Thank you Bucky

Oh boy have I been behind on writing stuff, don't worry Stanley Cup Preview will happen, but today finally something came by that I just couldn't let go. And its our pal Bucky Gleason. In what could be the dumbest article ever, to make the case for a Rookie Salary cap, or that football players make too much money, or stuff to get in by a deadline to justify his paycheck. But todays column about Matt Ryans contract, is garbage. You may agree that its too much money, but the reasons are dumb.

Lets get our Firejoemorgan on.

Tom Donahoe made his share of blunders during his reign as the Buffalo Bills’ president and general manager, but he learned a lesson after Mike Williams became a colossal bust. Donahoe suggested if he ever had a top five pick in the NFL draft again, he would dump it like yesterday’s junk mail.

Ok, I doubt it, because thats where franchise players are.

Ex-Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan signed a six-year contract worth $72 million with the Atlanta Falcons on Tuesday. The deal includes $34.75 million in guaranteed money, which sounds like the gross national product of a small country. He was the first quarterback taken, third overall, last month.

Thats a lot of money, but less then half is guaranteed and probably he'll only see 20 million of the guaranteed. Like a GNP of a small country, oh bucky what a overused line. Well I see a deal like this and go, well good for him.

Let me get this straight. Peyton Manning is making $14 million per season and Tom Brady is making $10 million per year. Jim Kelly made about $27 million in his career with the Bills, which included four Super Bowls and induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

And Ryan’s average salary is smack between the two best quarterbacks in the NFL, and he’s guaranteed to make more than Kelly made without having taken a snap? Sure, Ryan could become one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks. He might even win a Super Bowl like Manning did or three like Brady did. He might make the Hall like Kelly did.


Well I guess Jim Kelly should have played in this era, or those guys should have better agents, but comparing past salaries to now is pointless. And Johnny Unitas probably didn't make in his career what Trent Edwards will make this year, its a dumb argument. The league is different and salaries have gone up according to league revenue. I'm sure you pro rated the salary of Kelly, it would be a lot more then Matt Ryan. Well Rookies get paid a lot now, its nothing new. So stop worrying about it.

Funny, owners unanimously opted out of their collective bargaining agreement Tuesday because they believe players are dipping too much into their profits. Is it me or was it hypocritical that Falcons owner Arthur Blank, on the same day he voted to dump the CBA, broke the bank to pay a kid who is tied with your neighbor’s dog in career yardage and touchdown passes?

Heck, he should change his name to Arthur Blank Check.

Well maybe he had to break the bank, because he wouldn't sign otherwise and last time I checked the Falcons need a QB. And now with the owners opting out they can talk about a Rookie Salary Cap, so they don't have to break the bank for a kid just coming out. And neighbor's dog? Nice touch, he has zero stats, but he also college stats, does the neighbor's dog have big college stats?

Arthur Blank Check? Wheres the rimshot?

And that’s the problem with the NFL. The suits are so busy worrying about the bottom line that they don’t realize it’s become a turnoff for many fans. The league was infinitely more entertaining 20 years ago, when fans could actually keep track of the players on each team.

WHAT?????? They should worry about the bottom line, its a business, and many of them are debt ridden for new stadiums, so they can PAY the players. The league was more entertaining 20 years ago? How? Because fans could track the players on each team? Huh? I'm sure lot more people could tell you who plays where now, due to Fantasy Football and the internet, then 20 years ago. The game is primarily the same to me. The Bills were much more entertaining then, so maybe he's applying that league wide. And don't tell me the owners weren't worried about money back then. They tried to keep free agency under wraps for as long as possible, so they keep players salaries down.

ITS IN THE OWNERS BEST INTEREST TO KEEP SALARIES LOW. THATS HOW YOU MAKE MONEY.

And here comes the cherry on top

For all the problems that the NHL has had over the years, and there are plenty, one thing it does right is place a maximum on rookie salaries. Most players spend three years proving themselves in the league before making the big bucks.

The Pittsburgh Penguins reached the Stanley Cup finals this season largely because they had Sidney Crosby, the face of the NHL, and leading scorer Evgeni Malkin. Crosby made $850,000 this season. Malkin made $984,000, and he’ll make the same amount next season.

Crosby will become Sid the Rich Kid and pocket $36 million over the next four years before taking a $1.5 million pay cut — yes, a pay cut — in the fifth year of his contract. But the guy already was named the league’s Most Valuable Player and could win a Cup. Malkin will be plenty rich someday, too. At least they’ll earn their keep.

It’s all anybody ever asked.

I've never asked that at all, so don't include me on that. If a player can get a ton of money, good for them.

Well is way more important to have Rookie maximums in the NHL, then the NFL, because the revenue stream is much less and one big contract can sideline a team. Did the Mike Williams bust derail the Bills? Not really. Not having a lot talent and struggles at the QB position derailed the team. But why compare the NHL and NFL? Its two way different situations. So you have to prove yourself to make the big bucks. SO DO 95% OF ALL NFL DRAFT PICKS! Only the top few picks make real big money. Thats why the risk is so high. The NHL also drafts 18 year old kids and not 21 year old young men, who have proven themselves more then hockey players. But Sidney Crosby was a can't miss pick the same with Malkin.

If Bucky wanted to make a point. He could have use the Matt Ryan contract to say it was a perfect time to opt out of the CBA so the owners could negotiate a rookie cap, instead of a cut in total player revenue. This way the current players don't take a pay cut, and the rookies have to prove themselves in the pros, before making big bucks. But no, Bucky takes off on some dumb tangent that doesn't make his case and comes off horrible, again.

Why do bloggers have a worse rep then newspaper columnists again?