Why I Love To Blog -- Reason #24 -- Nothing About The Bakken -- June 21, 2020

Updates

July 8, 2020: I was really, really wrong on this one. I thought it was a huge mistake for Dak Prescott to "hold out" during a Covid pandemic and the risk he was taking "waiting." But, here we are: Kansas City Chiefs Patrick Mahomes signs a ten-year, one-half-billion-dollar contract. This raises the floor for Dak -- one week before the July 15, 2020, signing deadline.

Original Post 

Not long ago, I suggested the most important story of the week was the "Dak Prescott" story. It took awhile, but the sporting press is starting to report what I thought might happen.

On June 6, 2020, I wrote:

Dak Prescott: on May 26, 2020, I said this was the most important story of the week. I was trolling; no one took the bait. But this is what I was thinking, reported now over at The Dallas Morning News six days ago: a season without fans could affect Dak Prescott's contract with the Cowboys "tremendously."

If by July 15, 2020, it is clear that the season will start on time with fans in the stands, no restrictions, Dak will likely get the contract he wants. But, and it's a huge "but," if it looks like the season could be delayed (unlikely) and there are questions about how to manage the stadiums (likely), the Cowboys might be holding a better hand, at least with regard to contract negotiations.

Well, today, here it. Salary caps historically keep increasing, benefiting star players like Dak Prescott. However, salary caps only increase if the total NFL profit increases. There is now talk that Covid-19 will significantly impact revenue for the 20-21 season. If it does, it will significantly impact salary caps going forward.

Dak Prescott, or better said, his agent, were betting on the come. That in the out-years, the salary cap would be much greater than it is today, and therefore, Dak should sign a "shorter" contract -- four years preferably, whereas the Cowboys were said to want a full five years.

All of a sudden, all that talk about an ever-increasing salary cap is coming under question.

And that's not all. If Dak were to test positive for Covid-19, how might that affect negotiations? From The Dallas Morning News:

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The Literature Page 

This is the book that will be my reading for the next couple of weeks. It's a long, long story how I found it, but suffice it to say it began when I got back into my Out of Africa phase.