Does Dan Koppen Want A Huge Payday? "I gotta do what’s best for my family."

[Ring 6]

Obviously, if he was prudent his family would enjoy a fine standard of living without even touching much of the principal.

I think it's fair to hope someone someday is honest enough to say " I want the money?" It would be refreshing IMO.

Nothing against Koppen, it's just a cliche, but worrying about Ty Law's starving children just about wore me out.

At what standard of living? You seem to be saying that he should choose to be frugal and live at a lower standard of living rather than maximizing his earning potential.
Perhaps he has done so, and has an opportunity to take what he earns now, and invest it wisely, so his children can have enough money to live a comfortable above average standard of living and not have to worry about money. Are you begruding him that?

If he can take his earnings and live the rest of his life at a standard of living of someone who makes $200,000 a year without having to work again, and this contract could allow him to increase that to the standard of living of someone who makes $300,000 a year, are you finding fault in that?

Remember he is a young man, and if he wants to live at the lifestyle his NFL pay has afforded him (and why wouldn't he want that) it will have to last a very long time.

I'm just not understanding how you can complain about someone wanting to make their and their childrens financial life the best it could be.

 

[Ring 6]

Obviously, if he was prudent his family would enjoy a fine standard of living without even touching much of the principal.

I think it's fair to hope someone someday is honest enough to say " I want the money?" It would be refreshing IMO.

Nothing against Koppen, it's just a cliche, but worrying about Ty Law's starving children just about wore me out.

OK lets use your prudent example.
Lets assume he has made 25,000,000 in 10 years. And lets say he lived as if he was making 400,000. That means, after taxes he probably has about 10 million left.
Today, if you can safely earn 5% on your assets, you are doing fine.
That means he will have an annual income of 500,000 without touching principal.
Adjust for inflation and in 25 years, that is not the equivalent of 125,000 and his standard of living is less than 1/3 of what it currently is.
That is based upon a man making 2.5 million a year living like he only made 400k, and then deciding today, that he should be set for life watching his standard of living consistently decline due to inflation, so in your opinion he shouldn't be thinking about what is best for his family.

 

[goheels22002]

Both Koppen and Connolly are free agents this year. The Pats have some key decisions to make. There aren't many decent younger UFAs at the Center position. Plenty of guys in the 30s. Maybe a FA and #1 draft pick are needed. Worth watching.

Koppen should get the best deal he can with a young family and this last shot at a contract.

Maybe he can get a job protecting Peyton Manning with the Dolphins. It's great to see teams in the division go ancient, further compounding their inability to sustain any level of competition with the Patriots.

 

[RayClay]

At what standard of living?

The figure of 20-30 million was mentioned. Let's stick with that and forget future earnings. I believe the average family could maintain a pretty good standard of living using that as a base for living standards and investment.

I suppose one could argue the other side and i am willing to make myself a guinea pig for a real life experiment to prove or disprove it.

 

[DonBlackmon55]

I'm sure Ngata wasn't at 100%. So what? Connolly did what he was supposed to do: keep Ngata from being a factor in the game. That, to me, is a good job.

You're still the only person I've heard take the position you're taking. Anyone I've read who says anything about the job Connolly did says that he did a good job. Which matches what I saw.

"Tremendous"? Ok, "really good". That better? It's really ok, Deus, to admit that Connolly was good that game. I frankly don't know why you're insisting otherwise. But whatever.

Fine, he wasn't good. You win. Let's move on to the next topic.

Dont worry, his initials D.I stand for Dumbass Idiot.

 

[Tunescribe]

I'm so sick of multimillionaire players using the "what's best for my family" card. If Koppen's family isn't already set for life and beyond with the $21 million he's banked what comes next won't make a bit of difference.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I'm so sick of multimillionaire players using the "what's best for my family" card. If Koppen's family isn't already set for life and beyond with the $21 million he's banked what comes next won't make a bit of difference.

Admitedly the "feed my family" mantra of multi-multi-millionaires grates on the typical wage earner who probably earns in a lifetime about most non-minimum NFL player's single year's pay. The agents need to stop shooting themselves in the public opinion foot and stifle that phrase.

I have no problem with Dan or anyone else choosing the biggest paycheck. It's still a free country and we fans have no claim on their indentured servitude. It's his body and health post football that's at risk. I'm someone like Bruschi who found lots of things aside from the paycheck to be much more important, but that's not a common perspective.

 

[Ring 6]

The figure of 20-30 million was mentioned. Let's stick with that and forget future earnings. I believe the average family could maintain a pretty good standard of living using that as a base for living standards and investment.

I suppose one could argue the other side and i am willing to make myself a guinea pig for a real life experiment to prove or disprove it.

But continuing to earn allows you to life at a higher standard of living.
You are arguing he should be satisfied because he has more money than you and shouldn't want to increase his standard of living because its already nice. That makes no sense to me.
If you have earned 20-30 million, you really aren't interested in ending up with the standard of living of the 'average family'.

 

[Ring 6]

I'm so sick of multimillionaire players using the "what's best for my family" card. If Koppen's family isn't already set for life and beyond with the $21 million he's banked what comes next won't make a bit of difference.

Wouldn't it be better for his family to have more?
You sound like there are 2 choices, poor and not poor and as soon as you pass the dividing line, you should be happy and stop trying to improve yourself.

 

[eom]

andy, I know you live to spam every topic with argument, but there is not one post I have seen in here saying he should turn down money.

you are having an argument with some voice inside your own head.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

Obviously, if he was prudent his family would enjoy a fine standard of living without even touching much of the principal.

I think it's fair to hope someone someday is honest enough to say " I want the money?" It would be refreshing IMO.
Nothing against Koppen, it's just a cliche, but worrying about Ty Law's starving children just about wore me out.

