It happens every year during the NFL pre-season - a star player holds out and does not attend training camp until he gets a contract extension that pays him ridiculous sums of money. While some have looked at the plight of the San Diego Chargers, with Shawne Merriman and Marcus McNeill both making new demands of their franchise, the biggest holdout has been that of CB Darrelle Revis of the New York Jets. Just a few weeks ago, Brian Baldinger of the NFL Network stated that Revis was the best player in the league at any position. It may seem like an outlandish claim but Baldinger's opinion is one I respect, purely because he referred to former Eagles' QB Donovan McNabb as "flawed", making me feel a whole lot better about the new season!Revis wishes to become the highest paid cornerback in the league, surpassing Nnamdi Asomugha of the Oakland Raiders. Both are exceptional talents in the secondary, but has a greater range of abilities - Asomugha is more of a playbreaker than a playmaker, whereas Revis is equally adept at intercepting passes as he is defending them. Both have proven that they can shut out the best WRs in the league on a regular basis, although Asomugha has done it over a longer period of time. If talent equalled money, Revis has every right to be the richest corner in the NFL. However, ambitions of a Superbowl ring for both player and franchise will be significantly weakened if the holdout continues into the regular season, in spite of what the Jets say about the perceived depth at Revis' position. Good though Antonio Cromartie and rookie Kyle Wilson could be, the fear that drives opposition QBs to avoid one side of the field completely will be lost. And will Revis find a team with as good an all-round defence as that which Rex Ryan has at his disposal? Of course, he could ride the Peyton Manning train in Indianapolis and get as close to a Superbowl, but will the satisfaction be the same in what is a weaker defensive unit? The whole drawn-out negotiation process appears to be to everyone's detriment.
Or is it? Here comes another soapbox moment. Does Revis care more about the legacy of his NFL career or the size of his pay cheque? His behaviour seems to suggest the latter and he certainly would not be the first sportsman to put money before glory and silverware (some would suggest Asomugha does the same thing remaining in Oakland!). One look at England's (association) football team, continuing their lacklustre ways in the friendly against Hungary this week, to see this point in action. So long as they continue to pick up their super-sized wages at their clubs, they couldn't give a shit about performing on behalf of their nation. I'd like to think that Scotland's players are different and are just lacking in world-class ability, but as myself and Graeme pointed out last week, the Old Firm players at least are more focused on club matters. Even at club levels, players are more interested in the wages they receive than the level of football they would be playing at. Step forward Man City - both Robinho and Yaya Toure had offers from more prestigious Champions League team, but would rather have picked up ridiculous sums of money (£200,000 a week for the Toure brother becoming surplus to requirements at Barcelona) and play in the Europa League than strive for the very best that they could achieve.
The World's Best Paid Footballer - coming soon to the Europa League
It happens in other sports too. Rugby Union and cricket fans will tell you at great lengths that "their sport has professionals there for the love of the game and are not acting like those overpaid football yobs". Which is why Danny Cipriani essentially abandoned his international career to move to the Melbourne Rebels, where I believe he is on a very tidy contract indeed. Ditto all those who moved to play in France, despite warnings from management. Which goes to show how much respect Martin Johnson commands as a manager. An ECB central contract for Test cricketers is not too shabby either, with all travel expenses paid. And with the advent of the IPL, we have regularly seen players in a battle with their national boards over their commitments to the country versus the lucrative contract. Eventually, the contract will win out more and more often, as it did back in Australia in the 1970s with Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket.
Sport is going through a phase of the individual considering themselves more important than the team or nation and would rather be financially well-off than majorly successful at the top level. This is understandable, given the brief shelf life of a top class sportsman. However, sometimes, as in the case of Darrelle Revis, you have to question the logic and the motives.
RM
No comments:
Post a Comment