Athletes Whining About Their Contracts Repulsive
Saturday, July 24, 2010
The Orlando Magic have reportedly replaced the New York Knicks as Chris Paul’s top choice of teams to be traded to. Big %$#@* deal! Am I the only one who is absolutely sick and tired of these overpaid professional athletes whining about their contracts?
New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul is only the latest star athlete to whine about his situation. While he is not necessarily looking for a new contract, he does not want to honor his current deal by playing for the team that drafted him to be their franchise player.
He’s not alone. Closer to home, Patriots guard Logan Mankins held out of the team’s mini camp and, we presume, will be holding out of training camp when it begins next week because he is unhappy with his contract.
There is speculation that Tom Brady is unhappy about being underpaid in this, the final year of his contract and may consider holding out of training camp. My bet is that he will not do that and, unless he does, he is safe from the criticism I am about to levy.
Do any of these prima donnas realize what it’s like to be the average Joe working multiple jobs and long hours just to try to pay the mortgage and put food on the table for their family? That is, of course, if the average Joe is lucky enough to have a job in this economy and era of high unemployment.
Their defenders will tell us that they are being underpaid relative to their peers who produce at a similar level and that holding out is their only recourse to give them some leverage. No it isn’t. They were presumably of sound body and mind when they signed their current contracts. So why can’t they honor them?
If an athlete is really that unhappy with the organization that he plays for, he should honor his contract but choose not to re-sign with them once that contract expires. That should be their leverage. That should be their recourse.
John Elway is revered by many as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. While that may be true, I have always had a sour taste about Elway for the way that he entered the league.
Drafted #1 overall in the 1983 draft by the Baltimore Colts, Elway refused to play for Baltimore feeling that he would not have a chance to be successful there. The Colts were afraid to call his bluff and traded him to Denver and the rest is history.
Eli Manning did the same thing to San Diego a few years ago forcing the Chargers to trade him to the New York Giants. As with Elway, I have lost a lot of respect for Peyton’s younger brother.
Granted both Elway and Manning didn’t break actual contracts with their respective teams, but why should they have been allowed to call their shots?
It’s all part of a nauseating trend of overpaid athletes being in touch with their own selfishness and out of touch with reality.
And spare me the argument that the owners are simply stuffing more money in their pockets by not overpaying them to an even greater extent. That may be true, but it is their right to operate their businesses however they see fit.
I had a series of 3-year contracts when I was a full-time radio host and not once did I ever consider asking to renegotiate a deal. How well my show did in the ratings or how much profit my company was making was irrelevant to me. I willingly signed a contract and intended to honor it each time. What’s so hard to understand about that?
So the next time a pro athlete holds out for more money or demands a trade they will get only one response from me. Shut up and honor your damn contract!
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