Speaking of Scabs

pullup said:
Median salary in 2009 was $770,000. Some make good for their five years and some make less good. Their prospects for some serious money are much better than you and I. A
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Not really. Let's take the median player, and assume a career of 5 years, which is really a bit higher than average. He'll make a grand total of $3.85 million during his entire career. Me? After 6 years at the regionals, 4 years at AirTran, and then the rest of my career at SWA, I'll make about $8 million over the course of my career, not including all of the retirement contributions that they make at no cost to me (almost another million). So, who has the better chance at serious money? It ain't them. Not unless you're one of the superstars. The lucky ones will snag a broadcasting gig calling college games for small money for a few years following their NFL career. The rest will end up selling cars, real estate, etc., and probably not doing a very good job at it. They have a few short years at the beginning of their adult life to bring in enough money to be able to live a middle-class lifestyle for the rest of their lives. It's not a simple life like so many believe.

Boris Badenov said:
The reactions remind me of all those posts we love to hate by people who think pilots just cruise around earning six figures and pressing the "land" button.
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Bingo.
 
ATN_Pilot said:
Are you aware that the average NFL player doesn't make anything even approaching millions of dollars? Do you know that the average NFL player gets less than 5 years in his entire NFL career? Do you know that virtually every single player ends up with a serious injury at some point during his career? As is usually the case, things aren't as rosy as they appear on the outside. These guys get a few short years to make enough money to last them for a lifetime, and they risk serious injury every time they take the field.
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Umm, so they dont all make millions of dollars in their career, so what? All that means is that they have to go find a real job. Most NFL players did go to college (the NFL minor league) so not only are they able to make some decent money right out of college, they also have a degree to fall back on.

Tell me why these guys who have short careers and dont make super star status in the NFL cant get a real job post-NFL?

I have NO SYMPATHY for any professional athlete, especially for the NFLPA.
 
ATN_Pilot said:
Not really. Let's take the median player, and assume a career of 5 years, which is really a bit higher than average. He'll make a grand total of $3.85 million during his entire career. Me? After 6 years at the regionals, 4 years at AirTran, and then the rest of my career at SWA, I'll make about $8 million over the course of my career, not including all of the retirement contributions that they make at no cost to me (almost another million). So, who has the better chance at serious money? It ain't them. Not unless you're one of the superstars. The lucky ones will snag a broadcasting gig calling college games for small money for a few years following their NFL career. The rest will end up selling cars, real estate, etc., and probably not doing a very good job at it. They have a few short years at the beginning of their adult life to bring in enough money to be able to live a middle-class lifestyle for the rest of their lives. It's not a simple life like so many believe.



Bingo.
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I see your logic and pretty much have now agreed with it. One thing though, they are working 5 years for that money while you may end up working 40, me personally I would rather chance the NFL career than another.

Regarding Boris and saying they have no other skills, they should have better mentors in college to prepare them for the inevitable.

Question: once 'retired' even if it's 25 yrs old, should they get a pension or should they find another career?
 
SIUav8er said:
Umm, so they dont all make millions of dollars in their career, so what? All that means is that they have to go find a real job. Most NFL players did go to college (the NFL minor league) so not only are they able to make some decent money right out of college, they also have a degree to fall back on.

Tell me why these guys who have short careers and dont make super star status in the NFL cant get a real job post-NFL?

I have NO SYMPATHY for any professional athlete, especially for the NFLPA.
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Do you know anyone in a Divison I football program? They're inevitably "communications" majors, and between practice and games, they've got about 2 hours a night to actually learn anything. Which, of course, they're not going to do, because if they have any talent at all, they're focused on all the talent scouts, parties, and the "big time" they hope they're about to hit. It's really no different than pilots, in the end. Lots of promises by people who have something to gain, and for most of them, a crappy outcome and zero sympathy from everyone who is just sure they know everything about the subject because they read a 500 word article that had some numbers in it (and the numbers were probably lies, too, look at what the "average pay" for a pilot is if you ask a newspaper).

This is why Organized Labor is a necessary thing. You don't have to like it, but the other side regards the truth as an inconvenience.
 
I don't consider it any of my business to even care or know what some professional athlete makes.

They don't poke their head in the doorway and ask to see my W-2 if they're on a flight I'm flying, so why should it go the other way?

I understand that a stadium, a set of coaches, equipment, and the players on the team must all be paid for. If I buy a ticket to a football game or buy a jersey or hat with their logo on it, or watch a game on TV, I'm financially supporting the team and contributing to all of the things that cost money.

If people have such a big problem with the salaries of the players, they ought to just look in the mirror and see where the money is coming from. If some sports fan who makes $50K a year is shelling out thousands of dollars annually for season tickets, sweatshirts, and beer holders, then clearly the team's budget is not at risk.

