This isn't new, but I was hoping that the Latrell Sprewell incident many years ago would have made people seeking more money a little more hesitant to do so. For those who don't know, Latrell Sprewell famously turned down a 3 year $27,000,000 contract (which breaks down to 9 mil a year for you non-Asians who can't do math) because he claimed it wasn't even enough to feed his family. Granted the dude had like 5 kids, but I'm pretty sure he could somehow scrape by. After turning the offer down presuming he would get more money, not only did Minnesota not offer him more money, but no other team offered him anything. He never played again. I'm pretty sure he could use that money now. I mention this now because it seems every time there is a period of free agency in pro sports, like there is now in the NBA, players always use that as their excuse to leave a city where they're loved (i.e. Ben Wallace in Detroit) to go somewhere else for more money. This is why there's no rivalry in sports. Jonny Damon to the Yankees?! (though I do love him now that he's a Tiger). LeBron to Miami?! Ron Artest to the Lakers?! How can anyone form any sort of hatred or rivalry if players don't care where they play, just as long as they get paid.
That's it. Go big.
-M, p, z & shredder
1 comment:
If owners don't care about players (they just care about the bottom line), why should we hold players to a higher standard? Professional sports are just a business; they only remain feasible because people love their respective "teams" in an irrational manner. "Professional" sport is nothing more than an excuse for everyone to display their avarice as much as possible. Any deviation from this is nothing more than a pleasant outlier. I actually find it kind of comical when I read comments by disgruntled fans who declare that they "are done with [pick your sport]." The sport itself (basketball for me), is the most beautiful and enjoyable unencumbered by the trappings of the upper echelon of the game. LeBron to Miami doesn't ruin the game. It only ruins the NBA (and his legacy.)
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