? Come on, those guys are certainly not putting their health at risk any more than your average fastfood employee.

Back in the day, football players made very little and had to hold jobs on the offseason to make ends meet (except for the highest paid QBs).

I'm sorry but you will get no sympathy from me pal so stop whining.

 

[gbrittain]

I have no problem with any dollar amount an athlete makes...more power to them.

What I do not like to hear are lame justifications for the big salaries.

Just say I "I am thankful for what I get now, but if I can get more I will do so."

There are plenty of regular people who are putting their lives and or health on the line every day, but will never see IN A LIFE TIME OF WORKING what an athlete makes in a single year.

As has already been pointed out, no one elected Kevin to become an athlete.

He made that decision on his own.

 

[QT]

I like most Kevin's blogs except for this one. If he got heat for the grammer and spelling earlier in his blogs, he will get more for this.

I NEVER feel sorry for an professional player that makes millions. O no, he's never won a championship but has played like 10 years. I'm so sorry. Everyday he gets to drive home in his porsche or SUV with 24s to his nice "Crib".

That's why your a second stringer Kevin. If you tried alittle harder at your "JOB", maybe you can crack the first string...

 

[Everlastingxxx]

HOW MUCH? Yes this is a touchy subject for me.

Really Kev? How much so for someone like me just tryin to make ends meet and having to hear so and so athlete got a 12 million dollar signing bonus? I mean, i get an extra 80 bucks doing a side job and im freakin happy. But really, everyone in the entertainment business is overpaid.

 

[AbeBeta]

Does KB really have a Master's?

 

[khiladi]

I'm just trying to get me some of this:

 

[DallasEast]

Mr. Burnett, I wanted to add that I love you man (albeit in a Budweiser beer commercial sorta way)! You've got to remember one thing, which I hope that my atheist forum brothers and sisters will forgive me for :

God blessed you with a talent. A talent which has given you the opportunity to play professional football. Be forever thankful because there are tens of thousands of us out here who, at one time or another, wished we were in YOUR shoes.

Have a GREAT career and peace, my brother.

 

[Doomsday101]

You know Kevin, cops risk their lives every day and they get paid squat. Firemen, military personnel, oilworkers, and a host of others work in life threatening jobs for a minute fraction of what professional athletes make.

Now for football players I can understand some of this but for baseball players? Soccer players? Golfers? Come on, those guys are certainly not putting their health at risk any more than your average fastfood employee.

Back in the day, football players made very little and had to hold jobs on the offseason to make ends meet (except for the highest paid QBs).

I'm sorry but you will get no sympathy from me pal so stop whining.

I with you. In my view these owners are taking care of these players I'm sorry based on the contract I'm seeing these players have nothing to whine about. As I have said before if you don't like what they are paying in the NFL then take your college degree and go out into the work force and see what you get.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Breaking news - owners bank more than their employees.

No, I do not have a degree in business.

But I did sleep at a Holiday Inn last night.

No kidding... Kevin obviously isn't nearly as smart as he thinks he is.

Your asking me to put my life, my health, and my overall metal well being on the line day in and day out for, HOW MUCH? Yes this is a touchy subject for me.

Hey Kevin, if it's that bad for you, QUIT. Don't want to risk your knees? Fine, go get a regular job.

By the way, it will pay a tenth or even a hundredth of what you make now.

Yes, this is a touchy subject for me.

 

[Chief]

Like someone else said, I've enjoyed Kevin's columns ... until this one.

The problem is, so many of these professional athletes take for granted that they are blessed with an elite talent.

Don't come to the fans for sympathy, Kevin, over your hard job and your underpaid wages.

 

[Vintage]

The reality of it is, these guys get paid the money they do because there are very few people who can do what they do: to play at an elite level.

Joe Schmoe isn't willing to plop down hundreds of dollars to see his neighbor throw his football. But he is willing to plop down hundreds of dollars to see Tom Brady zing the ball all over the place.

There are faaaaaaaaaaaaaaar many more Schmoe's than Brady.

That is why their salaries are high. That is why they are justified. They are talented enough to attract people willing to pay to watch them play and a small enough group that they are in high demand.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

he is doing a good job with this blog

 

[Disturbed]

You know Kevin, cops risk their lives every day and they get paid squat. Firemen, military personnel, oilworkers, and a host of others work in life threatening jobs for a minute fraction of what professional athletes make.

Now for football players I can understand some of this but for baseball players? Soccer players? Golfers? Come on, those guys are certainly not putting their health at risk any more than your average fastfood employee.

Back in the day, football players made very little and had to hold jobs on the offseason to make ends meet (except for the highest paid QBs).

I'm sorry but you will get no sympathy from me pal so stop whining.

Great post Thumper.

These guys are entertainers playing a sport that they love and getting paid millions of dollars for their efforts. And they whine and complain, are you kidding me!!!

uke:

 

[gbrittain]

The reality of it is, these guys get paid the money they do because there are very few people who can do what they do: to play at an elite level.

Joe Schmoe isn't willing to plop down hundreds of dollars to see his neighbor throw his football. But he is willing to plop down hundreds of dollars to see Tom Brady zing the ball all over the place.

There are faaaaaaaaaaaaaaar many more Schmoe's than Brady.

That is why their salaries are high. That is why they are justified. They are talented enough to attract people willing to pay to watch them play and a small enough group that they are in high demand.

That is exactly why I don't mind the salaries they do get, but I still say it would be better if they did not try to justify their salaries to us common folk.

 

[ZeroClub]

The method of determining pay for NFL players is rather arbitrary ... and the player's pay depends as much on the player's circumstances as that player's actual performance and value (e.g., some rookies getting paid far more than proven and productive vets, etc.).

I can understand Burnett thinking that the current payment scheme is unfair and in need of an overhaul.

But the tone of this particular column sounds whiney ....