ADP Compares the NFL to Slavery (1 Viewer)

[JbizzleMan]

Score another one for the owners.

The NFLPA really needs to get their members to shut the #### up if they want to win this battle. IMO the owners are currently winning in the court of public opinion and the players are not helping themselves with quotes like this.

 

[Bri]

here's the bulk of the text

SC: We're talking about 15 minutes after the NFLPA sent in the paperwork to decertify, so the lockout's on everybody's minds. I've talked to a lot of players about this recently, and I always ask the same question — what is the message you want to get out to the people who love the game and are tired of hearing all the labor talk?

AP: We're business-minded, also. It's not just fun and games. A lot of football players, whether it's Sunday or Monday night — we're out there on the field, competing, hitting each other. But people don't see everything else behind it. It's a job for us, too — every day of the week. We're in different states, sometimes thousands of miles away from our families and kids, and a lot of people don't look at it like that. All some people see is, 'Oh, we're not going to be around football.' But how the players look at it … the players are getting robbed. They are. The owners are making so much money off of us to begin with. I don't know that I want to quote myself on that…

SC: It's nothing that I haven't heard from other players, believe me.

AP: 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 … the owners are trying to get a different percentage, and bring in more money. I understand that; these are business-minded people. Of course this is what they are going to want to do. I understand that; it's how they got to where they are now. But as players, we have to stand our ground and say, 'Hey — without us, there's no football.' There are so many different perspectives from different players, and obviously we're not all on the same page — I don't know. I don't really see this going to where we'll be without football for a long time; there's too much money lost for the owners. Eventually, I feel that we'll get something done.

But this crazy idea about an 18-game season … I'm sure they want more entertainment and more revenue, but we're not going to see a pinch of that (the increased revenue), and it's just the business we're in.

SC: It seems to most of the players that if the owners had nothing to hide financially, and if the current business model was as unsustainable as they claim, they'd have no trouble opening the books and showing audited profit and loss per team. Is that your impression?

AP: Exactly! It's like … '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. Why not? Obviously, there's a lot to hide -- these guys are professionals, and they're maximizing what they do. But they know that if all this information comes out, the information the players want, it'll be right out there for everyone to see. It's a ripoff — not just for the players, but for the people who work at the concession stands and at the stadiums. The people working at the facilities, you know?

<a name="remaining-content"> SC: Do you feel that you're represented well by DeMaurice Smith and George Atallah and what now used to be the Players' Union?

AP: Yeah, I think so — they're doing a good job. And with the veteran guys on board, and the player reps, they give us a lot of confidence.

SC: Obviously, last season was a disappointment for the Vikings — your team went 6-10 while the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears played for the NFC championship, and the Packers won the Super Bowl. How do the Vikings get back to the top of the NFC North? And how should you get that new quarterback now that Brett Favre(notes) is gone?

AP: We need to make some adjustments. Obviously … I mean, Favre hasn't retired yet! (laughs) You never know!

 

[Bri]

Seems like he was comfy chatting.

Slavery doesn't have to be a racist issue, it can "just" be a negative issue. He didn't seem to make it that, but instead refer to all players which includes quite a few races.

He's so not the first to say it or insinuate it.

People that try and bring him down for this are as likely to bring him down as NFL LBers.

 

[Bri]

The NFLPA really needs to get their members to shut the #### up if they want to win this battle.

I want to hear what the players think.

 

[JbizzleMan]

Seems like he was comfy chatting.Slavery doesn't have to be a racist issue, it can "just" be a negative issue. He didn't seem to make it that, but instead refer to all players which includes quite a few races.He's so not the first to say it or insinuate it.People that try and bring him down for this are as likely to bring him down as NFL LBers.

I'm not laughing at his quote from a RACE standpoint, I'm laughing at it for the fact that NFL players make a lot of $$$. They're hardly slaves and are free to do whatever else they want to do. Glen Coffee decided that the NFL wasn't for him and he quit. Players need to quite pretending that they have a rough life and can hardly survive on their paychecks. If I'm the NFLPA representative I am bringing out ex-nfl players with terrible medical ailments that can hardly afford the treatment. Definitely NOT multi-millionaires who show up in 100K cars and $3,000 suits B%%$%$ about how their bosses are so mean to them.

