T.O.: NFL players deserve guaranteed contracts

[HardHittingRoy31]

T.O.: NFL players deserve guaranteed contracts

Tim MacMahon http://www.***BANNED-URL***/blogs/images/email-icon.jpg E-mail http://www.***BANNED-URL***/blogs/images/email-icon.jpg News tips
Terrell Owens busted out his soapbox when asked about the NFL's issues with the Collective Bargaining Agreement. He pointed out that football is the only major pro sport that doesn't give players guaranteed contracts, and he has a problem with that.
"There's not enough players to really speak up and have each other's back to kind of back some of these things up," T.O. said. "I hear a lot of players complain and gripe about the fact that we don't have guaranteed contracts. It's not like the money isn't out there. ...
"It's a situation where I think players should really just stand up for what we believe in instead of just chirping amongst ourselves about what isn't done and what should be done."
I know it's hard for folks to feel sympathy about multimillionaires' financial issues, but T.O. makes a pretty good point. The NFL makes more money than any other pro sports league. Football takes a tougher physical toll on the players' bodies than any other major sport. As a result, it'd be hard to blame players for demanding guaranteed contracts while the CBA is getting reworked.
"I think there is player loyalty, but sometimes I don't think there's any team loyalty to it, especially when guys have contracts that are about to expire," T.O. said. "Teams can cut them at any given time. They have a back-loaded contract, and they don't want to pay that player that money, then they cut them. It's not a good situation."

http://cowboysblog.***BANNED-URL***/archives/2008/05/to-nfl-players-deserve-guaranteed-contra.html

 

[Temo]

What exactly would guarenteed contracts do for the players? I mean, under the current CBA, teams have to pay a certain amount of money to players. There's the "minimum" salary cap at play. So no matter what the players get (for 2008 cap) at least 98.8 million per team this year (proration, obviously, makes that number a little differently, but the concept is the same).

All non-guaranteed contracts do is make sure that money goes is allocated a bit more fairly and gives players more of an incentive to perform for the span of the entire contract.

 

[UVAwahoos]

I thought that signing bonuses and guaranteed money essentially played the same role as guaranteed years of a contract, except that prorating signing bonuses allowed teams to spread the salary cap hit out over a few years so that it works to both the player's (getting up front money) and team's advantage? Wouldn't guaranteed contract years just eliminate large signing bonuses and the guaranteed money that their current contracts give them?

Somebody enlighten me please.

 

[CowboyWay]

I can't say I blame him. No other sport beats the body down like football, yet these guys don't have guaranteed contracts.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

He brings up some smart points for a jock

 

[jumanji]

he's not wrong however that's why the signing bonuses are so ridiculous.

 

[Doomsday101]

Players get guaranteed money in the form of these big signing bonuses that is cash in hand. I seriously doubt players would be willing to forfeit these big payouts.

 

[ZeroClub]

If all contracts were 100% guaranteed, players likely would have to give up some money in exchange for the added security.

 

[adbutcher]

He brings up some smart points for a jock

This coming from someone with 'Crazy' in their screen name, lol.:

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Players get guaranteed money in the form of these big signing bonuses that is cash in hand. I seriously doubt players would be willing to forfeit these big payouts.

I see the theme for you today is "seriously doubt"... lol



I would take a GUARANTEED 7yr/$45 deal
($6+ mil a year guaranteed is very doable. I am sure the players would chose that)
over a

non-guaranteed 7yr/$45 with $16 mil Signing bonus.




Baseball and Basketball players sign $100 and $200 million dollar contracts and get every penny.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Guaranteed == Stupid

The way I see it. Football is their job. If you play, then you get paid. It should NOT be the other way around.

There should be insurance on players if they get injured and cannot play that guarantees their salary. If they just aren't performing, then they have no right to get paid.

Think Roy Williams. He is no way deserves to be getting paid what he is, yet because of the contract and guaranteed salary, he has the team strapped.

Baseball is even more stupid. Look at the SF Giants and Barry Zito's idiot contract. He is set for life, and the Giants are out well over $100M because he can't (or won't) get it done. Chan Ho Park and the Rangers with that $65M idiot contract was the same way.

If someone was robbing me of $100M, I couldn't promise not to spend the rest of my life in jail if you get my drift.

 

[Nightman]

I have always thought MLB and NBA owners were absolutely crazy to guarantee those gigantic contracts. The team is left with no protection from injury or lack of production, except for insurance. The NFL does it right with the signing bonuses and they retain the ability to cut under performers. Players have to stay hungry.

 

[gazmc_06]

I think T.O. is right based on other league's. I think with the NFL being the sport with the most money they should do the same as everyone else. Football has by far the most risks and the players are the worst paid...that's not right IMO.

There are also people out there who would choose to play basktball over football because of the money, might not sound like a big deal but it is.

 

[theogt]

I think T.O. is right based on other league's. I think with the NFL being the sport with the most money they should do the same as everyone else. Football has by far the most risks and the players are the worst paid...that's not right IMO.

There are also people out there who would choose to play basktball over football because of the money, might not sound like a big deal but it is.

Football also has more players to pay. No other sport has 53 man rosters. So, yeah, football may be the highest grossing sport, but it also has the highest costs in terms of players to pay.

 

[gazmc_06]

I know it pay's more players, but that doesn't mean they should be in a position to get cut before getting paid. The way that whole thing works is a disgrace.

 

[theogt]

I know it pay's more players, but that doesn't mean they should be in a position to get cut before getting paid. The way that whole thing works is a disgrace.

Wouldn't the notion that there's a greater chance of injury be more reason to not have guaranteed contracts? In other words, the owner is likely paying for what he gets in both basketball and football?

For example, it's extremely likely a basketball player will play out a full 6 year contract. So, it's not unreasonable to have it guaranteed. But in football, it's not as likely that a player will play all 6 years, so a smaller portion is guaranteed.

 

[gazmc_06]

I wouldn't mind the contracts not being completely gaurenteed, just as long as the players contracts couldn't be back-loaded. T.O.'s deal in Philly being the prime example, the big money was at the end of the contract and the Eagles were going to get the best out of him and cut him before paying him the big money.

I don't have a problem with them not getting everything, just don't rip the players off.

 

[jobberone]

I wouldn't mind the contracts not being completely gaurenteed, just as long as the players contracts couldn't be back-loaded. T.O.'s deal in Philly being the prime example, the big money was at the end of the contract and the Eagles were going to get the best out of him and cut him before paying him the big money.

I don't have a problem with them not getting everything, just don't rip the players off.

That's a reasonable approach. Good point on TO and the Eagles. Those huge back loaded contracts are being addressed by agents and players now. Wasn't always that way. They are mostly bragging rights now. The players want the money up front. The owners want a good return on their money.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

I think T.O. is right based on other league's. I think with the NFL being the sport with the most money they should do the same as everyone else. Football has by far the most risks and the players are the worst paid...that's not right IMO.

There are also people out there who would choose to play basktball over football because of the money, might not sound like a big deal but it is.

Another reason.... you can get good at basketball by yourself because you only need a ball to practice.

 

[Future]

Baseball and Basketball players sign $100 and $200 million dollar contracts and get every penny.

And it hinders the quality of the game. There is no incentive to put your body on the line, and every player feels like they can do what they want because they will get their money no matter what.

You think there are primadonnas in the NFL now, imagine what it would be like with guaranteed contracts :bang2: