What is Digg?212 Comments
- Lax32, on 11/14/2007, -4/+38You guys do know that NFL players werent always as highly paid, right?
Particularly the ones dealing with this problem. - azprofessional, on 11/07/2007, -5/+32The Legendary Jim Brown comes on the Radio here in Toronto once a month or so to talk about this. Its a ***** outrage, there are ex-players he played with that don't know where they are getting chicken feed for pensions living in constant pain because Gene Upshaw won't get on his union already to do something and mandate support for those who paved the golden road for the overpayed clown show football is now. He threatened hall of famer Joe DeLamielleure over this in a confrontation a few months back.
Sickening - bbqsalad, on 11/14/2007, -31/+57Awww poor millionaires!
- sigtau66, on 11/07/2007, -1/+24The ignorance displayed by the majority of posters in regards to this article is incredible. You guys do know that football players weren't always paid millions of dollars to play right? You do know that the rules in place currently in the NFL to make it as safe as possible haven't always been around? You do know that the equipment they wear on the field hasn't always been this good? You do know that the level of medical care given nowadays to the players in the NFL wasn't always at such a high level? You do know that, even now, a lot of NFL players don't make millions and don't play for a lot of years to accumulate the wealth that some can? Get off your wannabe high horse and show some compassion. Not everybody can be as perfect as you, as smart as you, or as well off as you.
- theguru1974, on 11/07/2007, -4/+26I can't believe you guys. The way the NFLPA treats former players is a disgrace. Offensive Linemen, who you never hear about, don't all make millions. And when you are 30 years old and unable to have a job because you can't move, the money runs out fast. Show some sympathy people, blaming the players is stupid. I'd trade millions for being healthy anyday.
- krets, on 11/08/2007, -5/+25Do you know what the minimum salary in the NFL is? For a rooke it's $225,000 and goes up from there to $750K for a 10+ year vet and that's the bare minimum. If a player can't somehow manage to scrounge enough of that away to prepare himself for a career ending injury like this, I'm not going to feel sorry for him.
I do, however, feel sorry for the guys who played in older days when we had no idea how badly they were tearing themselves up and they didn't make much more than the average wage. Some of the really old players had to have second jobs. Those guys I do feel sorry for. - Slungsolow, on 11/08/2007, -7/+27good assumption - but not all NFL players are millionaires.
- Grumps, on 11/14/2007, -3/+22Exactly the same way the Army Corp abandons war veterans.
- carcass350, on 11/08/2007, -2/+20No, this is not about the millionaire players of today. It more about the aging player from the 60's and 70's that never in their wildest dreams made the league minimum of $360,000
- BenRS, on 11/08/2007, -1/+17A lot of people referred to in this played before the massive boom in salaries and actually legitimately need this. ESPN has covered a couple of particularly horrible stories of former players losing it mentally and dieing without much money and unable to even care for themselves and leaving their families in awful situations.
- Mosatii, on 11/08/2007, -4/+19Most of them aren't.
- joebrender, on 11/08/2007, -2/+16You obviously didn't read the article, idiot. The guys they are talking about are penniless, living in trailer parks with millions in medical bills and the NFL Players Union, which is supposed to take care of disabled players, is telling them "Go to hell and die fast, please"
- robisfunky, on 11/13/2007, -4/+18 Always count on Diggers to hate anybody that makes more money than they do. Don't worry, you'll be back among friends tomorrow when you start you shift at Wendy's.
- oldhick, on 11/08/2007, -5/+18While they may not all be millionaires, they all at least make league minimums of $360,000 a year. With careful planning, that money could easily be used to purchase health-care and invested for the future. Also, no one forced them to take the job. Be a check out clerk in the grocery store if you'd rather...
- Sirckus, on 11/07/2007, -2/+15*Today's* players are not the ones that need the assistance. It's the players from past eras that help make the game what it is today that are getting crapped on. People who made $22,000 a year for 8 years and then were used up and thrown out. Some of them can't even do dishwashing jobs because of premature arthritis.
But just as in every other aspect of our collective society, we only think about today and don't really care about the past. Whether it's people, sports, politics, veterans or environment. - Triachus, on 11/07/2007, -4/+17Years experience.