 

[JbizzleMan]

Also the NFLPA needs to bring out players on practice squads...guys that make less than 100k a year and still get beat up a bit. Make it clear that they are who they are really fighting for or else it looks like the NFLPA are just a bunch of greedy players.

 

[The Captain]

I missed the part in Roots where Chicken George signed an $11,000,000 contract.

 

[Dave Baker]

Saying it's not about race is correct. It's about how slaves were treated. And in that context, Peterson couldn't be more of an idiot. Slavery is when people are treated as property and forced to work. NFL players are treated no more as property than any other lawfully employed person in this country. And they certainly are not forced to work. Argue as you may about whether the players are justified for their turning down the owner's latest offer (which frankly surprised me greatly), but to compare the players, who are paid a minimum of about $300K annually, to being treated like modern-family slavery is comical and idiotic.

 

[Football Critic]

I missed the part in Roots where Chicken George signed an $11,000,000 contract.

Players are spoiled, and it sickens me how they react when they should just be on the field and not speaking, wait that would be slavery. But no, they are allowed to argue with their bosses and turn down deals, that is nothing like slavery. Ask them about the guys cleaning toilets making 28 thow a year, they are more the slaves then the guys who make millions. Ignorant statement from an ignorant person, ADP just showed us why he will not win any awards for being smart.

 

[G-Money]

No matter how you twist it, it was a POOR choice of wording.

 

[Dr. Awesome]

The NFLPA needs players to speak up...but they need to make sure the players are well coached beforehand. What a stupid comparison.

 

[FavreCo]

I missed the part in Roots where Chicken George signed an $11,000,000 contract.

Outstanding!!!!!!!

 

[Orange Crush]

It's not surprising to me to hear a black athlete make that reference. Many black athletes I've known in college majored in either Sports Management or African-American Studies, and have come across, and taken to heart, the book Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete by William Rhoden. The entire book uses the slave analogy, in an attempt to shame black athletes into knowing more about black history, and to put their highly paid position in society in context to that history, encouraging them to use that money to create greater opportunities for black people and to somehow change the white ownership / black worker relationship of sports.

Does that mean those athletes can understand and use those arguments in an articulate manner during a 15 minute interview or will he make a wretched attempt and end up sounding like an idiot? ...

 

[Dr. Awesome]

It's not surprising to me to hear a black athlete make that reference. Many black athletes I've known in college majored in either Sports Management or African-American Studies, and have come across, and taken to heart, the book Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete by William Rhoden. The entire book uses the slave analogy, in an attempt to shame black athletes into knowing more about black history, and to put their highly paid position in society in context to that history, encouraging them to use that money to create greater opportunities for black people and to somehow change the white ownership / black worker relationship of sports.

Does that mean those athletes can understand and use those arguments in an articulate manner during a 15 minute interview or will he make a wretched attempt and end up sounding like an idiot? ...

You believe black athletes are too dumb to hold intelligent discussions? Wow.

 

[Orange Crush]

It's not surprising to me to hear a black athlete make that reference. Many black athletes I've known in college majored in either Sports Management or African-American Studies, and have come across, and taken to heart, the book Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete by William Rhoden. The entire book uses the slave analogy, in an attempt to shame black athletes into knowing more about black history, and to put their highly paid position in society in context to that history, encouraging them to use that money to create greater opportunities for black people and to somehow change the white ownership / black worker relationship of sports.

Does that mean those athletes can understand and use those arguments in an articulate manner during a 15 minute interview or will he make a wretched attempt and end up sounding like an idiot? ...

You believe black athletes are too dumb to hold intelligent discussions? Wow.

All black athletes? Absolutely not. Some are absolutely brilliant. And some have, in the words of Mike Ditka, the IQ of a grapefruit. That's why I made my last statement an either/or. Because the answer will vary based on the individual.

