Seems Baker Wants A Lockout
July 10th, 2017
Hints at labor unrest.
It seems the guy who allegedly doesn’t like to practice is lobbying for more off-time.
Before Joe gets rolling here, some background for clarity. Remember, there are two Joes who bang on keyboards daily here to provide cherished readers quality Bucs copy. One is a big-time NBA guy. The other, who is typing this post, is a former fan who now abhors the non-basketball association. This Joe believes the game radically changed and is unwatchable, and Joe does his very best to ignore it.
(You should see all the words Joe has in a Twitter filter to avoid being assaulted daily by the NBA, soccer and golf. There must be 150 words and names in the filter.)
Apparently, some basketball player got a big contract over the weekend. Whoop-tee-do. Joe doesn’t care one lick but is happy for whoever got the cash. Joe couldn’t tell you the player, but it created such a stir that the news crept into Joe’s Twitter feed despite all the barriers and, Joe witnessed Las Vegas sports bars barraging fans with the news via various televised BSPN feeds.
Well, apparently the news has some NFL players hacked off and new Bucs defensive tackle Chris Baker is one of them. It annoyed Baker enough that he spent time on his Twitter feed either amazed or outraged, Joe isn’t sure. But then this little tidbit showed up.
@cbakerswaggy: Can we just have another lockout I want some #NBA MONEY
As Joe typed this, Baker deleted the Tweet in question.
Baker had also retweeted an item from the creator, curator and overall guru of ProFootballTalk.com, the great Mike Florio, who wrote that NFL players, if they are mad at not being paid NBA money, have only their own colleagues to be p!ssed at because they voted for the current labor agreement.
Florio is absolutely correct. Don’t like the pay scale? Don’t vote for it. Real simple. The players voted for it, so now they have to live with it barring a walkout.
But this notion that just because NBA players (or baseball players who get handsome, guaranteed contracts) get paid more than NFL players doesn’t jibe with Joe. At all. It’s not even the same industry. Just because a guy can play football doesn’t mean he can play basketball and vice versa.
This is like arguing an actor gets paid more than a circus performer. Apples and oranges. Should workers at a Ford plant in Michigan be paid the same as Boeing workers in Washington?
Should NFL players get paid more? Damn right. In a perfect world, they’d earn more than any other sport because of the damage they do to their bodies. NHL players would be second in line.
But the NBA having better salaries than the NFL is meaningless news. Two different industries. Just because BSPN has both on its channels doesn’t mean the sports are equals.
If Baker and his fellow association members feel they got a raw deal out of the current labor pact, they have no one to blame but their colleagues. They voted to approve it.
July 10th, 2017 at 7:10 am
NBA players making 40-50 mil per year. It’s a joke. Was a diehard magic fan and didn’t miss a game for years . Now there are these super teams, or players go to LA or A big city for party life. No loyalty Players wine. Players flop and act like they get fouled every drive to whole. Small market team like magic will never have a chance to win championship win guys sell out like they have been doing.(KD to warriors-please) 2 or 3 teams legitimately have a chance To win NBA every year.
On flip side , nfl players are warriors and could severely injure their bodies any given day. They are tough guys. They should make more money.
July 10th, 2017 at 7:18 am
I cant stand the nba now either. Yes Joe they voted for it. Plus they are getting paid plenty already. If they all start whining about money people will slowly tune out. 82 games in bball, 16 nfl. Those contracts are outa control, i do agree with that. Ive checked some out and it appears an nba player gets about a million per year per point/game. Great work if u can get it. Get ur fat fanny in shape baker. Go bucs
July 10th, 2017 at 7:25 am
Not a fan of the NBA or Baseball, but if it were only to do with the damage players do to their bodies you wouldn’t have Soccer players earning what they do and the highest earning Rugby players earning less than $1M a year! Starting to worry about Bakers attitude though, doesn’t seem like the kind of guy you want on a young team!
July 10th, 2017 at 7:26 am
Much ado about nothing. IMO, and given what I’ve seen about his demeanor, my guess was he was saying that partly in jest. Anyway, about the disparity in salaries, just look at the labor pools for each sport. The NFL has nearly 1700 active roster players. The NBA has between 360-450 players. The broadcasting deals currently in place are NBA-$24 billion, NFL-$27 billion. Do the math. Much more money to go to each individual NBA player. Simple as that.
July 10th, 2017 at 7:51 am
This is a stupid discussion. I guess NFL players don’t understand the difference between 53 and 15 man rosters. Simple math says that NBA players are always going to make 3.5 times the salary on an NFL player with even money being available. That’s without taking into the account that a superstar in the NBA has a tremendous effect on the wins and losses of a team. The only position close to the same impact is the QB and they are paid handsomely for it. The NFL has shared revenue and hard salary cap and the result is a game that is more popular than any other sport in North America. People should find another mule to beat on because this one is dead on arrival.
