A good example set by Nike

Cool Texan · 05-27-2003, 06:57 AM

13 year old kid given a $1M endorsement deal cuz he is good at soccer. As such, now he can not play NCAA soccer....but supposedly he doesnt plan on playing in college anyway. Translation, probably wont go to college now. Hopefully he still will....but if not, this is just wrong.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soc...ke_ap/?cnn=yes

Big Dog · 05-27-2003, 08:17 AM

Is it just me our does it seem a little bit screwed up that we can pay Freddy Adu $1 million to were a pair of shoes. We can pay LeBron James $90 million, Tiger Woods $100 million, and Michael Jordan who knows how much all to endorse a pair of shoes but we cannot afford to manufacture them here in the United States.

I just seems a little bit screwed up that they are willing to pay a few people VERY WELL to wear a pair of shoes but the people (KIDS) that are making the shoes are only getting paid pennys a day.

Herring Impaired · 05-27-2003, 08:26 AM

That's why I refuse to buy that particular brand.

Hard to find (In my size anyway), but some shoes are still made in the USA!

Birdnest · 05-27-2003, 08:38 AM

I am pretty sure he can afford to pay for school now. If he is that good it won't spoil his chance to turn pro, probably only enhance it. I suppose the only thing he will miss is the fun of playing Div 1 soccer and trying to score in college, but he's got a million reasons not to.

How many 13 year olds and their families would turn down a cool million?

Birdnest

[ 05-27-2003, 09:43 AM: Message edited by: Birdnest ]

Cool Texan · 05-27-2003, 08:42 AM

I buy New Balance whenever I can. I believe these are made in the US. Could be wrong though.

05-27-2003, 08:58 AM

I will no longer buy Nike products. Phil Knight has got to be one of the most arrogant people I've ever listened too.
Anyone who has seen Michael Moores documentary "The Big One" knows what I mean. You can dislike Moore if you want to but take the time to listen to his encounter with Knight and you'll see what I mean.

Herring Impaired · 05-27-2003, 12:34 PM

New Balance I believe is about 50/50 on the source for their shoes. They are about the only brand I can get in a 15/EEEE, As well as Hush Puppies every now and then.

Joe Schwab · 05-27-2003, 06:00 PM

Stew, Stew, Stew, You don't think Michael Moore is making money on his little ventures? Now there is someone who is arrogant. Nike does employ a lot of people here in Oregon also. Nike could sit back and let the other companies outbid them for endorsers and of course the public would buy that product. It is a game Nike plays very well. I enjoy seeing someone get that money other than CEOs.

Thumper · 05-28-2003, 05:50 AM

Hey, it's Capitalism --- the American way! More power to them.

The Fishing Geek · 05-28-2003, 07:58 AM

The gist of the Michael Moore/Phil Knight connection is that Moore was on a local radio station doing an interview. Someone from Nike calls and says that Phil Knight is inviting Michael to the campus, that he wants to meet him. Michael heads out there, and upon meeting Phil Michael asks whether Phil has ever met any of the 13 year old Indonesian girls who make Nike shoes. Phil says "They're 14, and...no". Michael pulls airline tickets out of his pocket and says "I picked these up on the way over. Let's go!". Of course, Phil says no.

Later in the conversation Michael asks Phil why Nike won't make their shoes in America. Phil says that Americans don't want to make shoes (paraphrased, of course). Michael asks if he is able to find 500 Americans that want to make Nike shoes, then would he consider. Phil agrees.

Michael heads to Flint, Michigan and easily finds 500 people who would make Nike shoes for minimum wage, as the unemployment rate their is very high. Upon presenting the video to Phil, Phil responds with "Well, people will say anything just to get a job".

On Phil's behalf, he invited Michael over after his wife showed Phil Michael's book "Downsize This!" and jokingly showed Phil how he was on one of the Corporate Criminal Trading Cards.

The payment of athletes for endorsement contracts is worse than the amount of money paid by the major sports teams for player contracts, but the stakes are higher when it comes to the retail dollar. I don't begrudge these young men and women for taking the money, because, truthfully, if each of us were put into the same situation, we'd take the money, too. Why worry about whether he can pay college sports when he can make the big bucks in the majors? What happens if he gets a career-ending injury in college? No money. What happens if he gets a career-ending injury in the majors? Still big money.

As long as people keep buying the goods, the athletic goods companies will be able to afford the "$90 million for 5 years contracts to 18 year old kids" contracts. Yes, it's Capitalism; however, that does not keep it from being morally-deplorable.

05-28-2003, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Thumper:
Hey, it's Capitalism --- the American way! More power to them.

By all means let's exploit some third world nation for cheap labor and sweat shops

After all it's the American way.
Too bad Frohnmeyer at U of O didn't have the cahones to stand up to Knight.
Jack we need to fish soon so I can begin your re-education

:tongue: :grin:

[ 05-28-2003, 11:10 AM: Message edited by: Stew ]

The Fishing Geek · 05-28-2003, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Birdnest:
So you can ride your high horse over to some 3rd world village and tell the people that you are taking their jobs away for their own good.

Many of those jobs were exported US jobs to begin with, so I guess you could say that it'd be repossession.