 

[Heatman]

It's not surprising to me to hear a black athlete make that reference. Many black athletes I've known in college majored in either Sports Management or African-American Studies, and have come across, and taken to heart, the book Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete by William Rhoden. The entire book uses the slave analogy, in an attempt to shame black athletes into knowing more about black history, and to put their highly paid position in society in context to that history, encouraging them to use that money to create greater opportunities for black people and to somehow change the white ownership / black worker relationship of sports.

Does that mean those athletes can understand and use those arguments in an articulate manner during a 15 minute interview or will he make a wretched attempt and end up sounding like an idiot? ...

You believe black athletes are too dumb to hold intelligent discussions? Wow.

That is not at all what he said. Nice try twisting his words.

 

[comfortably numb]

I totally get why lawyers tell you to shut the hell up when speaking in public or when questioned.

 

[Dr. Awesome]

It's not surprising to me to hear a black athlete make that reference. Many black athletes I've known in college majored in either Sports Management or African-American Studies, and have come across, and taken to heart, the book Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete by William Rhoden. The entire book uses the slave analogy, in an attempt to shame black athletes into knowing more about black history, and to put their highly paid position in society in context to that history, encouraging them to use that money to create greater opportunities for black people and to somehow change the white ownership / black worker relationship of sports.

Does that mean those athletes can understand and use those arguments in an articulate manner during a 15 minute interview or will he make a wretched attempt and end up sounding like an idiot? ...

You believe black athletes are too dumb to hold intelligent discussions? Wow.

All black athletes? Absolutely not. Some are absolutely brilliant. And some have, in the words of Mike Ditka, the IQ of a grapefruit. That's why I made my last statement an either/or. Because the answer will vary based on the individual.

Sorry. Only *some* black athletes are too dumb to talk to.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

boo hoo

 

[nelly29]

ADP you sir are an idiot

 

[meatwad1]

[No message]

 

[GroveDiesel]

It's not surprising to me to hear a black athlete make that reference. Many black athletes I've known in college majored in either Sports Management or African-American Studies, and have come across, and taken to heart, the book Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete by William Rhoden. The

entire book uses the slave analogy, in an attempt to shame black athletes into knowing more about black history, and to put their highly paid position in society in context to that history, encouraging them to use that money to create greater opportunities for black people and to somehow change the white ownership / black worker relationship of sports.

Does that mean those athletes can understand and use those arguments in an articulate

manner during a 15 minute interview or will he make a wretched attempt and end up sounding like an idiot? ...

You believe black athletes are too dumb to hold intelligent discussions? Wow.

All black athletes? Absolutely not. Some are absolutely brilliant. And some have, in the words of Mike Ditka, the IQ of a grapefruit. That's why I made my last statement an either/or. Because the answer will vary based on the individual.

Sorry. Only *some* black athletes are too dumb to talk to.

Pretty much. Some white athletes are too dumb to talk to as well. They're just less likely to talk about being slaves.

 

[FUBAR]

Also the NFLPA needs to bring out players on practice squads...guys that make less than 100k a year and still get beat up a bit. Make it clear that they are who they are really fighting for or else it looks like the NFLPA are just a bunch of greedy players.

You mean the people who most likely received a full scholarship to college, aren't good enough to make it onto a roster, and make more than 95% of Americans? Yeah, not feeling too badly for those guys either.

 

[PainGain]

CEO's of the companies that we work for are millionaires. And the company wouldn't make all that money if it weren't for the workers. But u don't see us workers calling it slavery or making an NFL player's yearly salary in our entire lifetime.

Grow/Wise up ADP!

 

[cobalt_27]

Where can I apply for this modern day slave position? It seems like a pretty lucrative gig.

 

[duaneok66]

Rhoden was just trying to make a buck - I actually picked up the book and read a few pages at the bookstore - after a few minutes I was disgusted and put it back down . . . the post about the guy that said he missed the part about Chicken George signing for 11 mil in Roots was easily the best post of all time . . .

I'm a Sooner alum, but AP just shhut up and play - if you have a beef take it to your rep, and stay out of the press - you are making yourself look stupid . . .

