Team dedication.

[slanidrac16]

Pick a player, any player. That said player makes a statement about wanting his contract extended or redone.
The fans reactions range everywhere from "Pay the Guy" to "Trade the Bum".

A team pays a player, the fans reaction ranges from "The team is nut's for paying him that much" and "He's greedy" to " He's ours for the next 5 years!"

Players get cut when they don't live up to expectations thus voiding the remainder of their contract. Ah, but many players simply sign with another team and many times receive a signing bonus and in the long run make more money than they would have made in the remaining years of their voided contract.

I don't believe the debate will ever really end. We expect a player to be as devoted to the team as we are. We actually expect a player to accept less than his value for the love of the team....for the GOOD of the team.

When a player holds out, we despise him. When a player misses a few games many say "He's injury prone" or "He's never played a full season without getting hurt". We EXPECT him to play with that foot, ankle, back, or the mild seperation of his shoulder, for the GOOD of the team. Because we need him to play.

Owners are making millions of dollars EVERY year. Whether the team wins or loses, the check for the television rights will be in the mail. Owner complain even though the have a salary cap in place that actually LIMITS them to what they can spend on players salaries. I wonder if they would ever agree to a profit cap? I wonder how the owners would feel if they had to lower ticket prices because they just made to much money.

I have always believed that the salary cap was what seperated the NFL from other sports. I believed it kept a certain competitive balance. I am starting to think the salary cap is the root of all evil for us fans.

It divides a teams locker room. It forces teams to cut players they would like to keep and WOULD pay them if it was cap friendly. Of course, the player could always accept less to stay with the team while the owner continues to rake in MILLIONS. So what if he is 1 play away from a career ending injury. THINK OF THE TEAM! I wonder how many of us would be willing to do that for the corporation we work for?

I may not be happy about the way Boldin is going about his business. But why should he participate in OTA's that are NOT mandatory? If he tears an achilles tendon while participating at the OTA's, are the Cardinals still going to renegotiate his contract? I think not. Personally, if it were me, I'd show up at the OTA with a hammy that was "nagging" me. But that's me.

These player's put it on the line EVERY time they step on that field. If it comes down to chosing sides , I'll chose the players (us) over the owners (the corporation). Don't hold it against them for getting, or should I say, trying to get every penny they can.

Sorry if I rambled on. That's what the off season does to you sometimes.

 

[joeshmo]

These player's put it on the line EVERY time they step on that field. If it comes down to chosing sides , I'll chose the players (us) over the owners (the corporation). Don't hold it against them for getting, or should I say, trying to get every penny they can.

Everyone here would do the same exact thing. I would try and get every penny I could.

But here is the kicker. My dedication is to MY team. When said players contract hassles hurt MY team, it is an issue. It isnt an owner vs. player thing. Its a team vs. player thing.

There is also the issue of if a player is being reasonable or not, if a team is working in good faith to try and get said player a new deal, if the team is screwing them over, if a player is making a fuss with 3-4 years left on their deal which IMO its the players own fault for being in the the salary situation they are in and did a lousy job of negotiating there last deal tough nookies for them not the team.

Teams are at fault sometimes and sometimes the players are at fault. It isnt as black and white as we think.

In the case of the players I dont think they reailze that because of the Cap that their Union put on player spending and the none rookie pay scale there is only a certian amount of money to go around for veterans, no matter how much the owners make. So what owners make is not a valid arguement IMO for the case of a contract holdout player while there is a cap in place.

 

[CardinalChris]

Everyone here would do the same exact thing. I would try and get every penny I could.

But here is the kicker. My dedication is to MY team. When said players contract hassles hurt MY team, it is an issue. It isnt an owner vs. player thing. Its a team vs. player thing.

There is also the issue of if a player is being reasonable or not, if a team is working in good faith to try and get said player a new deal, if the team is screwing them over, if a player is making a fuss with 3-4 years left on their deal which IMO its the players own fault for being in the the salary situation they are in and did a lousy job of negotiating there last deal tough nookies for them not the team.

Teams are at fault sometimes and sometimes the players are at fault. It isnt as black and white as we think.

In the case of the players I dont think they reailze that because of the Cap that their Union put on player spending and the none rookie pay scale there is only a certian amount of money to go around for veterans, no matter how much the owners make. So what owners make is not a valid arguement IMO for the case of a contract holdout player while there is a cap in place.

