Rings are overrated. These guys have just a few years to make very BIG money. Suh is luckier than most as he's been around more than 2 or 3 years and has signed multiple contracts.

If it's me, I'm going for the money. That doesn't mean I'm not a team guy. I'm totally a team guy, and I'd even take a discount if I'm in the very fortunate position of a guy like Brees. Then again, 27 million ain't exactly pocket change...

No they're not, they open a lot of doors - case in point, in my business I deal with marine, agriculture, energy (oil & gas) - wide array of folks...

My friend Hal asked me to hire his kid to work in my warehouse one summer, give him a taste at real works as he wasn't putting in the time on books...

At 14, this kid was already identified by pitching scouts across the country, I caught him in my warehouse on a slow afternoon - wicked movement, he was legit...

But this kid knew it all, he was deaf to good advice; and he felt he was maxed out and wouldn't be a "real" pitcher; had him meet an ex-minor leaguer...



As I still do business with the former pro, can't name drop, but he's got local connections and he's now a company man (if you work around oil & gas, that's a big deal)...

This former pro never played a day in the majors, but he met a lot of big league talent on rehab reassignment...

He'd hook big leaguer friends up with terrific fishing trips down here, then he started inviting big oil execs on these fishing excursions...

Now he is a company man, earning over 500K a year and he's still doing this same schtick even today...



Had him come by one Friday afternoon as I cook for my crew, and tThat day he told Hal's stubborn son this and I'll never forget it...

"...if I could've played in the Bigs, maybe even rode the bench on a Series Winner, this would be peanuts - they all want to meet a winner..."

Remember it like it was yesterday, and he was absolutely right...

And no, the kid flunked out, GED, is expecting his third child at age 22 working as a deckhand on a barge...

Yeah, getting guaranteed money is important, but don't kid yourself - Rings Matter...

He's going to take the money...wouldn't you?

Its hard to predict or what makes most sense for him.

I don't understand why sign with a team in hopes of playing for a winner and getting a ring:

Its a gamble. Players who have done this probably realize its still a gamble and so difficult getting to the SB that you might as well go for the money.

I can't imagine a team of advisors sitting around telling him go here for a chance to win a ring. Those advisors has a chance to get a nice check by him signing for $$$ and lots of $$$.

I also agree that unless you are a QB. Go for the money.

Lots of stories like that. I know a few guys who might have 'made it'. Heck, with a better head on my shoulders when I was a kid I might have made a hell of a second baseman - I didn't have the arm to play short or third.

But it's not the point I was making. I'm saying a guy like Suh - everybody throws rocks because he's going for the money. I'm just being real. I'm saying that people throwing those rocks aren't in his shoes. Suh is clearly looking past football. Aaron Brooks is another savvy guy who held out, made lots of money, and has put it to great use for himself and his family. Put a ring in my left and and put an extra 5 million in the other hand. I promise you I'll give the ring back every time.

As fans we look at these guys and expect them to have the same loyalty. Very few players ever end up in a position to lend itself to loyalty. They get cut. Business decisions.

So I'm going for the money. Rings are nice, but for 99% of the players in the league 'nice' is all they are. That doesn't mean they aren't motivated to get one. Who doesn't want to win the big game? But, in my opinion, that misses the point.