OT: Vikes won't pay last $8 million of Korey Stringer's contract

[Atlanta Skins Fan]

A news story today on the Korey Stringer situation mentions that the Vikings have refused to pay the remainder of Stringer's contract, which had $8 million left when he died.

Regardless of provable negligence, I find it appalling that a player could die "in the line of duty" and not have at least another year of his contract paid by the team.

There are ongoing lawsuits about this. Apparently Stringer's wife and estate are entitled to collect from the state worker's compensation fund, but until flagrant negligence is proven, the amount will be limited to less than $1 million. And most of these funds come from the state fund, not from the team.

The team retired Stringer's jersey last year. Whoopee.

You can't even make a salary cap argument for the Viking position, because paying the remainder of Stringer's contract almost certainly could be defined as a gift to his estate, not a player salary that would hit the cap. To me, the team's position is inexcusable and also stupid, since it alienates players and fans. This team needs a new owner. In the meantime, I hope they lose the lawsuits (which could hit them with a $100M loss).

Here's the story:

http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/sports/3744327.htm

Stringer death angers Berger

BY BILL WILLIAMSON

Pioneer Press

Last July 29, the day the Vikings reported to training camp, Korey Stringer greeted Mitch Berger with a long, hard bear hug. The two talked about a future trip to Berger's hometown of Vancouver, British Columbia. That's how Berger wants to remember Stringer, who died three days later after suffering heatstroke after practice.

Berger, however, can't shake the reality of the last time he saw his friend.

It was on July 30. Stringer, 27, had to leave practice two hours early because of the heat.

"He was sitting there, just sweating like crazy.'' said Berger, a former Pro Bowl punter now with St. Louis after being released by the Vikings in February. "He was dripping in sweat. He looked miserable. I was going to go mess with him, but he was in too much misery.

"I wish I would have gone over there, at least I would have been able to say one last thing to him.''

Berger said it is difficult not to dwell on that final vision of his friend, a Pro Bowl right tackle whose death, Berger believes, was preventable. His sadness has turned to anger.

"I sit at home, and see pictures of him and I just get upset,'' said Berger. "It was unnecessary. He didn't have to die, and I want someone to pay. I don't know who, but someone didn't do their job, or Korey would still be here.''

Berger, scheduled to give a deposition in widow Kelci Stringer's $100 million lawsuit against the Vikings, said he doesn't know what happened during Stringer's final practice because he didn't pay particular attention to Stringer during the workout.

He said he is outraged that the Vikings financially haven't taken care of Kelci Stringer and her 4-year-old son, Kodie. Berger said he and several teammates thought the team would honor the final $8 million of Stringer's contract. Because Stringer's contract wasn't guaranteed, the case with most NFL pacts, the Vikings had no obligation to pay the remainder of the money.

In contrast, the family of former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Darryl Kile will receive the remaining $12 million on his contract. Kile died last month of a heart attack at age 33. The vast majority of major league baseball contracts are guaranteed.

"It never crossed my mind that the Vikings wouldn't honor the contract, and now they're trying not to pay anything,'' Berger said. "That organization doesn't have an ounce of class. I hope Kelci tears them apart.''

Vikings officials declined to comment on Berger's statements.

Berger is the most high profile of Stringer's former teammates to be critical of the organization's handling of the situation. Berger, who was released after he refused to take a pay cut from $1 million to $650,000, said he spoke to other teammates last season, and they also were upset about the lawsuit.

"No one still there will talk, but guys are upset. I know I sound like a bitter ex-employee, but I feel they dishonored my friend, and that bothers me," Berger said. "I feel like the Vikings don't care about my friend who passed away.

"They said Korey was family, but they haven't treated his family like their family. Korey wouldn't be happy with the way they are treating his family. No one with a real heart would be.''

[Atlanta Skins Fan]

You know what I think I'd do if I were a Viking player? Organize a "worker slowdown". During the first game of the season, I'd have everyone play at 100% and beat the cr@p out of the opponent. Then, starting in game two, everybody plays half speed. Comically so -- the running back jogs toward the hole, WRs jog on their routes, QBs are off by 10 yards in their passes. CBs watch opponent WRs run by and then jog after them. The DL pulls a Rodman and falls flat on their backs.

The only signal as to what's happening is that every player has Stringer's jersey number written in magic marker on a corner of their helmet.