July 10th, 2017 at 7:52 am
Sounds like Baker will done with the Buc’ or shall I say the Buc’s will be done with him soon !!!
July 10th, 2017 at 7:57 am
Of more concern than the higher NBA salary should be the types of contract differences between the NFL & MLB…….in MLB the contracts are all guaranteed…..If you sign a $50 mil contract….you get the $50 mil…..in the NFL if you sign a $50 mil contract, you are lucky to get $20 mil.
July 10th, 2017 at 8:20 am
I agree Mike.
It’s only words so lets see how he does on the field but so far he seems like a lazy but physically talented player that has lost a sense of reality after getting paid millions.
I am all for these guys maximizing what they can get, but proposing a lockout is not going to make him a fan favorite.
July 10th, 2017 at 8:31 am
“Should NFL players get paid more?”
Heck no!
They are already making insane amounts. They only play 16-20 games per year (if not injured or suspended). I don’t watch NBA, but don’t they play something like 80 games a year? Same with hockey?
If anything, I feel these sports leagues are overpaying their players drastically. So what if they risk injury? They play a sport! They knew the risks…and the pay…when they entered the league. They have the option of walking away at any time if they feel they can get a better deal doing something else.
I could get behind increasing the minimum salaries for the bottom players, but that’s all I would agree with.
As to Baker and his comment, I think he was just making a joke and he doesn’t actually ‘want a lockout’. He must have immediately realized some media guy would have no sense of humor and report on his comment, suggesting that he really wanted a lockout.
Congrats, Joe! You fit the bill! lol
July 10th, 2017 at 8:32 am
Most of us probably don’t give a rats arse about NBA vs NFL salaries. But what is significant (to me at least) is that our newest FA acquisition makes it sound like he’s more interested in $$$ than he is in getting this team to the playoffs. OUR GM, coaches and Jameis have worked super hard to get this team totally focused on winning. Last thing the Bucs need is a 1st yr Buc potentially sewing dissatisfaction among the other players ref $$$ and practicing. I like Baker but IMO he needs to get himself refocused on T-E-A-M. Hard Knocks will eat that up if it continues.
July 10th, 2017 at 8:32 am
If NFL players want more money, they should have to give something up…like guarantees. And Injury settlements (since the increase in salary is supposed to make up for the injury risks).
July 10th, 2017 at 8:35 am
Defense Rules Says
“But what is significant (to me at least) is that our newest FA acquisition makes it sound like he’s more interested in $$$ than he is in getting this team to the playoffs.”
That was my first thought too. But then I realized he was probably making a joke. Sort of like we would say ‘I wish I could be paid millions to sit at home injured’ doesn’t mean we actually want to be injured.
July 10th, 2017 at 8:37 am
Used to BE my favorite sport…over the NFL. Now I can’t stand watching it, even for 30 secs. The traveling that takes place is just too unbearable to watch considering how much love I had for the game. Unbearable for what they’ve done to the REAL game of basketball. Any records that are broken today from old-timers should be thrown in the trash cause it’s disrespectful and downright disgusting. Michael Jordan is the greatest BB player of all time. If LeBron stops traveling so damn much, one should consider him, but he unfortunately doesn’t play the game of basketball. That goes for everyone else too.
I’ve debated this with NBA fans. 99% of the time they have no defense. They still love it though. Much like those WWF fans when you tell them it’s fake. They don’t care how fake it is. The NBA today is NOT basketball.
July 10th, 2017 at 8:37 am
Honestly, I did not care for the Baker signing in the first place, but I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt since he’s here and there is no changing it this year…at least until he gets on the field and gives me reason to like or dislike him.
July 10th, 2017 at 8:43 am
I get it- but it’s simple economics. The NBA has 1/2 the revenue the NFL has but it only has to share it wit 11- 15 players per team, not 53 plus a practice squad. If the NFLPA wants to fight for a higher sharing %, fine (NBA sends 51% to players).
July 10th, 2017 at 8:44 am
And yes I know my post had really nothing to do with the article.
It’s just that hearing or reading about the BSBA gets me started up.
Damn I loved that game.
Btw…Go Bucs!
July 10th, 2017 at 8:51 am
Talk less work more baker
July 10th, 2017 at 8:56 am
These guys should never talk about money regardless if they are right or wrong. No average fan is ever going to feel sorry for them when they make more in one contract than most fans will earn in a lifetime. And to top it off, they are playing a game they love to get that ridiculous amount of money. SMH
July 10th, 2017 at 8:58 am
Stupid.
