The "They Earned Their Right" Fallacy
Posted 12:00 PM ET | Comments 24
Zach Parise loves breakfast cereal. He just can't decide which bowl he'd rather have this morning with the media gawking through the window and all. They're all enticing offers. Brand A offers 10 grams of protein and 50% of his daily fiber intake. Brand B offers slightly less protein at 9 grams, but 65% of his daily fiber intake. Brand C offers very little protein and almost none of the recommended daily fiber intake, but it does come with the opportunity to sit next to the cool box on the shelf. How will Zach ever decide?
Let me get this straight: Zach Parise has the right to decide what breakfast cereal he wants in the morning. He has the right to decide what pants he puts on before he heads out the door. He has the right to purchase whichever American automobile he wants to transport him to work. He doesn't have the right to turn this year's NHL Free Agency Period into whatever it is becoming. Playing in the best league in the world is a privilege. It's not a right.
That's why it's so disgusting Zach spoke to reporters last night with nothing more to reveal than "I haven't decided yet." Imagine Nick Lidstrom calling a press conference at the Joe Louis Arena four weeks ago, but instead of sitting down for a tearful goodbye, the Perfect Human said, "Sorry guys, but I don't know if I'm retiring yet. I'm heading back to Sweden for a few days to listen to black metal and check on Ikea's back stock." I personally would poop my pants. My brain would explode from the sheer force of the paradox.
Parise does it and I'm not surprised. Why? Because it's already taken this long. Parise knew he was going into free agency for a few weeks at the least. He knew which teams were going to extend him an offer for a few weeks at the least. He doesn't need to drag this out at the expense of the team's involved or at the expense of his image. Certainly, deciding where you're going to take up residence for the next decade is a big decision. It does take time. But that isn't the case here. If it were, Zach wouldn't have been holed up in Mississauga. He would have been exploring suburban Detroit, metropolitan Pittsburgh, downtown Philadelphia, etc.
So what's the hang up? Could it be the money? Well, how many more Skidoos can 80 million get you than 70 million? Could it be the team? Well, Zach has been in the league for quite some time now and it's not a stretch of the imagination to think he has a feel for who's out there and where. The truth is that it's probably a combination of these things. That doesn't change anything. It's not a right to play in the NHL and it's not a right to treat that privilege however you want. The greatest players of all time know that. Zach seems to have missed the point, which is why I will hate him for the rest of his career.
Unless he signs with Detroit.
Let me get this straight: Zach Parise has the right to decide what breakfast cereal he wants in the morning. He has the right to decide what pants he puts on before he heads out the door. He has the right to purchase whichever American automobile he wants to transport him to work. He doesn't have the right to turn this year's NHL Free Agency Period into whatever it is becoming. Playing in the best league in the world is a privilege. It's not a right.
That's why it's so disgusting Zach spoke to reporters last night with nothing more to reveal than "I haven't decided yet." Imagine Nick Lidstrom calling a press conference at the Joe Louis Arena four weeks ago, but instead of sitting down for a tearful goodbye, the Perfect Human said, "Sorry guys, but I don't know if I'm retiring yet. I'm heading back to Sweden for a few days to listen to black metal and check on Ikea's back stock." I personally would poop my pants. My brain would explode from the sheer force of the paradox.
Parise does it and I'm not surprised. Why? Because it's already taken this long. Parise knew he was going into free agency for a few weeks at the least. He knew which teams were going to extend him an offer for a few weeks at the least. He doesn't need to drag this out at the expense of the team's involved or at the expense of his image. Certainly, deciding where you're going to take up residence for the next decade is a big decision. It does take time. But that isn't the case here. If it were, Zach wouldn't have been holed up in Mississauga. He would have been exploring suburban Detroit, metropolitan Pittsburgh, downtown Philadelphia, etc.
So what's the hang up? Could it be the money? Well, how many more Skidoos can 80 million get you than 70 million? Could it be the team? Well, Zach has been in the league for quite some time now and it's not a stretch of the imagination to think he has a feel for who's out there and where. The truth is that it's probably a combination of these things. That doesn't change anything. It's not a right to play in the NHL and it's not a right to treat that privilege however you want. The greatest players of all time know that. Zach seems to have missed the point, which is why I will hate him for the rest of his career.
Unless he signs with Detroit.
Dude, Agreed. Except I get to forgive him if he signs with Philly.
I respectfully disagree. He a young guy who is about to decide where he AND his family will live for the next 10 years or so. Thats a very big decision, and its not like he is taking months, its only the third day.
Jealousy and entitlement coming from a Detroit fan? Didn't see that coming. The horror!
Calm down, It is a MAJOR choice for him, his family and the rest of his career. Not one to be made in haste. Once in a life time. Teams can move on and withdraw offers if they like.
He did not call a press conference he just talked to the reporters who are basically stalking him, that he hadn't made a decision as they cornered him when he tried to leave his agent's office and head home for the night. This was posted exactly 48 hours after Free Agency opened and you hate him for not making a decision? Lidstrom has taken longer than this to make up his mind in the past
There's more for him to consider then the city, the money and the current roster. Part of every pitch GMs are making for him are the direction the teams going, what role he will play now and ten years from now, what other moves they are looking to make to adjust the roster, etc. There's so much on the line and to consider; the only way we would have heard a decision by now is if he had already made it before July 1. This all just seems like a really superficial, and stupid, reason to hate a player.
I too disagree for the same reasons other people have pointed out. This is a HUGE decision.What do you feel about Suter though? Is this all because Parise held a press conference to say "I don't know" while Suter has remained quiet? Just curious.
What a bunch of greedy kids these days. They could care less about things that players used to take into perspective like "where is the best place for me to perform my best? where is the best place for my family to grow?" instead its "how many teams can I encourage to throw ridiculous offers at me so I can make more money?" Unfortunate that hockey has come to this.
I retract my original post. I got some big life decisions of my own I'm trying to make. I might be projecting. Not that it really should matter what we say.
Way off base with this article. Zach Parise and Ryan Suter earned the right to be FREE AGENTS, meaning they are free to sign with any team at any time of their choosing. The teams involved don't have to be tied down, they can pull out of the bidding whenever they so choose. This is their decision to make plain and simple...nothing more, nothing less.
They earned their right to go play in russia. GL with the russian air travel and having to put on your own clothes each day, at least you'll make more money.
Please tell me it would take you one day to decide where you're gonna spend the next 12-13 years of your life
Parise can do whatever the heck he wants to. Shame on GMs for falling in love with him.
Step... in dog shit. You're an Ass
So, your argument here is that he has no right to take time to decide where he's going to spend the next decade or so? Do you make all your employment decisions on a whim? Do you expect every college student to have made a decision within 24 hours of getting their offers? It's also important to keep in mind that Parise hasn't "turned this into" anything. A few GMs and a ton of reporters have. And you.
Everybody just needs to relax a bit. It's not like these guys are making a decision on what freaking breakfast cereal to eat. It's a little more invested than that. People need to get a grip and realize this is no decision to be taken lightly...
At least he is trying to make the right decisions now. Wouldn't it suck to sign him and find out he wants a trade soon after? That the team wasn't what he expected? Let's hope all this thought at least lands him in one spot for good.