I don't care if the Vikes have to go 1-15 until the team responds, if the team responds at all. I don't care if the team cuts the players -- they'll sign somewhere else. I know if I were a Viking, I'd want the quickest route I could find out of town, and this is a way to leave with dignity.

[Larry]

Don't know much (OK, any) about the legalities, but, if he'd, say, torn his ACL and ended his carrer, wouldn't the Vikes have been obligated to pay him for this season?

Hardly seems fair that, if you get injured, you get paid, but if you die, then "Sorry, Charlie".

[OrangeSkin]

I read the article in SI, and I too have no idea about the legalities. I don't think gross negligence CAN be proven. The people who believe that Mike Tice was basically yelling at him while he was lying on his death bed don't understand football.

[InstiGATOR]

I would not be surprised if it was something like this:

1. They are not contractually obligated to pay and if they do pay out the contract it counts against the salary cap.

2. However if they do not pay the contract, his next of kin can sue, the Vikes can settle, and have not salary cap implications.

As silly as this may seem, this could be cap driven.

BTW, this is my first post. I am yet another Gator fans who has wanderred into your board to follow the various Gators with the Skins.

[rtandler]

Originally posted by Atlanta Skins Fan

Then, starting in game two, everybody plays half speed. Comically so -- the running back jogs toward the hole, WRs jog on their routes,

Great idea, although I would point out that Randy Moss already does jog on his routes when he's not the primary receiver.:jerkoff:

[MikeB]

No offense guys, but I see no reason to dole out 8 million to someone who is no longer playing for your team. We all know that NFL contracts are backloaded and most players don't see that money ever. Why should the Vikes be forced to pay? Why should the fans have to suffer if the Vikes struggle because the can't make player acquisitions? Gimme a break!

If I die my employer isn't paying out another year's salary to my household. Especially not 4 to 5 times what I earned the previous year. That is why we have something called life insurance.

Hey, these are just the facts of life. Handouts, especially to an estate that most likely already has more money than any of us on this board, don't seem justified here.

[Larry]

Oh, I definitely agree they're under no obligation to pay the entire remaining contract. MikeB's correct, NFL contracts often include "virtual" years which nobody ever intends to pay. (See: Steven Davis).

But I thought the rule concerning injuries was: if a player has a season- (or career-)ending injury, then the team's obligated to pay him for that year. That was my point: a player's death shouldn't be worth less than a torn ACL.

(Although, it also seems to me, if you're in a high-risk profession, and you're making as much as an NFL player, you can afford your own insurance).

[Atlanta Skins Fan]

Originally posted by MikeB

No offense guys, but I see no reason to dole out 8 million to someone who is no longer playing for your team. We all know that NFL contracts are backloaded and most players don't see that money ever. Why should the Vikes be forced to pay? Why should the fans have to suffer if the Vikes struggle because the can't make player acquisitions? Gimme a break!

If I die my employer isn't paying out another year's salary to my household. Especially not 4 to 5 times what I earned the previous year. That is why we have something called life insurance.

Hey, these are just the facts of life. Handouts, especially to an estate that most likely already has more money than any of us on this board, don't seem justified here.

I disagree with most of this, but I also want to clarify my point.

I'm not saying that a team is obligated to pay whatever is left in a contract. The main reason not to take such an approach is that players have different lengths of contracts, so such a position poses arbitrary discrimination among players. What I *am* saying is that when a player dies "in the line of duty", his estate should get *at minimum* the remainder of that year's salary.

To address your second point directly, your analogy about your employer isn't precise. Korey Stringer didn't simply die (such as in a car wreck) -- he died "in the line of duty", being pushed by Vikings coaches to the limit and beyond. Whether that's gross negligence or not by the Vikings is for a jury to decide, but his death was clearly caused by his job.

As to "handouts, especially to an estate that most likely already has more money than any of us on this board", that's class envy and irrelevant to the moral argument. And the moral argument goes to the principle of a team supporting the player's family after such a "line of duty" death -- though the dollars go to Stringer's estate, the message is delivered to fellow Viking players and fans. This should have been an opportunity for a Viking PR win, but instead they compounded the tragedy through insult.

(As to whether the Vikes could "afford" to pay the estate, that's ridiculous. I'm sure they could get a ruling from the league to exclude such a payment from the salary cap, and if the owner can't afford a few extra million $, someone else should own the team. There's no shortage of rich billionaires and multi-millionaires who would love to own an NFL team.)

