"I want to play for a contender" The BIGGEST LIE in pro sports?

[DrDawkinstein]

2 minutes ago, Gugny said:

That’s always been my thing … stop saying it when, at this point, everyone knows you’re full of sh*t. 
 

And - like you said - not a damn thing wrong with chasing the dollar.
 

Loyalty from Owners (in all businesses) stopped being loyal long time ago.  
 

It’s about time employees reciprocate accordingly. 
 

 

They wont. And I guess nor should they as it seems to be an effective way of negotiating publicly and getting paid.

 

I wonder if there is a second meaning we arent understanding.

 

When Garrett says he wants to play for a contender, we all assume he means us, the Chiefs, etc. Maybe he's saying it to drive the point home to Cleveland'd FO that contenders usually keep top talent like him around and pay them handsomely? Who knows. Good for him on getting paid. Better him than Haslam pocketing it.

[GaryPinC]

3 minutes ago, BillsFan130 said:

I definitely believe Garrett wanted out and to play for a contender. But..

 

When Cleveland offered him an insane contract, he probably thought there's no way he could turn it down.

Money talks more often than not

He's also very tied to the Cleveland community so that may also have weighed on him since his announcement.

[DrDawkinstein]

Just now, Shaw66 said:

Taxpayers part of the bill for stadiums because the community wants the team in their city.  Buffalo benefits enormously having the Bills.  There's no reason Buffalo shouldn't bear some of that cost. 

 

Especially in a market like Buffalo which is very lucky to have an NFL team.

 

If the NFL were started today, would Buffalo even be on the list of top 50 cities to potentially get a team? No.

 

It's the cost of keeping the team.

[Matt_In_NH]

I dont doubt he wants to play for a contender....but everyone has a price!   THink about it, you might decide to quit and work for a competitor that you know is a better company but if the existing company offers you enough you might change your mind.   It's just business.

[TheFunPolice]

I can definitely see a player talking themselves into the idea that wherever they sign can become a contender, and they are a big part of that. 

 

 

[JohnNord]

19 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

Myles Garrett wants to play for a contender, ultimately signs $40M/yr with the Browns.

DK Metcalf wants to play for a contender, ultimately signs $30M/yr with the Steelers who have no QB

DeAndre Hopkins wanted out of Arizona so he could play for a contender, signed with the hapless Titans

 

Feel free to add your own examples to the thread because I know there are others.

 

 

We need to just stop even acknowledging that statement as potentially helping the Bills sign any big name FA. They're all just after the money. And I cant blame them for that, but cmon...

It’s almost always a lie.  I think these events reinforce the idea that money > winning.   That’s why I laugh at these Bengal fans who think Tee Higgins is going to take less to play with Chase and Burrow
 

 

[DCofNC]

I think the Steelers are more of a contender than we want to give them credit for.  It’s still a team with a premier D, now has two WRs and a good TE, they were a QB away last year, not saying that’s an easy fix, but it’s one that could be stop gapped w Rodgers pretty effectively.  Even Fields has to be looked at as ok.  The decision to die w Russ last year would be the biggest pause I’d have as a player coming in.   So I don’t think it’s far fetched for DK to feel he’s getting to a contender. 
 

Garrett had zero leverage and got PAID to stay there.  So moot point on that. 
 

Some guys over play their hand and have to settle to get paid.  I think there’s an “all this equal or reasonably close” portion to it where guys think the contenders will pay for them to come there, then find out most contenders don’t have money to throw around. 

[WNYFAN1]

7 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

Taxpayers part of the bill for stadiums because the community wants the team in their city.  Buffalo benefits enormously having the Bills.  There's no reason Buffalo shouldn't bear some of that cost. 

"in their city"...

[Rigotz]

You can't apply this logic to all players. It's just untrue.

 

These are some of the most competitive people on the planet. You think they don't care about winning?

 

Sure, they want to get paid. Many of them also take lower pay to play for a contender. We've seen countless examples in Free Agency.

 

The one thing all of your examples have in common is they were currently under contract. They weren't free agents, so they could not choose who they go to.

 

If you said "some players care a lot more about money than winning" you'd be a lot more accurate.

[Shaw66]

Well, first, I think we have to realize these are 25 year-old guys who often don't really know what they're saying or what they want.  They think the world revolves around social media, so they go on there and say things, simply because they aren't happy they don't have a deal. 

 

Second, some guys clearly do chase the championships or a better place to play.  Von Miller, for example. I'm sure Mixon was glad to go from the Bengals to the Texans.  The running back went back to the Chiefs. Hyde could have gone somewhere.  He only wanted one team.   It happens.  It's probably the minority who truly make money secondary, but there are those guys. 

