12/21/24
January 31, 2006
True Fan or Greedy Fan?: What price would you demand (if any) if you had in your possession a piece of football history?
posted by grabofsky74 to football at 12:48 PM - 39 comments
This is stupid and this shows an extreme lack of respect for the game by this so called "fan". What a loser. First of all, as cool as seeing that dropkick was it really was not that big of a deal. Just because Flutie made that kick doesnt mean he belongs in the HOF. It was great to see and probably wont ever be seen again but to make the demands being made by this "fan" is just pitifull. I hope the Patriot organization doesn't grant a single one of them. Give Flutie back the ball and we will forget you ever existed you sick excuse for a "fan."
posted by CarolinaCowboy at 12:57 PM on January 31, 2006
There is nothing wrong with trying to profit from your dumb luck, but this guy is going overboard. I think a fair trade would be just the Brady jersey, signed by the whole team.
posted by NoMich at 12:58 PM on January 31, 2006
The guy needn't have donated it, but he is clueless about the process of negotiation, that's not even remotely close to a fair trade, as the writer says it is a ransom note.
posted by the red terror at 01:02 PM on January 31, 2006
Maybe, an autographed jersey and season ticket for a year. C'mon, it's not John Elway, Brett Favre, Joe Montana, he's not even the starting QB for New England. It's Doug Flutie!!
posted by Familyman at 01:18 PM on January 31, 2006
Good for the Pats....doesnt sound like the guy's a "true" fan of the team at all. Next we'll see it on ebay.
posted by Folkways at 01:21 PM on January 31, 2006
Good Job Pats. I would ask for the jersey signed by the team though. And maybe 2 season tix in perpetuity (if I say in perpetuity, most people don't know that that means forever and I don't look like a greedy SOB)
posted by Wrigley South at 01:26 PM on January 31, 2006
Bravo to the Pats! A real fan would have donated it to the HOF and been happy with whatever (if anything) the team gave him as a reward.
posted by commander cody at 01:26 PM on January 31, 2006
A real fan? At least he was at the game and in a postion to catch it. It went into the stands. It fell on him. The ball is his and he has the right to request whatever he wants.
posted by Robb Dubbs at 01:31 PM on January 31, 2006
I don't know why they want this ball in the Hall of Fame anyway. The drop kick is a useless play in football. Like everyone else in here I agree that the Pats are doing the right thing because this guy is out of his mind to expect these things.
posted by jmbraun773 at 01:43 PM on January 31, 2006
it was a damn drop kick, who cares if its been Forty YEars Since We've Seen It. If It happened on a play that meant something, maybe, but the play isn't that cool anyway
posted by Ultim8 at 01:57 PM on January 31, 2006
Come on you guys! What about all of these "greedy" athletes who demand everything but the kitchen sink! Enormous salaries nearing the 1/4 billion $ mark in some cases. Maybe this fan is tired of paying a month's salary to take the family to a sporting event and his tongue-in-cheek response was the ridiculous demands that we're all hollerin' about. Put the blame where it really belongs-not on the fans who finally get a chance to dish it back...
posted by rleemingear at 01:59 PM on January 31, 2006
The fan was at the right place at the right time, his choice on what to do I mean come on how many times does that happen. Maybe God had something to do with it. Get what u can, the athletes do.
posted by tool2310 at 02:20 PM on January 31, 2006
Put the blame where it really belongs WTF are you talking about? The blame for what?
posted by yerfatma at 02:55 PM on January 31, 2006
There is no doubt about the excessive greed of this particular fan. However, the Pats organization could have immediately published a reasonable reward of, say, season tickets or signed jerseys or something. Major League Baseball has provided ample precedent for this fan's greedy actions. (That does not make it any less excessive.) Following the baseball examples it would not have been surprising if two (or more) fans fought over this football in the stands and were now suing each other for possession!
posted by kuhlman at 03:19 PM on January 31, 2006
WTF are you talking about? The blame for what? I can't figure that out either...blaming Flutie I guess? Or maybe blame on the grounds crew? Or the shape of a football? Or the rules for allowing such a thing to happen? I still don't know what that means. I'm surprised they couldn't locate the guy right away. The CHA-CHING sound he made when he caught the ball should have been enough to track him down.
posted by chris2sy at 03:27 PM on January 31, 2006
If I had a piece of History because I caught it, it will be mine to chose what I do with it. If the team wants it back, they should match the price of the collector. I would not go overboard and ask for $1,000,000 for a something that I am being offered $10,000 for. Posada, after he had his "something hit" or "something homerun" wanted the ball back from a fan. He offered a signed bat and a ball for it. The fan said no and he wanted $25,000 (or some outrageous number) for it. ABSURD! Posada is not a hall of famer and the ball will never reach that value. The fan as trying to Milk Posada for money. posada told him to keep it and trya nd sell it.