Joe Schwab · 05-28-2003, 06:01 PM

We would all like to see big companies keep their manufacturing plants here in the good old USA but no one wants to pay the price of goods. I don't drive foreign cars. Lots of people do. Nike made a business decision and Michael Moore was not a part of that decision whether he likes it or not. I don't believe a word Moore says. Michigan may be suffering unemployment but how long would they be willing to work for minimum wage before forming another union and driving up the costs? there are a lot more morally deplorable things going on in this world worse than Nike factories. UO made a wise decision to drop their socalled boycott. Frohnmayer would be standing on the outside looking in with his big cahonies. Nike and Phil Knight do not "HAVE" to give donations to institutions that will not support them.

Go Ducks!!!!

The Fishing Geek · 05-28-2003, 06:32 PM

Thirteen? Bet this kid is getting some kickbacks already.

fisheromen · 05-28-2003, 09:00 PM

Send the jobs from Indonesia over to Bangladesh. I met plenty of 14 year olds there who would love to work for Nike wages in their comparatively safe "sweat shops". It's all a matter of PERSPECTIVE. I'd like to see some rich American (ie any of us) go over and convince the typical Nike "slave laborer" how exploited they are.

On the other hand, it would tick me off if I really thought that Nike was being inhumane to their overseas workers for a profit.

Birdnest · 05-28-2003, 11:05 PM

First, I do not support children working long hours in dangerous factory conditions. I am also not a big fan of exporting jobs. Some companies like Boeing will offer a trade off. They agree to open a plant to manufacture a component of the airplane and pump money into a badly needed economy. In the big picture, more contracts are signed and US Boeing workes will have more planes to build.

That said, there are a lot of "3rd world" people that have food on their table because of their American company job. Often the wage paid is far above what a comparable job in that region would pay.

So you can ride your high horse over to some 3rd world village and tell the people that you are taking their jobs away for their own good.

Birdnest

Birdnest · 05-29-2003, 06:44 AM

Geek,

I think we both agree on exporting jobs.

Why do you think a new truck cost 40k, greedy unions. I love when Boeing goes on strike every 2 years, nothing like shooting yourself in the foot. I am all for a decenent wages, but there has to be some common sense. A few years ago a prof of mine told me a story of how her brother, a wildlife biologist, quite his job because he got a job with one of the big auto makers. With overtime he made 90k in one year. His job was to secure the windshield after the robotic arm swung it into place. Should he be able to take care of his family, buy a house ,ect...absolutely. Does he deserve 90k in a world where teachers make 26k, nope.

Birdnest

Big Dog · 05-29-2003, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Does he deserve 90k in a world where teachers make 26k, nope

Were do you find that the average wage of a teacher os 26K. Most stuff I see is upwards of 35K-40K. That does not seem like a bad wage to take home not including benifets and only working 9 months a year.

TheRogue · 05-29-2003, 09:34 AM

Gee, now why did I know "someone" would jump on that 26K a year figure??

The Fishing Geek · 05-29-2003, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Big Dog:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Does he deserve 90k in a world where teachers make 26k, nope

Were do you find that the average wage of a teacher os 26K. Most stuff I see is upwards of 35K-40K. That does not seem like a bad wage to take home not including benifets and only working 9 months a year. <hr /></blockquote>I don't see where he said "average", but that topic has been beaten to death anyway so never mind me.

AtWorkALot · 05-30-2003, 04:38 AM

It's (not) funny that people are so quick to jump on companies like Nike for their labor practices. Bottom line, Nike couldn't make shoes in the US and turn a profit. Nike does employ thousands, in Oregon alone. There are many in the region that enjoy a pretty nice lifestyle working for the 'swoosh'.

Also, teachers deserve every penny they get. They are constantly facing budget cuts, closures, over-crowding, the madness of our PC world, our ungrateful children, etc... These people know they will always be understaffed, underbudgeted, and underpaid. I'm amazed and thankful these quality individuals return to work each morning.

05-30-2003, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Birdnest:
First, I do not support children working long hours in dangerous factory conditions. I am also not a big fan of exporting jobs. Some companies like Boeing will offer a trade off. They agree to open a plant to manufacture a component of the airplane and pump money into a badly needed economy. In the big picture, more contracts are signed and US Boeing workes will have more planes to build.

That said, there are a lot of "3rd world" people that have food on their table because of their American company job. Often the wage paid is far above what a comparable job in that region would pay.

So you can ride your high horse over to some 3rd world village and tell the people that you are taking their jobs away for their own good.

Birdnest

I'm on no "high horse" Birdnest. This is just my opinion and if you disagree then fine but no need to get angry about it.

[ 05-31-2003, 04:40 PM: Message edited by: Stew ]

Birdnest · 05-31-2003, 06:01 AM

Stew,

I was not trying to attack you or your belief system. I am sorry if you felt that way.

Tight Lines and smelly fish boxes,

Birdnest

05-31-2003, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Birdnest:
Stew,

I was not trying to attack you or your belief system. I am sorry if you felt that way.

Tight Lines and smelly fish boxes,

Birdnest

It's cool Bird

happybrew · 06-03-2003, 04:42 PM

I think we can all agree that we don't want to see 14 year olds having to work. But we also don't want to see 14 year olds starving, or being forced into other, more deplorable circumstances. Any way you look at it, there will be something about the situation that could be improved. It will take decades or longer to make it so.

happybrew

Silver Hilton · 06-03-2003, 07:53 PM

At the risk of being non-PC, those 14 year olds who are working for Nike, aren't doing it just to keep from being bored. Whether we like it or not, they and their families see the work as being better than not working. As in not going hungry. We have a tendency to view jobs that pay less than $40,000 a year as slave labor, which is a luxury the rest of the world doesn't enjoy.