Dear Anti-L.J. Crowd,
I know that many of you are of the opinion that when a man (or woman) signs a contract they should honor said contract. While I’m all for people honoring their word, this situation is something different.
How is it any different?
When it comes to one’s career, that person has to look out for themselves and their family first. Some loyalty to their employer is great, but only if that loyalty is reciprocated. To me, right now the Kansas City Chiefs aren’t reciprocating after Larry Johnson used 416 carries to battering ram us into the ‘06 postseason.
Take pro football out of the equation. Let’s say we have a highly regarded recent college graduate with great grades. This person shines during the interview process, and gets hired right away by a good company at the entry level. The employer believes they’ve found a new employee who will blossom down the road. The employee believes that there will be opportunities aplenty at some point an time. Neither party would have agreed to the arrangement if this wasn’t the case. Additionally, both parties know that if the new employee performs well that a new role with a corresponding pay raise will be in order.
Three years later, this employee has gone from entry-level worker to the company’s most valuable asset. If the employee was still being paid an entry-level salary, would you fault them for saying pay me what I’m worth or I’ll be forced to find someone who will? No, of course you wouldn’t? How is L.J.’s dilemma any different? Well, probably because people tend to get jealous of pro athletes because they make millions of dollars.
Being an NFL running back is no different than anything else. Yes, they are rich. The NFL makes an assload of money, and guess why? That’s right; because we buy game tickets, merchandise, watch telecasts, etc. If you really think players are greedy, then stop being a hypocrite and leave the game alone. NFL fans, the fanatics that we are, set the market for NFL players salary wise with our support. The players are just playing the market and trying to be compensated appropriately. L.J. also has more motivation than either any of us or other NFL players, too, and that’s because NFL running backs have short shelf lives.
L.J. is just trying to get the money he’s earned. He’s worked his whole life to get to this point, and now it’s time for him to reap the benefits. It happens in all of our lives, we all just happen to care about L.J.’s payday because it’s the Chiefs who will be anteing up.
Here’s another example. There’s you and then there’s your neighbor Bob. Both you and Bob are two great employees working for two rival companies, but pretty much everyone that knows you both recognizes you as the finer employee. Now, you’re asking for a raise, and your company’s playing hardball. How would you feel if Bob not only got a raise, but got more money than you were even asking for? You’d be pissed, right?
Well, “you” are L.J., and “Bob” is St. Louis Rams QB Marc Bulger. Johnson has asked for $25 million in guaranteed money. Granted, that’s a ton of jack, but there are inferior players who have seen bigger paydays this summer (Dwight Freeney, Troy Polumalu). Even if you don’t feel that they are inferior, it’s difficult to argue that they are as vital to their respective teams as L.J. is to the Chiefs. Now, just today, Bulger got $26 million in guaranteed money. Hell, rookie tackle Joe Thomas just signed a contract that nets him $22 million in guaranteed money.
Here’s my point — you cannot fault a guy for trying to get what the market says he’s worth. Honestly, I’m not even sure L.J. is trying to do that. I just think he wants something remotely close, and right now King Carl and lots of Chiefs fans are being jackasses about it.
Pay the man. That’s the new Arrowhead Addict (well, except Banky) slogan when it comes to the Chiefs, and I’ll be dropping it constantly until Peterson does pay him. Pay the man. Pay the man. PAY THE MAN.
Sincerely,
The Arrowhead Addict Staff
FanSided Sports Blog
Kings of Kauffman
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Ramblin' Fan
again this isnt the same…Look, if that same student signed a contract and it was for say NBC tv… (lol),.. well if he dont honor that said contract, he wont be on with cbs or abc any other tv station… until the length of that contract is done or hes getting sued…most likely, as they all have those clauses in them…We are not talking a pay per hour, job sir…….contract jobs and hourly jobs are plain and simply different, no matter how you look at them…he will sign , they will sign him, but this is more a contract extension than a new contract… and it happens all the time. and it is LJs fault if he doesnt get a new extended contract and he sits at home, (yes he can ask and want a little more money), but to sit out and not play , hmmmmmmmm, if you stayed home and didnt go to work , I wont have a job…lol*please remember this is only being posted by me because we need something to talk about… the contract isnt anything we should even worry about…PERIOD!!!!!