 

 

4 minutes ago, WNYFAN1 said:

"in their city"...

Your point is what?  That it was state and county money?

 

The state very much wanted to keep the Bills, and the County, too. 

[BillsVet]

Ranks up there with a woman saying she just wants a nice guy.  A statement that needs translation.  

 

[klos63]

Of Cleveland fixed their qb issue,  they're probably considered a contender. Strong defense,  strong oline...

Also, you can criticize Garrett for changing his tune,  but he had 2 years left on his contract,  the Browns said they weren't going to trade him. 

What should he have done?

[DrDawkinstein]

2 minutes ago, klos63 said:

Of Cleveland fixed their qb issue,  they're probably considered a contender. Strong defense,  strong oline...

Also, you can criticize Garrett for changing his tune,  but he had 2 years left on his contract,  the Browns said they weren't going to trade him. 

What should he have done?

 

If Cleveland fixed their QB position, they're still arguably the 3rd best team in that Division.

 

I'm not criticizing the players. I get it. I'm just pointing out the absurdity of their statement and reminding us fans to not believe everything we hear.

 

 

[JohnNord]

22 minutes ago, DCofNC said:

I think the Steelers are more of a contender than we want to give them credit for.  It’s still a team with a premier D, now has two WRs and a good TE, they were a QB away last year, not saying that’s an easy fix, but it’s one that could be stop gapped w Rodgers pretty effectively.  Even Fields has to be looked at as ok.  The decision to die w Russ last year would be the biggest pause I’d have as a player coming in.   So I don’t think it’s far fetched for DK to feel he’s getting to a contender. 
 

Garrett had zero leverage and got PAID to stay there.  So moot point on that. 
 

Some guys over play their hand and have to settle to get paid.  I think there’s an “all this equal or reasonably close” portion to it where guys think the contenders will pay for them to come there, then find out most contenders don’t have money to throw around. 

So they are Super Bowl contender…. They just need a QB.

 

Solid logic.  

[thenorthremembers]

I think it depends on the player.   Myles Garrett has shown in the past he is a complete liar.   Not surprising in the least.   

[JohnNord]

25 minutes ago, Rigotz said:

You can't apply this logic to all players. It's just untrue.

 

These are some of the most competitive people on the planet. You think they don't care about winning?

 

Sure, they want to get paid. Many of them also take lower pay to play for a contender. We've seen countless examples in Free Agency.

 

The one thing all of your examples have in common is they were currently under contract. They weren't free agents, so they could not choose who they go to.

 

If you said "some players care a lot more about money than winning" you'd be a lot more accurate.

It’s mostly true.  Find an example where someone took lower pay to go to a contender?

 

I would bet anything that it’s slightly lower but that’s it.  
 

Players want to win AND get paid.  And the paid part almost always trumps winning

[eball]

I think every player deep down wants to compete for a championship every year, but they also know their shelf life is limited and they need to bank as much as possible. 
 

I don’t fault guys for making those statements. It’s a rare few who actually mean it regardless of their circumstances, and those guys are typically a little more heady than your “normal” athlete. 
 

[Albwan]

1 hour ago, DrDawkinstein said:

Myles Garrett wants to play for a contender, ultimately signs $40M/yr with the Browns.

DK Metcalf wants to play for a contender, ultimately signs $30M/yr with the Steelers who have no QB

DeAndre Hopkins wanted out of Arizona so he could play for a contender, signed with the hapless Titans

 

Feel free to add your own examples to the thread because I know there are others.

 

 

We need to just stop even acknowledging that statement as potentially helping the Bills sign any big name FA. They're all just after the money. And I cant blame them for that, but cmon...

I've said it before ..most players ain't interested in going to Buffalo.

[All_Pro_Bills]

8 minutes ago, JohnNord said:

So they are Super Bowl contender…. They just need a QB.

 

Solid logic.  

Yup, solid logic. Every contender needs a QB. Through the drought years the Bills had some good teams that just needed a QB. Going through some old Bills stuff this weekend I ran across a 2003 season calendar. They had some great players on that team but Bledsoe crapped out as the season progressed and they finished 6-10. 9-7 the next season. No playoffs.

 

On the team:

Pat Williams

Travis Henry

Nate Clements

Eric Moulds

Ruben Brown

Antoine Winfield

London Fletcher

Brian Moorman

Aaron Schobel

 

I'd take every one of those guys today w/Allen or Allen with that 2003 roster and the Bills are pretty good.

 

[SoonerBillsFan]

7 minutes ago, Albwan said:

I've said it before ..most players ain't interested in going to Buffalo.

Culture, Allen whatever...some folks just don't want to come to BUFFALO. It has nothing to do with the Bills.

 

I disagree with them,but it's still a thing.