onfrozenblog.comAlexander Ovechkin is one of the dopest hockey players I've ever seen play. And I wish him luck in his career. This week he signed a record breaking $300 Billion dollar deal to play with the Washington Capitals "till the cows come home." Will he live that long?
Will he be the next Yashin or the next Jagr?
Jagr got paid something sick, like $285 million (In 1999, or sometime near there was when he signed that contract, which my todays inflation would be close to $150 billion) to play with the Caps for 96 years (maybe 97?). He got dumped by the Caps cuz he got too expensive and he's now with the Rangers. Good for him.
Yashin got paid phat too. They Islanders gave him half of Staton Island, and $50 million a year for 22 years. I ask you, how many of you have heard of Alexei Yashin? Hmm? Guess where he's at now? Yup, Siberia. Playing for the Russian National Polar Bear Team. I hear he's centering a line with Knut and putting up record numbers.
My point is niether have lived up to the potential. Jagr was going to save the Caps, who were swept in the Stanley Cup finals to Detroit in 98. They go and get Jagr in 01, and sign him to a huge deal. They end up letting him go to the Rangers in a trade because he was too costly to own. Well, I'm glad the CBA is in agreement now, its there to protect teams like the Caps who don't know how to run a business and keep them from obliterating themselves. Go Gary Bettman! Lets hope this time the Caps get it right and hold on to Ovechkin for more than 2 years, a la Jagr. Good business move guys.
Yashin was all the rage coming out of Ottawa in the 90's. He signs with the Islanders to "retarded money" for a "retardedly long time." Within the next year the Isles realized they eff'd up and tried like hell to move him. I think he eventually went to the bathroom during a game in 2005, proceeded to walk out the building, go home, pack, and leave for Russia with a reported 247 pairs of Levi's. Teammates reported his penchant for denim and the Gap. For all we know, from behind the Iron Curtain could be a Yap, Yashin's version of the Gap for the new children of Glasnost. Regardless, he's not in the NHL, and no one misses him. Money well spent.
To wrap this up, I hope Ovechkin the best. Ted Leonsis (Capitals GM) better have his head on straight. He just paid this kid enough money to buy St. Petersburg and lets hope he doesn't decide to leave the NHL to do it. Ovechkin is the kind of player worth this money, but time after time it seems more often than not, contracts of this money and length don't help the team. Leonsis wanted to avoid having Ovechkin turn 27 and be an unrestricted freee agent. Well, I think that you have to gauge player worth now and not in 6 years. If thats how you do biz Ted, would you mind mortgaging my house for me? I'm looking for that 150 year term. Shake on it?
Wait a sec, what do I care? Its not my dough. Man, I'm not deleting this sh*t now. Rant out.
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