Vote with your dollars, or just accept the fact that some people make a lot of money, some people don't, but each group can go the other way over time.
 
I really don't have any problems with the player's union at all. More power to them. Primarily because of the short careers, heavy chance of career-ending injuries and quite frankly, I'm an airline pilot and I have no idea what playing the sport at that level is like so I'm not going to sit in the comfort of (lemme check) seat 25C somwhere over (lemme check, the girls didn't set up the IFE right) I know even know and form an uneducated opinion about what they should and should not do.

Besides, most professional sports bore me but I figure that stadium is packed because of Bret Farve and not because of Zygi Wilf (I googled it, JEP!) so it's a good business decision to keep that Cajun happy in between tear filled retirement press conferences.

Plus, the more money they make the more goods and services they buy... and.... PLANE TICKETS! :)
 
pullup said:
Regarding Boris and saying they have no other skills, they should have better mentors in college to prepare them for the inevitable.
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Plenty of guys who have decent grades and a head on their shoulders take a ride from an ivy or a highly regarded state school. But they don't get into the NFL because they cannot devote themselves fully to the game. They wind up able to walk at 50 and with a degree that means something. But that's not what we're talking about. We're talking about the grinding money/meat machine that promises the world and delivers concussions and (for most) a future of middle-class-at-best living. It's sort of like saying "What was Spartacus bitching about??? He got women and blow!"

Real people, all real people, want more than that, even if they think they don't when they're 18 (or 28). I cannot and will not excuse treating human beings as a commodity, even if they're complicit in it.
 
Boris Badenov said:
Do you know anyone in a Divison I football program? They're inevitably "communications" majors, and between practice and games, they've got about 2 hours a night to actually learn anything. Which, of course, they're not going to do, because if they have any talent at all, they're focused on all the talent scouts, parties, and the "big time" they hope they're about to hit. It's really no different than pilots, in the end. Lots of promises by people who have something to gain, and for most of them, a crappy outcome and zero sympathy from everyone who is just sure they know everything about the subject because they read a 500 word article that had some numbers in it (and the numbers were probably lies, too, look at what the "average pay" for a pilot is if you ask a newspaper).

This is why Organized Labor is a necessary thing. You don't have to like it, but the other side regards the truth as an inconvenience.
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Lived with a D1 football player, and new another, they have way time than 2hrs a night to learn stuff. Their were times in college I wish I had 2 hours a night to study, between work and other things. Their practice time is limited, and they have mandatory study halls, access to tutors, plus they need to make grades to play. The hardest part was not being able to attend all the classes due to the travel schedule, therefore they needed to study more than the average student. From my experience they and their friends took their education fairly seriously, as the chances of making the NFL are very very slim. They did know how to party.
 
*shrug* perhaps things have changed. I suspect that you knew some guys who were "above-average" in off-the-field kind of ways. Regardless, the dudes who come out of it with a 3.5 and a degree in something meaningful are few and far between, and while I admire them, I don't think that lessens the argument that the NFL is a business, like any other, which doesn't give two shakes about the people who earn the money. And therein lies the point...they are our "union brothers" every bit as much as railroad conductors or GM assemblymen. Solidarity is what it's all about.

PS. Did they learn how to spell "knew"? ;)
 
All power to them for trying to better their position, but just for arguments sake I'll run counter to Boris.

These people are similar to human cattle. First, I would abolish all drug testing at all - steroids, HGH as well as narcotics. I would also outlaw Fair Catches. Lastly, I would stop with this silly and stupid push to make the came "more safe". You can't make the game safe, and it will be less so with the proliferation of anabolic steroids and cocaine fueled players. I personally just want a winning team on Sunday and as soon as the clock strikes 0:00 in the fourth quarter my involvement in their lives, and theirs in mine, ceases until 7 days hence. I simply don't care. And I don't care about the owners either - I just want this resolved and do not care who "wins" or "loses".

You don't like the short nature of the career? Become an actuary. You talk about injury? Again, become an actuary. You want to drive a Ferrari and bang chicks three at a time and blow all your money - that's awesome, but don't bitch to me and for heavens sake don't make them do a segment on Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel about you and your plight. This is a choice these guys make. Good for them. But one of the huge problems with sports today is how it isn't so much about the game as it is about the personalities that play. This is wrong and boring, so if we can kind of dehumanize them a little perhaps the game will become the important part again. Finally, non-drug testing of Football is the closest thing to Rollerball I'm going to see in my lifetime so I'd like to push forward with that.
 
I'm so glad you're not in charge of the world! I love you man but you are a nutjob.
WacoFan said:
All power to them for trying to better their position, but just for arguments sake I'll run counter to Boris.

