Do you side with the Players or the Owners on the CBA issue?

AsylumGuido · 01-27-2011, 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by Crusader

An excellent post all in all. I especially like the last part "they could live the rest of their lives off the work of a few years" Why is it that so many athletes think they shouldn't have to work once they stop playing. I mean a job is a job. In the case of moste every NFL player their talent has already paid for a top notch college education which, if a player really studied, should give ample oppetunities for said player to find a job once he quit playing.

Once again, too many of you are looking at the 10% of players that currently make millions of dollars and play for several years. This issue isn't addressing them. It has to do with those players that played before these huge salaries and are so crippled or brain damaged that they can't work. There are former players who made $20,000 per year that are now living in poverty with no medical benefits at all.

Most corporations offer disability plans for their employees. The NFL does, too, but it is a joke. This is a major issue for the players. For example, Eric Shelton, who played one season with the Panthers, received spinal cord damage in a preseason practice with the Redskins in 2008 that ended his career. After a series of rulings he was finally awarded $1,140 per month. That's $14,000 per year. Who can live on that especially when you are disabled and cannot work. After much fighting in court he has managed to get a higher compensation, but the NFL Retirement fund has refused the highest level of compensation because he he attempted to work at Walgreens for a very brief period.

Your argument that former players should get a job like everyone else doesn't hold water. The players in question are not the Michael Irvins and Peyton Mannings of the league that made or make a ton, play for an extended period and retire relatively healthy. The players being affected are the ones that sustain injuries that play a major impact in the rest of their life and livelihood. That's who they are fighting for.

View Poll Results: Do you side with the Owners or the Players on the CBA issue?
OWNERS - they take the risks and drive the business	17	53.13%
PLAYERS - they do all the work on the field and provide the entertainment to the fans	15	46.88%
Voters: 32. You may not vote on this poll

01-27-2011, 09:42 AM	#15
AsylumGuido 10000 POST CLUB Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bossier City, LA Posts: 26,472	Originally Posted by Crusader An excellent post all in all. I especially like the last part "they could live the rest of their lives off the work of a few years" Why is it that so many athletes think they shouldn't have to work once they stop playing. I mean a job is a job. In the case of moste every NFL player their talent has already paid for a top notch college education which, if a player really studied, should give ample oppetunities for said player to find a job once he quit playing. Once again, too many of you are looking at the 10% of players that currently make millions of dollars and play for several years. This issue isn't addressing them. It has to do with those players that played before these huge salaries and are so crippled or brain damaged that they can't work. There are former players who made $20,000 per year that are now living in poverty with no medical benefits at all. Most corporations offer disability plans for their employees. The NFL does, too, but it is a joke. This is a major issue for the players. For example, Eric Shelton, who played one season with the Panthers, received spinal cord damage in a preseason practice with the Redskins in 2008 that ended his career. After a series of rulings he was finally awarded $1,140 per month. That's $14,000 per year. Who can live on that especially when you are disabled and cannot work. After much fighting in court he has managed to get a higher compensation, but the NFL Retirement fund has refused the highest level of compensation because he he attempted to work at Walgreens for a very brief period. Your argument that former players should get a job like everyone else doesn't hold water. The players in question are not the Michael Irvins and Peyton Mannings of the league that made or make a ton, play for an extended period and retire relatively healthy. The players being affected are the ones that sustain injuries that play a major impact in the rest of their life and livelihood. That's who they are fighting for.