We all know Antonio Davis is under contract for one more year ranging around nearly 14 million dollars for this upcoming season. His family resides in Chicago where he was happy playing. But recently he was traded to the Knicks who in my opinion talent wise are at least on par with chicago. And a very professional coach that appreciates veteran players. But now hes refusing to dress for the Knicks. Demands a buy out of his 14 MILLION dollars because he does not want to relocate his family. The NBA season will last 9 months at most. He would be away from his family for 9 months, with christmas breaks, and all star breaks in between. I for one think this new trend is ridiculous. These are the most spoiled, selfish people ive ever seen. Honestly. He could just rough it out for 1 year and donate the 14 million to charity, or for people that need the money so desperately. He could accept that when he signed the contract that a trade would be in the cards. Why do these players think theyre above the league that gave them everything they have. Why hasnt David Stern put his foot down. With all this talk about dress code and professionalism, this is the biggest problem with the NBA and their players in my opinion. Gary Payton, Alonzo Mourning, Vince Carter, Karl Malone, Sam Cassell, Steve Francis, Baron Davis to name a few have all done this too but their contracts were never as large as Antonio Davis's ridiculous salary. He should be greatful to even have a chance at that size of cotract.
Maybe he can't feed his family???? Your right though, this is getting old really fast. BTW - he should be gratefull to have a contract 1/4 of that size. Every NBA player should be gratefull.
I don't have a problem with what Antonio is doing. If I was unhappy with my work atmosphere, I would consider a different job. He doesn't like NY, but he likes Chicago. THere's nothing wrong with what he's doing. If he doesn't want to play, the Knicks don't have to pay him. That's what Jim Jackson did for a month last year and for that month he was not paid.
The Knicks DO have to pay him. Whether he plays or not...its not like he doesnt play and they dont pay him. When under contract theyre forced to pay him, just like he is forced to play. But hes refusing, and just doesnt feel like it. He cant just switch jobs like any of us, we didnt sign any papers promising wed play our hardest and give 100% to our organization. If we suck they fire us. They cant fire him which is the problem with the league.
Why should NBA players be particularly grateful? They are higly talented and they are paid accordingly. One in one million US people can play professional basketball. Anytime one in a million can do something, he/she will get paid great amounts of money (actors, scientists, successful businessmen etc)
If he doesn't want to work in NY, I have no problem with him finding a job in Chicago, just not playing for the Bulls.
Youre joking right? So should Bill Gates not be grateful for being the richest man in the world? Should Tom Arnold not be grateful that he somehow became a famous actor? Youre telling me Lebron has nothing to be grateful for? To be an 18 year old kid whos 6'8, 250lbs and a 40inch vertical? Its not like he earned it... Therefore he should be grateful.
A lot of teachers, firefighters, NYPD, etc are highly talented at their jobs, but they get paid squat. Fact is... they get paid LARGE sums of money for playing a sport. They should ALWAYS be grateful for the wealth and life they have been blessed with. I make a fraction of the amount these guys make and I am plenty grateful.
first of all you should print the whole story. antonio davis doesn't want to play in NY because his mother back in chicago is SICK AND IN THE HOSPITAL, ABOUT TO HAVE SURGERY can you blame him for that? i agree some athletes are spoiled assholes, but before you try to label someone as something know the whole story.
that's not his point, his point is that they are one in a million talents and they get paid like it. i know a lot of people like to play the teacher card, but the fact is there are hundreds of thousands of teachers and only a couple of hundred of people talented enough to play in the NBA.
and 14 million dollars couldnt put her in the best of care in new york city right? You act as if hes never done this before? He whined his way out of Toronto because he didnt want his children learning Canadian history (then send them to a private school), and then whined and sat out a season while he was in Chicago when they werent good. Now theyre good and all of a sudden his mother just so happends to be sick and he wants to play for them. Why dont you know something about the story also before hailing Antonio Davis an NBA angel. I am not labeling one person, im labeling a trend within the league. If you want to debate than debate about the growing concern in the lack of humbleness that the league used to have.
No they don't. Jim Jackson was under contract w/N.O., refused to report, and was subsequently was docked salary for every game that he missed. Antonio Davis is under contract w/ N.Y., refuses to report, and will subsequently be docked salary for every game that he misses.
The Knicks should be able to suspend Antonio Davis just like the Jim Jackson situation. I don't have a problem with him not wanting to play for New York. I do have a problem with him demanding a buyout of his contract, instead of just leaving the money behind.
You know, when my grandmother was ill, my dad didn't demand that his job transfer him to Virginia Beach. He took vacation and travelled there on his own dime and energy. So while I'm glad Davis is considering his mother, her illness doesn't entitle him to break his contract on his terms. Period. A contract works both ways and many players seem to forget this. The team is obligated to pay them, but they are obligated to play. If they want the flexibilty to "quit" a team, then don't sign a contract. Or sign a contract that specifies the terms of termination of such contract when either party is dissatisfied.
can you blame someone for not wanting to play for toronto??? the raptors are eventually going to make the move to america because no one wants to play there. and why should antonio be forced to move his sick mother and the rest of his family if they want to live in chicago?? sorry, i can feel for him on this one because moving a sick older women that far of a distance isn't good for her health, it's better for her to stay there.
First off, that was part of his point. Basketball players are highly talented and get paid accordingly. Well there's a lot of people that are highly talented at the job they do but don't get paid that much. And just because only a fraction of the general public plays professional doesn't mean a fraction of the general public can play period. There are hundreds upon thousands of perfectly capable, struggling actors, musicians, athletes, etc waiting for their chance. Now the truly rare professions, such as (for example) those in the technical/machinery fields where only a handful of people in the world have the training to operate a certain piece of equipment, well they get paid according to that speciality but STILL it is not in the millions. And once upon a time, these athletes didn't make that kind of money. And my point is the mere fact that these athletes are highly talented, highly skilled and highly rich should make them grateful.
Only because pro-sport (and all other forms of entertainment such as movie and music) is a luxury while school is not. If we had one pro basketball team for each elementary school in the country, there would be a lot more people who would be "talented" enough to be a pro player. And they'd be paid very little. But the NBA will not allow that many teams. They can and make a lot more money that way because pro sport is a luxury. If we could limit only 30 schools in the country, and hire only the most talented teachers, they would be paid millions of dollars too. Uh, why are we debating this? Maybe this thread should be in the D&D. As for Davis, he can always retire and stay wherever he wants. But if you get paid according to your contract, then you have no choice but to work for it.
You mean anytime one in a million can do something profitable ... Just 'cause you're the only one in the city who can blech louder than a jackhammer doesn't mean you'll get paid for it. That said, yeah, quit your b****in' and get over yourself. You're getting paid 14 million to play A GAME! Hell, I PAY to play basketball sometimes. The Bulls - borderline playoff team. The Knicks - borderline playoff team. Use some of your wealth to rent yourself an apartment in NY and fly your sorry ass down to Chicago on your off days. Hell, I have friends who's work flies them all over the country for months at a time. Take about a comma off your salary Antonio and that's all they're making. They have family too. Yet they seem to be able to make it work.
