08-30-2024, 06:18 PM
(08-30-2024, 12:56 PM)Whatever Wrote: So, basically, you are of the opinion that if you're going to make your living playing professional football then you must bend the knee at every turn to a cartel (which the NFL is) that operates in a manner that is illegal except for the fact that they bought off politicians to get an anti-trust exemption from the government and continue to throw money at judges and politicians every time this is challenged(see the recent Sunday Ticket case)?
Beyond that, whether his contract is currently being breeched is open for debate. Players do not get paid to practice, except for workout bonuses which are optional. The guarantee line cuts both ways, after all. Teams can fine players for not participating in training camp practices under the CBA so long as they can prove the players is healthy, but the Bengals are not doing that. A player is only refusing to do something they are actually getting paid to do when they start missing games.
To set this up as a real world example, a person is vastly underpaid compared to the market for an employee of their skill set at their job. On top of that, their boss requires them to come in unpaid for team building activities and can dock their pay if they don't attend. They are also not free to leave their job and seal employment at a competitor because they are bound by a non-compete (illegal as of September 4th per the FTC, btw). And they never got to choose their place of employment to begin with and had to pack their life up and move to a city not of their choosing because all the companies in their field are in league with each other and allow each other to exclusively claim candidates out of college.
But the team can be cutthroat, but the player can't.
This is just not correct whatsoever. Not one player is forced to enter the NFL or to sign a contract. Every NFL contract has guaranteed and non-guaranteed aspects.
The NFL is not a cartel, that is just so dumb to me. It is no ones right to play in the NFL, it is a privilege. It is likely one of the greatest vehicles ever created for earning wealth for young black men.
Chase breeching his contract is NOT up for debate. His contract stipulates his participation. He is not participating. That is a breach. It doesn't require a Juris Doctor to understand this. Your concerns about the unpaid activities have zero ground to stand on as every player signs up for the activities and payment schedule.
Your real-life example is nonsensical. I am a business owner, have been for over 30 years. I have had well over 1000 employees and dealt with many large investing firms. Jimmy Haslem, owner of the Browns, was a lead investor of one of my companies. I am well versed in contracts of all types, especially employment contracts.
Many people with employment contracts feel underpaid, especially those not making millions of dollars. No one made them sign their contracts. You can say the NFL requires the rookie scale, do the other professional football leagues? Chase had options, albeit worse ones.
If Chase does not sign a new deal this season he will have made $31M at the age of 24 playing a game. Your bleeding heart is very sweet but a tad dramatic.
Chase's boss is not requiring him to do anything that Chase did not agree to do in writing. You have a very weird way of making Chase a victim in this.
Noncompetes are very legal and binding, they are used for several different occupations. There are very good reasons for non-competes. The FTC has zero authority to to create substantive rules regarding unfair methods of competition and thus their "rule" will not go into effect on Sept 4th.
A team provides a tremendous amount of wealth to these players, the stipulations of their contracts are co-written by the Players Association.
Your argument has zero basis in fact or legality. Im not sure that you have experience in dealing with contracts at a high level with this take.
Chase signed a legal binding contract to participate in return for a set amount of compensation. He is not participating thus that is a breech, and he is likely being fined as per his agreed contract designed in part by his Union, that he signed at the advice of his lawyers.
Again, I wish the team would extend the guy and get it over with, but this narrative that players are victims is not true.
