So, We Lied

At the end of last night's post we indicated that we would be posting more player moves later in the evening. Unfortunately, due to some technical problems, that didn't happen. In fact, we were unable to get the daily NASCAR post at (WARNING: SHAMLESS PROMOTION ALERT) http://nascar.statleader.com/ until this morning.

Now that everything is back as it should be, we will pick up where we left off...sort of:

"I like money, lots and lots of money"

• RB Lamont Jordon to the Oakland Raiders on a five-year $27.5 M deal (that's $27,500,000.00)
• CB Anthony Henry to Dallas on a five-year $25 M deal
• DT Jason Ferguson to Dallas on a five-year 21.5 M contract
• G Marco Rivera to Dallas on a five-year $20 M deal
  
• LB Chris Claibourn to the Saint Louis on a three-year $10.5 M deal
• T Seth Payne remains in Houston on a four-year $16 M deal
• G Morlon Greenwood to Houston on a $22.5 M contract
  
• LB Antonio Pierce to the Giants on a 6 year $26 M contract
• OL Jonas Jennings to the 49ers on a seven-year $36 M contract
• DT Pat Williams to the Vikings on a three-year $13 M deal
• WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh re-signs with Cincy on a four-year $13 M deal
• DT Reggie Hayward to Jacksonville on a five-year $25 M contract

Let's see, that's 12 players for a total of $256 million. Rocket Man tells me he has been on numerous space programs that don't cost that much. Worst of all roughly 1/3 of this figure is in signing bonuses which the players get if they don't even participate in a single down.

You probably are thinking, "Doc, you only pick in these guys because you don't make that much " or "If someone offered you that much you wouldn't turn it down." Darn right on both counts. But still, the money spent on these players, which is generally more that they could spend in several lifetimes, comes out of our pockets in higher ticket prices, concession prices, parking at the stadium and so on.

The game is for the fans. However, too many of these fans are being priced out of the ability to actually go be at a game. Will the days of runaway salaries ever change? Probably not, at least as long as stadiums continue to show record attendance. But that raises the question, where is the breaking point, and what happens when it is reached?