cmunic8r99: They should go back to using college players.

Or just cancel the while damn thing. Sort of sick of the greedy bastards anyway.

Payment is not always in the form of currency or legal tender. Sometimes the ability to get out, be a part of something world wide, something that may last forever, see another country, another world, another country, meet people just like you from places you may have never thought of, sometimes thing like that can be considered payment. It wont feed the dogs or pay the rent, but when you are rich as fark already that may not matter. Or some pro ballers can continue to be the closed minded, egocentric twats with the same world view at 30 that they had at three.

yeah, no.

/oblig

JohnBigBootay: cmunic8r99: They should go back to using college players.

Or just cancel the while damn thing. Sort of sick of the greedy bastards anyway.

no, hell no. first, the best players are one-and-dones and they won't risk injury and missing out on their first big paycheck. second, there will always be top-notch players to join the US Olympic Team and they will pressure others top-notch players to go along for the ride for whatever reason.

Being "paid" in the traditional sense seems asinine, but I see no problem with them getting a cut of jersey sales, etc. It's pretty easy for us to wax poetic about the pageantry of the Olympics and the mystique of representing your country when it's not our likeness being used to sell merchandise.

Killer Cars: Being "paid" in the traditional sense seems asinine, but I see no problem with them getting a cut of jersey sales, etc. It's pretty easy for us to wax poetic about the pageantry of the Olympics and the mystique of representing your country when it's not our likeness being used to sell merchandise.

Well, despite what they may think, playing (and winning) in the Olympics helps a player's "brand" back home and abroad. Many more people watch the Olympics than the NBA.

He has back tracked from this statement. Keep up, Fark.

Of all the Olympic athletes that could make a case for being paid, the NBA players are the least worthy. I wouldn't have a problem giving the swimmers or x-country skiers or gymnasts a little something, but NBA stars who take a month out of their busy schedules of SUV shopping and champagne room-rainmaking to go to the Olympics? GFY.

bottsicus: Of all the Olympic athletes that could make a case for being paid, the NBA players are the least worthy. I wouldn't have a problem giving the swimmers or x-country skiers or gymnasts a little something, but NBA stars who take a month out of their busy schedules of SUV shopping and champagne room-rainmaking to go to the Olympics? GFY.

Pretty much...unless you're at a Michael Phelps level of popularity, you ain't getting squat but free room and board for a month or so.

NBA players...at least any that would be on the Olympic team, probably make thousands of times more than their other Olympic counterparts...

Dewayne Wade is having a problem getting by on $15,691,000 a year.

And, that's just his NBA check.

Olympics make billions off athletes trying to get a tiny gold plated medal for honor. I can see why the few athletes in the sports that are watched have a complaint. They get hurt on the hobby and they could lose their job.

and now, after realizing that he sounded like a monumental douche, Wade is backpedaling....

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ihatedumbpeople: bottsicus: Of all the Olympic athletes that could make a case for being paid, the NBA players are the least worthy. I wouldn't have a problem giving the swimmers or x-country skiers or gymnasts a little something, but NBA stars who take a month out of their busy schedules of SUV shopping and champagne room-rainmaking to go to the Olympics? GFY.

Pretty much...unless you're at a Michael Phelps level of popularity, you ain't getting squat but free room and board for a month or so.

NBA players...at least any that would be on the Olympic team, probably make thousands of times more than their other Olympic counterparts...

Dan Patrick had a good point about that today. He compared the stars of NBC shows like Office and 30 Rock and said the ones who make the show popular get the most money. Basketball is not the star of the summer Olympics, so let's consider paying the gymnasts and swimmers first, since NBC makes more money from them. That's the premise behind the high salaries of most professional athletes.

bottsicus: Of all the Olympic athletes that could make a case for being paid, the NBA players are the least worthy. I wouldn't have a problem giving the swimmers or x-country skiers or gymnasts a little something, but NBA stars who take a month out of their busy schedules of SUV shopping and champagne room-rainmaking to go to the Olympics? GFY.

I would say the opposite should be true, since the other athletes pretty much solely exist for the Olympics. The Olympics is actually worth less than the hassle it causes to athletes in sports people want to watch.

mohron: Basketball is not the star of the summer Olympics

Yes, it is.

There's a certain point at which volunteer work gets in the way of my actual job. I get where he's coming from. Why should he give away his skills when others pay him millions of dollars for them?

Killer Cars: Being "paid" in the traditional sense seems asinine, but I see no problem with them getting a cut of jersey sales, etc. It's pretty easy for us to wax poetic about the pageantry of the Olympics and the mystique of representing your country when it's not our likeness being used to sell merchandise.

The US National team is sponsored by Nike, who already pays Wade quite a bit. I'm fairly sure Nike gets a cut of those jersey sales, and since Wade is already paid by Nike, you could argue that Wade is already being paid for his Olympic time. Same goes for Ray Allen.

If you're being paid, say, $200,000/year to do your job, would you want to go work some temp work during your vacation time for free?

Also, it's not really a game once everyone demands 100 percent success from you in every single game you play - if you lose, you will be ripped to shreds in the media.

/I'm also in favor of it going back to actual amateurs

IAmRight: If you're being paid, say, $200,000/year to do your job, would you want to go work some temp work during your vacation time for free?

I don't get three months vacation.

Doogled: The US National team is sponsored by Nike, who already pays Wade quite a bit. I'm fairly sure Nike gets a cut of those jersey sales, and since Wade is already paid by Nike, you could argue that Wade is already being paid for his Olympic time. Same goes for Ray Allen.

I'm not sure on the language/details of those sponsorship deals, but possibly, yeah.

