Free Agent Money

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Know when I loved sports the most?

Yeah, as a kid, of course, when I didn’t know what the players made.

Oh, it helped when I didn’t know that they were jerks either.

My first sports hero was Wilt Chamberlain. 

Wilt was massive, and he was great. I’ll never forget seeing him play live at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium.

He didn’t look like a regular man.

He looked like a superhero!

And then there was O.J.

Every kid in Buffalo adored O.J. 

He ran like a deer. He smiled constantly and he talked about how much he loved our city.

And then, he stopped showing up for work!

Yes, O.J. was the first star I was worried about because he sat out before the season started.

He wanted more money even though he was under contract. The Bills were standing up to him, and it got close to the start of the season.

I’m not sure how much O.J. ended up getting paid to return to the team, but he did, just before the season started.

Then he hurt his knee.

What I remember most was my Dad’s reaction to the new contract.

“He plays with a ball. The dog plays with a ball.”

I didn’t listen to my father then. 

I was just happy our star was back.

You know what?

I’ve used Dad’s line about a thousand times through the years.

If Dad heard what the Bills just paid Josh Allen…

…well, I can’t even imagine what he’d say about it.

I hate the free agency period for all sports. I wish they wouldn’t tell us what these guys were getting paid, and while I don’t begrudge them…

…it’s simply crazy.

Juan Soto got $765 million for 15 years.

He will be great for five years, good for five, and an absolute albatross around the neck of the Mets for five.

Will there be a billion dollar contract?

Probably…

…because while I saw the Allen contract as absurd, my boys said:

“He deserves it. He works hard.”

Well, I know exactly what Dad was feeling all those years ago.

I’m out of bed before the sun comes up nearly every day of the year.

Working hard doesn’t always bring you a $50 million a year paycheck.

They play with a ball! The dog plays with a ball.

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