10 People in Sports with the Most at Stake Right Now
Oakland Raiders fans could be on the verge of losing their team—do the stakes get higher than that in sports?
Well, for some folks, they might. People in sports—as in many professions—deal with a great amount of stress regularly. At any given time, they could be fighting for their jobs, reputations, paychecks or even their eternal legacies.
At this particular moment in sports, there are 10 people (or groups of people) who have a lot on the line, perhaps more so than usual.
The relative urgency of each situation is certainly a subjective matter, as Jose Bautista is likely to have a job in the next six months, while the same cannot be said with certainty for a few coaches on this list. But each of the following cases are absolutely urgent in their own way.
Who is in highest need of a stress ball right now? Read on to find out.
Jose Bautista
1 of 10
There are several MLB free agents who stand to make big money this offseason—Edwin Encarnacion, Aroldis Chapman, Yoenis Cespedes—but one big name who has perhaps the most on the line is Jose Bautista.
The 36-year-old slugger turned down the Toronto Blue Jays' qualifying offer and is reportedly seeking a multiyear deal, per ESPN.com.
Prior to a 2016 season in which he hit .234/.366/.452 and belted 22 home runs in 116 games, there were even reports (via TSN's Rick Westhead) that Bautista wanted five years and $150 million.
Those figures now seem particularly lofty given Bautista's age and most recent season stats, but David Adler of MLB.com wrote the slugger is "commanding interest from multiple teams as a free agent."
Meanwhile, ESPN's Buster Olney cited an "oversaturated sluggers market," adding: "Soon enough, the music will stop and some players with excellent resumes will be wondering why the phone isn't ringing for them."
Wayne Rooney
2 of 10
Wayne Rooney, captain of both the English national team and Manchester United, was benched in October for "questions over his form," per ESPN FC's Arindam Rej. He has one goal for Jose Mourinho's club in 2016-17, and just two for the country.
In November, some rather unsavory photos of Rooney, intoxicated at a wedding, surfaced, although that's not entirely relevant.
The Guardian's Barney Ronay wrote: "Rooney should not be dropped from the England team because he was drunk at 5 a.m. Rooney should instead be dropped because he is no longer mobile and effective enough to get in the team."
According to Lee Thomas-Mason of Metro.co.uk, Rooney's contract with Manchester United will expire in 2019, but the club has indicated he needs to "prove himself" before it will consider an extension.
It seems something needs to change if Rooney hopes to close out his storied career with Manchester United. Then again, the 31-year-old striker would likely have options if he did leave—China, the MLS and Everton were all mentioned by Rej.
Phil Jackson
3 of 10
Phil Jackson is widely recognized as a basketball genius. The "Zen Master" has won 11 NBA championships as a head coach.
And yet, the New York Knicks president has yet to propel his latest team back into the playoff mix in the NBA's Eastern Conference.
After the 2015-16 season, Jackson presided over a series of bold moves, including the acquisitions of guard Derrick Rose and center Joakim Noah and the hiring of Jeff Hornacek as head coach.
While it's hard to imagine the Knicks voluntarily parting ways with Jackson, there is a mutual option on his contract that could be exercised at season's end. Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post explained:
"If the Knicks make the playoffs this season, there won't be a reason for anyone to change course. The team will still have [young forward Kristaps] Porzingis, and there will be a sense of optimism moving forward.
But if they don't? Well, Jackson said it himself: it'll be evident his plan isn't working out. And, if it doesn't, whether Jackson wants to exercise that option or not may not matter.
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Of course, Jackson will land on his feet regardless—that's just the kind of icon he is—but his future with the Knicks certainly appears to be at a critical juncture.
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Brock Osweiler
4 of 10
The Houston Texans gave Brock Osweiler a four-year, $72 million contract in March. This, after he started seven games in 2015 (the first starts of an NFL career that started in 2012) and completed 61.8 percent of his passes for 1,967 yards and 10 touchdowns.
There were those who wondered if the Texans might have overcommitted themselves to a relatively unproven quarterback.
And as 2016 rolls along, Osweiler hasn't exactly knocked anyone's socks off—1,818 yards, 11 TDs and nine interceptions on 58.6 percent passing in nine starts. Per USA Today: "So the Houston Texans sign a QB they never met. And then he gets off to a mediocre start. Is anybody really surprised? Sure, the Texans are in first place in the AFC South but that buyer's remorse will set in fast if Osweiler doesn't improve."
Osweiler's $16 million salary in 2017 is fully guaranteed, per Tom Pelissero of USA Today, but that's not the case in 2018 and 2019.
At just 25 years of age, Osweiler is playing to prove his legitimacy but also for his future. If this contract goes bust, there might not be another.
Roger Goodell
5 of 10
The commissioner of any major sports league always has a lot on the line. In Roger Goodell's case, his run atop the NFL has been filled with many issues ranging from player safety to domestic violence and television ratings.
Let's chat about that last one, shall we?
At an owners' meeting in 2010, Goodell set the goal of tripling league revenue—to $25 billion by 2027. Optimism reigned. By 2014, revenue was up to $10 billion, but in 2016 the headlines are more about the ratings crisis and decline in on-field quality.