0 $50,000
1 $360,000
2 $435,000
3 $510,000
4–6 $595,000
7–9 $720,000
10+ $820,000
I'm not one to suspend compassion because of income but for a job as useless and high-paying as athlete, I would hope there was a risk of something besides happiness overdose. - BenRS, on 11/06/2007, -0/+11Right, but that's TODAY. Since 1995 the NFL salary cap has increased by a factor just shy of 3, from $37M to $109M (only 2 million off of tripling). Furthermore, a lot of these stories from from back in the 80s and before where they made practically nothing compared to todays players.
- azprofessional, on 11/07/2007, -1/+12The current ones who have enough money I really don't feel for, but In JIm Brown's day they weren't paid anywhere near or relative to what they are now and wore next to nothing compared to today. Brown knows he's lucky and most of his fortune was made after through endorsements and side businesses, those that blocked for him and he played against who aren't big names are dying in agony from the league stance of 'What's a concussion? Thats a made up problem, heres 400 bucks a month from the age of 40 till death. I'm no big athlete paycheck supporter but, you can't let the people who made your league what it is today suffer like this. If Jim Brown a legend to all sports fans says the league is treating its ex-players like ***** you better believe theres a big problem.
- archimago42, on 11/07/2007, -19/+30I somehow can't muster too much sympathy for people who get paid to play a game they love for a living. They often get more money than people who are performing brain surgery. If the NFL is sooo horrible why don't they just go get a real job. This reporter seems to be more concerned than the players since I don't hear a peep coming out of them. Does the NFL sew former player's mouths shut as well?
- MtheoryX, on 11/08/2007, -3/+12I think they were pretty well taken care of while they were making the conscious decision to perform in this career.
- daybreaker, on 11/08/2007, -1/+10Most players pre-1980 made less than I make now. So yes, the league minimum NOW is $360k. I dont even think there *was* a league minimum before the mid-80s
- Twinked, on 11/07/2007, -0/+9I'm going to get Dugg down, but I don't care. I had to Digg you up... the blatant lack of understanding and complete ignorance being shown this story is unbelievable. This has nothing to do with the players you see on Sunday now. This is a problem for players who played in the 60s 70s. They haven't all been paid huge salaries.
This is a classic case of opening mouth inserting foot for most of the posters. - robisfunky, on 11/07/2007, -1/+9 They don't know or care. They just wanna knee jerk, anybody that makes more money than they do is hated. Diggers can be so infuriatingly ignorant.
- defkt, on 11/06/2007, -1/+9While some of these players do make a bit of money, a lot of the defensive players actually don't make much considering the amount they pay in taxes, to thier agent, etc... Just like if you went to work as a construciton worker and you paid union dues... those dues should mean you get what was promised when you retired. That whole union needs reform. HOWEVER, I do believe that they also should manage their money. The average american nets about $2 million in their lifetime. most of these guys pocket that within their first 2 years. Gov't Bonds, Stocks, Real Estate?
- krets, on 11/07/2007, -2/+10Oh right. Soccer players are the biggest pussies I have ever seen. Sure, running around as much as they do must take some serious cardiac fitness but holy *****, if you touch one of those guys he's going to immediately fall to the ground and cry like a little bitch.
- Neuticals, on 11/08/2007, -1/+8Did you even read the article, *****? Many of these dudes made very little cash during their time in the NFL and now they're *****!
What the hell do you care? You're too busy checking out dig and putting large objects in your ass. - colto, on 11/06/2007, -4/+10If you are referring to soccer/futbol then I call shenanigans. Seriously now I watch both sports and you can't even call soccer as brutal as football.
- ncc74656m, on 11/06/2007, -1/+7Umm, should be "ravaging"
- ajwinder, on 11/06/2007, -1/+7The sick thing, for those of you that obviously didnt read the article, is how there is a pension plan, there is a medical insurance plan, but the labor union chief is specifically withholding those funds for no good reason. He's sending injured players to quack doctors in order to cut off players on the medical pensions. Then suddenly theres cases of the union chief getting huge handouts from within the coffers of the labor union. Say what you want about the sport, but theres no excuse for this kind of labor practice.
You also have doctors that are disobeying the hippocratic oath by shooting players up with meds on the sidelines and then sending them back in to play. As a doctor, you have only one obligation, the health of your patient. And when you turn instead to obeying the coaches and owners, who want to continue themselves making inordinate sums of money, as your moral compass, you're now being led by Greed.