What's worse though, is that I initially read your post as "The US National Anthem is sponsored Nike..." and didn't even blink. Welcome to Corporate America.

Treygreen13: bulldg4life: ghts and just want to make sure the US team gets the gold.

Not to mention NBA players who go to represent their home country regardless of whether or not they're getting paid, or if they win. But because they feel pride in their nation and want to compete.

[www.blue22.net image 453x329]

I'll be honest here and you can boo all you want, but those guys are suckers. You think Nike, Coke, GM, etc. give farkall about patriotism as they rake in millions of dollars off of these guys' labors? Are they going to compensate me for the wear on my body - the thing that makes me money by playing for two months? I'm supposed to run the risk of ending my career for nothing simply for patriotism.

Emotions are great, but this is money and business. I'll tell you what the owners think. They hate it.

I was disapointed when I heard Ray say this. Seems like a smart guy.

Have any players come out and said that Allen and Wade are full of it and shouldnt be invited to participate?

Gunny Highway: Have any players come out and said that Allen and Wade are full of it and shouldnt be invited to participate?

Well, LeBron is actually the one who said that they should do it out of pride and respect...

Rapmaster2000: There's a certain point at which volunteer work gets in the way of my actual job. I get where he's coming from. Why should he give away his skills when others pay him millions of dollars for them?

He isnt being forced to volunteer. Im sure they could find a squad of guys who are willing to do it for free.

Maybe NBA players should only be able to compete in the Olympics once.

/if they should be playing at all
//shoulda, coulda, woulda.

bulldg4life: And, Olympics sports definitely have gymnastics, swimming, soccer, and track & field as the star events.

Bingo.
Those are the sports the housewives that spend hubby's money watch, and get more advertising money. Well, except soccer. But all the soccer-philes in the US will watch that, while most basketball fans wait for highlights until the gold medal game. IF the US even qualifies for it.

gtfan92: Gunny Highway: Have any players come out and said that Allen and Wade are full of it and shouldnt be invited to participate?

Well, LeBron is actually the one who said that they should do it out of pride and respect...

KILL HIM! Wait....nice job, LeBron.

bulldg4life: IAmRight: would you want to go work some temp work during your vacation time for free?

The off-season isn't vacation time...

The top level players are in camps and practicing and working out already. That's why they are top-level players. You could even look back and see how many players referenced the Olympics as keeping them in shape and preparing them for the next NBA season.

While it isn't vacation time, it isn't game time either. Olympic games are much more demanding, dangerous physical play than the average player will do in the offseason.

This is akin to the debate in the NFL of removing two preseason games and replacing them with two regular season games because according to the owners "it's still two games."

Ambivalence: Olympics are only once every 4 years. It takes serious money to train and maintain an olympic caliber athlete.

Except maybe for curling.

/curling rocks

They are suppose to be amateur games. I use to support NBA players playing for the Olympics. After this, good god no.

Ambivalence: Olympics are only once every 4 years. It takes serious money to train and maintain an olympic caliber athlete.

Except maybe for curling.

/curling rocks

With most of the "obscure" sports, there are programs to at least keep very high-level athletes provided for through the USOC, and USA-(whichever sport). People like skiers and swimmers can get by no problem with that, a little sponsorship money here and there, and they can coach younger athletes on the side. As for NBA players, fark off. They already get paid buckets of money, they should just be honored to represent their country and have an AWESOME experience.

At most, I could defend an insurance fund for big money athletes like NBA players, so that if they get hurt while playing for Team USA, they can have healthcare and some compensation if their NBA career is damaged or ended by a big injury. But they don't need a salary to go to the Olympics.

mohron: while most basketball fans wait for highlights until the gold medal game. IF the US even qualifies for it.

There is so much wrong with this statement.

mohron: bulldg4life: And, Olympics sports definitely have gymnastics, swimming, soccer, and track & field as the star events.

Bingo.
Those are the sports the housewives that spend hubby's money watch, and get more advertising money. Well, except soccer. But all the soccer-philes in the US will watch that, while most basketball fans wait for highlights until the gold medal game. IF the US even qualifies for it.

The US hasnt qualified for the final game three times. Ever.

They had a tough stretch in the 80's

Treygreen13:

For the guys who have plenty of money and aren't worried about their particular geographical location when they sustain an injury playing basketball - it's not an issue. For the people who are desperate to cling to every last penny they can get in their career and feel that it's only worth risking themselves doing their job in a meaningless regular season game in Utah - they can just not go.

Cool with me. I'm just saying that I understand what D Wade is saying. I'm sure there's plenty of guys that want to play and I'd love for them to play. If D Wade thinks it isn't worth his time then I understand.

IAmRight: mohron: Basketball is not the star of the summer Olympics

Yes, it is.

Really? So 90% of the TV coverage of the 2008 games was basketball and not these two guys?




Coulda fooled me.

bulldg4life: HMS_Blinkin: At most, I could defend an insurance fund for big money athletes like NBA players, so that if they get hurt while playing for Team USA, they can have healthcare and some compensation if their NBA career is damaged or ended by a big injury. But they don't need a salary to go to the Olympics.

I've got to believe that is already considered. I mean, I'd be shocked if it wasn't already planned out.

Probably that, or I wonder if NBA contracts have clauses that say a player's contract but still be honored if he is hurt playing for Team USA in international competition. And that's fine if they have that----players shouldn't be in a position where going to the Olympics is risky for their professional careers, but they shouldn't be profiting from it, either.

Sports are not a job. It's entertainment. You should be lucky you're able to make a living at all, minstrel.