The post of the year.

 

[jefftheshark]

In a shocking turnaround of my normal off-season mindset, I've decided to spend my time worrying about how much money I make.

I have decided that the best way for me to support the Cardinals is to make enough money so I can afford the crazy amount of capital it is going to take to commute from Vegas to the games. So in a selfish turn of events, I am not going to worry whether or not Boldin makes enough coin to commute to his job, but concentrate my efforts in insuring that I can.

In addition, I have decided that I am going to worry far more about how the people who post on this board are doing, rather than the 60 or so millionaires who populate the Cardinals organization. My time is far better spent sending my prayers, hopes and wishes to Masterphomeg's little family, than worrying about whether or not Boldin's nose is out of joint over Fitz's salary.

And I have also decided that I no longer care about Mr. Dockett's plight. That he signed a contract that he no longer wants to honor is a slap in the face to his many fans. So I have decided that my time is better spent worrying about the fans who are struggling to keep their homes out of foreclosure, due to their house no longer being worth the Contract they are having to honor.

I completely understand the business side of football and the concept that everyone needs to look out for Number One, but for Mr. Boldin's sake, he better hope that all of his fans do not chose to follow his lead.

Because they might just decide that putting expensive food on their tables and expensive gas in their cars will take precedence over going to expensive football games.

JTS

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Good post JTS.

I am doing OK by the way. My moral is in the pooper, but I think that has more to do with my sobriety.

Great thread by the way. Joe has a good point of the fact that these situation are not black and white, and if you don't believe that then read the original post by S16 that does a good job of showing what a fine line it all is.

I base it off of what I would do in that situation (yes, I understand I am not in there shoes thus have no basis for an arguement but I will tell my story anyway)

Go to the media, say " I am not being paid enough and I am not happy" Let ESPN, NFLN, and all the beat writers gobble on that like wolves on meat. BUT continue to show up for practice, and games. Until I get my new contract I would always answer a question about my happiness the with the same reply above.

Thus you throw your owners under the bus, yet continue to help the team.

 

[slanidrac16]

Everyone here would do the same exact thing. I would try and get every penny I could.

But here is the kicker. My dedication is to MY team. When said players contract hassles hurt MY team, it is an issue. It isnt an owner vs. player thing. Its a team vs. player thing.

There is also the issue of if a player is being reasonable or not, if a team is working in good faith to try and get said player a new deal, if the team is screwing them over, if a player is making a fuss with 3-4 years left on their deal which IMO its the players own fault for being in the the salary situation they are in and did a lousy job of negotiating there last deal tough nookies for them not the team.

Teams are at fault sometimes and sometimes the players are at fault. It isnt as black and white as we think.

In the case of the players I dont think they reailze that because of the Cap that their Union put on player spending and the none rookie pay scale there is only a certian amount of money to go around for veterans, no matter how much the owners make. So what owners make is not a valid arguement IMO for the case of a contract holdout player while there is a cap in place.

I agree whole heartedly. I can't blame the player for trying to get every dollar. No matter what player comes or goes the fans heart is with and for the team. It kind of discourages me to purchase a players jersey because there is a chance that player won't be here forever. From now on I will buy just "Arizona Cardinal" T's and such.
That's why I mentioned that maybe the cap IS our enemy. We ( the CArds) have the money to play with the bigger boys now with the revenue we enjoy from the new digs.
1. No cap means we can tag more players.
2. They are forced to be with a team for 6 years before they can think of leaving.
3. It would improve the chances of a player playing his entire career with one team, like the old days.
4. If your team is successful. it certainly would be easier to keep the team together and enjoy that success for a longer period of time, barring bad luck and devestating injuries.

Of course our biggest fear is the so called uneven playing field for the most richest of teams, but owners aren't going to suddenly start over paying ALL their players and lose money. Nor would it be wise to have invested HUGE amounts of salary solely for starting players. We know how important depth is in the game of football. That fear could also be tempered with a luxury tax.

Without a cap, would we care how much the Cardinals gave Boldin, or Dockett, or Dansby? In a word, NO! We'd all be glad they are remaining Cardinals. And so what if Fitzgerald is making a gazzillion dollars? Terrific. Warner signs a 2 year extention. GREAT!

A no cap system would put all the pressure on the owners to keep their players or replace them with better players. If they fail to compete they would feel the wrath of their fans.

Am I wrong?