Some suggested the presidential election was partially to blame for dropping ratings, but even post-election, numbers continue to go in the wrong direction. Maury Brown of Forbes reported ratings went up for two matchups in Week 10 but added:
"A report by Guggenheim Securities notes that with those two games the exception, ratings continue to fall for the NFL. The report noted that with Monday Night Football's data out of the equation (it was not yet available), 'ratings trends for Week 10 of the 2016-17 NFL season improved sequentially from week 9, declining 3% in total viewers and 4% for viewers aged 18-49 on a year-over-year basis.'
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Brown also suggested ratings would continue to fall because of the poor play during Thursday Night Football and a general shortage of interesting matchups.
MLB Players and Owners
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Players and owners alike have a lot at stake as MLB and the MLBPA attempt to hash out a new collective bargaining agreement.
The current CBA is set to expire Dec. 1, but a work stoppage appears unlikely. Mike Axisa of CBSSports.com wrote, "Both sides have expressed optimism that a deal will get done before Dec. 1 and I believe them."
Still, many topics are on the table, including 26-man rosters, revenue sharing, an international draft and 154-game season.
Reducing the season to 154 games would help alleviate the taxing nature of the existing travel schedule. In July, Manfred told the BBWAA (via David Lennon of Newsday):
"Can something be done? Yeah, things can be done. There are ways to produce more off days in the schedule. Some of those have very significant economic ramifications that — if in fact we’re going down those roads — those economic ramifications are going to have to be shared by all of the relevant parties. You want to work less, usually you get paid less.
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However it all goes down, the likelihood is baseball will have a new deal before the end of the year. A new deal usually always means new stakes.
Jack Capuano
7 of 10
It feels like New York Islanders coach Jack Capuano is literally fighting for his job every night.
Bleacher Report's Jonathan Willis wrote: "The Islanders are in that pivotal moment where the rebuild has come to an end and it's time to make the next step. Instead, the team has imploded."
Willis pointed to possession metrics, goal differential, overall record (5-8-3 and No. 8 in the Metropolitan Division as of Nov. 17) and the ineffectiveness of Andrew Ladd and Jason Chimera as reasons for said implosion.
After a 4-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning earlier this week (a loss after which the team was booed off the ice by the home crowd), Capuano said of his job, per Dan Martin of the New York Post: "I only control what I can control. That's not my decision."
Meanwhile, team captain John Tavares stood up for the coach, saying, per Newsday's Arthur Staple: "I have confidence in our group, in our staff. It comes down to the guys stepping on the ice and playing to our identity, playing the way we know we can play."
Will Capuano last the season? TBD.
Jeff Fisher
8 of 10
Every year it seems more than one NFL coach is fighting for his job come Thanksgiving, and it's no different in 2016. Mike McCarthy of the Green Bay Packers, Gus Bradley of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Mike McCoy of the San Diego Chargers are just a few of the coaches on the hot seat, according to Nate Davis of USA Today.
And yet, Los Angeles Rams boss Jeff Fisher is dealing with an even more unique set of circumstances.
Fisher has been charged with resurrecting a franchise in a new town. Not only that, but he is being watched with unbelievable closeness as he determines the fate of rookie quarterback (and No. 1 draft pick) Jared Goff.
Goff did not play in the season's first 10 weeks—Fisher said the rookie would play "when we feel Jared's ready," per Michael David Smith of NBC Sports. Many have questioned the team's decision not to play the rookie, particularly given the poor performance of L.A.'s offense, which is the lowest scoring in the league with 15.4 points per game.
But finally, Goff is scheduled to start and lead his 4-5 Rams against the Miami Dolphins in Week 11. Who has more on the line in Week 11, Goff or Fisher? Hard not to say the coach.
Ronda Rousey
9 of 10
UFC fighter Ronda Rousey will return to the Octagon in December after over a year away from the sport.
Rousey lost her bantamweight title to Holly Holm at UFC 193 in November 2015, and she has not fought since. There has been much speculation about when (and if) her next fight might happen, but the UFC finally announced she would take on bantamweight titleholder Amanda Nunes at UFC 207.
Much is at stake for Rousey in terms of reputation and legacy. She has already hinted the Nunes fight might be her last, telling Ellen DeGeneres, via Gavin Evans of Complex: "This is definitely one of my last fights. The show isn't going to be around forever."
Rousey was once known as one of the most fearsome and unbeatable fighters in UFC history. If she loses again, will her legacy be tarnished permanently?
James Dielhenn of Sky Sports wrote, "Rousey's legacy in the cage could yet be improved upon because she returns in December to challenge for her old belt, but the American's true value was her conquering of pop culture throughout her dominant reign."
Raiders Fans
10 of 10
It's good to be an Oakland Raiders fan since the team is 7-2. Then again, it's not, since owner Mark Davis has been pushing for a move to Las Vegas, and the Clark County Commission just approved a tax ordinance to help fund a new NFL stadium there.
There are plenty of Oakland faithful who don't want to see the move happen. One group led by former Raider and Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott is aiming to build a new stadium on the site of the current Oakland Coliseum. Former Raiders head coach Jon Gruden is also against the move, and fans have expressed displeasure as well.
Ahead of a home matchup against the Denver Broncos in early November, lifetime Raiders fan Fred Walker said, per Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today: "We built the team, we rebuilt the team in Oakland. If we go to Vegas, they're not going to have a fanbase."
Oakland sports fans are going to lose the Golden State Warriors to San Francisco in 2019, and they could lose their Raiders (again) before that. One might say the very sports identify of Oakland is at stake with these Vegas talks.
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