Guest Redhawk Report post Posted August 7, 2004 My vote goes to Jim McIlvaine's free agent deal with the Sonics in 1996; seven years, $35 million, or something like that. For one, it helped set a trend for teams WAY overpaying backup centers -- as seen lately with Adonal Foyle getting a $40 million-plus deal. McIlvaine couldn't even start over Gheorge Muresan in Washington, yet the Sonics gave him $5 million per year. Which just goes to show why "blocked shots per 48 minutes" is the most overrated stat ever. Second, the McIlvaine signing started the downfall of a potentially great Sonics team. Just months after losing to the Bulls in the Finals, the McIlvaine contract royally pissed off Shawn Kemp, who became so disgruntled that he went from a first team All-NBA type to another Derrick Coleman. When Kemp got traded, it was the beginning of the end for the Sonics, who are now a lottery team. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alfdogg 0 Report post Posted August 7, 2004 I thought that deal was with the Nets. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the max 0 Report post Posted August 7, 2004 Bobby Holik makes ~9 million a year. Jaromir Jagr makes ~11 million a year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Styles 0 Report post Posted August 7, 2004 The Orioles giving Albert Belle 80 million dollars over 5 seasons to have him play 1 and half of those season. Close second to David Segui getting 28 million for 4 seasons, and maybe playing in a combined total of 1 season of games, if that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Staravenger Report post Posted August 7, 2004 Any athlete who gets over 10 Mil. a year has to be the worst contract ever. I don't care how talented anyone is, that's just an insane amount of money to play a damn sport. The Albert Belle deal is probably near the top of my list. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Anglesault Report post Posted August 7, 2004 Mo Vaughn Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted August 7, 2004 Any athlete who gets over 10 Mil. a year has to be the worst contract ever. I don't care how talented anyone is, that's just an insane amount of money to play a damn sport. The Albert Belle deal is probably near the top of my list. Its the open market. And I would say a player at the very top of his profession earns his pay. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DerangedHermit 0 Report post Posted August 7, 2004 Mo Vaughn Ding. Other bad ones: - Darren Dreifort: $55M for 5 years? OUCH. - Denny Neagle with the Rockies. $51.5M/5 years. And not to mention he's injured now. HAW. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Rrrsh Report post Posted August 7, 2004 Every players that has been mentioned was good at one point of their career. Big Country. That is all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeSC Report post Posted August 7, 2004 If Ripper was ever around, he'd back me up on this: The Hawks WON a bidding war with the Warriors ... FOR JON FRIGGIN' KONCAK. -=Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lightning Flik 0 Report post Posted August 7, 2004 Eli Manning getting a $20 million dollars in bonuses. I don't think anyone should have that much money available to him for bonuses. Especially considering the fact that there's a good chance he might start for the Giants and the bonuses are easily attainable. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Star Ocean 3 0 Report post Posted August 7, 2004 Mark Henry. Sorry. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest GreatOne Report post Posted August 7, 2004 My vote goes to Jim McIlvaine's free agent deal with the Sonics in 1996; seven years, $35 million, or something like that Hear hear, my interest in the NBA slowly began to wane around this time. But they would give seven years 77 mil to Vin Baker--coming off a disastrous short-season--three years later with the hope that it would 'rejuvenate him'. No such luck............ Which just goes to show why "blocked shots per 48 minutes" is the most overrated stat ever It's like making a reliever into a starter just cause he has a 1.45 ERA. Second, the McIlvaine signing started the downfall of a potentially great Sonics team. Just months after losing to the Bulls in the Finals, the McIlvaine contract royally pissed off Shawn Kemp I still would have been a bit more grateful if I were Kemp though, considering that 1)He was mentioned in trade talks two straight years (one for Pippen, the previous for Olajuwon--which would have absolutely ruled) and the front office backed out both times and 2)He would have eventually had a big-ass balloon payment coming in about 99 or so. Then again I imagine all that child support wasn't cheap. When Kemp got traded, it was the beginning of the end for the Sonics, who are now a lottery team. I'd still say it was the Sonics getting slapped around by the Lakers in what might as well have been a four-game sweep in the semis the next year. That and the fact that trotting out basically the same team every year with no real fresh additions caught up to them eventually. Plus some draft blunders (as far as guys they just got rid of for no real reason go: Eric Snow, Bobby Jackson) didn't help. This is the franchise so desperate for a center/post presence they've given out big money deals to McIlvaine, Baker, and Calvin Booth. Surprised they haven't tried to bring Mark Blount (#2 pick in 96) back with one, not that I'm trying to see it or anything................... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr. Tom 0 Report post Posted August 7, 2004 Alex Rodriguez. Yes, he's a great player, and he certainly deserved a lucrative contract that offseason. Rangers owner Tom Hicks, however, eager to prove he is a spoon in a drawer full of knives, outbid the next closest team by over $70 million for A-Rod's services. Hicks saw the $200 million total as a bump in the road, and went $52 million past that, when there was no indication he needed to spend anywhere near that much. The ridiculous A-Rod contract spawned more fiscal irresponsibility in baseball, which has since been corrected. The contract proved to be an albatross for the Rangers, as paying one guy, no matter good he might be, $25 million a year meant they could do little to improve the rest of the team. Texas was actively bad despite having the league's best player on the field everyday, and it was entirely due to his absurd contract. This offseason, Texas tried to relieve themselves of that burden. They almost traded A-Rod to the Red Sox, which angered fellow elite SS Nomar Garciaparra. Recently, Nomar was traded in an awful deal for the Red Sox, getting them two players barely above replacment level. Rodriguez ended up with the Yankees, moving himself to third base so defensive liability Derek Jeter could continue to pollute the SS position. The Rangers got Alfonso Soriano in the deal, but they're also paying $7 million of A-Rod's salary for the balance of the contract. Once Soriano gets what he's worth, they will have saved very little. All because of a stupid quarter-billion dollar contract. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deancoles 0 Report post Posted August 7, 2004 Here's a list of some of the top paid sportsmen. 50 Highest Paid Athletes Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hektik 0 Report post Posted August 7, 2004 Ryan Leaf - $30 million dollars Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Vitamin X Report post Posted August 7, 2004 Not sure if they were amongst the worst ever, but the contracts that Freeman and Levens signed with the Packers were terrible, on the basis that both held out for such a long time that they missed a good portion of training camp, and got injured and out for the season early on as a result, thus resulting in Green Bay's terrible 1998 and 1999 seasons. Well that, and Ray Rhodes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Redhawk Report post Posted August 7, 2004 Didn't Mike Hampton sign some huge contract with the Rockies and proceed to stink it up before going to Atlanta? I'm also not a fan of the "You had one good postseason run? Here's the keys to the bank vault" contract. We've seen this in the NBA recently with Mike Bibby and Austin Croshere, to name a few. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Staravenger Report post Posted August 7, 2004 Big Country. That is all. I'm trying to remember who that was....Bryant Reeves or something? (Grizzlies old center who carried them to such great seasons like 21-61.) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Redhawk Report post Posted August 7, 2004 Big Country. That is all. I'm trying to remember who that was....Bryant Reeves or something? (Grizzlies old center who carried them to such great seasons like 21-61.) Aerodynamics, man. It's all in the aerodynamics. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stahl 0 Report post Posted August 7, 2004 Every players that has been mentioned was good at one point of their career. Bobby Holik has never justified earning 9 million a season. Jagr and all those other high priced NHLers are usually at least justified because of their statistics and superstar like play. Holik is nothing but an above average player with an insane contract. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
razazteca 0 Report post Posted August 7, 2004 I'm also not a fan of the "You had one good postseason run? Here's the keys to the bank vault" contract. We've seen this in the NBA recently with Mike Bibby and Austin Croshere, to name a few. Included Malik Rose after the 1999 championship. Now the coach considers him a head case and benched him for majority of the 2003-2004 season. It looks like Robert Horry took his spot on the bench. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gert T 0 Report post Posted August 7, 2004 Obviously this guy was a bust, but how about Danny Ferry's contract once he got to the NBA. I think it was a 10 year, 11 million dollar contract. Who the hell was his agent? Did he think that player salaries would not rise, or did he just know Ferry would be a marginal player, so he got him security. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Redhawk Report post Posted August 7, 2004 To the agent's credit, that was probably a huge contract for a rookie at the time. 10 years sounds awfully long, but any rookie making $1 million a year in 1989 was big-time. But you're right, he should have known that salaries would go up in 10 years. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Rrrsh Report post Posted August 8, 2004 Every players that has been mentioned was good at one point of their career. Bobby Holik has never justified earning 9 million a season. Jagr and all those other high priced NHLers are usually at least justified because of their statistics and superstar like play. Holik is nothing but an above average player with an insane contract. Holik is good, just not 9 mill good. Reeves was never good, and still got a massive contract. I think for the worst contract ever, u need to have never been good ever. That would be Mr. Reeves. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the max 0 Report post Posted August 8, 2004 Holik is a product of the Devils system. I wouldn't even pay him 2 million a year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Rrrsh Report post Posted August 8, 2004 I think Holik would be a very sucsessful 3rd line center on a team who needs a 2 way center. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the max 0 Report post Posted August 8, 2004 And that third line center is worth 9 million dollars? I'd love to see your fourth line... Marty LaPointe would be involved, I'm sure... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Rrrsh Report post Posted August 8, 2004 You are not listening. Holik is a good third line center who is paid way to much. Bryant Reeves is an aweful ball palyer who never did anything good as a NBA player. Therefor, one is overpaid, and 1 is INCREDABLY aweful, yet still got a massive contract. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the max 0 Report post Posted August 8, 2004 I don't know, or care about, Reeves. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