Damn. You know it's rough when Redbeard beats you to the punch line, but, well, he did. Wait. Before I go any further, let me say that I agree he deserves to be paid top-tier money. Hands down. His holdout, however, makes me feel the same way I've felt anytime any other player has held out, which is pissed. I'm not jealous of rich athletes; it irritates me that the message they send is " if I'm not happy with my job, I just won't go. Oh, and it's pretty much guaranteed that I'll get my way." And, in cadence with a point Old No. 7 and I recently agreed on, it's doubly frustrating when someone from your team does something inappropriate like holdout, or participate in the paralyzation of a strip-club bouncer, or murder 18 doggies. Right? You want your team to be full of maritally faithful eagle scouts that help the neighborly and don't run red lights. I'm on board with Pay the Man. I just wish it could've happened differently.
Iam with you in this one redbeard, if I dont go to work I have no job! Also the example of some young stud intern for some major firm is just stupid. Being an nfl running back and the damage it does to your body is like the young ''intern'' here doing drugs daily, and at almost 28 yrs of age Lj should be getting a senior discount. And lets not break out the Dickerson comparison till Lj's been there and done that ! Iam waiting to see even when Dickerson did what he did its not the same, players stay in shape all year round and are stronger. Iam not saying that he doesnt need a raise, all Iam saying is the chiefs are for the first time in this long time fans view trying to build a team the right way. With all the cap room and picks next year I would like to see the chiefs pull out a deal like Curtis Martins last deal with the jets, in that deal the Jets were protected in the likelyhood of injury. All Iam saying is dont bet the farm and house on this guy being the next Dickerson!
The Clouds Part…storms past brewedthe clouds now part and the sun shines in…down from the star of Texas …blows the wind …and who shall travel on the sails of falls winds,none other than PRIEST HOLMES………hes back if you haven't heard…..vengeance sought against those boltsshot from the sky, to lay him down…vengeance to all who said he's done…… JIM-REDBEARDj.now who has the best backfield in the NFL
I said what I said, and to me, it makes a ton of sense. Troy Polamalu, Freeney, Bulger, etc… all of these guys are getting paid. Instead of getting a new deal he gets rewarded with fines? That's just not right.
i disagree adam. sure, i want him signed longterm blah blah blah but you cant just do whatever he wants. carl is stubborn and always wants his way, so just because it is LJ doenst mean he will give him the $$$ LJ wants. and he definately deserves fines if he doesnt show up to work. he could always SHOW UP at training camp and then try to negotiate a deal but instead he chooses to not fulfill his contract. LJ will get paid at the end of the day, but he is going about it wrong…
Adam I plain and simply dont like holdouts, I know you understand this… when I signed my millitary contract, it was to be *IN* for four years , failure to be there would have put me in jail, hahahahaha…..I understand you wish him to get paid… and he will, but to hold out is wrong!!!!!
*Even Tony G. as great a tightend even you admitt him to be didnt get the money he wanted…lol, yes he got his raise and a new contract, but he also wanted more…..so LJ will get his as well…
has anyone thought that maybe just maybe , if LJ had signed a better first contract he would still want the new contract, or if we had a number one offensive line he wouldnt be crying so much now… maybe he thinks his big numbers are done… and why not, when even Herm says he wont get that many carries…and if you think he will … you have another think comming… to many backs now for him to carry it over four hundred times…… and pay the man works but only if you dont think he's going to get paid… if they wait till the day before the season I dont care, both LJ & Holmes, both of them stay in shape… And they both do the same thing carry the ball!!!!!