It’s Memorial Day Weekend. You know what that means- barbeques, time on the water, beer, and the fellas sittin’ around talking about the latest in SPORTS. Listen here ladies, if you want to grab a brewsky and join the conversation, take a quick glance at this write-up. You’ll be in the know in no time!
Top 3 topics your men are discussing:
1. NFL Lockout
This is a labor dispute between the team owners and the players. In the previous collective bargaining agreement the owners took $1 billion from the total revenue and the new agreement proposes they will take $2.4 billion off the top, then the rest would be shared. Players don’t want them to take the additional off the top, because that is less they can split. Also, they would like to see a 50-50 split after the initial portion is taken from the pie. The owners have proposed a 51-49 split.
The $1 billion dollars off the top goes to various operating costs. With the additional funds, the owners can upgrade facilities, put more into marketing, and all the other business-y expansions one typically thinks of. Some players do recognize that down the line, these investments mean more revenue and a higher salary for all. The NFL is the most successful professional sports league in the world, so one would assume the owners know how to invest the money wisely. Others are obviously not for it.
Also on the table is the proposition of a rollback on salary caps by 18%, meaning teams must spend 18% less on player salaries. The 18% wouldn’t be a direct hit to all players salaries. In my opinion, the starters would get the same pay, the lower tier guys would take the hit.
The NFL Players’ Association wasn’t having any of that and won’t agree to the CBA. The owners won’t budge either, thus the lockout. With no contract in place, there is not a business arrangement between employee and employer, so essentially the owners are saying “don’t come to work until we can agree on the terms of your employment.” Stalemate.
Key talking points with the guys:
* The proposal of an 18 game season means less pay for more games, and more potential risk to the body (the athlete’s money maker). Players not likey this so much.
* Previously, stadium and facility expansion was often partially funded by the government (tax payer dollars). The idea being that it would create jobs- construction, stadium employees, etc… In this recession, that ain’t happenin’ anymore. So, owners want more money to expand.
*$1 billion split amongst the 32 teams is $31,250,000. That sounds like a lot to you and I, but stadium reconstruction and facility upgrades can be hundreds of millions. $2.4 billion gives each franchise $75,000,000.
* Things don’t go the players way, they can retaliate by not performing to the best of their ability, which would be hard to prove.
* The players are not asking for MORE money. Just the same amount of money to be allocated to player salaries.
*The owners can hold out longer, because their TV deals were pre-negotiated and that revenue is still coming in. The players just won’t be earning anything.
* Who suffers most are the stadium workers, the ticket takers, the front office staff. They will be put on furlough or let go. Then the cities are hurt, because with no games they lose out on the economic impact. Next the low tier players and coaches will feel the effects.
* It is likely that the players will cave first. The average player career is 3 years and some months. If you sit out a year, you are gambling a third of your career (and lifetime earnings) to make more money. The star players are sitting out for nothing, just to band together with the “fraternity”. They’ll be the first to want to negotiate. Checkmate, owners.
2. Buster Posey- Out for the Season with leg/ankle injury.
Why is this a big deal? Players are hurt all the time.
Well, he is the 2010 National Rookie of the Year and you hate to say anyone does something single-handedly, but he certainly was a major player in leading the San Francisco Giants to their first World Series Championship since 1954 (when they were the New York Giants).
The defending champs have kissed their season goodbye along with their star player. He is their most effective tool on offense and they don’t really have a viable replacement at catcher- just a few guys that are meant to be backups. The catcher is one of the most important positions- you are the leader on defense and you must have rapport with all the pitchers to be successful.
Furthermore, it is just plain sad to see a rising star, one that could potentially launch himself into the leagues of storied baseball players, go down in what is now a debated play at home plate. (FYI- the base runner has every right to run into the catcher if they are in the baseline). Most in the media say it was a clean hit. I have seen some photos that could suggest otherwise, but you never really know if the angle of the photographer has something to do with that. Either way, you hate to see such a rare talent go down.
Can I also add, that the heart-ache is exacerbated by the fact that he is a doll? Just a nice guy that epitomizes All-American baseball. But I digress…
My ultimate concern is that he will never play the same way again. A catcher spends much of his time in a squatted position. Take it from someone with a history of ankle injuries, that is a very uncomfortable position if you have old nagging injuries in that area. Of course, sports rehab at that level and in this day and time is pretty incredible, so here’s hoping that Buster will have a full recovery and a bright future!
#3 The Ohio State Saga:
This thing just gets worse and worse. Here’s what you need to know going into this: if you are an NCAA student athlete you cannot receive extra benefits that any general student at that school would not receive. If it isn’t available to the scholarship flute player, the scholarship football player can’t get it.
Well, Ohio State players have been running around town getting things for free or at grossly exaggerated discounts for longer than the institution wants to admit. In fact, Ohio State as an institution doesn’t really admit to anything. They just throw up their hands and say “well, we had no idea….” Except they did. And now it is coming out that they did.
Things just went from bad to really bad. If the coach, or athletics administrators know the players are in violation of NCAA bylaws and 1. don’t put a stop to it and 2. don’t report it, then they are in a world of trouble. For one it shows that they lack institutional control of their athletes. Secondly, it shows they are dishonest with the NCAA. Punishment, whether it be loss of scholarships, revoking wins, players sitting out games or bowl ineligibility will certainly be worse if you play the NCAA.
Not only have players been getting discounts on cars and tattoos, but they have been selling their rings and other gear for money. Those items are not meant for re-sale because then suddenly the student athlete can make profit from their role, when the general student can’t. There is a lot of background as to why they don’t want players making a salary or getting extra benefits- competitive advantage for “rich” programs, it is about the holistic education which includes physical education, there is a forum to get paid in the major leagues if you are of that caliber- but none of that matters right now. What matters is what the rules are now. Not whether you want them to change. As of right now, they are breaking a whole lot of rules and penalty will follow.
The question is….how much penalty. Ohio State along with USC and a few select other programs are the darlings of the NCAA. The NCAA better come hard because every single school who has been in trouble for similar events is waiting to see what happens to the Buckeyes. So far in my opinion the whole thing has been ridiculous. The players in question were allowed to play in their bowl game, but have to sit out games this coming season. Their punishment was delayed. WTH. You don’t see that happen anywhere else. As more revelations have been brought to light in recent weeks, it will be interesting to see if they get a slap on the wrist or if the penalty is comparable to similar infractions at other institutions. Stay tuned….
