So at this point, we're doomed. The NFL failed to negotiate properly between it's owners and the players association and we're looking at an uncapped year as far as free agency goes. What does this mean? Well, it means that teams can pay free agents and draftees as much as they want. It also means that we could potentially see the same polarization of the league that is ruining baseball.
Let's take a look at what is happening to baseball. Since the loss of any form of salary cap (we all remember the lock out back in 1994), professional baseball players are now making ridiculous and exorbitant amounts of money. There are individual players on some of the larger market teams that make nearly as much as entire organizations. Again, what does this mean for the rest of us? It means that we're going to see the same five or six teams compete for the World Series every year. Occasionally you may find a team with some young "under payed" talent make a run at it, but you're always going to see teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, or Phillies in the mix. Every year the owners are in a bidding war for the championship. Do you think it is a coincidence that Yankees won the World Series in 2009 and also payed their team about $65,000,000 more than anyone else? Great job, Mr. Steinbrenner! You've successfully drafted the ultimate fantasy baseball team! The Yankees are not a good baseball team. They are an All Star team that was assembled through the cavernous pockets of the Steinbrenner family. It disgusts me that people can still be their fans.
Now we can look to see the same from professional football. Before we know it you will see the teams with the biggest markets and wealthiest owners in every Super Bowl. To this point, the salary cap has in many ways leveled the playing field. Teams couldn't shell out hundreds of millions of dollars to one or two players because they needed to save cap room for other positions. Without a cap, we're in big trouble. You can already see first round draft picks making big bucks. Last year's top five draftees signed either five or six year deals, all for over $50,000,000 without even touching a football! Imagine what these numbers will grow to without a salary cap in the near future.
If you get a chance and haven't done so already, check out the movie BASEketball. While the movie is riddled with dirty humor, it has a great message (much like episodes of South Park which is written by the same guys that wrote and starred in this movie). The money aspect of professional sports takes away from the game. I agree that these guys deserve compensation for their talents, but it is getting out of hand. Professional sports are getting unbearable with rumors of lockouts or players holding out for more money. Just play! When did the hard nosed, block headed, and bloodied warriors of the National Football League turn into prima donna sissies only concerned about gold chains, sports cars, and bank accounts?
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Hey Mike, as a fellow blogger thought I'd let you know I like reading your blog.
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree on your point. Come on, seriously, if you or Justin or any of your AU friends could play professional football and get paid $100,000 a year, wouldn't you do it? (Well maybe that and a good disability insurance plan.)
It is indeed out of whack and we the fans pay for it; just went to a Sixers game and the date for two cost over $150 for lousy seats and lousy food to watch a lousy effort by their high priced stars....not right. I think they should ditch the ball game, charge a lower price and let us watch those acrobatic ball players that make amazing shots after jumping on the trampoline -- now THAT's worth millions.