Don't go to camp, Tebow

by mlmintampa on Jul 27, 2010 10:52 AM EDT in Florida Football

Denver Broncos training camp begins tomorrow and Tim Tebow might not be there. Unless he can sign a deal between now and Wednesday, he shouldn't go to camp either.

In what might be an early attack in the owners trying to break the weakest union in sports, only one NFL first rounder has been signed; Dez Bryant. The NFLPA has accused the owners of collusion the last summer before the collective bargaining agreement is renewed. Caught in the crossfire are this year's first rounders, who want to use last year's draft pick salaries, while the owners force a slotting system that would cut rookie salaries.

In the case of Tebow, he cannot go to camp tomorrow if he is unsigned. Not only does he become a scab, he could become the invisible man in terms of NFL apparel and merchandise. By practicing for free, the NFLPA could remove Tebow's jerseys and likeness from video and fantasy games. The MLBPA did this to baseball players who crossed the picket lines in 1995 and trained with replacement players. (Imagine playing Madden with Broncos' QB Jim Jebow.)

I would think with Tebow's politically conservative leanings that he would not sympathize with labor over management. But this isn't UAW and General Motors. Tebow practicing without a contract may win him points with the Broncos management, but it screws over the other first round picks. ("If Tebow can come to camp, you can too.") He is also risking losing a source of income from royalties.

Tebow has to think about this like a businessman. The NFL is the only league without guaranteed contracts. NFL draft picks need to make as much money as they can today because it can all end tomorrow with a release. Tebow does not need to worry about that, but he needs to worry about himself and getting paid. Training camp will be waiting for him after he signs.

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Comments

Yeah. There is no question that the NFL has the weakest Labor Union of all the major pro sports. But that isn’t an excuse for not getting on the field. Sign a contract and get your butt onto the field.

Here is a link to an article of everyone that has signed and the contract they got (unless the team hasn’t officially released the numbers).

I don’t know. Maybe it is just me. But I don’t think I’ve ever sided with a player in these situations. You are getting paid to play a game. Sign a contract and get on the field. Dez Bryant did it correctly (granted he had to report a week earlier because of the Hall of Fame game) but still.

The Once and Future King

by FlaGators on Jul 27, 2010 11:25 AM EDT reply actions

Or not a link. Guess they don’t show up.

The Once and Future King

by FlaGators on Jul 27, 2010 11:25 AM EDT up reply actions

"You are getting paid to play a game"

It’s not a game to the players. It’s a game to us.
Also, I don’t think Tebow is the trouble. The owners seem determined to pay the first rounders much less than the 2009 class got. Tebow has every right to look at what someone in 2009 got and get the same or better.

mlmintampa
UF C/O 06
http://www.alligatorarmy.com

by mlmintampa on Jul 27, 2010 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions

True. Good point. And yeah…I agree that it is a business to them…I just think that “card” has been overplayed.

And now…Tebow isn’t the problem. It doesn’t matter what the 2009 class got. The economy is down, which in turn leads to less commercial money….which in turn leads to less contract money…and all that good stuff.

He and everyone else do have every right to look at what someone else got in previous years. Doesn’t mean he will get it.

I am with the camp that believes there needs to be a rookie pay scale. There is no way that guys like Sam Bradford and Trent Williams should be among the highest paid at their position. Yet anyway.

The Once and Future King

by FlaGators on Jul 27, 2010 12:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Well…he can’t make an appearance on the field in camp unless he has signed. So we shall see which route he takes.

The Once and Future King

by FlaGators on Jul 27, 2010 12:20 PM EDT reply actions

Unions are irrelevant. They belong in a museum next to the dinosaur bones. At least when the dinosaurs went extinct, they were still serving a purpose, which is more than can be said for labor unions. If Tebow going to camp helps underscore the complete and total irrelevance of labor unions in the modern world, then TIMMY GO TO CAMP!

by BeerPhartAlert on Jul 27, 2010 1:08 PM EDT reply actions

Very well said.

The Once and Future King

by FlaGators on Jul 27, 2010 1:28 PM EDT up reply actions

You can’t compare this to traditional labor unions. At least labor unions make sure workers get a salary package when they get released.
It’s interesting to compare the unions of each league. The NHL and MLB are the only leagues to have canceled championships because of labor issues. But those might be the strongest unions. MLB has no salary cap and the NHL is the only league with guaranteed contracts and a salary cap. The NBPA (which is the oldest) is clearly run by agents and the NFLPA is so bad, Congress had to step in to get pensions for injured former players.

mlmintampa
UF C/O 06
http://www.alligatorarmy.com

by mlmintampa on Jul 27, 2010 2:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Everyone is forgetting one crucial point

If Tebow goes to camp, without a contract, that opens the possibility that the NFLPA will never license Tebow jerseys or Tebow in video and fantasy games. Tebow will always be much more than a football player. But part of his future earning and charity power will be based on those things. Tebow gains in the short term by practicing without a contract, but he loses in the long term.

mlmintampa
UF C/O 06
http://www.alligatorarmy.com

by mlmintampa on Jul 27, 2010 2:10 PM EDT reply actions

If Tebow goes to camp, without a contract, that opens the possibility that the NFLPA will never license Tebow jerseys or Tebow in video and fantasy games.

True, but I seriously doubt that Tebow is concerned about himself in Fantasy games. He needs to be in TC. Period. Money will come, that is almost a given. Plus he has his other endorsements that he can lean on for the present.

"I used to fight the pain, but recently this became clear to me: pain is not my enemy; it is my call to greatness."

"Victory belongs to the most persevering." --Napoleon.

by Dustin Maul on Jul 27, 2010 3:16 PM EDT up reply actions

I Believe that Tebow will be in TC.

He has said numerous times that he wants to be there. He knows that he needs to get in there to, not only learn an encyclopedia-like playbook, but to meet the vets and other players, to bond with them so that they become like “family”

Tebow knows that TC is pertinent to his future success as a future NFL QB.

"I used to fight the pain, but recently this became clear to me: pain is not my enemy; it is my call to greatness."

"Victory belongs to the most persevering." --Napoleon.

by Dustin Maul on Jul 27, 2010 3:13 PM EDT reply actions

Hundreds of players have said they want to be there. They need to be there. But have held out and not gotten to training camp on time.

The Once and Future King

by FlaGators on Jul 27, 2010 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions

True But Tebow is not like most people, I think that all of us can agree on that.

For 53 minutes Tebow threw. About 175 passes—after a regular OTA practice. With all the work he has been doing since the end of his college season, it’s a wonder Tebow’s left arm is still attached to his shoulder, let alone has the zip it does. But he’s in a race to remake his delivery and to master an offense, and he’s not going to work bankers’ hours. “I like when they push me,” he said. “When they stop coaching me, that’s when I’ll be worried.”

"I used to fight the pain, but recently this became clear to me: pain is not my enemy; it is my call to greatness."

"Victory belongs to the most persevering." --Napoleon.

by Dustin Maul on Jul 27, 2010 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions