Dwyane Wade eyes Olympic pay

[Ellenson Guerrero]

It is not an amatuer competition, and it hasn't been for decades now.

Wade's idea is right: Olympic athletes should be paid. They are providing a service, and a rather valuable one. Capitalism 101.

I'm pretty sure there is nothing in the tenets of Capitalism that says that every one who performs a socially valuable activity needs to be compensated financially. If people want to work for free, its not a sin against capitalism.

[Marqus Howard]

I'm pretty sure there is nothing in the tenets of Capitalism that says that every one who performs a socially valuable activity needs to be compensated financially. If people want to work for free, its not a sin against capitalism.

You're right, but the top tier of talent doesn't want to work for free. So you could settle for lesser talent willing to play for "pride," or you can pay the people with talent. I tend to agree with you that Olympic athletes shouldn't be paid, but there's definitely a good argument for why they should be.

[TomW1365]

Majority of MUScoopers,
I completely agree with the stance that if you don't think playing for your country is compensation enough, don't play.  I love the way Dwyane carries himself, but his opinion can take a walk, and check out all the Olympic athletes who sold their gold and "LIVE IN A VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER!!!!"  He should be thankful he plays a sport that allows him to represent our country AND get paid more than generously by his primary occupation.   How many of us volunteer our time to be coaches, participate in pension/school boards, do community service, etc, all w/o having (or wanting) anything in return?  D-Wade is a fellow south-sider and does a lot of charity work in my community.  But I do not have his back on this one.  Obviously, it was probably not a very well thought out opinion that could have been based on conversations he had w/ other NBA players who think they should be paid for every appearance they make.  Or maybe he is finding this to be too demanding on his or others' schedules.  While I can understand that you probably have been there, and done that, your opinion is disappointing.  Hopefully, he thinks a little more before he has another one of his #ozziemisquotes.

Respectfully yours,
Tom

[TallTitan34]

Some of the guys are required to play in the Olympics if chosen per their shoe deal.  So in a way, they are being paid to go to the Olympics.

Personally I don't like NBA guys playing in the Olympics.  I'd much rather see Derrick Rose rest up in the offseason and heal his nagging injuries then play in the Olympics.  Or Luol Deng get surgery on his wrist instead of playing for the host country.

If LeBron were severely hurt in an Olympic game, I doubt you'd see a big name star there again.

The best competition is in the NBA. Not the Olympics.

[bdee29]

Article said he was concerned about rest time after the NBA season but he won't have anything going on in late may and early june anyway. i don't see the issue there. 

[RawdogDX]

never read "Drive" but i know most people are driven by money, and those that aren't still appreciate it as it shows support.

1. i think he's sick of people getting rich off of "student-athletes" and his name (in the name of patriotism)
2. i think just having some say/understanding in where the $$$ go might be enough in the case of the olympics

the ncaa either needs to pay players or stop chasing the $$$ themselves.  

What you 'know' is not a fact.  You are wrong in many instances.  Monetary rewards work best when they are unexpected and inconsistent.  In many fields saying 'finish this tonight and you get a bonus' actually results in worse results.

what the hell does this have to do with the NCAA or student athletes?

[RushmoreAcademy]

I think this confirms it. D-Wade is an avid reader of MUScoop.

Best comment.

[warriorchick]

This just in:  Peyton Manning believes that NFL players should be paid for appearing in United Way commercials.

[Dr. Blackheart]

So I4 paid Wade for donning the clown shorts?

[RushmoreAcademy]

.I responded 2 a specific question asked by a reporter on my thoughts of Olympians being paid. I never asked to be paid to PLAY. What I was referencing is there is a lot of Olympic business that happens that athletes are not a part of.

In his interview he talked about it relating to basketball, because he talked about how it made for too short of an offseason, but then in his PR statement tries to make it about Olympic athletes in general. 
Hey, he at least wants the Shot Putters to be compensated for everyone who buys their jersey too. 
I'm going to go put on my Christian Cantwell jersey now. (yes I had to look that up)

[reinko]

Love the faux patriotic outrage on this board right now.