The story isn't about how players make millions and blow it on cars so they cant pay for medical insurance. Its about corruption, its about greed, its about ultimately a failing of humanity by those who have more money than they could ever need. The owners make a ridiculous amount of money. They rarely even pay for their stadiums, instead, they get the cities to build them. Then they are the sole revenue earners off the stadium that just got paid for by tax payers. They then gip their players out of money, in the end. Football is an amazing sport, but the disgusting thing is, the owners are only concerned about profit, they have no love for the game. Coaches like Coughlin have no respect for the game. The only ones out there that love the game are the players, which is why they bust their ass so hard on gameday. But the next day, everyones already got their backs turned. - azprofessional, on 11/06/2007, -0/+6Idiot I'm talking about late 70's with Jim Brown read before you knee-jerk
They paid squat to these guys back then
Todays athlete has no guaranteed contract in the NFL so if you get injure on day one you make nothing and stay in Pain. Granted if they made millions, learn to keep it, my point is not about that. - SPThom, on 11/06/2007, -0/+6Read the article.
- NickyBatts, on 11/06/2007, -0/+5Exactly.
Plus this isn't even about the super stars like Tom Brady or Brett Favre, this is about the run of the mill FB's and linemen making league minimum fielding kickoffs, and then winding up a cripple.
It's almost hilarious how ignorant the majority of diggers really are. - BenRS, on 11/06/2007, -0/+5Did you even read the article? Seriously, I want to know, because all you had to do was read the first paragraph to find out that the story was about a broke ex-NFL player. He didn't piss it away on expensive cars and whatnot, he spent it on medical bills. Not everyone in the NFL is making millions, and 10 or 20 years ago they made a lot less, and some of these medical problems are VERY expensive.
- BenRS, on 11/06/2007, -1/+6To all of the people spouting about how they make millions, this is the salary cap information from the last 14 years (without 2006):
2007: $109,000,000
2005 $86,000,000
2004 $80,582,000
2003 $75,007,000
2002 $71,100,000
2001 $67,400,000
2000 $62,172,000
1999 $58,353,000
1998 $52,388,000
1997 $41,450,000
1996 $40,777,000
1995 $37,100,000
1994 $34,600,000
Notice anything? - BenRS, on 11/08/2007, -0/+5Yes, that robisfunky said cannot be understated. The world >>> digg. You really cannot rely on digg for things besides stories not covered by the mainstream, and this story in fact has been all over espn for about half a year.
I hate to break it to you, but if all you ever read is digg you might just be living under a rock. - Crosshare, on 11/07/2007, -0/+5You didn't really expect people to read that long article before commenting on it did you?
- 1773nium, on 11/06/2007, -1/+6I completely and totally agree with you. Although I would like to say that I am shocked at most of the ignorant and downright ridiculously opinionated comments I just cant say that I am because we are on digg. I have been here for over a year and have gotten used to the lack of quality users but these comments have really crept under my skin. It's to much to ask for the common digger to research a little about the rules in the NFL before they spat off about the millionaires in the league. The advances that have been made in the NFL are EXTREMELY recent, we're talking like 3 years folks.
If this was a ***** article about how the new piece of ***** PS3 game finally utilizes the cell processors power to its fullest but STILL has a pointless story and the gameplay sucks you would actually have some educated comments here by the same *****. This is something most of them no very little about but still feel the need to play expert and holier than tho.
Go ***** yourself *****.
/rant - krets, on 11/06/2007, -0/+5The guys that Jim Brown played with didn't make millions. Many of them had second jobs because they were paid such low wages. The NFL rose to fame on the backs of hard working guys like this, I think they could stand to treat them a little better.
- jedicurt, on 11/06/2007, -2/+7which is why Al Davis is so great.
He has always taken care of his old players, and still does.
Don't believe that... just look at Jim Otto. and all the help he has gotten from the Raiders Organization - mrsparkl07, on 11/08/2007, -0/+5maybe if you got yourself away from your computer for more than 15 seconds and out of your mom's basement and watched a sporting event, youd realize the problem that former NFL players are having. these arent the multi-million dollar players of today, but the players who sacrificed their bodies to make the sport popular, and now Gene Upshaw, a former player himself, the union president says things like "I dont care about former players, its the current players who pay my salary" look up former players like Joe DeLamielleure and tell me hes not getting screwed over.
"Why does the most lucrative professional sports league in the world have the worst pension and disability plan?" - robisfunky, on 11/08/2007, -0/+5 The players are asking THE SENATE for help. You don't hear a peep because Digg hasn't told you to read about it maybe.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/artic ... - locriology, on 11/07/2007, -0/+4I've heard many stories like this one, where NFL pension was supposed to take care of players after retirement, but players get injured, can't work, and the NFL gives them a couple hundred bucks a month to live off of.
