Kristian: Restructure Brees? Not so simple, and awfully risky

burningmetal · 02-25-2013, 08:01 AM

Originally Posted by TheOak

Dont be insulted. It is what it is....

An athlete is no different from any employee. Neither can dictate what their employer pays them, and neither has an employer that can dictate what they make, they can only negotiate. They can both shop their value anywhere else, if they are not making what they want to make. If anything the truth is the opposite. Normal employees can shop the market with any employer any time they choose to in any point in their career. An athlete in the NFL can not as a team can restrict and decide when that person can shop the market because of contractual terms.

What is being missed is that for a professional athlete in the NFL who's contract has come to an end there is no "pay raise"... A pay raise for them is if they hold out before their contract is finished for more money. When a pro football players contract is over, its over... He is not getting paid anything until he negotiates another contract. As far as for any person being set up for life that is merely an opinion and not for you nor I to decide. There are plenty of professional athletes that were "set up for life" in public opinion but for what ever reason went broke. Same as lottery winners that went through their winnings. The dollar value clouds peoples judgement, it is subjective, and once you change million to thousand or hundred no one throws around the word greed...

This is absurdly inaccurate. A free agent, as Drew was last off season, is not restricted in any way. He set the terms and would not settle for less. That is not negotiating. Only in theory could the Saints have let him shop elsewhere. They absolutely HAD to re-sign, for reasons I plainly explained. Reasons which trump your argument that an athlete is like any other employee. There aren't many exceptional athletes. And we aren't in a position to draft high enough for another QB, much less be guaranteed that he'd work out.

Your comment about players not actually receiving a raise? Don't play the technicality game with me. I say that general terms. You know exactly what I'm talking about. He made 60 million in his previous contract. If the Saints valued him the same, they would have offered the same amount. But I believe the initial offer was around 97 million. Only in technical terms is that not a 37 million dollar raise. I get annoyed with meaningless nit picking. It's 37 million more than he got the last time, no matter the terms.

As for the "set for life" comment, you're argument against it only applies to the most undeserving of people. Yes, there have been some who seemed set, and promptly blew it. That's their problem. If Drew is that stupid (I don't think he is) then what's another couple million, right? I guess he'll just fart that away, too? No one deserves more money for the possibility that they might blow it. If he manages his money even half good, he is absolutely set. We're not even factoring in his endorsement deals, which bring in untold more millions.

I don't consider Drew to be a horrible, greedy person. I just think he and many others have lost perspective. Showing a little humility and caring about your teammates does not mean you don't care about your own family. He has done his part in taking care of his family. But this is not how it goes anymore, and I know it. This isn't news to me. The only reason I'm still talking about it at all is for those who claimed it wouldn't hurt the team last year.

02-25-2013, 08:01 AM	#16
burningmetal 1000 Posts + Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 3,923 Blog Entries: 3	Re: Kristian: Restructure Brees? Not so simple, and awfully risky Originally Posted by TheOak Dont be insulted. It is what it is.... An athlete is no different from any employee. Neither can dictate what their employer pays them, and neither has an employer that can dictate what they make, they can only negotiate. They can both shop their value anywhere else, if they are not making what they want to make. If anything the truth is the opposite. Normal employees can shop the market with any employer any time they choose to in any point in their career. An athlete in the NFL can not as a team can restrict and decide when that person can shop the market because of contractual terms. What is being missed is that for a professional athlete in the NFL who's contract has come to an end there is no "pay raise"... A pay raise for them is if they hold out before their contract is finished for more money. When a pro football players contract is over, its over... He is not getting paid anything until he negotiates another contract. As far as for any person being set up for life that is merely an opinion and not for you nor I to decide. There are plenty of professional athletes that were "set up for life" in public opinion but for what ever reason went broke. Same as lottery winners that went through their winnings. The dollar value clouds peoples judgement, it is subjective, and once you change million to thousand or hundred no one throws around the word greed... This is absurdly inaccurate. A free agent, as Drew was last off season, is not restricted in any way. He set the terms and would not settle for less. That is not negotiating. Only in theory could the Saints have let him shop elsewhere. They absolutely HAD to re-sign, for reasons I plainly explained. Reasons which trump your argument that an athlete is like any other employee. There aren't many exceptional athletes. And we aren't in a position to draft high enough for another QB, much less be guaranteed that he'd work out. Your comment about players not actually receiving a raise? Don't play the technicality game with me. I say that general terms. You know exactly what I'm talking about. He made 60 million in his previous contract. If the Saints valued him the same, they would have offered the same amount. But I believe the initial offer was around 97 million. Only in technical terms is that not a 37 million dollar raise. I get annoyed with meaningless nit picking. It's 37 million more than he got the last time, no matter the terms. As for the "set for life" comment, you're argument against it only applies to the most undeserving of people. Yes, there have been some who seemed set, and promptly blew it. That's their problem. If Drew is that stupid (I don't think he is) then what's another couple million, right? I guess he'll just fart that away, too? No one deserves more money for the possibility that they might blow it. If he manages his money even half good, he is absolutely set. We're not even factoring in his endorsement deals, which bring in untold more millions. I don't consider Drew to be a horrible, greedy person. I just think he and many others have lost perspective. Showing a little humility and caring about your teammates does not mean you don't care about your own family. He has done his part in taking care of his family. But this is not how it goes anymore, and I know it. This isn't news to me. The only reason I'm still talking about it at all is for those who claimed it wouldn't hurt the team last year.
	If I had a nickel for every time I heard that, the NFL would fine and suspend me.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Threaded Mode

LinkBacks (?) LinkBack to this Thread: https://blackandgold.com/saints/55732-kristian-restructure-brees-not-so-simple-awfully-risky.html
Posted By	For	Type	Date	Hits
The Latest New Orleans Saints News \| SportSpyder	This thread	Refback	02-23-2013 07:37 PM	5
Kristian: Restructure Brees? Not so simple, and awfully risky	This thread	Refback	02-23-2013 07:28 PM	16