Contract Years

[EastCoastNiner]

Alright, you always hear about player playing in their "contract year", and that they are supposedly going to try harder.

 

Does anyone else believe that this "contract year" stuff is complete bull-[expletive]?

 

 

If you are a professional athlete and you aren't giving it your all, or damn near it every game, not matter how good you are you are going to get smoked by the opposition.

 

I just don't buy into this bull-[expletive] and how people think that players are going to suddenly play better during contract years.

[Real Deal]

See Erick Dampier.

 

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/erick_dampier

[Big Penny]

http://lakers.freedomblogging.com/files/2009/11/sasha_auto.jpg

how do you explain this?

[Phightins]

Aaron Rowand.

[EastCoastNiner]

I assume you guys believe that they magically try harder in their contract years, and then relax for the rest of their contract.

 

That makes no sense at all.

 

They are professional athletes, and they have pride and are always going to try.

[Phightins]

I assume you guys believe that they magically try harder in their contract years, and then relax for the rest of their contract.

 

That makes no sense at all.

 

They are professional athletes, and they have pride and are always going to try.

 

Then it must be just coincidence, but there are many many cases of guys having incredible seasons in their "contract years", then turning to [expletive] as soon as they sign their big deal.

 

And I wouldn't generalize all athletes by saying they all "have pride and are going to try". It definitely varies by case.

Edited March 15, 2010 by Phightins

[Phightins]

Another good example: Alfonso Soriano

 

And Danny Briere (sigh)

Edited March 15, 2010 by Phightins

[fish7718]

I definitely believe in it. If not just that your practicing more and doing all the little things. Once you get paid the money you can slack off, Kerry Rhodes another example.

[Lone Wolf]

As sad as it sounds... Yes, there are players who play their best when it comes to the last year of their contract, in order to get a huge one the next year and not do as great.

Edited March 15, 2010 by Lone Wolf

[BasX]

Didn't Austin Croshere have a similar type year, even just playoffs.

[EastCoastNiner]

I definitely believe in it. If not just that your practicing more and doing all the little things. Once you get paid the money you can slack off, Kerry Rhodes another example.

 

It's an absurd theory.

 

In professional sports, you have to be giving almost 100% every night or you are going to get crushed, and it's funny that you and others think these players just care abut money.

 

Often times there are nagging injuries that you don't hear about.

 

 

I guess Braylon Edwards really played well during his contract year. .

[The Artesticle]

Hi.

 

http://dinosty.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/tim_thomas-arton21215-240x240.jpg

 

Bye.

[Doc]

Mike James

 

20 ppg.

[Poe]

It depends on the player and their mentality and what they value. Some players play more for money and some play more for wins or personal achievements.

 

A player who isn't a high-market guy like Erick Dampier who will get basically all of his money through contract and little to none on endorsements, then he's likely to put in more effort when his contract is on the line.

 

Again, it all depends on the player and what he values. Erick Dampier valued money over the game. A player having a successful year goes beyond "trying your best" during the game itself. There are things off the court that affect your game. Eating habits, extra exorcises like aerobics and yoga, studying film, and overall time spent and the amount of focus put into practice and self-development. Just everything that goes into preparation to make the most out of the players abilities.

 

Quentin Richardson of the Heat lost about 25 pounds last summer. Guess what? It's his contract year.

 

 

Some players have enough natural ability where their 70% is better than most players 100%, so it is not absolutely necessarily for them to have to give it their all to be affective. Yes, every professional athlete should always play to their fullest, but unfortunately, not everyone is born with the same quality brain as their body.

Edited March 16, 2010 by Poe

[BasX]

Mike James

 

20 ppg.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIXwkkZyi9k

[Poe]

"I'm never going to change" is an awful mentality.

[fish7718]

It's an absurd theory.

 

In professional sports, you have to be giving almost 100% every night or you are going to get crushed, and it's funny that you and others think these players just care abut money.

 

Often times there are nagging injuries that you don't hear about.

 

 

I guess Braylon Edwards really played well during his contract year. .

I think you're holding up professional sports to be an godly unreachable plateau. It's funny that you DON'T think the players care about the money. It's their job of course they care about the money. Thats why the Yankees are so good players care about the money. I think you are making out to be not trying vs trying. Where it is trying and trying harder. Players not in contract years are still trying but they may not be putting for the effort players are in them are. When players get the money what is the point of trying their absolute hardest anymore? They already have a guaranteed deal now they have to do what they need to do to get by.

