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Upshaw Is Ridiculous
Upshaw, You Are “Ridiculous”
July 6, 2008
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell can be extreme. His punishments to players who get a little (or a lot) out of line are harsh. Very harsh. He has made examples out of players under the introduction of his new (April 2007) NFL Personal Conduct Policy.
Executive Director of the NFLPA National Football League Player’s Association), Gene Upshaw can be just as extreme if not more so when he opens his mouth. Upshaw’s biggest mistake during his career seems to have been when he said, “I don’t work for them. They are not union members and they have no vote.” He was referring to the retired players of the AFL and NFL when they made an attempt to gain Upshaw’s assistance in increasing retirement benefits of players.
Both Goodell and Upshaw have received criticism (as anyone in a position of power would), but Upshaw has lost even more ground with his latest comments. While speaking to members of the NFLPA, he discussed how he and Commissioner Goodell disagreed on the implementation of a rookie salary cap. He went so far as to say,
“I read one of the things that we [Upshaw and Goodell] disagree on: that is the amount of money that is being paid to rookies, especially when you single out one or two players as being ridiculous. I think that it is ridiculous that you would make such a comment. We’re not in the position to try to take money from anyone. As a union, our job is to make sure you get as much as you’re entitled to, as much that is fair and not be restricted by anything else.”
The “ridiculous” comment that Upshaw was referring to was when Goodell made a statement about rookies making more than some veterans before they play a down in the NFL. Why does Upshaw feel that the comment was ridiculous for Goodell to make? It is ridiculous that veterans of the league work day in and day out for years to prove themselves and are making less than guys who have never played at the intense level of the NFL. The prime example that seems to be the most confusing to most of us is that of Matt Ryan. How does this rookie QB make more than Peyton Manning or last season’s MVP, Tom Brady? No rookie salary cap is how he does it.
Goodell is not asking that the rookies be paid some insignificant amount. He is simply saying that the rookies need to prove how much they are worth on the field and if they do, he is leaving an open door for their contracts to be renegotiated.
Why does Upshaw find fault with that? It seems to make sense to most other players, owners, general managers, fans, etc. If you prove that you are worth more, you will be paid more. It gives them something to work for. Upshaw even said that his “job is to make sure that [they] get as much as [they’re] entitled to, as much that is fair.” It seems to me that if you have not played one second in the NFL, you should not be entitled to one cent. It also seems to me that what is fair is that veterans get the money that they have earned and rookies work hard to earn what they think that they are worth.
I guess that I should keep this in perspective though. All of these outlandish comments are coming from a man who is okay with sitting by and idly watching the men who assisted in building the NFL struggle financially, physically, and emotionally. Upshaw has proven that the almighty dollar is all that he values in life.
July 6, 2008
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell can be extreme. His punishments to players who get a little (or a lot) out of line are harsh. Very harsh. He has made examples out of players under the introduction of his new (April 2007) NFL Personal Conduct Policy. Executive Director of the NFLPA National Football League Player’s Association), Gene Upshaw can be just as extreme if not more so when he opens his mouth. Upshaw’s biggest mistake during his career seems to have been when he said, “I don’t work for them. They are not union members and they have no vote.” He was referring to the retired players of the AFL and NFL when they made an attempt to gain Upshaw’s assistance in increasing retirement benefits of players.Both Goodell and Upshaw have received criticism (as anyone in a position of power would), but Upshaw has lost even more ground with his latest comments. While speaking to members of the NFLPA, he discussed how he and Commissioner Goodell disagreed on the implementation of a rookie salary cap. He went so far as to say,
“I read one of the things that we [Upshaw and Goodell] disagree on: that is the amount of money that is being paid to rookies, especially when you single out one or two players as being ridiculous. I think that it is ridiculous that you would make such a comment. We’re not in the position to try to take money from anyone. As a union, our job is to make sure you get as much as you’re entitled to, as much that is fair and not be restricted by anything else.”
The “ridiculous” comment that Upshaw was referring to was when Goodell made a statement about rookies making more than some veterans before they play a down in the NFL. Why does Upshaw feel that the comment was ridiculous for Goodell to make? It is ridiculous that veterans of the league work day in and day out for years to prove themselves and are making less than guys who have never played at the intense level of the NFL. The prime example that seems to be the most confusing to most of us is that of Matt Ryan. How does this rookie QB make more than Peyton Manning or last season’s MVP, Tom Brady? No rookie salary cap is how he does it.
Goodell is not asking that the rookies be paid some insignificant amount. He is simply saying that the rookies need to prove how much they are worth on the field and if they do, he is leaving an open door for their contracts to be renegotiated.
Why does Upshaw find fault with that? It seems to make sense to most other players, owners, general managers, fans, etc. If you prove that you are worth more, you will be paid more. It gives them something to work for. Upshaw even said that his “job is to make sure that [they] get as much as [they’re] entitled to, as much that is fair.” It seems to me that if you have not played one second in the NFL, you should not be entitled to one cent. It also seems to me that what is fair is that veterans get the money that they have earned and rookies work hard to earn what they think that they are worth.
I guess that I should keep this in perspective though. All of these outlandish comments are coming from a man who is okay with sitting by and idly watching the men who assisted in building the NFL struggle financially, physically, and emotionally. Upshaw has proven that the almighty dollar is all that he values in life.