I can complain that my job doesn’t pay NBA money as well. Who cares.
A waiter doesn’t make what DR makes. What’s the point?
He comes across as Whiney
July 10th, 2017 at 9:14 am
Am I the only one who thinks this guy is a joke. He’s lazy and has a bad attitude. I used to tell dirk when he was young that those are the two worst things people can say about you. Thankfully dirk listened
If he doesn’t show up and show out release his Ass after the season.
July 10th, 2017 at 9:33 am
Unfortunately a lot of people are greedy and will never have enough. That’s why players demand contracts they know will hurt their team. So, a players making six million a year complains about not making 60 million. In reality, it comes down to individual skill set and our personal decisions. I don’t have everything I want, but I do have everything I need. I suggest the Baker count his blessing instead of worrying about the small percentage of the population that makes more.
July 10th, 2017 at 9:35 am
It does seem ludicrous, because of money they make doing what they love, which is way more than the average joe who goes to work 365.NBA rosters are much smaller than an NFL roster and there are always players at the end of the bench. NBA has two rounds in the draft, NFL 7
July 10th, 2017 at 9:37 am
Terrance Knighton, now out the league really went on the rant as PTF has an article. Baker and Knighton are very close, played high school football together and also played 2 years in Washington.
July 10th, 2017 at 9:38 am
All pro athletes shouldn’t be getting payed millions upon millions of dollars. I know it is almost a ten billion dollar industry, I guarantee you won’t hear one guy in any sport say they do it for the money and not the love of the game. So cry me a river Chris Baker and any other player who feels like this in any other sport. There’s millions of people with more important jobs getting payed peanuts to what pro athletes make for playing games.
July 10th, 2017 at 9:42 am
That sounded like a off the cuff comment. I wouldn’t put too much stock into that.
July 10th, 2017 at 9:47 am
ALL superstar athletes in ALL “team” sports are vastly underpaid imho.
“Maximum salaries” are a crock … 25-30 NBA owners would happily give LeBron James $80 mil PER YEAR if there was not a “cap” on what he could earn … same thing in football with the star QBs …
July 10th, 2017 at 9:50 am
By the way, if salaries weren’t capped, we would see true parity. The top 32 players in the NBA would all play for different teams as they’d be getting that crazy $$$$ and not “teaming up”.
There is already a lot of parity in the NFL so it’s nowhere near as big an issue as it is with the NBA
July 10th, 2017 at 10:00 am
Bonzai, I agree with you that Baker was probably just making a joke. Noticed in today’s paper that Lavonte and OJ both tweeted kinda similar things. I’ve never liked this loooong downtime between end of OTAs & start of training camp. Seems like it’s awfully easy during those dead weeks to make ‘much ado about nothing’ as some writer once wrote. Of course, Shakespeare did write that as a comedy.
July 10th, 2017 at 10:00 am
As stated above simple math gets the NBA players more than any other sport, but more importantly this guy Baker seems like a season long hamstring injury or shoulder injury, seems he is content with cashing bucs checks suiting up amd going through the motions
July 10th, 2017 at 10:25 am
There’s nothing that stops the NFL players from getting $40 million a year…..if a player is deemed that valuable, a team will pay it. Its that simple. Sit out until they pay you what you are worth and that’s where the rubber meets the road. They cant sit out because even though they make income to be in the top tax brackets, most live check to check at best. They lack the self discipline to position themselves for a tough negotiation and are forced to cave before each season. That’s not the owners faults…..thats on the players. There’s a reason the rich stay rich and 75% of athletes are broke in 5 yrs after they leave the league.
July 10th, 2017 at 10:55 am
The very thing that enables the HUGE NBA salaries is the reason I’m generally bored now. In a battle of titans in the final like Golden State-Cleveland I at least watched highlights and parts of two games. That about sums up my interest.
2 or 3 guys in the NBA can dominate…in the NFL even as important as #3 is to our team he’s not indespensable going forward. If LeBron bolts Cleveland for LA one team becomes an also ran and the other a contender…all based on one player. Even Tom Brady cannot change the balance in the NFL like that.
Hockey certainly needs a great goalie like the NFL needs a QB but even though only five guys are on the ice at one time the teams really need 12 good players to roll four lines and six defensemen. Hockey is somewhere between football and basketball in the relative importance of individual players.
July 10th, 2017 at 10:55 am
im kinda starting to not like this dude
July 10th, 2017 at 10:56 am
unions destroyed productivity of the american worker, lowered standards, crippled the auto industry and other manufacturing in this country. it’s only fitting they destroy the sports leagues too.
July 10th, 2017 at 11:35 am
@tmax bro, well said unions are the concubines or ineptitude. Where I work now they have protected a D-BAG who hung a noose in the office. Their concept was initially noble but their practices are misguided and senselesslyprotect horrible people.