 

[duaneok66]

someone also alluded to this earlier, these guys are entitled from the minute they show special ability in sports - they are treated exactly OPPOSITE of how slaves are treated . . .

of course, that constant entitlement leads them to be spoiled, which is what is showing up now when their supply of money is threatened - they aren't used to people telling them NO . . .

 

[JetMaxx]

It's not surprising to me to hear a black athlete make that reference. Many black athletes I've known in college majored in either Sports Management or African-American Studies, and have come across, and taken to heart, the book Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete by William Rhoden. The entire book uses the slave analogy, in an attempt to shame black athletes into knowing more about black history, and to put their highly paid position in society in context to that history, encouraging them to use that money to create greater opportunities for black people and to somehow change the white ownership / black worker relationship of sports.

Does that mean those athletes can understand and use those arguments in an articulate manner during a 15 minute interview or will he make a wretched attempt and end up sounding like an idiot? ...

You believe black athletes are too dumb to hold intelligent discussions? Wow.

All black athletes? Absolutely not. Some are absolutely brilliant. And some have, in the words of Mike Ditka, the IQ of a grapefruit. That's why I made my last statement an either/or. Because the answer will vary based on the individual.

Sorry. Only *some* black athletes are too dumb to talk to.

VERY lame attempt to draw, or encourage others to draw the wrong conclusion from his comments. ADP comes across as a complete fool with this.

 

[Donnybrook]

I love how people over-react. I really didn't think Newton calling himself icon was that big of a deal either. Unfortunate choice of words that is about it.

 

[cobalt_27]

I love how people over-react. I really didn't think Newton calling himself icon was that big of a deal either. Unfortunate choice of words that is about it.

You're probably right. They must've meant nothing by them. Just slip of the tongue.

 

[Agent575]

Can't believe how many people jump all over the players for #####ing because of the money they make. What about the owners? These guys are as guilty as anyone for the current situation and they have enough to be cutting the checks to the players you think make too much money.

If you were the players...its not like they said no more money for you...the owners said they want a billion dollars more per year ...A BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR...and cited "costs" as the reason but will not show anything (forget opening the books completely) to illustrate any of that.

So as some of you seem to imply, the players should #### and play...so if they give in here, what stops the uber-rich owners from coming up next year or 3 years from now and say, "We want 2 billion dollars more"? Will you still say #### players and play because you make far more than most Americans? If you were them, would you really be ok with that? For those that answer yes...please understand that people like me want to watch good football games played by good football players and not a ridiculous mess of half-wit clowns who will bend over just because they were asked to by their boss. At what point would the players be justified to ##### in your eyes? When they made less than a million? 100k? 50k? less than what you make? Seriously.

If my costs increased in this situation and I genuinely needed more money to deal with it, while I wouldn't want to open my books I certainly would understand that backing up my statement would be basically necessary especially if there would be any trust in the matter and thus would come up with something.

Step 1. Stop paying top picks like Jamarcus Russell 60M and cap that and pay retired player and such...

Step 2. Just set things up using percents so as business grows, things remain relative (hopefully)

Step 3. Split #### 50/50 like mom taught you to when you were a kid you greedy tards

Step 4. Play football and quit being dumb.

Warning: this is just my opinion...don't burn any calories trying to change it...I do realize you probably know more about all of this than I do...and at the very least think you do which is good enough...just wanted to add an opinion that wasn't Pro-uber-rich-owners.

 

[Truman]

Step 3. Split #### 50/50 like mom taught you to when you were a kid you greedy tards

Players currently get 60% of revenues, owners are left with 40% to cover costs and make a profit.

 

[Neil Beaufort Zod]

Step 3. Split #### 50/50 like mom taught you to when you were a kid you greedy tards

Players currently get 60% of revenues, owners are left with 40% to cover costs and make a profit.

They also don't shorten their life spans, they retain the appreciating asset (the team) and have a lifetime of guaranteed revenue (unless you think television ever won't fall over themselves to air games). They also get this deal for decades, while the the average player is lucky to get five years. If the cut was 60/40 WITHOUT the $1 billion exemption (much less $2 billion) the NFL owners would be just fine. Peterson's comment was beyond inappropriate, simply because nobody's forcing him to sign those contracts. Quit and get another job if you're being treated that badly. But the owners hold all the cards and the players have an opportunity to make some big money for a few years and sacrifice their bodies for a dozen years or more for that chance (counting high school and college football, plus the years they eek out in the NFL). They're not the same after playing and I can see whsy the players would think the owners are being cheap.

