Willie Gay Jr. Interview

[SunsetBengal]

(04-19-2020, 09:07 PM)Okeana Wrote: "The Bengals have paid Joe Mixon for his services, much more than most people will earn over the course of a lifetime.  If he get's injured and cannot continue, he must do like every other citizen and find another line of work."  

Most people don't work their entire life for a career that only pays for 1-8 years.  So miss me with that whole "he earns more than me for a couple of years so I need to be bitter"  attitude.



"It most certainly does NOT say more about "me than him";  It does say everything about his character, and only lends credence to my rational point of view.  If he gets injured, he should fall back on his free college education, and get a job.  You know, earn money like the rest of the 99.999% of people who never make it to be a highly paid professional athlete. "  


This is exactly something someone says when their racist or don't understand the social impact of being raised in a bad neighborhood by a single mother with five children.  I highly doubt that education was ever the forefront of his path to success in life from an early age.  College degrees for student-athletes(which he hasn't earned yet because he was drafted before graduation) are most a worthless piece of paper handed out to college football players that earn their school's ridiculous amounts of money.  These guys live football and have since a very young age so you rarely see any of them become accountants or lawyers later in life.  

It also certainly does say more about you than him because you're judging his character off business decisions he is making.  Its most certainly none of your business how he handles his business and to judge anyone without walking a day in their shoes is just being obtuse.  Your just angry because your team may lose his production for one year instead of understanding that this is possibly a decision that could affect his entire life.  Just because he didn't become a truck driver or accountant doesn't discount the fact that he spent his entire life working on a craft that takes hard work and dedication.  Rookie contracts are essentially non-negotiable four-year contracts that have a built-in limit with the rookie pool so its most certainly not fair and especially not fair to running backs.  It's super easy for you to sit back in your chair and say "so what he got injured", but imagine if you studied to be an accountant since you were 5 years old and didn't get paid a dime until you were 23 years old and then told you will retire within 8 years, four of which you need to work for minimum wage.  


We will never see eye to eye on this subject so either we continue to argue these opposing points of view or resolve it in another way. Either way I choose to "dismiss" myself from the conversation =)

Most people with logical minds realize that an athletic career does not last their entire working lifetime.  You want a good example?  Let's look at Eddie George.  He played a long and prosperous career in the NFL, but he also owns a chain of Steak Houses.  Players must manage their money, and prepare for a life after football.

As for you insinuating that I'm somehow "racist" for seeing the reality of a pro athlete, is just laughable.  Life after football affects athletes of all races that play the games that they star in.