I'm not sure if all sports have salary caps on thier players but the situation with Rugby League here at the moment is that the team that is coming first, Canterbury, has been found to have considerably gone over the $3.25 million limit. (this year by at least $600,000)

The Salary cap is in place so that the better top rate players could be shared around all the clubs and one or two clubs wouldn't have all the top players therefore making it a more even competition. The punishments being bandied about for this particular team are
1. heavy fines
2. loosing points and so falling down the ladder
3. being expelled from this years remaining competition all together.

What do you think ... is a salary cap fair? and what sort of punishments should be handed out to clubs that don't obey them?


And my favourite quotes for the week, both by Bob Hagan the CEO (former now) of Canterbury
"We didn't cheat ... we just breached the rules"
and
"It wasn't a million dollars, it was four hundred thousand last year and six hundred thousand this year"

Salary cap in the NBA
but not in the NHL, MLB or the NFL.
what a bummer.

I do believe that it does give some parity to the league.
The NBA kinda needs parity.
then again...I'm a Lakers fan...no parity needed!~

Canterbury Bulldogs were today stripped of all points, and fined $500,000. The entire board resigned, and the ICAC has become involved. Who would want to be in Steve Mortimer's shoes? The league made the right (only) choice possible, I feel.

I didn't think the NRL would be as tough as that! Good on them, but I think they had to be otherwise they would've been critizedby everyone and made a laughing stock (again). They left them with four points which I don't quite understand. Yes, poor Steve Mortimer, but it does seem like the best thing to have old players involved in the new management.

Diid you see Sportswatch yesterday afternoon? There was an interview with McIntyre who was saying that Mortimer didn't want him to resign blah blah blah, he loves me, blah blah blah, and then mentioned that the Bulldogs had been doing it for YEARS! Anyway, on the radio news later on you have Mortimer saying that it's a load of crap, who does MacIntyre think he is? He has nothing to do with finances blah blah blah. Mmmm, don't think he loves you anymore! Would love to be a fly on the wall during some of the conversations happening and wouldn't you love to know who leaked the documents???

Just on a side note, I also heard on the radio that the Tigers were fined $145,000 for salary cap breaches but haven't been able to find any more. Let's face it, it's laughable that we're over the limit!! The players are crap!! At least the Bulldogs were getting value for money with their breaches!

There is talk about people going to jail for breaching the Commonwealth Statutory Declaration Act. Also, the auditors want permission to inspect tax records of the players (I believe that the AFL already does this).

What are your predictions for todays game against Canberra? Will the dogs take out all their frustrations on the field? Or will they just roll over? A pity that it is not on TV.

I have not heard of the Tigers infraction. When did that happen? And what will the League do, I wonder? At this rate they will have no teams left to play The latest rumour is that Canterbury have a new mascot- a Cheetah...

BTW, the four points that they retained are from the two byes.

Well, i heard about the Tigers two days ago and they said it like it had just happened that day. Mustn't have been very much for just a small fine, I've been trying to access the Tigers website forums but can't get in there for some reason. Will look into it a bit more later.

As for todays game, it's almost a shame that it's on in Canberra .. would be much more action, from the crowds, if it were a home game or at least played in Sydney. I think they'll come out fighting and even though it isn't the TV game ,I'm sure we'll hear all about it! Certainly wouldn't want to be one of the Canterbury officials wandering around the groud.

Oh and they didn't cheat, remember. They just breached the rules.

So they should be renamed the 'breachers'?

hehe
And what could the mascot be? A sly fox perhaps, or just Bob Hagan.
Oh wait, that would be the same thing then

Try and make sense of this double talk: Wests Tigers fined $145,000 .

The NRL went way over the top with their decision. They've thrown the baby out with the bath water, then thrown the tub out as well. Where's the logic in taking away 37 points for 18 wins and a draw, but in the same breath allowing them to earn 6 points over the next 3 games? That's inconsistent. What was wrong with taking away half the points they earned for the whole season i.e. at the end, after the next 3 games, not mid-stream?

Compare the NRL salary cap of $3.25m with the $70m odd the NFL have in place for American Football . The NFL salary cap started in 1994, and is due to expire in 2006 i.e. they have a sunset clause, it's not perennial. It's so complicated that some NFL teams need full-time "capologists" to keep track of compliance: The Salary Cap: Another Viewpoint .

Good point about the Bulldogs still being able to earn points, George, but it's not going to get them anywhere now (barring appeals). I can't see the NRL gicing any back, well, certainly not enough to get them into the finals. Just saw Mortimer on Sportswatch again this arvo and he's basically said for Hagan keep his mouth shut.

As for trying to understand the links that you about how salary caps work, I hope the capologists are paid well! And what amazing sums those clubs have to play around with, $70million? Wow. (hehe ... "a course in Capanomics" )

What would happen with any bets for the wodden spoon? If someone did pick the Bulldogs for the wodden spoon will they be paid out? I can't imagine that there will be many to worry about though.