Isnt that pretty much what Koppen said? Trying to give his family the highest standard of living he can is what most people try and do, they;'re just doing it on a higher plane than most of us, nothing wrong with that.
I interpreted what Koppen said as Id love to play for the Patriots but not for that big of a discount.

 

[TomPatriot]

That is kind of a naive outlook.

Koppen is trying to provide his family the best standard of living he can.

He has earned a high level of income and is saying he wants to try to continue to earn a high level of income in order to continue the standard of living his family has attained.

How is that phony to you?

Do you seriously think someone who made 25 million over the past 10 years and is nearing the end of his high income days won't see his standard of living decline if he takes a large paycut?

Are you really trying to say that he should just accept a standard of living that is lower than he can attain because people on this board would be happy with a fraction of what he has? That is severly naive.

"Naive" has nothing to do with it. This is a red herring. He wants to make more money, fine. I get that. But don't be silly enough to claim that it is for your family when the vast majority of people earn a fraction of the amount he earns over a lifetime and live well enough to tell the tale.

 

[Deus Irae]

"Naive" has nothing to do with it. This is a red herring. He wants to make more money, fine. I get that. But don't be silly enough to claim that it is for your family when the vast majority of people earn a fraction of the amount he earns over a lifetime and live well enough to tell the tale.

You do understand that richer people make money to provide for their families just as poorer people make money to provide for their families, right?

 

[Tunescribe]

Wouldn't it be better for his family to have more?

Good question. But I highly doubt his family is wanting for anything with millions in the bank.

You sound like there are 2 choices, poor and not poor and as soon as you pass the dividing line, you should be happy and stop trying to improve yourself.

It's OK to honestly say something like, "I want the best contract I can get." The way they present the "best for my family" sentiment seems a faux way of taking the onus off THEM because they're "selflessly" looking out for their family's "welfare." Yes, I will volunteer there is a "dividing line" where people's needs and wants are met, beyond which it comes down to escalating degrees of luxury. I'll hazard a guess that Koppen's family passed that threshold several million dollars ago.

 

[TomPatriot]

You do understand that richer people make money to provide for their families just as poorer people make money to provide for their families, right?

You do understand they make a lot more of it, right? Not need, but rather, make.

You do understand that mentioning his family's needs is a public relations way to justify whatever gets him the most money, right? Otherwise why bother? That was the point of my post, if that happened to be unclear.

 

[DaBruinz]

"Naive" has nothing to do with it. This is a red herring. He wants to make more money, fine. I get that. But don't be silly enough to claim that it is for your family when the vast majority of people earn a fraction of the amount he earns over a lifetime and live well enough to tell the tale.

What others make has nothing to do with Koppen's decision on a contract. I swear that there have been several people who haven't actually read the article and are reacting SOLELY on the OP's idiotic comments.

Koppen said that he understands that it's a business. When he says that he's got to do what is best for his family, that generally means that if there is a higher offer than the Pats that is within a few hundred K, he's more likely to stay than go. But if the offer is significantly higher, say 2-3 million more, then he's likely gone.

No where in that article did Koppen make any demands or insinuate what he was looking for. So the OP as well as the others who have slammed Koppen are just talking out your arses.

 

[Ring 6]

"Naive" has nothing to do with it. This is a red herring. He wants to make more money, fine. I get that. But don't be silly enough to claim that it is for your family when the vast majority of people earn a fraction of the amount he earns over a lifetime and live well enough to tell the tale.

He didnt say his family is starving, he said he wants to take care of his family.
Are you saying that sentiment only applies at poverty levels?

 

[Deus Irae]

You do understand they make a lot more of it, right? Not need, but rather, make.

You do understand that mentioning his family's needs is a public relations way to justify whatever gets him the most money, right? Otherwise why bother? That was the point of my post, if that happened to be unclear.

The point of your post was obvious. It's just that it was ridiculous class bashing.

 

[Ring 6]

Good question. But I highly doubt his family is wanting for anything with millions in the bank.

Its all relative. TO made 80 mill and he is broke. If we assume Koppen saved his money, then why wouldn't it be better to have more to provide a better lifestyle, to make the family money provide for future generations, or just to be able to buy a few million more worth of things?
I don't understand why someone has to 'want for things' to justify maximizing their finances.

It's OK to honestly say something like, "I want the best contract I can get." The way they present the "best for my family" sentiment seems a faux way of taking the onus off THEM because they're "selflessly" looking out for their family's "welfare."

Thank you for telling us what it is OK for Dan Koppen to feel.
His comments were that he has to do what is best for his family. That could mean taking less to stay, it could mean amassing as much money as possible to make their lives easier if he sustains medical issues in his 40s because of the violent nature of the game.
At what point did he claim it was selfless? He simply stated the parameters of his decision making process WHEN HE WAS ASKED

Yes, I will volunteer there is a "dividing line" where people's needs and wants are met, beyond which it comes down to escalating degrees of luxury.

So. Are you saying there is something wrong with wanting those luxuires?

I'll hazard a guess that Koppen's family passed that threshold several million dollars ago.

His career is almost over. This contract will likely be his last. Are you seriously saying you would expect his outlook to be that he has a lot of money so he shouldn't worry about more because he can tighten the belt and reduce his lifestyle when he has to retire? Very nice of you to decide what lifestyle Dan Koppen should choose for his family.

 

[Ring 6]

You do understand they make a lot more of it, right? Not need, but rather, make.

You do understand that mentioning his family's needs is a public relations way to justify whatever gets him the most money, right? Otherwise why bother? That was the point of my post, if that happened to be unclear.

The point was HE WAS ASKED. Are you suggesting he is wrong to put what is best for his family first?