When will people stop looking for some sense of fairness when it comes to compensation. Sports are a business and the players and owners will always behave as such. We live in a world that compensates people based on the revenue they generate and the rarity of their talents. Mike Tyson used to make more money for beating the shit out an opponent in 30 seconds than a president of the United States could make based on his salary for eight years in office. Corruption set aside of course. Don't blame the overrated Regie Bush, blame the sports fans who support the madness, and a society that doesn't care. Sorry but we as a society value Paris Hilton more than we value a Mother Teresa. What does that tell you? Speaking of New Orleans, based on the way the citizens that town, whinned and cried while many of them were defrauding the federal government out of billions in aid money, who cares about them. If you ask me, anybody that lives in a city, below sea level, where they sell a drink on every corner called a Hurricane designed to kick your ass, who doesn't have flood insurance, doesn't deserve sympathy. Maybe they should have evacuated sooner, hell they had plenty of warning. Hey I live in So. California on a mountain, surrounded by heavy dry brush, overlooking the ocean. If I cancel my fire, flood, mud slide, and earthquake insurance, can I count on the federal government (your tax dollars) to rebuild my house? Or how about the next top NFL draft choice? Give me a break. I am one tax payer that is sick of bailing out those who don't plan ahead for the obvious. Why should Reggie Bush care either.
Hey I live in So. California on a mountain, surrounded by heavy dry brush, overlooking the ocean. If I cancel my fire, flood, mud slide, and earthquake insurance, can I count on the federal government (your tax dollars) to rebuild my house? Or how about the next top NFL draft choice? Give me a break. I am one tax payer that is sick of bailing out those who don't plan ahead for the obvious. Why should Reggie Bush care either. Atheist, depending on where you live specifically and the nature of your insurance coverage, there is a decent probability that the federal government and my tax dollars (and the CA state government and Californians' tax dollars) are subsidizing your insurance company. See here for a good recap of some of the hidden costs of subsidizing insurance for people like you trying to live in the Southern California fire zones. Not to mention subsidizing fire prevention efforts and some fire fighting activities that wouldn't be necessary if people like you didn't live in areas that are highly susceptible to fires. Your broad-brush attack on New Orleanians who, in many cases, did not have access to flood insurance because it was prohibitively expensive or simply not available (a category into which my brother fit) is way off base and in poor taste.
tim: "Reggie Bush is a low class idiot. The most overrated player in the history of college football. And now he is taking advantage of the vulnerability of the city of New Orleans to get more money. What a piece of trash. Take advantage of a natural disaster to get more money when there are other people who need it. I hope this idiot waits until 2007 because then he will be completly worthless and his NFL career will be over so he can go back to the street corner and beg for money." This has to be one of the dumbest comments I have ever read. I think someone else is the real idiot here. Anyways, RB has every right to get as much as he can. Every other player tries to get the best contract possible, why shouldn't he? It would be fun to see what team he would end up with if he did sit out this season and sign up for the next draft? It would be hilarious if the Saints would end up having the #1 pick next year.
Speaking of New Orleans, based on the way the citizens that town, whinned and cried while many of them were defrauding the federal government out of billions in aid money, who cares about them. If you ask me, anybody that lives in a city, below sea level, where they sell a drink on every corner called a Hurricane designed to kick your ass, who doesn't have flood insurance, doesn't deserve sympathy. Maybe they should have evacuated sooner, hell they had plenty of warning. we as a society value Paris Hilton more than we value a Mother Teresa. What does that tell you? It tells me you're part of that society.
I have no empathy either for short careers or life spans that are less a result of strenuous phsyical activity, and more the result of illegal drug taking. That is an asinine statement with no basis in fact.
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Speaking of New Orleans, based on the way the citizens that town, whinned and cried while many of them were defrauding the federal government out of billions in aid money, who cares about them I take it you have not seen the news about the FEMA audits (including ipods and a big scren TV). I have no empathy either for short careers or life spans that are less a result of strenuous phsyical activity, and more the result of illegal drug taking All NFL players have a shorter life span because of the taking of illegal drugs? I had a feeling that Reggie White was high the 2 times I heard him preach. The way those old school Steelers are dropping off, they must have been super high. I don't want to know what you were thinking when you typed this comment, I want to know why you were thinking it made sense when you reread it, before you clicked post.