That'[s a big jump to "slavery" though. Bad choice of words, as other NFL players have stated.

 

[RUSF18]

Can't believe how many people jump all over the players for #####ing because of the money they make. What about the owners? These guys are as guilty as anyone for the current situation and they have enough to be cutting the checks to the players you think make too much money. If you were the players...its not like they said no more money for you...the owners said they want a billion dollars more per year ...A BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR...and cited "costs" as the reason but will not show anything (forget opening the books completely) to illustrate any of that. So as some of you seem to imply, the players should #### and play...so if they give in here, what stops the uber-rich owners from coming up next year or 3 years from now and say, "We want 2 billion dollars more"? Will you still say #### players and play because you make far more than most Americans? If you were them, would you really be ok with that? For those that answer yes...please understand that people like me want to watch good football games played by good football players and not a ridiculous mess of half-wit clowns who will bend over just because they were asked to by their boss. At what point would the players be justified to ##### in your eyes? When they made less than a million? 100k? 50k? less than what you make? Seriously.If my costs increased in this situation and I genuinely needed more money to deal with it, while I wouldn't want to open my books I certainly would understand that backing up my statement would be basically necessary especially if there would be any trust in the matter and thus would come up with something.Step 1. Stop paying top picks like Jamarcus Russell 60M and cap that and pay retired player and such...Step 2. Just set things up using percents so as business grows, things remain relative (hopefully)Step 3. Split #### 50/50 like mom taught you to when you were a kid you greedy tardsStep 4. Play football and quit being dumb.Warning: this is just my opinion...don't burn any calories trying to change it...I do realize you probably know more about all of this than I do...and at the very least think you do which is good enough...just wanted to add an opinion that wasn't Pro-uber-rich-owners.

You posted this in the wrong thread.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Ownership = Capital.

Employees = Labor, commodity.

Peterson is expressing a notion most notably first raised by Marx, that (allegedly) there is no justification for ownership of capital and that all forms of labor in a capitalist society are inherantly "slavery" {"throw off your chains," etc.}.

Ok, Peterson is not the only one in the world with a misunderstanding of the implications and dangers of his principle. No one should expect celebrities whether entertainment or sports to be experts on anything outside their field. They are just opinions.

Some day Peterson will probably have enough money to be an owner of some enterprise - or even a sports franchise himself. If and when that's the case ask him how he would like to just transfer ownership of HIS property over to his employees because one of them throws a verbal hand grenade.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Seems like he was comfy chatting.Slavery doesn't have to be a racist issue, it can "just" be a negative issue. He didn't seem to make it that, but instead refer to all players which includes quite a few races.He's so not the first to say it or insinuate it.People that try and bring him down for this are as likely to bring him down as NFL LBers.

The racial aspect of the institution, isn't what makes using the term "slavery" a ridiculous statement. By AP's definition 90% of the population are treated like slaves. At least he's a house slave, rather than a field slave.

 

[duaneok66]

sadly, this thread has veered off topic - like alot of threads in this pool . . .

 

[Donsmith753]

And he's not even black...

 

[shader]

ADP could quit right now and live a long and luxurious life wherever in the world he wants to. He is young enough to have a long career ahead of him in any field he chose. He has the money to go back to school, start a business, or invest in countless different ways.

Comparing his situation to cotton picking slaves is just a little out of whack.

I do get the premise of what he's saying...as I do think the owners are greedy.

If you take out the "slavery" part, he didn't say anything out of hand. But I'm sure people will jump all over that statement, which is why you let the big boys talk.

 

[faulkfan]

CEO's of the companies that we work for are millionaires. And the company wouldn't make all that money if it weren't for the workers. But u don't see us workers calling it slavery or making an NFL player's yearly salary in our entire lifetime.Grow/Wise up ADP!

