Surgically repaired shoulder. Missed almost his entire senior season. Played in an extremely QB friendly system. That is Sam Bradford in a nutshell. Does he have skills to play at the next level? Sure. But is he worthy of the number 1 draft pick and $50 million dollars? No and NO!
Even though the second no was more emphatic than the first, it wouldn’t matter who the first pick is, they are getting it. Ndamukong Suh should be the first pick in the draft by the St. Louis Rams, and even he isn’t worthy of such a large contract. Unfortunately, the NFL is out of control with rookie signing bonuses. This will be one of the biggest sticking points when the NFL Players Association and the Owners sit down next off-season and try to hammer out a deal.
From the outside looking in, we as fans may find what athletes make, even those on the league minimum, to be absurd. But when one puts it into context for the money that they help generate for their respective league, it isn’t too outlandish. After all, the owners are billionaires. But I struggle to reconcile how an unproven athlete who hasn’t done anything in the NFL is worth the money they are being paid. The universities made plenty of money of these kids in the 3-4 years they had them, and now these kids have the chance to cash in, and that’s fine for them. However, it isn’t justifiable. I understand it is an investment that a team is putting into a kid, but it is also one that the owners are not happy with. Under the current CBA, there is no rookie salary cap, and the team with the first pick is being forced to spend obscene amounts of money on a player they may not necessarily want. Teams are constantly trying to trade out of the top spot, and it makes total cents. Jamarcus Russell received a ridiculously high signing bonus when he was drafted number 1 overall by the Oakland Raiders a few years back, and now he is appearing to be one of the biggest busts ever in the NFL. Now the Raiders are continuing to flounder and hope they can trade for an old veteran in Donovan McNabb.
These kids need to prove themselves on Sunday first before they start making all-pro money. There needs to be a rookie salary cap put into place. They are still going to be seeing more money than ever before in their lives. Then NFL Salary cap has worked wonders, and there is no reason to think a rookie cap wouldn’t work just as well.
And before all of you jump over my case because I am against it in baseball, I have always said that I would have no problem in baseball if there was a revenue cash cow like the NFLs TV deal.
#1 by Big D on March 31, 2010 - 2:04 pm
Now Sam Bradford is REALLY an enigma – he skips the draft in his Junior Year when he’s almost assured to be a top 15 pick, then destroys his THROWING shoulder in his senior season, and is still almost guaranteed to be a top 5 pick, most like #1 overall. Amazing system we got here.
#2 by sparty on March 31, 2010 - 2:08 pm
the rams are so dumb.
#3 by cbh49er on March 31, 2010 - 2:18 pm
Not so fast. I think the Redskins may end up being the dumb ones.
#4 by HuskerDawg on March 31, 2010 - 2:18 pm
As you said, no one is worth that much cheese, but the system is trash. It shouldn’t be a horrible thing to get the No. 1 pick. It should be a chance to make yourself better, not bankrupt you. They desperately need a rookie cap.
#5 by john on March 31, 2010 - 2:18 pm
It’s all a smoke screen. The Rams are going to draft Tebow number one. Book it.
#6 by GatorTrey on March 31, 2010 - 2:18 pm
A QB is always going to be a magnet for these things. Most overvalued position in the sport simply because it’s the position with all the glamour.
#7 by mizerle06 on March 31, 2010 - 2:26 pm
while I agree in principle, the people complaining about the size of the checks they write to these unproven players are the exact same people that approve the salaries.
/mindsplosion
#8 by sparty on March 31, 2010 - 2:28 pm
which is why i also said “But when one puts it into context for the money that they help generate for their respective league, it isn’t too outlandish.”
#9 by mizerle06 on March 31, 2010 - 2:31 pm
so if they generate a respectable amount of money compared to their contract, what’s the problem?
#10 by sparty on March 31, 2010 - 2:33 pm
there isn’t a problem to me. but to the league there is. hence why there will be a work stoppage next season. owners are hemorrhaging cash. look at the bucs.