I don't have a problem with Bush holding out for more money. I've done the same with some of my former employers, hoping to get some extra benefits or a few dollars more an hour before I agreed to the job. But it does bother me that he or his "people" would float a rumor that he would sit out the season if he doesn't get the money he feels he deserves. It reminds me of when I was a kid and someone took my bag of Skittles or M & M's and said I could have it back, but first I had to give them some. It wasn't always bullies who did that. Sometimes it was an older brother or even a friend. Whatever. It was still a form of the dreaded purple nurple (aka Michael Jackson's way of saying "hi.") And it sounds like Bush's team will twist till it bleeds.
It was still a form of the dreaded purple nurple I'd rather have the nurple than the dreaded "noogie"/"noogy":the act of placing someone in a headlock and rubbing their scalp with your knuckles until they damn near have a stroke. I do believe this is the cause of male pattern baldness, I mean when is the last time you saw 1 woman give another a noogie. I call for an immediate ban on the noogie, and offer that it be replaced with and indian burn or pink belly for humanitarian reasons.
Reggie Bush is a low class idiot. The most overrated player in the history of college football. And now he is taking advantage of the vulnerability of the city of New Orleans to get more money. What a piece of trash. Take advantage of a natural disaster to get more money when there are other people who need it. I hope this idiot waits until 2007 because then he will be completly worthless and his NFL career will be over so he can go back to the street corner and beg for money. And, you're dumber than a bag o' hammers, but thanks for playing. By the "taking advantage of a natural disaster" logic, Drew Brees should have actually paid the Saints to pick him up, and Joe Horn, Deuce McAllister, and the rest of the Saints should immediately tithe their entire paychecks to hurricane relief. Say Reggie Bush caves in and the Saints save $25 million in the negotiations. Guess where that 25 large is going? If you said, the people of the City of New Orleans, you're dumber than dogshit. It goes right into Tom Benson's pockets. And let's not forget about Benson, aptly and deservedly labeled by many as one of the worst owners in professional sports. How many times before and/or since Hurricane Katrina has he threatened to move the Saints out of New Orleans? My advice to you: focus your rage on a more appropriate target.
This topic was slapped around on the ESPN talk shows yesterday. More than one bloviator said that since thousands of season tickets were sold in the wake of the draft, Bush owed it to the city to sign right away. That makes zero sense to me -- if the Saints have made a bundle of money off of Bush already, when he hasn't even seen a dime, they owe it to HIM to extend a reasonable offer! But it does bother me that he or his "people" would float a rumor that he would sit out the season if he doesn't get the money he feels he deserves. READ the article. The writer quotes a "league source". Why are you so sure this rumor came from Reggie Bush or his "people"?
I may have been too harsh on this guy, but really, why is he asking for # 1 money when he wasn't (nor should he have been) the # 1 pick. We are looking at another Rashaan Salaam. Reggie Bush will be getting in trouble with the law and does not deserve a penny. He is already benefitting from multiple endorsements. But Bush isn't even the biggest low-class user. Owner Tom Benson has been taking advantage of Hurricane Katrina ever since it happened. So I apologize for not mentioning Benson before but don't say that Bush isn't taking advantage of the city because he is. And why should a RB be given more money than other positions just because the average career-span is shorter? Runningbacks have every chance to make a full career just like anyone else, look at Curtis Martin. And if Bush does wait until 2007, he would not be selected anywhere close to the first round.
READ the article. The writer quotes a "league source". Why are you so sure this rumor came from Reggie Bush or his "people"? Why are you so sure it didn't? Oh, that's right. Your undying loyalty and love for Pac-10 football has dulled your senses. It's OK. It happens to the best of us, Sport.
Short earning careers - make it now because you might not make it later Crippling, lifelong injuries - playing in pain and living in pain for the rest of your life Non-guaranteed contracts - get it up front because the owners will cut you in a heartbeat to save money later While i am not sure what i think about this yet, i have to comment on something i have noticed. It seems that people who want to justify bush's behavior appeal to the rigors and potential dangers of being an NFL running back. My question is this: why is this relevant? Reggie Bush, and all professional athletes, make a conscious choice to play sports for their career. It seems like we want to give people a free pass to behave in crass and inappropriate ways (not referring to bush here yet) b/c they are "forced" to play in the NFL. If Reggie bush really cared so much about his body, he wouldn't be in the NFL; he would be behind a desk. Now if he does decide to play football, i would agree that the Saints should make that worth His while (although i must confess that a 10 million dollar signing bonus would seem to be enough for a fun life, regardless of perspective differences). However, if he is being a jerk, then this appeal to pity falls on deaf ears, because there are others things he could be doing. He is not "doomed" or "predestined" to play football. He is Reggie Bush, not Odysseus.
