[Public Defender]

According to the game recap I read on yahoo (Sports Ticker, I believe), Dale Davis told a reporter that he'd been fined the equivalent of one game's salary for missing the game in Minnesota. The way Dale did the math, that amounts to $111,000 dollars.

Davis said he was docked a full game's pay -- about $111,000, he said.

That's one expensive snow day. Considering PDX was shut down and most of the streets in the west hills were in varying degrees of burial under snow and ice, I find that fine excessive. No, obscene.

If I'd been Dale, I would have left practice, too. And been on the phone to my lawyer and my agent.

I know that lots of people had to give up a "personal day" because they missed work, and if they didn't have "personal days" they had to give up eight-hours of salary... but Dale doesn't get personal days and it's unfair to characterize his job as being completely about games. What about time spent in practice? What about team meetings? What about travel time? What about all the community appearances? And interviews?

I know these guys make a ton of money, but $111,000 for missing a day when all of Northwest Oregon was a sheet of ice? Absurd.

 

[ABM]

The rest of the team had left the day before (in worse weather conditions) on a bus to Eugene and flew from there.

I still think, if Dale really wanted to get to the game in Minny, he could have found a way. Even if it meant taking a taxi to Eugene.

 

[Ed O]

Dale deserved to be fined at least one game's pay. As ABM said, every other Blazers was able to make it and Dale should have the resources to make it into work even if it took unconventional means (a helicopter? a snowmobile? a team of sherpas?)

I can understand Dale being upset by it, but the Blazers are doing the right thing IMO.

Ed O.

 

[Fork]

Dale could have saved himself $61,000 by offering me $50,000 to get him to that game. I'd have snowshoed to his house and personally carried his *** to the nearest bus stop for $50,000.

Dude should have rented a hotel room downtown when it was becoming clear the snow wasn't about to let up.

As was stated by others, he was the only guy that didn't get there...not a good excuse for that.

 

[Public Defender]

I won't argue that Dale should have made the game, and probably the best thing would have been to have stayed someplace other than his own house.

However, once he was stuck in his house, I'm not sure how he would've gotten out. Also, I'm not sure if anyone told him, "Dale, you either make it to Minnesota or it's going to cost you a hundred and ten grand." If someone had, perhaps he would've tried a little harder.

In addition, I think the amount of the fine is out of proportion. Dividing Dale's salary by 82 doesn't accurately reflect Dale's participation as a Blazer - he attends practices (mandatory), conducts interviews (mandatory), plays in pre-season games (mandatory), attends pre-season workouts (mandatory), and goes to team meetings (mandatory).

 

[Trader Ed]

Divinding by 82 games is more than fair, consider him a salaried employee. Most salaried employees put in extra hours more than the standrd 8-5 shifts.

I agree with Ed O and ABM. He should have made every effort to make it. At the amounts he is being paid he should be even more intelligent in his planning. Someone making over $9 mil a year is comparable to someone who is a very excellant CEO of a very large ad successful company and presumed to have some smarts. There is no excuse IMHO for his missing the game when everyone else made it. I made it around quite easily in many areas of hilly and snowy south Salem. Just use the 4x4 in my car and don't do anything stupid. I am sure he could have made it too.