Larry's point is brilliantly persuasive:

But I thought the rule concerning injuries was: if a player has a season- (or career-)ending injury, then the team's obligated to pay him for that year. That was my point: a player's death shouldn't be worth less than a torn ACL.

[Funkyalligator]

I would like to point out that Korey stringer was taking metabolitic supplements that contributed toward his death. I've taken them before and still take them because I need to lose weight but they really do a number on your body. You get extremely hot and sweaty as your metabolism boosts up and this is an air conditioned room. At 100+ degrees on a football field I can imagine someone over heating. Now if the team provided him with the supplements they should be punished but if stringer was taking them on his own I really don't see why the team should be responsible for his death.

[SonnyJ]

I've no idea when the decision was made to not pay him the remainder of his contract. Obviously, such a move is not required and is done as an act of good will and regret.

But, the widow has filed suit against the organization to the tune of $100 million. Once she filed that suit, she became an adversary. I don't know at which point she adopted that stance - whether from the get-go or after perceived insensitivity from team officials.

But, if I'm the Vikings organization, I don't know how gracious I would be to someone who is putting the screws on.

DISCLAIMER: I make no judgment on how the Vikings or Ms. Stringer have handled this situation. Usually, the truth is somewhere in the middle. I DON'T believe, however, that the Vikings are guilty of gross negligence.

[Atlanta Skins Fan]

Originally posted by SonnyJ

I've no idea when the decision was made to not pay him the remainder of his contract. Obviously, such a move is not required and is done as an act of good will and regret.

But, the widow has filed suit against the organization to the tune of $100 million. Once she filed that suit, she became an adversary. I don't know at which point she adopted that stance - whether from the get-go or after perceived insensitivity from team officials.

The suit was filed in November. The death happened in training camp.

At the time of the suit, I don't believe any substantial offer from the team had been made to the widow/estate. However, the estate was due to collect some worker's compensation from the state (not the team).

People should scroll up and re-read Larry's posts. They cut through the clutter and state the obvious: how is it that a season-ending injury gets you a season's paycheck, but a season-ending death doesn't? It's patently unfair.

[SonnyJ]

ASF,

Probably because, from a legal point of view, death is more like retirement than injury. The lawsuit is about if the team was negligent, not if the contract is binding. It's not - there can be no dispute on that.

I'm not saying that's just. I'm not saying the Vikings actions are just. Without knowing the cap effects, I would have liked to have seen the organization take care of Stringer's family. It would have been the moral thing to do, as well as outstanding PR.

My point is that once the widow decided to go after the team in court, I can see them not being too interested in being gracious towards her. Perhaps the decision had already been made to not pay any of his contract to the family. If that's the case, decency left the equation in this matter a long time ago.

From a monetary standpoint, I'm not going to cry too hard for either party. With the money the NFL makes, the Vikings can afford to be gracious and decent, even if the team strongly feels it is correct in its stance. On the flip side, with Stringer's past salaries, business deals, life insurance, and settlement claims, I would be surprised if his family is not set pretty well, financially. Every family who loses the breadwinner should be so fortunate in such a dreadful circumstance.

[Dirk Diggler]

ASF

I dont think the Cards did anything special in the Darryl Kile case. I'm pretty sure that baseball contracts are guaranteed (even in the case of death) and the Cards had no choice but to pay.

And I don't blame the Vikes for not paying the 8 mill. She would use it to add a few more lawyers in her attempt to squeeze 100 mill from them.

[JimboDaMan]

Guess Red McCoombs is running a little short after paying that big 600K paycheck to head coach Mike Tice.

Coupla things:

First, Stringer died in preseason last year. If he'd been injured instead the Vikes would have had to pay last year's salary, but I don't think that obligation would extend to this year as well.

But the Vikes seem to be foolish. The man died, actually died, in service to your organization. There may be absolutely no legal obligation. But they would appear to have a moral obligation to the family, and PR-wise going overboard to lend support to the wife and kids would be good business.

Maybe the Vikes have already made an offer of several million. I'm not a fan of $100 million lawsuits except as a punitive measure, so if they've already made a reasonable offer they'd do well to publicize it.

I can't see this as being cap-related. Since they're not obligated to pay the money somebody should be smart enough to construct this to be something other than salary.

[NavyDave]

I don't see where the Vikes are obligated to pay the non guaranteed 8 million to a spouse.

"In the True line of duty" not work as in this case, the spouse/kids don't get our full pay if we kick the bucket they end up with a small sum which is limited.