This week’s quote comes to us from none other than Aaron Rodgers, who complained about his treatment by the New York Jets when they informed him that they were moving on to a new quarterback. Rodgers told Pat McAfee:
“I figured that when I flew across the country on my dime, there would be a conversation.“
- Rodgers earned $37.5 million last year. What sacrifices did he have to make to be able to afford to fly across the country on his own dime?
A) He did the carry on instead of paying to check his bag.
B) He’s a big guy and he really wanted the exit row to stretch his legs, but he passed.
C) The chicken caesar wrap looked good, but he just took the free pretzels.
D) He asked for a pillow and then he stuffed it in his backpack before he got off the plane.
2. Even though the Jets cruelly made Rodgers pay his own air fare, how much are they on the line for this year, even though he won’t play a down for them?
A) $37.5 million.
B) $49 million.
C) $75 million.
D) Nothing.
3. What kind of season did Rodgers have last year?
A) Statistically his worst as a starter in pro football.
B) One of the best ever for a Jets quarterback.
C) Both.
D) Neither.
4. According to Rodgers, after he arrived at the Jets offices — after paying for his own flight — what did the new coach and general manager say?
A) They asked him if he still wanted to play football and when he said he did, they told him they had decided to move on to a new quarterback.
B) They asked him how his flight was and — just to rub it in — they asked if he got the chicken caesar wrap as they’d heard it was really good.
C) They told him that, since they owed him a bunch of money for next season, they couldn’t afford to pick up his return flight home, but if he had rented a car they could validate his parking. Otherwise, they could offer him some subway tokens.
D) Just to show that there were no hard feelings they offered to take him to lunch at the TGIF’s around the corner.
5. Which North American pro sports franchise has gone the longest without a playoff appearance?
A) The Cleveland Browns.
B) The Toronto Maple Leafs.
C) The New York Jets.
D) The Oakland A’s.
6. If you were an NFL coach, which of these is the very last thing you would want?
A) To work for the Jets.
B) To be blindsided by a 300 pound linebacker running at full speed as you stood on the sidelines.
C) To go 0-17.
D) To have to deal with Aaron Freaking Rodgers every damn day.
7. Now that Rodgers is a free agent, how will he decide his next move?
A) He’ll go on a month long darkness retreat.
B) He’ll go on an extended ayahuasca retreat in Mexico.
C) He’ll study the entrails of a llama.
D) He’ll plead with any team that’ll have him.
8. What teams are showing interest in Rodgers?
A) The Vikings.
B) The Bears.
C) The Giants.
D) The Steelers.
Answers
1: All answers are possible. But, on the other hand, do you really think he flew commercial?
2: B
3: C
4: A
5: C
6: D
7: All are possible, but D is a good answer. Rodgers has said he’ll play for only $10 million.
8: D. The Steelers seem to be the last team interested in him.
Yellow Stripes & Dead Armadillos 
This was a good one!
I’m just blown away by pro athlete pay these days, especially in the MLB, considering how niche baseball has become in the U.S. It’s true that the players were criminally underpaid for most of the MLB’s existence, but there is an everymanness to the game that is lost when star players have hedge fund levels of wealth. Frankly, if we’re going to grant the MLB a monopoly, I’d like to force the organizations to spend more on their minor league affiliates, where the players make next to nothing.
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I have a hard time ever blaming the players for getting their share — even if I think Aaron Rodgers is a bit of a whiner. I’m not sure what the numbers are in baseball, but I know that in the NFL, players got a slightly smaller overall share of the profits in their latest contract. The owners got more. And, of course, the real money isn’t even in the yearly profits; it comes when the team is sold. You’re absolutely right that minor league ballplayers — if they don’t get a big signing bonus — get totally screwed.
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