Adrian Peterson: NFL Like 'Modern Day Slavery'

[The Northerner]

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson made some controversial comments about the NFL labor situation in an interview with Doug Farrar of Yahoo's Shutdown Corner. The interview was conducted just before the NFLPA decertified.

"It's modern-day slavery, you know? People kind of laugh at that, but there are people working at regular jobs who get treated the same way, too. With all the money," Peterson continued. "The owners are trying to get a different percentage, and bring in more money."

Farrar took out the quote shortly after publishing. He tweeted that he wanted to give Peterson an opportunity to explain. Farrar described the comment as "a real misstep."

When asked about the owners not showing their financial information, Peterson suggested that they are hiding something.

"Well, show us.' We want more information, and they want to bull****, going around, saying this and that, just open it up and give us the information we want. If they have nothing to hide, just give us the information," the 25-year-old said. "Why not? Obviously, there's a lot to hide -- these guys are professionals, and they're maximizing what they do."

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/15/adrian-peterson-slavery-nfl_n_836090.html

[MrSlayer]

1. I don't know that I'd call it slavery,

But the owners are as greedy and heartless as the owners of any big corporation. They want as much for themselves while giving as little as possible to the employees.

[former9thward]

7. The owners currently have 60/40 revenue split with the players.

The players get the 60%. Please show me another corporation where workers get 60% of revenues.

[islandmkl]

13. where is the risk?...surely not in the TV package negotiated by the owners...

sure, they OWN the team, which defines the INITIAL risk, maybe 40 years ago...

this is TV money being divided by two parties...those who play, and those who get to disburse those TV monies...

if you think the NFL has anything in common with a common business, you are merely buying into the owners' prop...

certain owners have been known to invest little in not only their players, but their actual physical infrastrucure...after all, the TV money is flowing equally among all the owners...some myopic owners actually care to risk NOTHING to further maximize their profits...except at the expense of the players...

and, downline...you think the average yearly pay of a NFL salary...and that is an AVERAGE...check out the position pay versus longevity...it's all entertainment pay, and the number has no, ABSOLUTELY NO, relation to regular income...

some people think if they could get paid $770k FOR ONE YEAR they would be set for life...except they cannot perform any job they might do at such a high level as to be able to get paid the $770K...

tell the TV networks to give the NFL $100K per game and get these owners broken down and the players reduced to playing for peanuts...yeah, that is the way it should go...

and movies should only cost 25 cents, in theaters or on video...

[Telly Savalas]

19. It ought to be 90/10. The players aren't just the workers, they're the product.

I like what Clark Hunt is doing with the Chiefs, but if the lockout continues into the fall I'm probably not going to shell out a bunch of money to visit an empty Arrowhead stadium to cheer on his ownership prowess.

[JanMichael]

2. At a median of $770k plus a year I hardly have any sympathy.

I also think the "well the average time in the league is 3 years so it's not that much" crowd is full of horseshit.

For one a huge percentage of NFL players actually graduate with BA's and in many instances MA's. So the 3 years (average which does not take into account the AP's of the world) of astronomical salary can be softened by the education provided.

How the fuck much money do people need????

Oh and fuck the owners to the wall too. Most are complete shits.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

17. Where do you get that info?

On player grad rates and majors?

[JanMichael]

20. It's not hard to find online. nt.

[4_TN_TITANS]

24. It would take me 21 years to make $770,000 on my pay..

and around here I make decent money. The problem is that they try to spend it all in 3 yrs. or less.

[pinkkillersheep]

3. Bad comparison, but...

...the players are doing significant harm to themselves. Extending the season could have really bad health consequences beyond what they already experience.

[dbackjon]

4. Then they could choose to not play

No one is forcing them to play a down.

[Johonny]

5. college football seems like indentured servitude.

and the union doesn't protect them

[former9thward]

6. Most players receive full scholarships

So they get a college education for free. Most students would like those 'indentured servitude' terms.

[Johonny]

11. If you graduate

if your coach lets you take your classes you need. I the mean the time many graduate is only after ending their college career and getting the classes they need on their own dime. Meanwhile for the free education you give up, your freedom to move from college to college with out losing time. You give up your freedom to maximize your economic value. I think most people would consider losing freedom of movement and freedom to maximize income in order to gain a "free" education (which may never materialize) as a form of indentured servitude. For example people got a free trip to America, but had to work off that free trip by working for someone for a length of time. You thus lost your ability to move where you want to and to maximize your real economic value. So I really don't see where I'm wrong.

College is designed to chain you to your school and to prevent you from generating an economic demand for your skills so that the college athletic department can maximize its take from you.

[former9thward]

16. Football players graduate in four years in higher percents than other students.

http://stanford.scout.com/2/952555.html "4-year colleges graduate 53% of students in 6 years" http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-06-03-diploma-graduation-rate_N.htm

I have never heard of coaches trying to stop students from taking classes they need. I would say the opposite is true. If anything colleges make it difficult for all students to get the classes they need in a four year period.

[davidpdx]

8. While I support the players, this is a poor choice of words

If AP wants to see modern day slavery, he should look into what is happening in North Korea.

[Canuckistanian]

10. LOL

Yes, let him make his case to the average North Korean. I'm sure they'll sympathize.
:rofl:

[tallahasseedem]

9. I completely agree with him...

the wording stinks, but it's true.

[provis99]

12. well, he's right.

The NFL draft is the most obvious example of a slave auction we have left in America. The owners pick their players, without the player having any say, and the owner then places his brand on the player (team jersey).

[lies and propaganda]

18. i LOVE FOOTBALL and find this statement completelty morinic.

UTTERLY

[provis99]

22. I can tell by your grammar that you're a football clown.

[Egalitariat]

21. Interesting. I wonder why the players smile so big when their name is called. Do you think

it was that way in the early 1800's?

[jakefrep]

14. Bad choice of words...

...but no matter what somebody's paid, that doesn't make greed and dishonesty from management any more acceptable. It's sad to see so many would happily roll over for such BS.

[Imajika]

15. This isn't going to help the players cause at all...

Most definitely not the right words to use.

[Arkana]

23. As shitty as the owners are, I don't look at Adrian Peterson

and his gazillion-dollar contract and his innumerable endorsement deals and think "Kunta-Kinte. Yep."