For those of you who haven't seen this video, it is Arian Foster's press conference after the Houston Texans signed him to a hefty new contract. Foster will make $43.5 million — nearly half of that guaranteed — over the next five years for the Texans. And needless to say, he's very appreciative.
Press conferences like this one make you despise the guys who hold out from their contracts. They make you wonder how an NFL player has the audacity to bicker with a team that is offering him $65 million dollars. No, no, no — I want $68 million. Seriously? Why can't more of them be like this guy?
A lot of fans were brought to tears by this interview today. When I turned on ESPN, I thought his mother died or something. I saw him crying, saw his very emotional demeanor, and I heard him talking about his mother. Before I saw the headlines, I actually thought he had lost a close family member. And it turns out he was just that grateful about a new contract.
People often say that athletes are overpaid. Maybe they are, maybe they aren't. But when you think about sports as the biggest entertainment source in America today, how are these guys any more overpaid than actors, singers and other celebrities? No matter who it is, they have to couple their God-given talent with perseverance and hard work. Was Foster graced with natural talent? For sure. But thousands of kids are blessed enough to have that same type of talent. Thousands of kids face the adversity he faced. They don't all come out on top. But it's good to see one of the ones that does being so grateful for the opportunities he's been given and the people he has been able to help.
I don't know what Foster's first purchase will be when the Texans send him a nice big check, but I think it's a fairly safe bet that it won't be a purchase for himself. Perhaps a nice, shiny ring to put on his mother's finger will be the first item to knock off his checklist.
