11/05/24
September 24, 2009
Shawon Dunston: Cubs Owe Me an Education: Former Chicago Cubs player Shawon Dunston has filed an objection to the team's entrance into bankruptcy that could slow its sale, claiming that he's "entitled to college scholarship funds." Dunston, who played for the team from 1985 to 1994 while earning more than $19 million in salary, had a tuition clause worth from $8,000 to $10,000. His move is curious, since he's never gone to college and says he doesn't plan to attend.
I don't get it. He doesn't even want anything from the Cubs; why did he file the letter?
posted by dfleming at 12:35 PM on September 24, 2009
If you read the article, he's not "pushing" the subject, nor does he want an education, nor it seems is he strapped for cash having earned $19m in his career and having a financial advisor.
Rather, it semes he sent the letter as a formality on the advice of his financial advisor. I suspect he doesn't care at all, as he says as much in the article- noting that if anything, he probably owes the Cubs. I wouldn't be surprised if this isn't like those cases where [MegaGiantCorp] sues [TinyMomandPopStore] for [SomeVagueLogoOrStyleInfringement]. It's not for the revenue, it's on principle to maintain a history of vigorous copyright protection for when it might actually matter.
There may be some nitpicky detail in Dunston's finances or whatever that his financial advisor feels makes this important to do as a finality. I don't think Dunston- or the Cubs- see it as anything but a legal dotting of an i.
posted by hincandenza at 12:36 PM on September 24, 2009
Having gone through a company's bankruptcy as a creditor before, I have trouble believing Dunston's comments in that article. If you have no plans to go to college and you truly don't think the Cubs should pay you the college money, why would you file the objection?
posted by rcade at 01:55 PM on September 24, 2009
If you have no plans to go to college and you truly don't think the Cubs should pay you the college money, why would you file the objection?
What if he changes his mind in 10 years?
posted by inigo2 at 02:31 PM on September 24, 2009
I call idiocy...
posted by StarFucker at 02:44 AM on September 25, 2009
I wonder why my comment referring to a PG-13 Jason Alexander movie "Dunston Checks In" was deleted by the sportsfilter censor. Oh, I get it. It wasn't censored, it was FILTERED.
posted by pullmyfinger at 11:52 AM on September 25, 2009
Because, comparing a black athlete to a primate can get you in trouble around here. I did get the bad movie reference, however.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 01:05 PM on September 25, 2009
Hand's right. It was deleted because it seemed like a weird racist crack out of left field. Sorry about the misunderstanding, but it was a pretty obscure gag.
posted by rcade at 01:18 PM on September 25, 2009
Sorry guys. The (aparently bad) joke was about his name, not his color. If it was about a white guy named Billy Bob Dunston, I'd have made the same joke. BTW, I'm a Cubs (NL) and Yankees (AL) fan and have been since the 1950's. Thought Dunston was the greatest ss since Mr. Cub played short.
posted by pullmyfinger at 03:05 PM on September 25, 2009
It was totally because we have a rule against reference to that movie. Otherwise people get all quote-happy when it's mentioned and the thread derails.
posted by yerfatma at 04:09 PM on September 25, 2009
He may be entitled, but it's been 15 years since he played. That alone should disqualify his objection. Why didn't he push the subject before he retired?