Reggie Bush will be getting in trouble with the law and does not deserve a penny. I'd really, really like to know how you can say this and ever expect to be taken seriously as a sports fan, first, and a decent human being, second. For all I know, you're going to be in trouble with the law soon.
Wow. I'm amazed that so many of you are hammering on RB so hard. I was pretty negative in my first comment, but it wasn't directed strictly at Bush. I can't believe all the assertions that he's certain to use illegal drugs and be in trouble with the law. Not just speculating, but stating it as fact. Jeez, give the guy a chance and he may surprise you. I just get frustrated with the whole "us vs. them" attitude between the players and the owners. IMO, too many players think only of themselves and insist on getting every penny that they can, regardless of the effect on the team as a whole. It's really refreshing when you hear of a player who turns down a higher offer elsewhere to stay with his current team because he loves playing there, or a guy who volunteers to take a pay cut in order to make some cap room so the team can keep some other players or pick up some free agents to improve. It takes a special individual to do something like that, though. If they all did it, it wouldn't be exceptional, would it? I guess it's asking a bit much to ask that kind of sacrifice from every player. On top of that, the owners can be just as bad (and Benson is widely reputed to be THE worst), but I usually object to their treatment of older players more than their high draft picks. When you see a great player who's slid to being only a good one, who's been a good soldier his entire career, and then gets treated like crap, it ticks me off. There are usually business arguments for it, but I believe in repaying loyalty whenever you can. Not most team owners. Use 'em up and throw 'em overboard baby! In almost all employment situations, there are negotiations over the terms, but usually everyone is working toward an agreement that all sides are satisfied with. In major sports, that's not the case. It's too often a very antagonistic process (at least the ones we hear about), with everyone clutching his own wallet and nobody looking at the big picture.
I have no empathy either for short careers or life spans that are less a result of strenuous phsyical activity, and more the result of illegal drug taking. That is an asinine statement with no basis in fact Are you drunk or just stupid? Do you honestly believe that all of these NFL players dying before they reach 50 are a result of natural causes? When 99.9% of them exhibit classic symptoms of long term steroid use?
Please be specific. Take the last year. Which NFL players' deaths in the last year are attributable to steroid use? Or what specific causes of death are attributable to steroid use? Please provide links if you have any.
look .. so reggies is going to make multi-millions for carrying pigskin? so? look at the CEO's of big corparations? they make more than reggie..hell there's usually a bidding war to get the best CEO working for your company..just like in the construction business, if you know a top notch carpenter are you going to pay him 15 bucks an hour or are you going to let him walk away makin $25 an hour?? i know of several non-union carpenters are makin $40 an hour..almost every thing is bartered,the price of your car,your home,your salary, so if reggie thinks he can stiff benson for lets say 10 mill a year for 10 years ..good for reggie..he has no obligation to N.O,his obligation is only to the Saints/teamates and tom benson.period
Specific causes of death atributed to steroid use. Not just for football or baseball. Lyle Alzado on the death of Lyle Alzado
The items listed in the "specific causes of death" link above are also listed on a bottle of Tylenol that I have here at home. Prolonged use is the key term here. If steroids use is so deadly, why aren't bodybuilders dropping like flies? Arnold did juice and smokes cigars, he's damn near 60. Barry bonds is accused of being the biggest juicer in the US, yet he lives. Perhaps unhealthy eating habits/family history might also contribute to untimely death in certain types of athletes. How can they be "long term" steroid users and have "short careers" at the same time?Saying these football players are being killed by steroids alone is easily proved untrue, just look at the top 50 bodybuilders in the world over the past 30 years. Ronnie Coleman is 40 yrs old, 8 time Mr.Olympia, and an obvious juicer. He has been in the sport for upwards of 15 years and doing 3x the juice that most other athletes do, yet he lives. Perhaps bodybuilders are more educated when he comes to self administering steroids, or maybe it's a mental thing. If you tell yourself it's just flax-seed oil, maybe there is less likely to be side effects.
good point bishop and remember what Arnold told us, "I'll be Back".:)
Hey, Reggie signed! All the city of New Orleans' problems are solved!
