Mr. Dalla, how do u REALLY feel about Deion?

[SixFive]

Lol, just kidding! What a scathing piece on the Neon one. I have found myself liking Sanders in the past as a player, but I think that was purely because I am a Cowboys and Reds fan. I agree with several of your points, and I think you are right on about being a team player and renegotiation of contracts. Sanders is certainly not a team player, and even though he had a religious awakening several years ago, Deion is in it for Deion. The renegotiation of contracts has always been a sore spot with me. How dare these athletes sit out or come to camp late or refuse to play because they have a contract that is a few million dollars less than another of their buddies! With that logic, the teams should be able to renegotiate contracts DOWN when a player has a crappy year. A man's word/signature seems to mean nothing anymore as these contracts are concerned. How refreshing it is to still see Mark McGuire shun the conventional wisdom of an agent and work out his own contract. With the huge contract ARod signed, I only expect this problem of renegotiation to continue. Thanks for the thought provoking essays, Mr. Dalla. I enjoy reading them even when I somtimes disagree.

On a side note, this site http://www.bankrate.com/ten/calc/athleteSalary.asp calculates what the salaries of many of the highest priced athletes in the sports world mean in terms of everyday things. Plug in your "favorite athlete" and see what things mean to him monetarily. It is rather shocking!

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It's far better to be LUCKY than good.

 

[bmc]

I would like to see Dieon Sanders cover Andre Rison.
The guy who never makes tackes covering the guy who never breaks tackles.
The resistible force vs. the movable object.
Who would win the weenie war?

 

[Nolan Dalla]

Thanks for the kind words, Six Five.


I must admit that for much of Sander's early career, I found him entertaining. However, my disillusionment with sander's anctics began to take its toll when he would line up for punt returns, wave his hands in the air as if he was going to do something really exciting, and then would run sideways for a three yard gain. The breaking point came after he refused to renegotiate the contract in Dallas (he missed half the season with the injury), combined with reports that he didn't want to play on offense (primarily as a decoy receiver -- fearing injury, I suppose). I expected him to become a contributing member of the team once he signed with Washington, and then he began the baseball charade and publically criticised the new incoming head coach. Unfortunately, DISLIKING Sanders is probably an emotion he covets. What I think would be more fitting is if fans were to ignore him as an overpaid, selfish whore who care not where he sleeps. He should be ostracized. Next time he waves his hands in the air ready to return a punt, we should collectively let out a big yawn and yell out "WAKE US WHEN YOU DO SOMETHING WORTHY OF THE CONTRACT YOU SIGNED"

Note: The very worst case of an athlete abandioning his team was in the case of Yashin with Ottowa two years ago, when he refused to show up and play the final year of a 5-year deal with the Senators. Yashin should be banned from the NHL. Sanders is close to deserving the same treatment.

-- Nolan Dalla

 

[visionary]

sixfive those were some crazy numbers..god bless america.

 

[KotysDad]

Originally posted by Nolan Dalla:


What I think would be more fitting is if fans were to ignore him as an overpaid, selfish whore who care not where he sleeps. He should be ostracized.


Oh please, this is ridiculous. Sports is a state these days where most of the players "care not where they sleep". They want the money, they want the ring/title, and they want the recognition. If you are gonna bash the hell out of Deion, then post similar articles on A-rod, Roger Clemens, Mike Mussina, and I could list a few hundred other athletes to boot. Loyalty barely exists in today's sports society. It's a fact of life. Time to get off the high horse and just accept it...just dont single out one person.

 

[Subagoto]

I don't really have the time to compare, or rather contrast each of the individuals you mentioned to Deion, but those folks are apples to Deion's orange. The point I would make is that none of the guys you mentioned have a contract in place and are choosing to play a different sport. And none of them are relishing in the fact (to National Media) that they will continue to get paid when they get cut from the team they have a contract with because they are playing that other sport. Loyalty is one thing, not honoring a binding contract is another.

 

[KotysDad]

Originally posted by Subagoto:
I don't really have the time to compare, or rather contrast each of the individuals you mentioned to Deion, but those folks are apples to Deion's orange. The point I would make is that none of the guys you mentioned have a contract in place and are choosing to play a different sport. And none of them are relishing in the fact (to National Media) that they will continue to get paid when they get cut from the team they have a contract with because they are playing that other sport. Loyalty is one thing, not honoring a binding contract is another.

You're right..apples to oranges. But they arent choosing to play a different sport because they dont have the talent Deion has to play two sports professionally. What they do have in common with Deion is the desire to satisfy their massive egos in any way they can get away with. I am not defending Deion. I think what he does is wrong, but what he does is par for the course. There are hundreds of athletes who want to renegotiate every year. My point is dont single out Deion, he is one of many. There is about as much honor and loyalty amongst professional athletes (mainly baseball, football, and baskeball) as there is amongst thieves.

 

[Subagoto]

That we certainly and completely agree on, and that is the main reason I rarely attend a live sporting event. At least when the tickets are not free that is. As a Skins fan I am a tad biased against Deion, so it may show in my comments. I certainly think that Deion is not relishing the idea of having to come to work for Marty after all of this. I would love to be at camp if that happens.

 

[dawgball]

If there is one thing that I am sick of hearing in sports is how greedy the players are. This is a business. In business, you get as much money as you can for your product. If an owner doesn't want the player, then cut him. That owner is just as greedy as any athlete. There are very few players that play for "The Love of the Game." These minor league players that talk about how greedy athletes are in the majors are not greedy because they can't be. Who is going to let a AA second baseman demand a particular salary. As soon as they get enough skill, MOST of them would be in negoitiating their contract.

Deion is a great athlete and has sold thousands of tickets with his name alone. If the Reds/Skins?fill in a team name did not think that they are going to make more money on him than they spent, then they wouldn't have him on the roster.

Let's go beat up a bookie's wallet!

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Sic 'em
dawgball

 

[djv]

There was a day when the owners did stick it to them good. So instead of a half way here and my half way there. The other side got greedy. Owners helped bring it on. Sure did. Some of those owners want to win so bad they do anything. But Money does not always do the trick. Washington Redskins last year are the latest. Been many before in last 15/20 years. The way it used to work was like this Jim Ringo said to Vince Lombardi. I need a $10.000 raise. Jim was a dam good center runner up all pro. Vince said just a second let me think about it. Jim it's told sat in the outer office waiting about 45 mins. Vince then told Jim to come back in. Jim he said talk to Philly about that raise you just been trade to them. True Story. So even the great ones and Lambardi was that. They were tough on the boys. Soon it was all about business and it all changed. Now the players say trade me or pay me. There is a half way point but no one knows how to get back there.

 

[bmc]

I remember one time Deion got so frustrated at Lake Dawson going straight after him and throwing blocks that he got up after being blocked and kicked Dawson in the ass.
There was an official standing right there watching the whole thing and there was no flag.
BTW, the game was in Dallas.