#11 by mizerle06 on March 31, 2010 - 2:41 pm
there won’t be a work stoppage. the owners are positioning themselves as being the poor ol’ bossman that has to choose between a 200 ft new yacht or holding onto that 175 ft old yacht they bought last year. meanwhile, the players are whining that they can’t feed their families anymore after modding out their old 2008 Bentley with the newest ground effect and 29″ rims because of this unfair salary cap (that their reps negotiated) and these unfair rookie salaries that were developed thanks to a free-market system.
ultimately, both side will recognize that they’re on a massive upward momentum of owning the sports world’s collective attention and they’ll come to some sort of compromise that, as soon as it’s signed, they’ll both begin bitching about immediately.
#12 by mizerle06 on March 31, 2010 - 2:43 pm
forgot that part of my rant…
#13 by HuskerDawg on March 31, 2010 - 2:28 pm
True. The owners did this to themselves. I would like to see a rookie cap. But there will need to be protection (i.e. if cut, the money is guaranteed, or a certain percentage).
#14 by sparty on March 31, 2010 - 2:44 pm
football went through work stoppages before. wouldn’t shock me to see it again.
#15 by mizerle06 on March 31, 2010 - 2:48 pm
it’s not going to happen this time. if the owners claim they’re hemorrhaging cash now, their books will actually SHOW they’re hemorrhaging cash after a work stoppage. and the players, they’ll all be bankrupt in 17 minutes thanks to their great financial planning skills.
#16 by john on March 31, 2010 - 3:05 pm
There will be a work stoppage, but it won’t affect the regular season.
/most likely
#17 by ben the orthopedic surgeon on March 31, 2010 - 3:13 pm
a work stoppage outside of the regular season does not a true work stoppage make.
#18 by mizerle06 on March 31, 2010 - 3:14 pm
wtf? why did I get logged out?
#19 by sparty on March 31, 2010 - 3:22 pm
/Miz is a redneck?
#20 by john on March 31, 2010 - 3:16 pm
They will lose a week or two of training camp and a preseason game. Whatever that is called, that will happen.
#21 by mizerle06 on March 31, 2010 - 3:26 pm
I would call that guarded attempts from both sides to threaten the other while neither intends to actually hold a strike/lockout. I would also call that the week or two that I absolutely stay away from sports talk radio when they begin the shows by saying “thanks for joining us today on the Mouth-Breathing Bob and Flem Show. we’re gonna open up the phone lines today and sit back. let’s get things started with Sully from Detroit…Sully, you’re on the air. ‘thanks, Flem…love the show, first time listener, long time caller *chuckles at self*.WHO DO THESE PLAYERS THINK THEY ARE!? DON’T THEY KNOW THE STATE OF OUR ECONOMY!?!? *LOUD NOISES*’”
/this is what a mizerle06 work-related meltdown might look like as a rambling comment here…
#22 by knightwhosaysni on March 31, 2010 - 3:52 pm
So the NFL is going to go the Brett Favre route is what you’re saying?
#23 by cbh49er on March 31, 2010 - 3:12 pm
No football would suck so bad. I can deal with it during these months but I have to have football in the fall and winter. No fantasy football either, arhghghghghgh
#24 by john on March 31, 2010 - 3:46 pm
Flem > Breathing Bob
#25 by sparty on March 31, 2010 - 3:48 pm
miz works for the gov’t. ignore him.
#26 by Johnny on March 31, 2010 - 4:12 pm
Sparty did you fire Guy?
#27 by knightwhosaysni on March 31, 2010 - 4:14 pm
If so I vote for John as replacement.
#28 by sparty on March 31, 2010 - 4:16 pm
not yet…
#29 by cbh49er on March 31, 2010 - 4:16 pm
If you ever do, please use the Vince McMahon voice when you do it.
#30 by GatorTrey on March 31, 2010 - 4:17 pm
Sparty sounds like every other Michigander…Impossible.
#31 by sparty on March 31, 2010 - 4:28 pm
You mean I pronounce every word properly?
#32 by knightwhosaysni on March 31, 2010 - 4:35 pm
this is a true statement.
#33 by GatorTrey on March 31, 2010 - 4:38 pm
According to Michiganders.
Who is to say that the way we say isosoles isn’t correct?
#34 by sparty on March 31, 2010 - 4:32 pm
and there is a big difference between the way i talk, and the way yoopers (Izzo) talk.
#35 by Johnny on March 31, 2010 - 4:38 pm
As long as you don’t point to your hand sparty I don’t care how you sound
#36 by sparty on March 31, 2010 - 4:42 pm
I just refer to my hand as Miss Michigan…luckily she has a twin sister!