A very interesting admission in Jerome Bettis' new book.

"Man, did I do a nice job of acting,'' Bettis wrote in the book, co-authored by ESPN.com national columnist Gene Wojciechowski. "The thing is, I wasn't faking that I had an injury. I was just faking that the injury happened on that short-yardage play. I had to fool the coaches and the team's medical department into thinking the injury had occurred on that play. Otherwise, the Steelers would have had their reason to cut me and my salary."

ESPN - Bettis book: He 'faked' injury to avoid getting cut - NFL (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2986809)

I'm not sure how I feel about this. On one hand, it's a very underhanded move. However, on the other hand, like it or not, professional sports is a business. Organizations do crappy things to players all the time. Bettis injured himself playing for the Steeler, but had he admitted that he was hurt, there was a chance that they would have released him.

Your thoughts?

A very interesting admission in Jerome Bettis' new book.



ESPN - Bettis book: He 'faked' injury to avoid getting cut - NFL (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2986809)

I'm not sure how I feel about this. On one hand, it's a very underhanded move. However, on the other hand, like it or not, professional sports is a business. Organizations do crappy things to players all the time. Bettis injured himself playing for the Steeler, but had he admitted that he was hurt, there was a chance that they would have released him.

Your thoughts?
All about money and pride.

football salary caps need to be changed totally.... and football contracts need to be fully received.... its to brutal a sport to risk being cut at any time. The stories you hear about players being cut is just wrong, you sign a contract and you live up to your end of trying to play you should be paid.

football salary caps need to be changed totally.... and football contracts need to be fully received.... its to brutal a sport to risk being cut at any time. The stories you hear about players being cut is just wrong, you sign a contract and you live up to your end of trying to play you should be paid.
I agree with you round. There is just too much of an injury risk on every single play in football.

I'd like to see contracts fully guaranteed, but if the player is released, not have that money count against the cap #. That way the player still gets his money, the team gets penalized for releasing the player under contract (having to pay them the full contract amount) and the team isn't completely handicapped by huge "dead money" cap #'s.

The players should just buy injury insurance.

The players should just buy injury insurance.
That would make it better for the player for sure, but it still let's the organization off the hook IMO.

The players should just buy injury insurance.

What does that cost? And who is the insurer?

The players should just buy injury insurance.

actually its a business.... and the owners should have insurance for the amount... that or its a right off? its a lose

if you or I are injured on the job, workmans comp pays for us. Your employer pays the insurance for it.

The clubs themselves have insurance on the players, but that covers the clubs. I know that some players (the guys with the monster contracts) buy extra insurance as well.

It happens in all sports, not just football. Especially if they participate in events outside of the league (ex. World Cup of Hockey, Olympics, World Baseball Classic, etc.)

Here's a great (and perhaps best) example:
David Beckham Insures His Body For £100million - Entertainment News, Reviews, Competitions - Entertainmentwise (http://www.entertainmentwise.com/news?id=26042)

A quick Google search came up with a bunch of sites that specialize in Professional Athlete Insurance. Here are just a few examples:
Professional Athlete Insurance (http://www.eqgroup.com/professional_athlete.htm)
professional athlete insurance from Francis L. Dean & Associates, Inc. (http://fdean.com/professional_athlete_insurance.html)
Professional Athlete Insurance Sports Insurance Westpoint Insurance Group (http://www.westpointinsurance.com/professional_athlete_insurance.htm)

The insurance should be the player's responsibility and the clubs should insure themselves for whatever they want.

That way, and injured player can be released from his contract and the team will get flexibility within the salary cap.

The NBA should work that way too. Then a team like Orlando wouldn't be burdened for 5 years while Grant hill goes through medical hell. If the Magic wouldn't have had to take the injury risk (which you have to assume is built into the amount they are willing to pay him) then they could have been much more aggressive with their contract offer. The extra money Grant would have received could have bought him some Beckam-like insurance.

College players get injury insurance all the time. If you are a stud and you decide to stick out your senior year in college to go for a National title, etc., then you would be extremely stupid to not find the $ to get the insurance. The risk that player takes would be absolutely enormous.

How it should be is one thing. How it is is another. I guess until the contracts become guaranteed the players do need protection of sorts - and insurance is the only known alternative today.

I watch Mike and Mike in the morning and the story he told this morning shows why Bettis and other players lie... He goes in for his physical and he's recovering from surgery and they wait till he says he's able to take the practice field. The second he can, they cut him. Both sides are in it for themselves and the Salary cap has just made it worse, players are rushed back to the field by management, and by the players themselves for fear of losing there jobs and other reasons.

Basketball isn't perfect, but think its the best for the players in the long run.

Professional football players often are under contracts which have no guarantee. Bettis just took care of himself. Smart guy, for a graduate of the Detroit Public Schools.:stirthepot: :stirthepot: