10-17-2008, 06:19 AM | #1 | |||
Coordinator
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Polamalu says NFL's fines for hits more about money, not player safety
ESPN - Polamalu says NFL's fines for hits more about money, not player safety - NFL
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10-17-2008, 06:53 AM | #2 |
High School Varsity
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Lynchburg, VA
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He has a point about the way past NFL greats played. However, when you look at the rash of spinal injuries at every level of football you have to think that players are getting too big and fast to keep playing that way.
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10-17-2008, 06:54 AM | #3 |
Head Coach
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Whittier
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I can't imagine the money the league makes in fines would represent more then a drop in the bucket of revenue for the league
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10-17-2008, 07:12 AM | #4 | |
Hall Of Famer
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I'm really not one to complain about what player's make since there's nobody holding a gun to the team's head in most cases but ... 2008 Salaries - NFL - SI.com Hines Ward fined 15,000 of his 6,705,760 salary (cap number). That's 0.2% of his annual salary. For perspective, looks like the average salary of a male in the U.S. in '07 was $45,113, so the equivalent fine would have been $100.91, less than a lot of speeding tickets. The largest fine, Harrison's $20k, was 1.28% of his cap figure. That's about $581.96 to you & me.
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10-17-2008, 08:06 AM | #5 |
College Prospect
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Boston, MA
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Eric Smith from the Jets makes 445k and was fined 50k for his hit on Boldin, a play that wasn't dirty in the slightest and ended up with Smith also receiving a concuission.
Ward was fined for something that wasn't even called during the game in which it occurred. It's just more micromanagement from authoritarian Goodell. |
10-17-2008, 08:10 AM | #6 | |
lolzcat
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Annapolis, Md
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Without trying to guess what this particular player meant, I think the real "money" issue is the league worrying about their glamor players getting injured and hurting the public affection for the product on the field. I agree it's not really about the ten grand in fines here or there, but if two or three Tom Brady injuries happen every year, eventually people could lose some degree of interest -- and that's the real money issue for the NFL. |
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10-17-2008, 08:19 AM | #7 |
Coordinator
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Chicagoland
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Agreed with QS, as usual. Reading Polamalu's quote again, when he says "money" I don't really think he's talking about the fines themselves, but about the NFL being more interested in keeping bad things from happening on the football field than anything else.
It's not just the injuries to high-profile players, but the high-profile injuries (i.e. serious injuries) that happen. If the NFL is continuing to try and broaden its viewship out of "traditional" football fans, there's a large chunk of viewership that'll be turned off by the tougher side of the game. |
10-17-2008, 09:21 AM | #8 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: the yo'
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Hines Ward has been fined 2 times this year for "rough plays." No flags on either one. He may be one of the dirtiest players I've ever enjoyed watching, but if it wasn't a flag on the field, retroactively fining someone is bad precident. Especially if the player wasn't seriously injured.
Anyways, if they're going to fine Ward, they still need to review some cheapass hit that fat fuck Rogers put on Ben on week two. Last edited by stevew : 10-17-2008 at 09:22 AM. |
10-17-2008, 09:28 AM | #9 |
General Manager
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The obvious misstatement by Polamalu should be pointed out. The NFL doesn't see a single dime of those fines. 100% of all fines go to a charitable organization, usually designated by the player paying the fine. It's certainly not a revenue-producing fine for the NFL front office or its owners.
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10-17-2008, 09:32 AM | #10 |
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Stuck in Yinzerville, PA
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What Goodell should do is give the money from the fines to the players who don't make as much...essentially "spreading the wealth" around the league.
Last edited by Dr. Sak : 10-17-2008 at 09:32 AM. |
10-17-2008, 09:37 AM | #11 |
General Manager
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10-17-2008, 09:41 AM | #12 | |
Hall Of Famer
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Do the fines go through the league office or straight to the charity? If the fines are tax deductible charitable donations it makes it even less of a hardship. However, I agree that Polamalu was talking about marquee players. The NFL is primarily entertainment and keeping your most marketable assets healthy is just good business. The related industries of fantasy football and gambling also prefer that star players remain on the field.
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10-17-2008, 09:48 AM | #13 | |
General Manager
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I don't have a source, but I'm pretty sure they are deductable. I think that the labor agreements have had that stipulation for some time. |
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10-17-2008, 09:57 AM | #14 | |
Hall Of Famer
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It would turn into a Euro Basketball flop fest.
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10-17-2008, 10:07 AM | #15 |
Grizzled Veteran
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FYI my comment was tongue in cheek. I wasn't actually serious.
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10-17-2008, 10:17 AM | #16 |
Head Coach
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Location: North Carolina
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I think that fines should be a percentage of player salary (base and bonus) and not a flat figure. Like someone above pointed out, a 50k fine on a guy making minsal differs from a 50k fine on Ray Lewis.
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10-17-2008, 10:29 AM | #17 | |
General Manager
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Kansas City, MO
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It should also be noted that other veterans often chip in to help the lower-paid guys out if they are fined and it's a substantial amount. I'm not sure you want to institute a percentage fine as it could lead to veterans telling a rookie to take a cheap shot and then the veterans paying off that fine rather than doing it themselves at a higher price. |
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10-17-2008, 11:02 AM | #18 | |
Head Coach
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Good point. |
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10-17-2008, 11:07 AM | #19 |
Bounty Hunter
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
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I wish Broncos fans could fine the Denver defense for being unable to tackle anybody. Dre Bly should pay me at least $500 for having to deal with this shit.
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10-17-2008, 11:13 AM | #20 |
College Starter
Join Date: Oct 2002
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According to the CBA, the fine money goes to the Brian Piccolo Cancer Fund, the Vincent T. Lombardi Cancer Research Center, ALS Neuromuscular Research Foundation, and/or the NFLPA Players Assistance Trust.
Interestingly, the parties "agree" to where the fine money will be allocated. Only in the absence of such an agreement is the fine money allocated equally to all of the above four organizations. Last edited by RedKingGold : 10-17-2008 at 11:13 AM. |
10-17-2008, 11:18 AM | #21 | |
Hockey Boy
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I'm glad you're enjoying the Dre Bly Experience. The George Foster Experience has been equally entertaining. He's been benched 5 times since he joined the team and has like 76 false start penalties. It's been awesome!
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Steve Yzerman: 1,755 points in 1,514 regular season games. 185 points in 196 postseason games. A First-Team All-Star, Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Selke Trophy winner, Masterton Trophy winner, member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, Olympic gold medallist, and a three-time Stanley Cup Champion. Longest serving captain of one team in the history of the NHL (19 seasons). |
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10-17-2008, 11:26 AM | #22 | |
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But distance makes the heart grow fonder! George Foster was not only benched, he was cut. Still the Lions found his child like innocence too much to stay away from, and they resigned him! Happy days. |
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10-17-2008, 11:43 AM | #23 | |
Hockey Boy
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He was sort of like Tatum Bell in that way, until Tatum went all baggage thief on us. It must be something about those lovable lugs from Denver. Olandis Gary, Lions Nation turns its lonely eyes to you...
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Steve Yzerman: 1,755 points in 1,514 regular season games. 185 points in 196 postseason games. A First-Team All-Star, Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Selke Trophy winner, Masterton Trophy winner, member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, Olympic gold medallist, and a three-time Stanley Cup Champion. Longest serving captain of one team in the history of the NHL (19 seasons). |
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