Coming off of a playoff performance for the ages that included 11 touchdown passes, zero interceptions, a Lombardi Trophy, and a Super Bowl MVP, Joe Flacco was rewarded yesterday with a shiny, new contract to the tune of $120 million over the next six years. When contracts with such large numbers are signed, it instantly brings about debates as to whether or not the player is worth all of that money, and Flacco's situation has been no different. Naysayers have said that he is not close to the best quarterback in the league, and there is no way that he deserves to be paid more money than guys like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. However, in the reality of the NFL, Flacco absolutely deserves the money that the Ravens just gave him, and I will tell you why.
There is a saying that, in real estate, the most important factor of the price of anything is its location. A one bedroom apartment in Des Moines (with no offense intended toward anyone who might live in a one bedroom apartment in Des Moines) is simply not as worthy of a high price as, say, the same one bedroom apartment on 59th Street in Manhattan with a view overlooking Central Park. In the world of sports, the key to getting a big contract for any player is often times, timing. And if there is one thing that supports the claim for Flacco's big money deal, it is an impeccable piece of timing on his part.
Coming into the season, Flacco was already a quarterback that was one of the most polarizing in the league in terms of talent and worth to his team. The regular season brought about a lot of highs for Flacco, but it also included some startling lows (see: October 21 vs Houston and a three week span in the beginning of December). However, when we look back at quarterbacks over the course of history, the first thing we look at is Super Bowl rings. Is Brett Favre the greatest quarterback to ever play the game? His statistics might say so, but I guarantee you that if you were to take a survey of any ten football fans and ask them who the greatest quarterback of all time is, Joe Montana's name would come up just as much as Favre's. Favre has the numbers, but Montana has the rings.
There are 31 quarterbacks who have won a Super Bowl, and Joe Flacco is a member of that class. I'm not sure how many quarterbacks have ever played in the NFL, but to be a member of a class that contains only 31 means that you are in highly elite company. Out of those quarterbacks, only 20 of them have been named Super Bowl MVP, and once again, Flacco is a member of that class.
So, when you piece together what Flacco accomplished this past postseason, the fact that his contract was expiring, the retirement of former team leader Ray Lewis, the possible departure of Ed Reed, the need for a new face of the team, and the lack of available quarterbacks on the free agent market and in the draft, the timing was perfect for Flacco to cash in on a big money deal. The money that professional athletes make is based upon the need for their services and the market surrounding them. The quarterback position is, in the eyes of many sports fans (myself included), the most important position in all of sports. It is very rare to see a team win a Super Bowl with a quarterback that is not playing at an elite level. Hockey fans might argue that goaltender is the most important position in all of sports, and that would probably be the second most important position as far as a championship run is concerned, but I still believe that the quarterback position is more important. As far as basketball goes, the game has gone from one that was dominated by big men like Bill Russell to one that has been centered around all-around athletes like LeBron James. In baseball, my 2001 Diamondbacks were one of the best examples of how starting pitching can win a championship, and more recent teams like the San Francisco Giants have followed suit, but World Series winning teams are always centered around multiple great starting pitchers, and not just one player in particular. The fact is, if you don't have an elite quarterback, your chances of winning a Super Bowl are not very good.
Flacco is cashing in right now thanks to a remarkable postseason run at the perfect time, but being the highest paid player in any given sport does not necessarily mean you are the best player. As of today, the highest paid players in each of our four major professional sports are Kobe Bryant, Sidney Crosby, Alex Rodriguez, and now, Joe Flacco. Are any of those the best players in their respective sports? Aside from a possible argument that could be made for Crosby, the answer is definitively no. However, those guys were just in the right place at the right time, and therefore, they were able to cash in on big deals. The Lakers had to lock up Kobe Bryant. The Penguins had to lock up Sidney Crosby. The Yankees? Well, maybe they didn't have to lock up A-Rod, but they have so much money that they did anyway. And right now, because of what Flacco has done over the course of the past year, the Ravens have to lock him up as well.
There are only three active quarterbacks with more Super Bowl rings than Joe Flacco, and those are Ben Roethlisberger, Tom Brady, and Eli Manning. Those three are all being paid handsomely. Brady just signed a deal with the Patriots at a significant discount, but it has been almost a decade since he last won a Super Bowl. Big Ben and Eli were already signed to long term deals before they won their last Super Bowls. Flacco's ring and his contract negotiations just happened to meet at the perfect time, and he deserves all of the credit in the world for cashing in when his value is at what is probably the highest it will ever be. The man won a Super Bowl, and had an outstanding postseason. He might not be the best player in the league, but in terms of the current market and his current value, there is no one who can claim to be worth more than Flacco. He bet on himself, and it paid off handsomely. And if someone thinks that he is unworthy of the money he got, well, I'm sorry that you are not sitting pretty with a Super Bowl MVP trophy on your mantle like the highest paid player in the league is today.
Daily Rangers Update: I got home from work last night to catch a thrilling third period at Madison Square Garden that eventually ended with the Rangers beating the Buffalo Sabres in a shootout. The team has still not come close to meeting my expectations for the year, but maybe last night's momentum can carry over into tomorrow night's game against the Flyers. Let's Go Rangers!
Daily Nets Update: The Nets remain in the middle of the pack in the Eastern Conference, and a loss against the Bulls last Saturday night does nothing to inspire confidence. Next up is a game against the Bobcats, who are currently sporting the worst record in the NBA, so obviously, anything other than a win will be a disappointment.
Daily Diamondbacks Update: Opening Day is now less than a month away, and although the Spring Training schedule has gotten off to a rough start, I have learned over the years that Spring Training stats are absolutely worthless about 90% of the time. The team is getting work in, and that's all that matters. 28 days until the season opener against the Cardinals...
Daily Giants Update: The draft continues to get closer and closer, and free agency is well underway, but there is no major news to report for the Giants. In Jerry I trust...
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