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He had a head-waxing appointment that he couldn't break.
Agreed, They treat these guys like crap while they play. Then "for the love of the game" they are expected to come and show their teeth for all the fans to wave at.Bradshaw has long practiced no showin. And I respect Montana for staying away as well.So
Let's face it....the NFL is a league that, while you are in the league, you aren't an individual. You are just another piece of the NFL shield. Montana isn't under that shield anymore and considers the NFL like anyone else wanting him to appear. I don't see a problem with it.
Treat these guys like crap??It seems to me, I could be wrong, but I think I read somewhere that the NFL has allowed these guys to make a pretty comrfotable living. The fact that he demanded more for one appearance than many Americans make in a year demonstrates that the NFL has given Montana PLENTY.Agreed, They treat these guys like crap while they play. Then "for the love of the game" they are expected to come and show their teeth for all the fans to wave at.Bradshaw has long practiced no showin. And I respect Montana for staying away as well.So
Let's face it....the NFL is a league that, while you are in the league, you aren't an individual. You are just another piece of the NFL shield. Montana isn't under that shield anymore and considers the NFL like anyone else wanting him to appear. I don't see a problem with it.
Caught a few minutes of the discussion on this on Mike and Mike. He apparently told the league he wanted to be with his family. They were talking about how he's had a strained relationship with the Pitt fans and may have been uncomfortable showing up.
IIRC he hadn't been back to Pittsburgh after his retirement until a Monday nighter back in 2002 against the Colts, during which he was honored at halftime.
That's fair and all, but if only 3 previous Super Bowl MVPs don't show up it certainly looks weird. And Montana was already in Detroit for the buildup week anyway.He's well within his right to do this, but it comes off as him being a jerk.
It would come off as me being a jerk if I didn't fly to Louisiana for the function with my old employer.Problem is, I honestly wouldn't care. I only owed them 100% effort while I was working there. I gave them that. So did Joe. Why should he *have* to come back?
Let's clarifyyou'd have to be FLOWN to louisiana (first class of course)
I understand what you are saying, but the NFL didn't pay his salary. The 49ers did, and they did so because he was bringing in 10 times that for the organization. Who knows if he "loves" the game. It doesn't really matter. IMO, if he loved the game, he would have probably come back. I would have a problem with Montana if he snubbed his organization like this, but the NFL, not so much.Treat these guys like crap??It seems to me, I could be wrong, but I think I read somewhere that the NFL has allowed these guys to make a pretty comrfotable living. The fact that he demanded more for one appearance than many Americans make in a year demonstrates that the NFL has given Montana PLENTY.Agreed, They treat these guys like crap while they play. Then "for the love of the game" they are expected to come and show their teeth for all the fans to wave at.Bradshaw has long practiced no showin. And I respect Montana for staying away as well.So
Let's face it....the NFL is a league that, while you are in the league, you aren't an individual. You are just another piece of the NFL shield. Montana isn't under that shield anymore and considers the NFL like anyone else wanting him to appear. I don't see a problem with it.
Beyond that there is the whole love of the game issue.
To me Joe just fell several rungs on the people I respect list. Low class move.
He had a strained relationship with the organization and even the fans for many years. But that has been eliminated in the past several years. He was honored at that Monday night game and he was given the loudest ovation of all the players that were there. He has since then talked at length about how wrong he was for staying away for so long and how glad he was that this was behind him and he is a part of things again.So,
You're sure milking this "my old employer in LA" thing, aren't you. Not exactly the same situation.Montana was already in Detroit for Super Bowl week. He didn't take part in a ceremony honoring almost every other Super Bowl MVP who did show up. He would have tossed the coin instead of Tom Brady.
Isn't it painfully obvious that I agree that he doesn't have to be there, but probably should have? Of course this is my opinion, what kind of response is "that's your opinion, and it's as valid as mine"? Was I somehow giving them impression that I was responding from the only reasonable, valid opinion?
