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 Users sound off NFL holdouts hit a raw nerve with users
Posted: Wednesday August 11, 1999 12:48 PM
Some user comments from the e-mailbag on Show me the money, August 5, 1999. These holdout guys are idiots. With the signing bonuses and $5+ million a year contracts for these first-round holdouts, all they tell me is that they are not about football. When someone says that they and their family could not survive on that kind of money even if they are injured and never play another season is ridiculous. They are an affront to the teams that in good faith selected them, they are an affront to the other players on their supposed teams and most of all, they are an affront to the fans that just want to see them play.
Furthermore, if injury is a concern, I would think that the more practice that is missed, the more these guys are prone to mistakes. Mistakes that may cause injury, not only to themselves but to one of their "teammates." Oh, but I forgot they're only in this for themselves. Get off of your money-grubbing butts and play football or get out of the game altogether!
It happens every year. Guys get drafted then don't show up at training camp because they don't get from the team what they think they are worth -- or maybe it's what the agent thinks he's worth. There is, however, a simple solution. Rookies get a set salary, not a contract. This would alleviate many problems: The first-round bust, agents talking players into declaring for the draft before they're ready, and those agents giving players "gifts" to get them to sign with them and getting them in trouble as to their amateur standing. After their first year, when they've proved themselves capable of playing in the NFL, they can negotiate contracts. Of course, for that first year they will receive full medical and insurance benefits. A lot of the rookie holdouts are looking pretty stupid right now. L J Shelton looks like he'll be lucky to make second string for the Cards. And you can criticize Jamal Anderson if you want -- he signed a contract, and he ought to be willing to live with it. But I don't think it's fair to attack Carl Pickens the same way. The Bengals are a lousy organization, as everyone knows. It's not an accident that they lose. Pickens is an outstanding player who has paid his dues playing for these guys -- he didn't pout when he was under contract, or refuse to play and demand to be traded. However, he figured that he'd done his time, so he wanted to go play for a decent organization with a commitment to winning. He waited until his contract was up and told his team he wasn't interested in returning --the kind of classy move that Elway, for example, wasn't willing to make as a rookie. The Bengals, being the lousy organization they are, refused to accept this, and slapped him with their franchise tag, figuring they'll force him to return. Now he's not breaking any contract to play for them, and he's not holding out for money -- he just wants to leave. How can you blame him for threatening to retire, and reiterating his refusal to return?
The team needs to figure out what they can get for him, get a trade over with and move on. Already, from watching what this club will do to its players, there can't be a player in the league who would voluntarily play there. It makes you really feel for a guy like Akili Smith, who's got to get all he can up front, because with that kind of organization managing his development, he'll be lucky to still be in the league when his contract comes up. A good example for why not to hold out in the NFL is Errict Rhett. If he didn't have that big holdout, he'd still be under his new contract being the lead running back with Mike Alstott. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers wouldn't have been looking for a new running back, and so we wouldn't have drafted Warrick Dunn. Basically Rhett's holdout ended his career. As a Bucs fan I guess that's all right, since Dunn is better. :)
Personally, I don't believe you should ever hold out in training camp. It hurts the player and the team. If you don't have a contract by the start of the season, you don't play in the regular season games. All the holdout does is make it harder for him to win a starting position.
This from Jamal Anderson: "You guys will be sad (maybe) but pay my bills? You will not. Provide for my family? I don't think so."
His salary this year will be $2.5 million. I am a software engineer with 35 years left to work. At my current salary I'll gross just over $2 million in those 35 years. My family is considered very well-to-do. Jamal and his family should be just fine. If he wants sympathy from me he won't get it. I have a few words for Jamal Anderson: You are under contract. You have no right to hold out. Your contract was good enough for you when you signed your name to it. Honor it. If next year comes and still no deal, fine, hold out.
The Falcons should sue you for breach of contract. They definitely shouldn't pay you for this year until you show up. I don't understand this business that allows employees to sign contracts and then not show up to work because they are looking for their next deal. And if you think Dan Reeves will cave on this, I have two words for you: Bobby Humphrey. Hasn't anyone said this to Jamal Anderson?
Some of these players don't realize that when they take more than their share of the team's salary cap, the team is handcuffed and can't get new players and may even have to cut some. Is winning not a priority for these prima donnas? The player is putting his own selfish needs ahead of the team's. It is still a team game, right? Perhaps players like Jamal Anderson might have things put back into perspective if Dan Reeves forced him to choose which players the Falcons will cut in order to meet his contract demands. Some of those teammates could be his friends or linemen that helped him get the Falcon rushing record. He signed his contract. He should stand behind his word.
Of course any NFL player will tell me that I'd understand where they're coming from had I played in the league. Thing is, we still live in the U.S. and I bet most of the players in the league came from middle/lower class family backgrounds and forget about the value of a dollar. If I had my way, I'd make all rookies receive a standard pay for a trial year, so they can prove they're worth these big-money contracts. I know that would only happen in a fantasy league, but some of these players live in a fantasy world and forget reality. They're all comparing their contracts to the guy next to them and the bigger the contract the more bragging rights that come along. All this comes before they've proved a damn thing on the field.
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