[EastCoastNiner]

I think you're holding up professional sports to be an godly unreachable plateau. It's funny that you DON'T think the players care about the money. It's their job of course they care about the money. Thats why the Yankees are so good players care about the money. I think you are making out to be not trying vs trying. Where it is trying and trying harder. Players not in contract years are still trying but they may not be putting for the effort players are in them are. When players get the money what is the point of trying their absolute hardest anymore? They already have a guaranteed deal now they have to do what they need to do to get by.

 

1. I never said that, so you need to get your facts straight for just once.

 

2. It's complete bull-[expletive] when people say "Oh, he's in his contract year, so he is magically going to try harder".

 

You guys are honestly retarded if you think a player can just relax and not try hard and still compete at a very high level.

 

It's pure stupidity.

[The Great iBoldin]

1. I never said that, so you need to get your facts straight for just once.

 

2. It's complete bull-[expletive] when people say "Oh, he's in his contract year, so he is magically going to try harder".

 

You guys are honestly retarded if you think a player can just relax and not try hard and still compete at a very high level.

 

It's pure stupidity.

 

It has validity. I could give you about 50 players in professional sports that have had absolutely terrible, average or sub-par numbers until their contract year. I do think there are players that don't play at a high level, either.

[fish7718]

1. I never said that, so you need to get your facts straight for just once.

 

2. It's complete bull-[expletive] when people say "Oh, he's in his contract year, so he is magically going to try harder".

 

You guys are honestly retarded if you think a player can just relax and not try hard and still compete at a very high level.

 

It's pure stupidity.

and it's funny that you and others think these players just care abut money.

My facts are straight ^

 

 

It's called talent. We are not retarded the one who can comprehend what we are saying is retarded. There is a fine line between not trying and trying and trying your hardest.

Edited March 16, 2010 by Fish7718

[Lone Wolf]

1. I never said that, so you need to get your facts straight for just once.

 

2. It's complete bull-[expletive] when people say "Oh, he's in his contract year, so he is magically going to try harder".

 

You guys are honestly retarded if you think a player can just relax and not try hard and still compete at a very high level.

 

It's pure stupidity.

At number 2. People don't say that about every player. There ARE players who do that, but every player doesn't do it.

 

Okay? So how do you explain players that do wait until the last year of their contract to boost up their numbers then drop down on their first year of their new contract?

[Real Deal]

1. I never said that, so you need to get your facts straight for just once.

 

2. It's complete bull-[expletive] when people say "Oh, he's in his contract year, so he is magically going to try harder".

 

You guys are honestly retarded if you think a player can just relax and not try hard and still compete at a very high level.

 

It's pure stupidity.

It's stupid to think that a player doesn't have the ability to play less motivated after he gets paid. Everyone has given you plenty of examples, yet you call it a coincidence...and I'm sure I can give you 100 more examples of it in the NBA.

 

Playing a sport is a job. When you want a promotion, you do everything possible to get it, work as hard as possible, work overtime, do things you usually don't do. Once you get your promotion, you're at that point where you can kick back again, still working hard...but not at a high level.

 

Just because a player isn't working his ass off, every single hour of the day and every minute of the game, doesn't mean he's not playing at a pro level. Erick Dampier went nuts in Golden State, during his contract year, grabbing 12 boards and scoring 12 points per game (nuts compared to his previous seasons), and he was always contesting shots at the rim. Once he was paid, he wouldn't demand the ball much in the post, he didn't contest as many shots, and he probably knocked off an hour every workout session, because he lost muscle mass.

 

Once Sasha Vujacic was handed his $5 million a year, he started partying, ended up with Anna Kournikova, didn't give it his all in practice, and his game suffered because of his negligence, dedicating more time away from the game because, simply put, he had the money to do what he wanted, was locked up in a binding contract, and he shot pathetic for an entire season (and now counting the second season) because of it.

 

It's not difficult to figure out. You pay a player big money for 4-6 years, and you run the risk of them slacking off. You give them the opportunity to MAKE that money, and you'll see more production from him than you ever have.

[BasX]

Hedo could fit here.