bill bessette

He's not a non-performer, really. He's one of the very best
performers in the league. We have him over a barrel,
and his appearance at Seahawks HQ will eventually validate
that fact.

In the meantime, I'd advise against judging him too harshly -
the NFL is a cold blooded business despite what they'd
have you believe.

Bill

bill bessette

Is it unethical for a team to cut a player with 2 years
to run on a deal?


Bill

mike kohary

No. Players know their contracts aren't guaranteed.

Mike

grandpa

Kinda like the Duce Staley thing I saw on TV last night I guess...

mike kohary

We've done this before, so you already know my answer. But I'm easily
baited, and the regular season is still a couple of weeks away, so what the
hell...

Basically, this is how the rules are set up in the labor agreement between
the NFL and the NFLPA. Both sides agreed to these rules, and both sides
know how it works - player contracts aren't guaranteed, and contracts are
binding on players. So it's not unethical for a team to cut a player
partway through a contract. But a player holding out while under contract
is operating in bad faith (i.e. contrary to their labor agreement), and I
think that it's unethical to operate in bad faith.

It's not unethical for a player to want to alter his contract partway
through. But then you do it operating in good faith - continue to honor
your current contract, while you request/negotiate/whatever for a new
contract.

Mike

bill bessette

Duce was under contract, so he was over a barrel for a different
reason.

Bill

bill bessette

Contracts are binding, but you cannot force someone to work if they
don't want to. The "ethical" tag seems like a bigtime double
standard to me. Given the low standards of both sides, neither can
claim legit rights to ethical high ground.

Bill

mike kohary

Nope, never said you could.


As I said, I think it's wrong to operate in bad faith. That's just a
general principle - I don't see how the sides having low standards
affects that.

Imagine exactly the opposite situation - a team not paying a player
what they're owed according to their contract. Nobody would question
who was right and wrong in such a situation.

Mike
--

"Worry is like interest paid | Mike Kohary
in advance on a debt that | mkohary@earthlink.net
never comes due." | http://www.kohary.com

Seattle Seahawks http://www.kohary.com/seahawks GO HAWKS!

bill bessette

That's exactly what happens when a team cuts a player.

Slavish adherance to a scrap of paper makes little sense
when people's lives are involved.

Bill

mike kohary

Let me try this again from the beginning: imagine exactly the
opposite situation, a team not paying a player for services already
rendered (i.e. games already played). Nobody would question who was
right and wrong in such a situation.

Likewise, a player is wrong when he withholds services (i.e. holds
out) that he's already been payed for (i.e. he is still under
contract). That's operating in bad faith.

Yes, I'm referring to the signing bonus, which is paid up front.

Mike
--

"Worry is like interest paid | Mike Kohary
in advance on a debt that | mkohary@earthlink.net
never comes due." | http://www.kohary.com

Seattle Seahawks http://www.kohary.com/seahawks GO HAWKS!