posted by Antnee20X at 03:38 PM on January 31, 2006
Why doesn't he want a Flutie jersey? He was the one who made the dropkick. If he thinks the ball is so valuable, wouldn't that make more sense? And if he doesn't want a Flutie jersey, then he doesn't deserve anything. What a waste of lawyer fees. Enjoy the ball, you twit.
posted by chicobangs at 03:50 PM on January 31, 2006
Maybe this fan is tired of paying a month's salary to take the family to a sporting event The last time I checked, that was a voluntary act. If the cost is too high, don't go. It's not like you can't watch games on TV.
posted by grum@work at 03:53 PM on January 31, 2006
Wasn't this an "Everybody Loves Raymond" episode?
posted by thatch at 04:02 PM on January 31, 2006
Being a Dolphins fan, this is the first and hopefully last time I'll ever say this... Way to go Pats.
posted by captaincavegirl at 04:44 PM on January 31, 2006
To answer your question. GREEDY What a greedy SOB. Holy Shit, I can't believe it. It does read like a freaking ransom note. Holy SHIT! He put a bad name on all us Patriot Fans. This is just obsurd. Enjoy your freaking ball!
posted by ProSam at 05:52 PM on January 31, 2006
I'd milk them for everything. Stupid Steve Bartman could of made millions with the foul ball incident(like to see a 5'4 Moise Alou jump 10 feet)and could of milked.The player's nor owners care about you no matter what you think.Get what you can,they do.
posted by irishmic2004@sbcglobal.net at 06:21 PM on January 31, 2006
The NFL and the pats wouldnt think of their fans if it came to anything they desired. The NFL channel will be airing several games now, if you dont get that channel even offered on your system, do you think the PATS would help you get it because of your dedication as a fan? NO!!! They will tell you to put pressure on your cable company to provide it!!!! This request is a drop in the bucket for the revenue they generate... The NFL has a choice just like we do. Put up or forget it. I would keep the ball just for this reason. With the money we pay, we still have to prove loyalty? Boy I think the rest of the critics of this person have been brainwashed.The NFL has a goal to make all NFL games pay-per-view. Thanks For The Blind Loyalty (Stupidity) suckas.
posted by Godzilla82 at 07:06 PM on January 31, 2006
I would be happy with two season tickets for a year and maybe a bbq with the team. and if thats too much, then maybe just two tickets for a game...
posted by zenemi at 07:52 PM on January 31, 2006
I cant blame the guy for capitalizing on his luck.After all i havent seen the players or their agents feeling any remorse when they hold out for their multi-million dollar contracts
posted by everettl at 07:59 PM on January 31, 2006
For the people saying that the fan should take advantage of the team, simply because that is the same thing the players do: Two wrongs don't make a right!
posted by RScannix at 08:10 PM on January 31, 2006
Maybe this fan is tired of paying a month's salary to take the family to a sporting event What about all of these "greedy" athletes who demand everything but the kitchen sink! Enormous salaries nearing the 1/4 billion $ mark in some cases Put the blame where it really belongs Last time I checked, athletes have nothing to do with the ticket prices. If anyone is greedy its the damn owners. Ticket prices are rising because owners realize that players do deserve a bigger cut of the revenue, but instead of taking it out of their own pockets, they increase the cost of a family going to a game. Then the players get the rep of being greedy. If you only knew what kind of money these leagues and owners are sitting on. Lets put it like this, the owners make enough money to pay the salaries of the athletes and still have enough for mansions and luxury boats etc. Godzilla82 makes a very good point. Its time for the fans to start realizing who is really being greedy. With all these satillite/cable blackout rules for home games and such. Who really goes to a sporting event just because its not on TV? They won't show the game on TV unless it sells out. Their saying, if we don't get our money, we won't even show our fans the game. That's the epitome of greed. $150 for a jersey of my favorite player. Who do you think that money is going to? I'll give you a hint: not the athlete. The athlete takes advantage of the team? Thats like saying the employee takes advantage of the employer by forming a union. List of worlds worst price gougers* 1. Taxes 2. Oil companies 3. Pro sports leagues *According to a recent poll of my younger brother, neighbor, and mailman.