And thanks for finding the thing about Tigers and the cap, I'm almost relieved that we aren't over the limit ... that would be embarrasing. (like this season and last come to think of it weren't embarrasing) And just for the record, Canberra were over the salary cap in '89 so they had to cheat (or breach the rules) to beat us. Oi! you just let me clutch at any straws I can find

Anybody who backed the doggies for the wooden spoon will collect a motza! If their appeal fails they will come last on the points table.

There was a bit on the news this arvo about a bloke in Canberra putting $5 on Dogs winning the spoon. He got odds of 1000/1.
The same story told of another bettor picking them for the top four. He lost $350,000...

Looks like the NRL salary cap per se is a waste of time.
Numbers crunch salary cap's logic
Statistics show that the salary cap has failed to level the playing field and is therefore open to a legal challenge, Andrew Leigh and Justin Wolfers write. Andrew Leigh is a former lawyer and a PhD student at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Justin Wolfers is an assistant professor at Stanford Business School.
Sydney Morning Herald, Monday 26th August 2002

I think that the cap, with all it's flaws, has to stay. If it is removed, we may as well say goodbye to the cup, and send it to Brisbane.

My reasoning? A one-team town where the majority of players are home-grown will inspire loyalty (does that still exist?) to that town. Things like family will obviously hold a player to that city. The relative costs of housing will have a major impact, too- prices in Sydney are much higher than Brisbane. Even the weather could be a factor, and with a whole state to draw players from, Qld would have a lay-down misere on the cup. Sydney has to support about 10 teams, and there are just not enough quality players to go around.

I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!!!!!!

There had to be a good reason why the Aussies are so blinking good at sport and it turns out you've all been a bunch of lying, cheating, no-good, low-down, snake-in-the-grass, swindling, good for nothing, delinquentnicks(?)!!!!

Of course.......I don't mean any of the above and I know it's utterly irrelevant but it sure felt good!

Lots of Love,
Your favourite 'whingein' Pom'!

wez

we still loves ya, wez.. but who holds the world 'shove-halfpenny' record or that Welsh bog thingy? Damn Brit keep inventing games that they cannot win:)

RIP.. Sir Don

Edited to say... bedtime here- 4am. and this Aussie is ducking for cover

You may be right Ozz - but who has the best Rugby Union CLUB (shouting I know but justified) side in the world (and think before you answer, why do all those OZZ players want to join the Tigers! and why do all the OZZ players want to play County Cricket in the UK)

In the UK there seems to be no maximum salary in any sport - especially the Amateur ones!

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why do all the OZZ players want to play County Cricket in the UK

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If you believe the Aussie press reports about the English press reports (are you confused yet?) it is so that Steve Waugh can spy on the English attack. Personally I believe the 'teacher' gene is showing through in our Steve

Um, didn't an Aussie win the Embassy Darts? I bet that hurt a lot!

And in answer to Aussies playing for the Tigers, I think you answered your own question.

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no maximum salary

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If someone paid me a truckload of dollars (or pounds/euros) to play, I would be there like a shot!

I love teasing the English, but it is all good-natured fun. If the boot was on the other foot (well, it MIGHT happen), I would cop it on the chin, too...

There's no truck load of dollars to play for the Tigers - You pay them to play! And regards the spying, there's no need for that You'll win anyway!

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Um, didn't an Aussie win the Embassy Darts? I bet that hurt a lot!

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Nah.............not really!
Ozz, the World of Darts is a many splendoured thing and maybe if your man had beaten the true King of World Darts, (ahem), Phil THE POWER Taylor, (who just happens to compete in the 'other' championship,(google it.......it's the major one!), us Poms may have taken it a little more seriously!

(OK OK, I remember watching that and thinking 'bloody hell, as if it's not bad enough getting beaten in 'REAL' competitions. Now they're beating us in 2nd rate events!!!! as well! )

wez
PS.........Didn't Waugho get injured?
PPS......Please!!!!
PPPS...Give us the ASHES back,,,,,,,ya gits! You know they're ours and they'll never be allowed to leave the Motherland!

PPPPS.......Ya know what? if Aus didn't concentrate so much on sport.........you would be a major international economical power????? You don't care do ya?

bugger!

wez

John, the similarities in our respective Tigers teams is scary.:)

Wez ...

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if Aus didn't concentrate so much on sport.........you would be a major international economical power?????

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Where is the fun in that?

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Give us the ASHES back,,,,,,,ya gits! You know they're ours and they'll never be allowed to leave the Motherland!

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hehe, and the Australians hate that, every time the Ashes is played that comes up 'winge why can't we bring it home winge'. I can't wait for the summer, it's going to be a good one

Don't know wether this fits here , but as a consequence of major TV finance being lost the Uk's "Second" division of Soccer have been reduced to near finacial ruin. My local team have two players who have signed on and are playing for no wages (hoping a big club will spot them and sign them up?) is this the way forward? (And yes they are first team starter line up!)