Nowadays, so many kids dream of being a professional athlete. I mean, you play your favorite sport for a living and make millions of dollars. No one realizes that it's a dangerous sport, and you're likely to get screwed if you get hurt. - mojaam, on 11/07/2007, -6/+10You kidding right?
- Twinked, on 11/06/2007, -0/+4Dumbass, they're not looking to the goverment for a handout. They're asking the goverment to step in and make the UNION they paid dues too, to do what was paid for and expected. Jeez some of the people on Digg are as smart as a box of rocks.
- krets, on 11/06/2007, -1/+5You mean leather helmets with a single-bar face guard aren't as safe as what is worn today?
- CrackedTech, on 11/06/2007, -2/+6The people commenting about not feeling sorry for people making millions or people who choose to play aren't getting it. Not every player makes millions and for those who don't it's even more important that they keep their jobs. When the mentality in the league is play hurt or get out they can't afford to say no. Even for the guys that do make millions, those dollars go fast when the income stops and the medical bills don't.
Athletes make a choice to do what they do but the billions of people who watch sports make these jobs lucrative to those with the talent. Fans make these organizations billions upon billions a year and its the players that fans love to watch that help bring that money in. Each of these organizations has a responsibility to help these people. - robisfunky, on 11/07/2007, -2/+6 Wow. A Digger with some ***** sense. That's a new one.
- ingenium21, on 11/07/2007, -1/+5Actually I am referring to Australian rules and Gaelic football. people sustain paralytic and head injuries and no one wears any padding.
- Zoshchenko, on 11/06/2007, -0/+4It seems half of these comments were written by people who know what they are talking about and the other half by totally ignorant and insensitive jerks. Let me share some facts with the second half who are totally clueless.
My dad played professional football for ten years from 1950 through 1959. He didn't particularly like it, but it was the only way he had any chance of going to college and getting out of his poor immigrant neighborhood in New Jersey. The thing is, he was gifted with a lot of natural ability, speed and size. Most everybody he knew barely made it through high school. They all ended up working in factories their whole lives. He got a full scholarship to an excellent school and even ended up getting a Master's Degree. He was a second round draft pick for the pros in 1950, and it seemed like the best career choice at the time.
But the entire time he played, just like all the other players of that decade, he had to work an off-season job. Fortunately back then there were employers who would accommodate professional football players by giving them time off during the season. Very few players made enough money at football to not have to do this, and they were all quarterbacks or elite running backs and receivers. My dad was an offensive tackle.
In 10 years he never missed a game. He played hurt, like they all did. His nose has been broken 13 times. You were a sissy if you wore a face mask. The padding in the 1950s was nothing compared to the high-tech gear they wear today. Especially the helmets. Not much more than some plastic and some foam. And defensive linemen loved nothing more than to slap their opponents hard across the side of their head to try and get to the quarterback.
My dad actually retired in 1958, but his team was desperate to keep the line in tact for one more season, and made him an outrageous offer. Get this - $1000 a game! For a lineman? Yep. And, oh yeah, back then they played a 12-game season. So for all of you talking about the spoiled millionaires playing football - my dad, at age 32 - a professional football player for nine years at the time - on three championship teams - elected to the pro bowl eight times - made all of $12,000!
After football he had a good career as an executive in the transportation industry. In 1996 he was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But all of those years of getting slapped in the head have now caught up to him. He's almost 81 years old and his short-term memory is all but gone. He doesn't remember anything he sees, or reads or does, and it's impossible to have a conversation with him because he forgets what he asked you before you can even answer. I've sought help from the Players Association, but have gotten no response whatsoever. He receives a small pension from the NFL - only by virtue of having gone back to play that last year in 1959 - but nothing to help with care or treatment due to his impairment.
So don't harp about how much money football players have or how they should have invested it wisely. There are too many examples out there of men who turned this sport into the multi-billion dollar enterprise it is today by virtue of their dedication and sacrifices. Today's players - with their millions and endorsement deals - owe it ALL to the players of the '50s and '60s who gave their all. Otherwise they'd be playing for rent money on a muddy field in anonymity. - mt066, on 11/08/2007, -0/+4Even with careful planning, the medical costs of recovery from spinal or brain damage can be devastating. Especially if you require multiple surgeries or long term care.
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