OT Malik McDowell owes Seattle 800k
The Seahawks are trying to get money back from former sparty Malik McDowell due to the ATV injury that ended his pro career before it even got started. I don't remember any other team doing this. Am I forgetting anyone? Do you think Seattle is right to go after the money?
I hope they are charging him interest as well! Character matters
Mistake #1: Going to MSU over Michigan
Mistake #2: Riding an ATV when you are about to get drafted / enter the NFL
Number 1 explains number 2.
I mean, #1 had been working out for him all things considered until #2, but now he has to go get hired for a real job, so...yes.
Actually he had already signed with the Seahawks when the accident happened which is why they're going after part of the signing bonus they paid him. He had stipulations in his contract about this exact kind of possibility that he ignored and breached his contract.
https://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/nfl/seattle-seahawks/article230981143.html
Absolutely they are right in doing so. His contract, which by signing he received the bonus money, specifically spelled out activities that would void it out. He did one of those things and made himself unable to fulfill the contract so he has no right to the money.
Now....do I think for a second they'll ever see a penny back? No way on Hell-those dollars are LONG gone.
Possession is 9/10 of the law. The description of riding a quad is probably not spelled out in the contract, just acts demeaned to have a negative impact on your obligation to perform, which is a lawyers dream.
This is pure speculation and really bad legal advice.
Username checks out.
The description of riding a quad is probably not spelled out in the contract
It would not be far fetched if it was. Games of pickup basketball have been clauses in some contracts.
I think you'd be suprised what goes into a team protecting its investment.
I believe most pro athletes have these clauses in their contracts due to possible injuries to protect investment in a player. Driving an ATV seems like it would fall under this clause. Yep, found it:
Section 3 of standard NFL Player Contracts:
3. OTHER ACTIVITIES. Without prior written consent of the Club, Player will not play football or engage in activities related to football otherwise than for Club or engage in any activity other than football which may involve a significant risk of personal injury. Player represents that he has special, exceptional and unique knowledge, skill, ability, and experience as a football player, the loss of which cannot be estimated with any certainty and cannot be fairly or adequately compensated by damages. Player therefore agrees that Club will have the right, in addition to any other right which Club may possess, to enjoin Player by appropriate proceedings from playing football or engaging in football-related activities other than for Club or from engaging in any activity other than football which may involve a significant risk of personal injury.
I didn't see where the article said his contract specifically said he was not able to ride an ATV.
"engaging in any activity other than football which may involve a significant risk of personal injury."
That pretty much covers any activity outside of training for the sport.
I’m sure he doesn’t have it. Spent it all on the cocaine and hookers (aka hookers and blow).
At least he has his degree from MSU. Oh . . . wait.
He should have listened to Mama.
Dude, stop making fun of some with an MSU degree.
Why? The only thing that degree is good for is starting a couch fire.
...and boxes. Good for packing boxes.
Cat boxes?
Nah... it was a poke at Staee's packing technology degree.
It's probably a serious thing... kinda like IKEA has made (or saved depending on perspective) $$$ on logistics/revolutionizing packing.
But since Staee dropped algebra from their core curriculum a few years ago, a shot across the bow of their academics is always a good time.
Yea man Algebra is so useful, I just did some in 2001.
What are you doing with Michigan degree ?
You must be an msu troll. Two posts with incorrect grammar in each.
Not a troll at all. Been here for awhile. Asking a question. I graduated with an MSU degree, but still a diehard Michigan fan.
You?
Currently work in heart surgery.
I'm calling bullsh_t on the first statement.
Recent posting history doesn't confirm my initial impression.
I'm calling bullsh_t on the first statement.
"I totally got accepted to Michigan but my HS fiends went to State and I followed them"
-- Every Staee grad ever
I travel the world for a big 4 firm in risk consulting and cyber defense.
We're not arrogant. We're just better.
I'm writing complete sentences.
I have an aerospace engineering bachelor's degree from UM. I am a structural analyst at an aerospace company.
Game, set, match.
Sure. EVP fortune 200 company.
Not in communications, I gather.
Cool
For starters, not raping or condoning a culture of rape at my school.
Sure, some universities have greater prestige/better reputations, but I've always said it's more about the effort the student puts in while at the school as opposed to school rankings.
So, I'm with you on this.
Did he get his degree? I thought he was making a dig at Malik not finishing and getting his degree.
Malik is surely a long way from finishing his degree.
Lions went after Calvin for some money when he retired
Barry Sanders too, if I remember.
Good for the league for enforcing their contract against an idiot and setting the right precedent. I'm sure it will be negotiated down but you can't just let players do whatever they want and jeopardize their own career and waste the team's investment in them.
If you read the article -- they already did negotiate it down. His signing bonus was for about $3.2MM, to be delivered in four payments of $800K. He received three of them before the Seahawks decided he was in breach of contract and withheld the fourth. (They also adjusted his salary to the league minimum when he went on long-term IR). They originally wanted the whole signing bonus back, but negotiated to where he could keep the first two payments and return the third.
He made some pretty powerful enemies pretty quickly in Seattle.
A wise man once said:
"Playing with my money, that's like playing with my emotions."
Don't play with people's money.
Charles Rogers as well.
The Lions made Calvin Johnson pay back a bunch of his signing bonus; this SportsNation blog post lists a couple of other examples.
So, it's not unheard of, but it's still rare.
I feel like I remember a team doing this. What ever happened to that guy from the Giants who blew his hand off with a bottle rocket?
JPP? Went down to Tampa, had a decent first year, and then got himself into a car accident and is probably out for almost all of next season.
he is still playing although he got injured again. He broke his neck in a car wreck which makes it seem unlikely he will be playing this season.
He's a hook model for pirate magazine.
I LOL'd.
Was that wrong of me?
Absolutely not!