NFL players mad at the Money NBA players are getting

[imdaman99]

Dez Bryant gonna get paid almost a mill a game and he is ready to sit out because of being franchised

[BlackWhiteGreen]

Yes, really.

People outside the USA have an incredibly strange relationship with American football that borders on anger. Whether it is because the sport is -- by far -- the most popular in the United States or because they don't like/understand the game, I find it to be a pretty weird phenomena.

I have no problem with the fact that football or futbol or soccer or whatever you want to call it is so popular globally. Hell, I find the game fascinating when I'm interested enough to watch.

Rugby? Have at it, guys. It looks like a fun game, although I know nothing about it.

American football? Just bringing it up usually results in angry Europeans dismissing the sport, its (incredible) popularity in the United States and just basically getting disgusted for reasons unknown.

I'd hate to think that all of this anger, annoyance and dismissiveness is related to the fact that the sport is called "football," but I can't help but notice it is always brought up as a point of contention. Who gives a flying f#ck what the sport calls itself?

The US has created and cultivated some of the best sports of the modern world. A lot of people outside the US seem unwilling to even give American football a chance. It's a great game based mainly on strategy... basically a chess game being played at 100mph at each snap. When you understand why the huddles are so crucial and what each of the 22 players on the field are supposed to be doing and the beauty of when it goes right... it's an incredible game.

It is nothing like futbol or rugby or any other game it is compared to, so it requires being watched differently. If you don't like it, fine... but the guys who play it and its enormous power as THE current American pastime deserves more respect than it gets when you cross the US border.

/rant

You've hit the nail on the head, really. It's not really relatable to any other sport and it's more to do with not understanding it than anything else. I admit to having been someone who trashed it for not understanding it and having got into it more, i can appreciate it for what it is.

It's still less watchable than football, basketball or cricket imo but with RedZone I can enjoy it.

[Genaro]

I don't know about the other countries but here in Brasil, the NFL is gaining a lot of public lately. ESPN broadcasts like 4 or 5 games per week. I personally don't like it but I can see it's growing among the young male population.

[StephHamann]

Yes, really.

People outside the USA have an incredibly strange relationship with American football that borders on anger. Whether it is because the sport is -- by far -- the most popular in the United States or because they don't like/understand the game, I find it to be a pretty weird phenomena.

I have no problem with the fact that football or futbol or soccer or whatever you want to call it is so popular globally. Hell, I find the game fascinating when I'm interested enough to watch.

Rugby? Have at it, guys. It looks like a fun game, although I know nothing about it.

American football? Just bringing it up usually results in angry Europeans dismissing the sport, its (incredible) popularity in the United States and just basically getting disgusted for reasons unknown.

I'd hate to think that all of this anger, annoyance and dismissiveness is related to the fact that the sport is called "football," but I can't help but notice it is always brought up as a point of contention. Who gives a flying f#ck what the sport calls itself?

The US has created and cultivated some of the best sports of the modern world. A lot of people outside the US seem unwilling to even give American football a chance. It's a great game based mainly on strategy... basically a chess game being played at 100mph at each snap. When you understand why the huddles are so crucial and what each of the 22 players on the field are supposed to be doing and the beauty of when it goes right... it's an incredible game.

It is nothing like futbol or rugby or any other game it is compared to, so it requires being watched differently. If you don't like it, fine... but the guys who play it and its enormous power as THE current American pastime deserves more respect than it gets when you cross the US border.

/rant

As a Euro i try to answer.

People don't like that from 3 hours they actually play only a few minutes. Most of the time the clock is running without action and you have many commercials. If you watch a football game it's 90 minutes without commercials, and a 15 min break.



They don't understand the rules.

They don't like the atmosphere in US sports in general, fans don't sing like in Europe.

I'm a big american football fan, i tried to watch games with friends, but most of them don't like the sport.

[unknowns8]

Most rugby players would get completely demolished in the NFL. The concussion lawsuits would be tenfold with these "non pad" blokes playing in the league.

rugby players play the entire 80mins with no extra padding/protection on ... unlike you NFL lightweights who stop after every single play to have a team hug and high five the nearest person

and then when you lose the ball - AN ENTIRE NEW TEAM COMES ON!!!

GTFO outta here!!!

[DMV2]

The NFL was the better model. 100% guaranteed contracts are dumb.

Agreed. Guaranteed contracts are the worst.

I need some explanation on why it's dumb or the worst.

I think the NFL is being a cheapskate for not guaranteeing their players money. And because NFL players are most vulnerable to serious injuries and concussions, why shouldn't they get guaranteed contracts?

[midatlantic09]

NFL players should get paid more, but they should also stop caving to owners demands in every CBA.

The players have no real leverage though. Even if they strike, that doesn't really hurt the owners as virtually all NFL owners have a net worth of $500+ million and don't need the money whereas the players truly do need the money. The owners are the ones in the drivers seat.

[DCL]

only 400-something spots in the nba and at least 3/4 of them are pretty locked up. that leaves about 100 open spots, probably even less. it's a pretty tough and elite club to get into.

[j3lademaster]

rugby players play the entire 80mins with no extra padding/protection on ... unlike you NFL lightweights who stop after every single play to have a team hug and high five the nearest person

and then when you lose the ball - AN ENTIRE NEW TEAM COMES ON!!!

GTFO outta here!!!

agreed rugby players are most likely more well conditioned than nfl players, but American football is definitely a more dangerous sport. Pads actually make it more dangerous in a lot of situations. You're in the air grabbing a pass and you don't think the safety knows your lower back is unprotected? He's going to drive his shoulder pad right into you and make you feel it. Also in rugby players are running next to each other and most tackles are wrap-up takedowns. You don't have a "padded up" 6'2 210 lbs safety with 4.6 speed coming at you with a full head of steam while you're trying to focus on your route and securing the pass.

[warriorfan]

Football is very complicated compared to the other sports. It has lots of rules that are hard to follow if you didn't grow up playing football or at least watching it with someone to explain it to you. It's pretty much an American tradition. Adults who weren't ever exposed to football growing up have a hard time warming up to the game. This holds true for all sports but for football even more so.

[HurricaneKid]

NFL players should get paid more, but they should also stop caving to owners demands in every CBA.

The Avg NFL career is 3.3 years. NFL players can't afford to sit out a year. And since the owners have ALL the leverage they win every labor dispute. In baseball and basketball at least the players can pretend they are willing to strike.

[j3lademaster]

Wonder why UFC fighters aren't more outspoken about their earnings. Jon Bones made 1/2 mil for the dc/bones fight and that's regarded as a "holy shit" level purse, you go down the cards and you have fighters scrapping for a few g's. You compare this to the revenue the UFC is bringing in, these guys might as well be getting paid in food stamps and peanuts.

[DCL]

Wonder why UFC fighters aren't more outspoken about their earnings. Jon Bones made 1/2 mil for the dc/bones fight and that's regarded as a "holy shit" level purse, you go down the cards and you have fighters scrapping for a few g's. You compare this to the revenue the UFC is bringing in, these guys might as well be getting paid in food stamps and peanuts.

because dana white is owner of the ENTIRE LEAGUE. there aren't 30 different team owners over there. there's only one. (well, he has other partners, but they're pretty much the same owner.) with that leverage, he can pretty much say, "you want more money? okay, go F yourself" to almost anyone.

the fighters can of course jump to another league, but if they want to fight in the UFC, they only have "take it or leave it" options if they're nobody special.

[christian1923]

Dez Bryant gonna get paid almost a mill a game and he is ready to sit out because of being franchised

He still wants some long term security with the franchise. The team he plays his heart out for every game.