On the topic at hand I agree with most that NFL should be paid more than NBA. However, these guys play a game. To be paid this amount of money to play a game that most of us played in highschool and college. I was first informed the risk of playing my mighty mite year of Pop-Warner and every year of the 16 years I played thereafter.
I have three friends blown up from IED’s for what would be just over minimum wage.
July 10th, 2017 at 11:41 am
Joe put down the bottle Baker didn’t delete shi*
July 10th, 2017 at 11:47 am
Baker ain’t joking either take your head out of the sand beach kids
July 10th, 2017 at 11:51 am
James Harden Houston Rockets 70mil a year for 4 years.
July 10th, 2017 at 12:06 pm
Baker is a free spirit and didn’t practice well with his last team. The Bucs knew what they were getting; as a member of the posse helping the d line play. I agree with the NBA bashing. Unwatchable. Too much one on one, little passing/footwork, traveling, carrying the ball issues to name a few. Now, another big problem: The players themselves determining who is going to win the championship by all the stars going to the same team. So, you’ve got 3 or 4 teams where attendance is great and the rest of the poor slobs of teams getting peanuts with ABSOLUTELY no change of winning. The commission had better figure this out. Also, being from Chicago, I love Michael Jordan, but I must admit , he got away with murder on the court. Not only on his defense (What referee is going the call a 6th foul on him), but he started the 3 1/2 steps to the basket.
July 10th, 2017 at 12:18 pm
I used be a big kings fan back in the day. After that western conference finals i quit warching the nba. I don’t understand how ppl can watch it now.
July 10th, 2017 at 1:23 pm
If he lines up against Sweezy in camp…Baker will either work or get pounded into the truff. Sweezy is a hardworking and mean. Get ready for camp fireworks between those two.
July 10th, 2017 at 2:46 pm
Its this type of attitude that turns off some people to sports. Fans don’t want to hear this crap nor do they care if a multimillionaire is jealous of somebody who is richer.
I live paycheck to paycheck just like most average fans do and I’m happy for what I’ve got. Somebody tell this big ole crybaby to get off his high horse and get with reality. Nobody cares about his b!tch except reporters trying to write a story. In other words…..shut up and make some tackles. And spare us the woe is me, I’m so poor speech.
Funny thing is he will probably be one of those dumb azz players that finds himself pennyless a few years after his football career.
July 10th, 2017 at 2:53 pm
Nba players make more because the rosters are much smaller.
July 10th, 2017 at 3:19 pm
Years ago we were about ready to tee it up and one of the guys said how many mulligans do we get per nine.
Someone else spoke up and said you can have as many as you want but it’s not golf.
I don’t know what they are playing but it’s not basketball.
July 10th, 2017 at 4:46 pm
I don’t like this Baker guy. I hope he just plays and shuts his mouth. Sounds like a short-term rental to me.
July 10th, 2017 at 5:51 pm
This is insulting, take a look at my paycheck a-hole.
July 10th, 2017 at 5:54 pm
Try playing 80 or more games a year fat ass !
July 10th, 2017 at 9:17 pm
F him and his lockout! What a loser! There are a few people on here who should be loving this guy. Not a choir boy, a bit of a rebel. No need to worry about him buying ice cream at practice because he won’t be there. He better be damn good. Hard to imagine this guy making much of a impact.
July 11th, 2017 at 10:50 am
NBA has five starters a sixth man and a handful of reserves who play 81 games. This is 81 regular season games to generate revenue from
NFL has 22 starters, special teamers and reserves that add up to 53 man active roster and they play a minimum of 16 regular season games to generate revenue from.
To pay NFL players like NBA players would be unsustainable.
Artificial Joe #1, can I get the list of filters to block NBA on Twitter? No rebounds please.
July 11th, 2017 at 5:12 pm
The amount a player makes doesn’t make a hill of beans. If they eventually price themselves out of the working fans desposable income they will have to deal with that problem then. My concern is that this guy is worth what the Glazer’s pay him and weather him running his mouth so much effects his team mates, the BUCS are putting togather a pretty good TEAM android i really don’t want a malcontent in the lockerroom upsetting the TEAM chemistry. The BUCS seem to have a good TEAM of hard workers and i hope this 1st year BUC puts his money where his mouth shoots off at . GO BUCS!!!!
July 12th, 2017 at 5:41 pm
Blacks making plenty MONY in the NBA ….sounds like some of my fellow posters have an AGENDA!! I’m a BUCS FAN!!!
July 12th, 2017 at 9:09 pm
Nothing to see here folks. Player makes tounge in cheek comment and writers with nothing to write about make mountain out of mole hill.