[Les Nessman]

TWITTER TRACKER
@DwyaneWade
I'm reading a lot of reports coming out about my comments re: the Olympics and compensation. And I want to clear this up personally...

@DwyaneWade
I responded 2 a specific question asked by a reporter on my thoughts of Olympians being paid. I never asked to be paid to PLAY.

@DwyaneWade
What I was referencing is there is a lot of Olympic business that happens that athletes are not a part of - and it's a complicated issue.

@DwyaneWade
BUT my love 4 the game & pride 4 USA motivates me more than any $$$ amount. I repped my country in 2004 when we won the bronze medal and...

@DwyaneWade
...stood proudly to receive our gold medal in 2008 in Beijing. It's always been an honor for me to be a part of the USA Olympic family...

@DwyaneWade
...and I'm looking forward to doing it again in London this summer

[Blue Horseshoe]

Yawn. Pay the Olympians, I don't care.

[brewcity77]

TWITTER TRACKER

All already posted about 12 hours ago in this thread

[JWags85]

I don't have a problem with them getting a cut of the revenue from jersey sales, which was Ray Allen's original point (another athlete I immensely respect and probably my favorite non-MU NBA player), in the same way I wonder if both male and female members of the National Soccer teams get cuts of jersey sales.  That is way more of a time commitment and second job for them than just being on the Olympic team.  The Olympics hasn't been about amateur athletes for some time, so these discussions are gonna come up.

[Blue Horseshoe]

Compared to the notoriously dirty IOC, the NCAA is a joke. Forced amateurism of athletes is ridiculous.

[Pakuni]

Compared to the notoriously dirty IOC, the NCAA is a joke. Forced amateurism of athletes is ridiculous.

Ummm .... who forces them?

[Les Nessman]

All already posted about 12 hours ago in this thread

I'm crushed. I've always wanted to have a meaningful twitter tracker post.

[MarsupialMadness]

I'm crushed. I've always wanted to have a meaningful twitter tracker post.

Actually, the previously posted comments were from his facebook.  So the twitter tracker post confirming his facebook comments was very meaningful, to me at least.

[Les Nessman]

Actually, the previously posted comments were from his facebook.  So the twitter tracker post confirming his facebook comments was very meaningful, to me at least.

Thank you MarsupialMadness.

[JD]

And who says ESPN doesn't show highlights or ever mention MU?

[Blue Horseshoe]

Ummm .... who forces them?

Any governing body that directly profits from the athletes with out compensating the athletes themselves. There was a discussion back in the fall about the article in the Atlantic about how awful and hypocritical the NCAA was.

[Pakuni]

Any governing body that directly profits from the athletes with out compensating the athletes themselves. There was a discussion back in the fall about the article in the Atlantic about how awful and hypocritical the NCAA was.

The athletes are compensated.
College educations, housing, clothing, meals, healthcare, professional training, coaching .... these things cost money. A lot of money. Which is why the large majority of athletic departments break even or worse.
The NCAA itself retains no profit.

All of which still ignores the question ... who forces them?

[GGGG]

I am honestly surprised at the vitriol toward Wade in this thread.  Wade is 100% correct.  He should be paid.  The IOC and the "Olympic Movement" are the biggest bunch of hypocrites in the world.  They line their pockets, pit one city against others for the "right" to host the games, and line their pockets some more...all for the "glory of athletics?"

And Wade should simply suit up for the "honor of playing for the US" while all of this is going on?

F*ck that.  At least the equally dirty FIFA has the sack to share some of the $$ with the players and not wrap themselves in this blanket of amateurism.

[Hoopaloop]

Compared to the notoriously dirty IOC, the NCAA is a joke. Forced amateurism of athletes is ridiculous.

How do you intend to pay for the 380,000 athletes from non-revenue sport vs the 20,000 from those that play in revenue sports?  What's the going rate for the women's tennis player or the cross country captain?