The Washington Nationals (that's baseball, folks, unless you have actually watched them play) signed their number one draft pick yesterday for 15 million dollas! That's a lot of gazpacho! I don't think I can imagine what that much money is actually worth. What would I do with it?
The next question is why is that player worth it? He has never set foot in a major league dugout or played in a pro game. He is straight out of either college or high school. The same goes for the Detroit Lions who drafted their quarterback and paid 45 million to him. Both these deals were records. Who is to blame?
It's obvious, the owners. The owners can't get out of their own way in making these deals then complaint about the rising costs of running their teams. Who pays? The fans pay. Although jealous, I can't blame the players for the money. Who would turn down a raise if your boss came through and said, here's a big pile of money even though the company is tanking. Go on, take it, it's not your fault the rest of us can't do our jobs.
Time after time we see a player sign a big contract and fall flat on their face. Yes, out of the league in a year but still has enough money that if they invested properly wouldn't have to work a day the rest of their lives. I have an idea for ownership; make the player pay it back. The idea of a contract is to live up to the terms of it which is success at some level on their part. If you can't even make the team or never rise above the level of AA ball, I don't consider that fulfilling the contract.
That would actually be a win-win situation for all. The owners know the player is invested in success and it makes them accountable for the money. Where in the paperwork does it state sign on the dotted line and sit on your butt. No need to run right out and buy a bunch of useless crap. Save your money because it might not be yours in two years. After two to three seasons if success is earned, the money is all yours!
Still, if my boss comes through the door with a big pile, I'm all hands! That's real-world money, not cartoon money.
Ramblings of a 60 Year Old Man - My thoughts on just about anything, in no particular order; Robert Thomas - author.
Don't you just love a guy who gets a nice big contract and then whines he was "not appreciated" and "insulted" by the previous offers? Or the guy who wants to renegotiate a 5-year deal in the second year because either he actually improved, and now thinks he "deserves" more money, or, more likely, is now "worth less" than before because some other schmo got more dough?
ReplyDeleteIt's big boys playing a game, what do you expect! Where do you think all those Wall Streeters and CEOs got the idea that they should be making that much money? The example seems to be set by the sporting world!
ReplyDeleteI have no problem with people making high salaries. It's capitalism at it's best. My gripe is hefty pay for people whose company is a bust or those who don't perform. A bonus is for success not failure. Why pay and keep someone whose company lands on the 'big slide' in Shoots and Ladders?
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