These people are similar to human cattle. First, I would abolish all drug testing at all - steroids, HGH as well as narcotics. I would also outlaw Fair Catches. Lastly, I would stop with this silly and stupid push to make the came "more safe". You can't make the game safe, and it will be less so with the proliferation of anabolic steroids and cocaine fueled players. I personally just want a winning team on Sunday and as soon as the clock strikes 0:00 in the fourth quarter my involvement in their lives, and theirs in mine, ceases until 7 days hence. I simply don't care. And I don't care about the owners either - I just want this resolved and do not care who "wins" or "loses".

You don't like the short nature of the career? Become an actuary. You talk about injury? Again, become an actuary. You want to drive a Ferrari and bang chicks three at a time and blow all your money - that's awesome, but don't bitch to me and for heavens sake don't make them do a segment on Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel about you and your plight. This is a choice these guys make. Good for them. But one of the huge problems with sports today is how it isn't so much about the game as it is about the personalities that play. This is wrong and boring, so if we can kind of dehumanize them a little perhaps the game will become the important part again. Finally, non-drug testing of Football is the closest thing to Rollerball I'm going to see in my lifetime so I'd like to push forward with that.
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Bumblebee said:
I'm so glad you're not in charge of the world! I love you man but you are a nutjob.
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I feel compelled to give a counter-view to Boris' so people will have a choice. And Rollerball was awesome. Not the remake, but the original with Jimmy Caan. I want to be the John Houseman character. Ever since I first saw it when I was seven I wanted to be the Houseman character.
 
WacoFan said:
I feel compelled to give a counter-view to Boris' so people will have a choice. And Rollerball was awesome. Not the remake, but the original with Jimmy Caan. I want to be the John Houseman character. Ever since I first saw it when I was seven I wanted to be the Houseman character.
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you crack me up and I loved Rollerball I still remember the shock wave going through my body when he got punched in the back of the head with the spiked gloved fist...a harsh dose.

Good night bro!
 
WacoFan said:
I feel compelled to give a counter-view to Boris' so people will have a choice. And Rollerball was awesome. Not the remake, but the original with Jimmy Caan. I want to be the John Houseman character. Ever since I first saw it when I was seven I wanted to be the Houseman character.
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I will stay in character and remind you that any movie that makes you want to "be like" someone else is advertising a slow version of suicide. Be yourself. In the end, you can't help it, and no one will ever be as cool as they think they're supposed to be, so long as we kowtow to the totally bankrupt culture of worshiping things we aren't. With that said, I always wanted to be Steve McQueen in "Bullit". But I'm not. And in the end, I'm glad I'm not. I'm left with the difficult task of being myself. No one said it would be easy.
 
WacoFan said:
All power to them for trying to better their position, but just for arguments sake I'll run counter to Boris.

These people are similar to human cattle. First, I would abolish all drug testing at all - steroids, HGH as well as narcotics. I would also outlaw Fair Catches. Lastly, I would stop with this silly and stupid push to make the came "more safe". You can't make the game safe, and it will be less so with the proliferation of anabolic steroids and cocaine fueled players. I personally just want a winning team on Sunday and as soon as the clock strikes 0:00 in the fourth quarter my involvement in their lives, and theirs in mine, ceases until 7 days hence. I simply don't care. And I don't care about the owners either - I just want this resolved and do not care who "wins" or "loses".

You don't like the short nature of the career? Become an actuary. You talk about injury? Again, become an actuary. You want to drive a Ferrari and bang chicks three at a time and blow all your money - that's awesome, but don't bitch to me and for heavens sake don't make them do a segment on Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel about you and your plight. This is a choice these guys make. Good for them. But one of the huge problems with sports today is how it isn't so much about the game as it is about the personalities that play. This is wrong and boring, so if we can kind of dehumanize them a little perhaps the game will become the important part again. Finally, non-drug testing of Football is the closest thing to Rollerball I'm going to see in my lifetime so I'd like to push forward with that.
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Absolutely 100% agree. These guys make a choice. Ask almost any D1 college player what he wants and that is to go the NFL, however short and crappy his career may be... this all these guys want. I still beleive that being a professional football player is NOT a bad gig, even if you have a short career and dont make as much as the super star players. If youre not an idiot, save your money, have a plan for life AFTER the NFL, these guys really do have it made.
 
Boris Badenov said:
I will stay in character and remind you that any movie that makes you want to "be like" someone else is advertising a slow version of suicide. Be yourself. In the end, you can't help it, and no one will ever be as cool as they think they're supposed to be, so long as we kowtow to the totally bankrupt culture of worshiping things we aren't. With that said, I always wanted to be Steve McQueen in "Bullit". But I'm not. And in the end, I'm glad I'm not. I'm left with the difficult task of being myself. No one said it would be easy.
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But did you ever see Rollerball? The Houseman character ran "Energy" and basically got to make all the decisions. So much cooler than being myself. Screw that!
 
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