Lesson From Vick, Weis, and Yashin: Avoid the 10-Year Contract

An epidemic is spreading throughout the world of professional and even collegiate sports.

It’s the infamous 10-year contract and it can infect for your team or school at any moment.

For the past few years, numerous professional athletes and collegiate coaches have succumbed to the temptation of the 10-year contract.

Let’s take a moment to countdown the top 5 worst 10-year contracts:

5. Alexei Yashin- The New York Islanders signed the free agent to an $87.5 million dollar contract back in 2001 after two consecutive 40+ goal seasons with the Ottawa Senators. Over the past five seasons the first half of the contract Yashin has averaged less than 24 goals and only 58 total points a season. While the Islanders have made the playoffs four times since the inking of his decade-long contract, Yashin has made only one All-Star team not exactly a pedigree that justifies a 10-year contract.

4. Daunte Culpepper- Before he threw for 39 touchdowns and 4,717 yards in 2004, the Minnesota Vikings signed Culpepper to a 10-year contract extension. Unfortunately, that near-MVP season he missed it thanks to Peyton Manning was Culpepper’s last productive year in Minnesota. The departure of Randy Moss and a second knee injury led to the release of Culpepper who is now riding the pine in Oakland. The Vikings, of course, are having quarterback woes of their own in Tarvaris Jackson and Kelly Holcomb.

3. Alex Rodriguez- I know what you’re thinking. How could you put A-Rod on this list? Well, judging from the view of former emphasis on former general manager John Hart and owner Tom Hicks, the $252 million investment did not pan out. Yes, they got an MVP season out of Rodriguez and sold thousands of tickets because of the major free agent signing. But in the years that A-Rod suited up for Texas (2001-03), the team compiled a record of 206-270; never even sniffing the postseason. Even when the Rangers traded Rodriguez after the 2003 season, the key player they got in return Alfonso Soriano played two “playoff-less” seasons in Texas and left after the 2005 season due to free agency; leaving the Ranger organization empty-handed.

2. Charlie Weis The presumed (and somewhat self-claimed) offensive innovator came to South Bend by way of the dynastic New England Patriots with three Super Bowl rings, and that made all Fightin’ Irish faithful salivate over the thought of a return to the glory days of Rockne, Leahy, and Holtz. After an inaugural 9-3 campaign in which the Irish made it to their first BCS bowl game in five years, Charlie Weis received the infamous 10-year contract extension. Notre Dame’s 2006 season merited the lengthy extension after a 10-2 regular season and a Sugar Bowl birth. However, the Irish were destroyed by LSU in that Sugar Bowl by a score of 41-14 and have yet to win a game since. The start to the 2007 season has been the most disastrous in school history and a sense of prematurity is setting in throughout South Bend. Weis’ apparent offensive ingenuity is nowhere to be found this season for the Golden-Domers and that other candidate that nearly returned to Notre Dame Urban Meyer isn’t looking like such a bad alternative.

1. Michael Vick The most regrettable 10-year contract has to be the most lucrative. Michael Vick’s $130 million extension back in 2004 was, at the time, the most exorbitant contract offer in league history. The most marketable player in the league became the highest paid and Falcons owner Arthur Blank publicly declared Vick as a Falcon for life. Since the signing, the Falcons endured a 15-17 overall record, no playoff appearances, and failed to post consecutive winning seasons. Only two years into the extension, the former Falcon for life is preparing to serve time in federal prison for dog-fighting allegations and the Falcons are left with the habitual underavhiever Joey Harrington and Mr. Damaged Goods himself, Byron Leftwich. Needless to say, Falcon ownership regrets their decision to sign Vick to such a lengthy contract extension and they are still trying to recoup as much money from Vick’s bonuses as possible in order to collectively cover their backsides.

Honorable Mention: Bobby Petrino, Louisville head coach: $25 million