If 100K was my opportunity cost for coming to LA for that night (whether that was the pain I'd feel from opposing co-workers, work I could be doing in Missouri, etc...), then no, I still wouldn't go.In a nutshell, those "perks" you listed above are commonplace, and not worth all that much to someone like Montana (whose time has more FMV than you and me combined). If he felt like his time could be better served somewhere else, that's his decision.
But he was already in Detroit for most of the week, most likely making money for being there. The league was how he became "famous". He didn't have to appear if he didn't want to, but not appearing because of money,especially when he has made millions because of the NFL, just doesn't seem to high class.
No, I was just clarifying, and trying to avoid personal attacks that come from defending a person's opinion like it was an extension of their own self-worth. It happens too often in here.
the opportunity cost thing is a stretchhe has every right to skip it. But a lot of football fans think a lot less of him today. I for one am in that group. The NFL wants to recognize him, give him some props for his great career, and he'll only do it if the price is right.If 100K was my opportunity cost for coming to LA for that night (whether that was the pain I'd feel from opposing co-workers, work I could be doing in Missouri, etc...), then no, I still wouldn't go.In a nutshell, those "perks" you listed above are commonplace, and not worth all that much to someone like Montana (whose time has more FMV than you and me combined). If he felt like his time could be better served somewhere else, that's his decision.
I don't feel he's a "jerk" for wanting to do something else with his night. That's his choice. If you feel he's a jerk for not showing up, that's your opinion.
Problem is, I don't think he cares either way.
He contributed at least 5 times to the NFL than he ever got from the league, in terms of popularity, exposure, etc.I would strongly disagree with the position that he "owes" the league something. He owed them his best effort while he was an employee. I'd argue he did that.
And that's fine. If you really want to make a statement, those of you that disagree with his move should avoid products he advertises for, etc.Not everyone likes recognition.the opportunity cost thing is a stretchhe has every right to skip it. But a lot of football fans think a lot less of him today. I for one am in that group. The NFL wants to recognize him, give him some props for his great career, and he'll only do it if the price is right.If 100K was my opportunity cost for coming to LA for that night (whether that was the pain I'd feel from opposing co-workers, work I could be doing in Missouri, etc...), then no, I still wouldn't go.In a nutshell, those "perks" you listed above are commonplace, and not worth all that much to someone like Montana (whose time has more FMV than you and me combined). If he felt like his time could be better served somewhere else, that's his decision.
I don't feel he's a "jerk" for wanting to do something else with his night. That's his choice. If you feel he's a jerk for not showing up, that's your opinion.
Problem is, I don't think he cares either way.
I guess this REALLY speaks to what he thought of the NFL then. Like I said before, I'd probably have a problem with it if he snubbed the 49ers in this manner. They are the ones that made him who he was, not the NFL.the opportunity cost thing is a stretchhe has every right to skip it. But a lot of football fans think a lot less of him today. I for one am in that group. The NFL wants to recognize him, give him some props for his great career, and he'll only do it if the price is right.If 100K was my opportunity cost for coming to LA for that night (whether that was the pain I'd feel from opposing co-workers, work I could be doing in Missouri, etc...), then no, I still wouldn't go.In a nutshell, those "perks" you listed above are commonplace, and not worth all that much to someone like Montana (whose time has more FMV than you and me combined). If he felt like his time could be better served somewhere else, that's his decision.
I don't feel he's a "jerk" for wanting to do something else with his night. That's his choice. If you feel he's a jerk for not showing up, that's your opinion.
Problem is, I don't think he cares either way.
Exactly. The "old employer" example would work if your previous company wanted to honor you and other former employees at a dinner ceremony celebrating your contributions to the company. You were already in Louisiana promoting this formal dinner but declined to be in the ceremony because you weren't paid enough.Completely your decision, but not everybody is going to like it and many are going to find it curious at best.
at all the righteousness directed at montana
Opportunity cost argument (I think you missed my response to that post):
show up for the dog & pony show for free or you're a jerk...lol
This is how full the NFL is of themselves. It's laughable at best.
I didn't miss it, I just wasn't floored by it or anything.Opportunity cost isn't exclusively measured in money, but obviously you know that. Montana did the "math" in his head and made a decision, obviously it'd have taken some cash to make it worth his while.