posted by BlogZilla at 08:16 PM on January 31, 2006
Maybe he really wants to keep the ball, and decided that if he was going to have to give it up, those things would be adequate compensation? Everyone sounds like they don't feel he should have the right to personally value this thing. I wouldn't care about the stupid ball, but maybe it is a big deal to this guy.
posted by everett at 09:29 PM on January 31, 2006
Yeah, I've only been to 1 football game in my entire life, and this came this year (my first at college) because friends had free tickets. I missed lunch that day, and when I looked at the price of food, I was APPALLED completely. What the heck is it the business of major sports teams for selling food and drink for so much money. The owners are greedy, self-centered bastards who need to have their money STRIPPED from them for being so rich. Maybe we can give some of this money to people who really need it, like the victims of Hurricane Katrina and Rita. Yet, the damn owners need to all be shot and stop being such greedy motherfuckers. I know I sound irrational, but this all stems from the fact that owners charge outrageous prices. I probably won't go to another football game for a few years (until I start making my pharmacy money) because I just can't afford this stuff. But this guy still has no right to demand this much. Our society is CRAP. Two wrongs don't make a right. They only make lawyers richer.
posted by chemwizBsquared at 09:29 PM on January 31, 2006
uhhhh... ok....
posted by everett at 09:57 PM on January 31, 2006
According to a recent poll of my younger brother, neighbor, and mailman heh heh
posted by owlhouse at 10:19 PM on January 31, 2006
Ticket prices are rising because owners realize that players do deserve a bigger cut of the revenue, but instead of taking it out of their own pockets, they increase the cost of a family going to a game. Ticket prices have nothing to do with player/owner negotiations. It has everything to do with supply/demand market economy. If no one bought tickets at their current prices, then they would have to lower them to a level that people WOULD pay for. Profit (A) = Tickets Purchased (B) * Ticket Price (C) You maximize A by finding the right balance between B and C. Make C too high, B drops too low to make it worth it. That's it. Salaries, tv revenue, etc, nothing else affects ticket prices.
posted by grum@work at 10:55 PM on January 31, 2006
He should do a swap with that guy with the really old Steel City beer.
posted by gspm at 07:26 AM on February 01, 2006
I cant blame the guy for capitalizing on his luck. After all i havent seen the players or their agents feeling any remorse when they hold out for their multi-million dollar contracts Certainly the guy can ask for a trip to the planet Neptune if he likes, and the team is within their right to tell him to get a life. There is no crime in either of those. There is, however, the little bit about culture. We condemn athletes that pout and demand the world. But at least they can come to the negotiation table with a track record, and the expectations of more to come. And if those expectations later fall short, then the spolied athlete has to live with the consequences of their name being tarred & feathered in the press every day and booed by tens-of-thousands of fans at his workplace. We bemoan that agents are ruining the game. All the fan did was have a ball fall into his lap. And then he hired an agent to represent him. If he wants the trip to Neptune, hey, he should knock himself out and make the request. But it's only fair and reasonable that other fans call him pathetic.
posted by the red terror at 11:05 AM on February 01, 2006
I think a hardcore fan, would have asked for anything other than cash. ie sideline pass, season ticks, autographed memorabilia, the second he put the dollar amount on there, he took it from fan to corporate. Either way he has the right to demand whatever he wants, but I would still prefer to come out looking like a devoted fan then come out with a buttload of money
posted by miller at 11:26 AM on February 01, 2006
He will probably put the ball on E-Bay. Then someone in the Pats front office or anyone involved with the operations of the Pro Football HOF will simply use their resources to outbid whatever schmuck wants a 50 year Flutie kick, and end up coming out WAY better than this guys terms. Can't say I blame him for trying though, more ridiculous demands have been met by other sports before.
posted by MackBrown24 at 03:39 PM on February 01, 2006
Mark me down for Greedy Fan. What a tool.
posted by fenriq at 04:20 PM on February 01, 2006
The team is asking for the ball right? Try to imagine this guy going to one of the security guards at the game and saying, "hey, can i have a gameball from the sidelines? I brought my 7 year old son to his first game and i was wanting him to have something to remember being here". They would say, "Sir, stop by the stadium store on your way out. You can purchase a team ball in there for $69.99 or a jersey of your favorite player for $150.00. I say charge them greedy assholes the exact price of a ball in the stadium store. (plus tax)
posted by BlogZilla at 02:16 AM on February 02, 2006
Too much. I would be thrilled to trade the ball in and just meet the football players. Just having that opportunity would be incredible. Some fans just shock me. What, you need a lawyer to protect yourself from a football team that is just asking for a rare piece of history. What a jerk. Give it back and cut back the demands.