I hear the comparison between regular jobs and jobs in professional sports a lot, but I don't know if it is a fair analogy. I am betting that most of us didn't sign a contract that read like stereo instructions and needed a team of lawyers to go over to make sure we didn't get screwed backwards if we got a hangnail and missed a day of work. We probably don't have a large gaggle of people who are chasing us down trying to get us to invest in every crackpot scheme they can come up with or extended family expecting us to make enough to cover them for life too. We probably aren't recognized throughout the country and feel the need to bring security guards with us when we travel because you never know when some half crazed fan of another team will jump out of a dark alley with a gun. We also probably don't have a skill set that is only marketable for a few years meaning we have to make our entire life's income in 10 years of work, assuming we don't get hurt. I teach, if I tear my ACL and can't cut and break tackles like I used to I can still teach. The problem is that we try to compare our life right now with $10,000,000 in the bank with the life of a highly visible celebrity with $10,000,000 and it is very different in my opinion. It is also worth noting that there are probably 10,000 people in a 100 mile circle of your job who can do exactly what you do with a little training, where there is a much smaller pool of top tier athletes. And while we say they shouldn't complain, the fact is that I am guessing we all complain about how we are treated at our jobs on occasion, but no one sticks a mic in our face and then broadcasts it to the world.I'm not saying the players are right for complaining or the owners are right for wanting more of the pie, I'm just saying that my life doesn't compare to the life of a professional athlete for more reasons than just the paycheck and to think differently seems inaccurate. A lot of slaves would have given anything to be treated the way ADP gets treated (1st class flights, big house, per diem, etc.) and the statement was out and out silly, but we have all felt unappreciated in our work, he just chose an inappropriate analogy.

 

[Orange Crush]

It's not surprising to me to hear a black athlete make that reference. Many black athletes I've known in college majored in either Sports Management or African-American Studies, and have come across, and taken to heart, the book Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete by William Rhoden. The

entire book uses the slave analogy, in an attempt to shame black athletes into knowing more about black history, and to put their highly paid position in society in context to that history, encouraging them to use that money to create greater opportunities for black people and to somehow change the white ownership / black worker relationship of sports.

Does that mean those athletes can understand and use those arguments in an articulate

manner during a 15 minute interview or will he make a wretched attempt and end up sounding like an idiot? ...

You believe black athletes are too dumb to hold intelligent discussions? Wow.

All black athletes? Absolutely not. Some are absolutely brilliant. And some have, in the words of Mike Ditka, the IQ of a grapefruit. That's why I made my last statement an either/or. Because the answer will vary based on the individual.

Sorry. Only *some* black athletes are too dumb to talk to.

Pretty much. Some white athletes are too dumb to talk to as well. They're just less likely to talk about being slaves.

Yes. What GD said.

 

[Yenrub]

So will this comment drop his redraft draft value? I have the 3rd pick would love to see him slip down to me

 

[Dr. Octopus]

So will this comment drop his redraft draft value? I have the 3rd pick would love to see him slip down to me

Are there any slaves in your league that may take offense?

 

[DropKick]

Maybe ADP feels this way because he was "bred to be a race horse". At least, that's how Howard Cosell explained it to me.

Chicken George! I love it.

 

[The Real Hipster Doofus]

I missed the part in Roots where Chicken George signed an $11,000,000 contract.

 

[CrossEyed]

Apparently Rashard Mendenhall felt it necessary to defend these ridiculous comments.

 

[trader jake]

People that compare ______ to slavery or _______ to Nazi's ALWAYS end up sounding like idiots.

There is no comparison to those two things. At least I have not read one that helped the speaker illustrate their point more than it makes them sound like an overreaching clown or completely out of touch.

Welcome to that club AP.

 

[FavreCo]

Umm, AP...Um Rastard. You can quit. Either quit or ####.

 

[cobalt_27]

Worst part is there are more the knuckleheads who actually take what they have to say with more than a grain of salt.

Thankfully, we have seen bigger idiots than AP and Mendenhall go for tryouts on the social commentary circuit and fail worse than this...and the earth hasn't spun off its axis yet. But this whole line of thinking is truly the product of two individuals who lack any sense of history or perspective.