I would figure he'd account for the accolades (and even the backlash) in his calculations. It's not all about money, but you can put a monetary value (however subjective) on anything you want.
Was not for freeThey were arranging money making promo activity, they just could not guarantee how much $$$ he would make
show up for the dog & pony show for free or you're a jerk...lol
I don't know, but like I said above ("even the backlash"), I'm sure he tried to take that into account.I don't think it'll cost him much. Remember, we're just on a stupid message board, no matter how opinionated we are.
In his estimation, less than $100,000
I still don't get where you're going with this -- this simply isn't as eye-opening as you may think. Everyone knows about opportunity costs.Montana made the decision he thought was best for him. No one disputes that ... but we don't have to agree with it. Doing the best thing for yourself is sometimes going to make you look like a jerk (to some people). What's the issue here?
Montana just looks bad here, with almost all the other MVPs sticking in town for the ceremony.I'll also say that the NFL probably shouldn't have let their most famous Super Bowl icon miss out on the ceremony over a mere $100k. In my opinion Montana looks like a jerk for asking for the money guaranteed, but the NFL should have tried harder to make sure he was there since the next milestone Super Bowl isn't for 10 more years.
Fixed.ETA: besides, you conveniently glossed over the fact that MONTANA DEMANDED MORE MONEY TO SHOW UP.
show up for the dog & pony show for free $1000 cash plus about $5,000 in goods & services or you're a jerk...lol
Bradshaw didn't show because he said he wanted to spend time with his family. He didn't tell the NFL to show him the money. If Montana had said that he had to spend time with his family (whether that was true or not) he wouldn't be getting ripped like he is for needing a guaranteed payday.
If you don't get this, then you don't know football. REAL football.These guys are meat to them, for every Montana there are 2000 scrubs making a couple hundred thousand a year.
These guys are meat to them, for every Montana there are 2000 scrubs making a couple hundred thousand a year.
It's not that they ask them to play hurt. It's that there are plenty of guys willing to play hurt. That's the competition in that job. If you have two guys of equal talent, the guy who's willing to play hurt is the one that is more valued, just as the guy willing to spend extra time in the weight room or watch extra film on his own time at home is valued over the guy that doesn't do those things. It's not a requirement from the league, it's a competitive advantage among the players.
Again,
.You can't be serious. Oh, I forgot. This is FBG where the average poster makes $500k a year.I'm pretty sure everyone agrees with this.
Obviously, some people do care. I don't. But, I don't understand how some people don't see why he's going to be seen as a jerk for this.
You seem to have a rather distorted view of what "good money" is.If you don't get this, then you don't know football. REAL football.These guys are meat to them, for every Montana there are 2000 scrubs making a couple hundred thousand a year.
If you take out the guys who play 10 years in the league the average career is 1.7 years.
Add in the Montana et al. and the average goes up to 3.5 years.
They treat them like crap, ask them to play hurt and pay them good $ only if they become a star player.
If his gig is 100 LARGE then good for him if he can get it. If they don't want to pay, then he has every right to say no thanks.
And really, the two QB's who won 4 Superbowls were missing. But did anyone REALLY care?
Not me.
First of all, just because you and I understand opportunity costs doesn't mean that the rest of the public does. Yes, it's a basic economic principle, but many either didn't learn it, or don't realize that it applies, even here.Secondly, yes, he made the decision he felt was best for him. And yes, you're going to look like a jerk. I'm arguing that he wasn't a jerk, because the basic premise of many arguments is that he "owes" the NFL (or fans) something. If you look at my past responses, I argue that's untrue. He gave 100% every time he was at work. That's all an employee *ever* owes.
But, how many professions do your customers follow your every move even after you've left the company? I'm not saying he owed anything to anyone, but I don't think you can just compare an NFL employee to the fry guy at your local McDonalds. This job is different. If Joe doesn't want to keep "giving," he will be seen as a jerk.Personally, I don't see it as reason to call him a jerk because I don't require my favorite athletes to be perfect.
