I Waited to Post this, to let the discussion Develop.

I don't know how involved in the game of football some of you have ever been, and while I haven't suited up for an NFL team, I have been apart of several football teams, and you'll always get a mixed bunch in terms of maturity level. Vince is certainly immature, but that doesn't take away the competitive nature in him or his desire to win. Jeff Fisher ripped football away from the man for an average QB at best in Kerry Collins. That's a huge knock on any player high school to the NFL. If that happened to Brady or Roethlisberger they'd feel like crap too. Vince can easily improve to some of 'your standards' those of you who disprove of him, but he cant do that while looking over his shoulder for Jeff Fisher. Jeff has made it so bad for Vince he looks lost on the sidelines with no purpose. While no 14 million dollar player needs to be coddled, they certainly shouldn't be abandoned the way Vince has by his coach. Horrible effort on Fishers part, he needs to be let go, and replaced before they make the huge mistake of losing Vince Young even more.

 

Enough with the "million dollar player" snide comments. They are not paid enough, based on the financial big picture.

You guys are making broad assumptions about men that you haven't talked to, seen the frustration in their eyes and faces, men who watch hours of film trying to fix the problems.

These men are human. No guy in the NFL wants to be on a losing team. These guys aren't comforted by their contracts! If you've ever been around a bunch of players just hanging out, the talk always comes to "getting a ring", and the greats who never won a Super Bowl.

Fans always want to bring up contact value, well STFU. CJ's jersey sales earned millions for the NFL, his play puts butts in LP Field's seat, so he is earning actually less than his total value to the company that he works for.

These players will need every cent that they earn and more for their life after football. Fans don't see the player who can't get up out of bed the day after a game. Fans don't see all the bruises, skin tears and lacerations. Fans don't see the player who literally can't get off the couch to run after his daughter or see the true pain and wincing when he bends downto pick up his daughter.

Football is a brutal, violent sport. One they chose to do and they are not paid enough for what they sacrifice.

 

Why is it that very few members on here understand this?
They bash him for coming in not looking like he wants to be there, as if they are the ever-optimistic person themselves.

 

Let's keep it real please. Football players choose to play football for a living. They are compensated at fair market value for their skills and sacrifices. That is the whole premise/purpose of the player's union.

It is THEIR choice to live a certain lifestyle, whether it be frugal or lavish. Either way- they should certainly be living within their means as one contract may represent a lifetime's worth of earnings. NFL careers ARE short lived and many players are unwise considering how they plan for the future. Being a former NFL player does not prevent a person from seeking gainful employment after their playing days are over in most cases. Unfortunately, many players take that first signing bonus and buy expendable goods such as jewelry and luxury automobiles to "live the lifestyle".

In regards to how work injuries effect quality of life- how about you speak to coal miners, heavy equipment operators, construction workers, etc regarding the sacrifices they make for much less compensation. They wince, groin and some even develop cancer as a result of their occupational risks.

Players drafted into the NFL (or FAs) are being brought into a revenue generating machine that was set up and refined for YEARS before they were born. These players didn't sacrifice any venture capitol or risk when this corporation was established. Players are merely skilled workers in the corporate scheme and they are generously compensated considering that most any one player can be replaced within a year or two.

So it falls deaf on my ears to hear you suggest that NFL players are unfairly compensated.

 

Very well put Riverman! Fans catch alot of crap for complaining about player salaries, and there subsequent "fragile egos" at times. Your comparison to construction workers, miners, fire fighters, police, and any other field with occupational hazards, draws a clear line that no one can dispute. All those occupations could be very short lived, much like a professional athelete. So in retrospect, anyone in those type occupations has every reason to complain when they see players on the team they pay there hard earned dollars to support, and follow complain, whine, or give less than 100% effort. Again, very well said.

 

Unfortunately, no one's buying a fireman's jersey, or a construction worker's hat and generating a trickle down, billion dollar industry in jersey sales. Only the entertainment industry, actors and actresses, can fairly be compared to pro athletes. A salary doesn't fix everything wrong with your job. Money doesn't magically fix your problems. You still have problems that money simply can't fix. Money gives you more options when a problem arises, but it doesn't make it easier to deal with.

 

I wish that I had another set of hands so that I could give this post 4 thumbs down!

 

Yep. Endorsements/sponsors; something coal miners, cops, firefighters, etc. generally don't get much of, if at all.

Yep.
Seems fitting...
http://www.lyrics007.com/Notorious B.I.G. Lyrics/Mo Money Mo Problems Lyrics.html

 

Frankly, I've always thought you were clueless but this thread and post just truly demonstrates it. Just because you talk with the football players doesn't mean you can clearly discern their motivations and thought processes. And trying to tell people that the whole team quit because VY wasn't starting the game is absurd.

As is your argument that football players aren't paid enough.... They are one of the most highly compensated professions if they are good. It's especially absurd to say VY isn't paid enough when he is collecting millions to sit on the bench.

I'd like him to get in the game and play too, but let's be real and not try to treat grown men like high school boys and coddle and baby them and say that they are throwing hissy fits refusing to catch the ball because the coach is down on a player. As for the rest of it, ridiculous...

 

From the looks of your avatar, you don't need another pair of thumbs to point down 4 times :wink2:

Joking aside, I appreciate your sensitivity toward players' emotions and fans' apparent readiness to de-humanize them. But NFL players (and their sig others) don't seem to mind when fans de-humanize them in the other direction by idolizing them, adoring them and treating them with great reverence like a celebrity. It cuts both ways. And let's do be real- the NFL isn't permanent for any player. Only the greatest get some permutation of immortality in the NFL Hall of Fame. The rest have to come back down to reality just like each of the posters on this board. And that is where the :hitfan: