Wow. Did anyone catch Tiki Barber on Conan O'brien the other night? He aired something about fines in the NFL that I never knew about. When a player or coach gets fined in the NFL (They were talking about the $750,000 fine levied to Bill Belichek), the fine does not hurt the player financially. When a player gets fined in the NFL, the fine goes to a charity and the player can then write off the fine as a charity donation on their tax return. What a bunch of B.S. that is! These players today are so overpayed and then to hear that a fine does not even hurt them makes me disenchanted with major sports - even though that sports is one of my passions.
I go watch more minor league baseball games than I do major league baseball because I became disenchanted with the owner of the Cleveland Indians (My reason is because after years and years of sellouts every night the Indians have had a rough couple of years attendance-wise and he had the nerve to complain about attendance - the current owner of the Indians bought the team at the tail end of their good run in the 90's) You get alot more bang for your buck at the minor league games - especially if you have kids. The up and coming players are hungry, they hustle on every play, you don't see huge egos, and alot of the players even take the time to sign autographs for little kids. In the end, it's a great overall experience and I would highly recommend that anyone out there take your kids to a minor league game next season.
Getting back to the fine situation - what is your take on it? I think that it is a joke - these players make millions of dollars. If they get big fines, that only helps them come tax season. So, in the end, there really is no punishment for when a player breaks the rules or acts inappropriately. I'm actually surprised that Tiki Barber let the cat out of the bag on this. I wonder what his peers think of him airing that information and if they will blackball him? At any rate, I thank Tiki for educating myself on this travesity!
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Comments: 12
1) not only do they get to deduct the fine off their salary, I am sure it lowers the taxes because it lowers their income. For example if you make $100 and are fined $10, you tell the IRS you made $90 --- not sure about that, but I think
2) most of the 'charity' players do is not directly charity. For example if a play says he is giving $1,000 for each home run he hits, it is probably part of his contract that the TEAM pays that --- again it doesn't really affect how much he takes home, but does make it look like he is digging deep in his pocket.
3) the only fine that really gets a player is a suspension, since it directly affects how much they make, and the possiblity to achieve incentives. Like if a play gets $30,000 if he plays 140 games, but gets suspended for a month --- he has less of a chance to get that played-games incentives
4) it is tough when there is a bad fan/owner relationship. Cleveland had the same deal with the Browns. I listen to Tom Hamilton, because I am a Tiger fan and the Indians are definately on the radar. It amazes me that you have a first place team, but don't sell out. In fact I have a feeling I could get a ticket to the the Tiger-Indian game next week
btw --- great season Indians, too bad Bisons
for got to add
regardless if the league or the player pays
it is still money that goes to charity
though I am indifferent about financing
our life though bad things
Please check the tax laws. Try to take the fines off your taxes when you get caught for speeding or DWI. And see what happens.
I'd think whether or not these fines are legitimate deductions would have to do with to whom the check is written. If the NFL tells Belicheck he has to make a $750,000 contribution to, say, the Red Cross and the check is made out directly TO the Red Cross, then I suppose Belicheck could deduct it. But if Belicheck has to pay the NFL that amount, then the NFL turns around at the end of the season and makes contributions to charities of their choice with all the fine money they collected, it would be the NFL that could claim the deduction, not the individual players.
I smell lots of audits in the NFL now that this little kittie is out of the bag.
It is rather disturbing that the player or gets fined is allowed to take a tax deduction for bad behavior. Next time I get a traffic ticket, I think I will try to deduct it.
2) Most players already give something to charities, so for the most part, is a nothing more than a money swap. A fine of $100,000 to a guy making $5 million, is 2%.
3) Ditto for those sentenced to public service. Make speeches at the local schools or run a camp for disadvantaged youth and if you get into trouble, you get sentenced to making speeches at local schools or putting in time at a camp for disadvantaged youth.
4) Whenever they want the issue to affect the bottom line, it is a business; whenever they want exemptions from the rules that regular businesses have to follow, it is a sport.
5) In 67 AD, Nero, an entustic team owner as well as emperor, was declared the chariot champion -- despite his not finishing the race.
6) In 388 BC, Eupolus, a boxer from Thessaly bribed three opponents to take a dive. He was fined a sum of money that could build six bronze statues of Zeus.
7) In 420 BC, Sparta was fined 200,000 drachmai for attacking Fort Phyrcus during the Olympic truce. Sparta refused to pay. As a result, the Spartans were prohibited from participating in the Olympics that year.
8) In 484 BC, the city-state of Syracuse induced sprint champion Astylos to quit Kroton. His hometown tore down his statue and turned his house into a prison. His family renounced him, and he died alone, but he goes down in history as the first free agent.
9) So what is new?!