LOCKED - Solid piece on B Griner

[Dawgg]

I’m guessing you didn’t read the article

1) Griner’s WNBA salary is $227k. Not up to par with NBA players, granted, but definitely not a salary that would make it impossible to build a retirement nest egg

2) Griner has $1M in endorsement deals from Nike

3) Griner has been making millions from playing in China and Russia dating back to 2013

She has made plenty to not have to “need” to play in Russia any longer at this juncture

1. I know what her salary is and I know it's the WNBA max and I wasn't only talking about her. I was answering 'why' WNBA players go to Russia. The average WNBA salary is about $100K and the rookie contract is $60K-$70K. You also have to realize these are athletes and many of their athletic careers don't last as long as a regular career. I believe I read that most don't even get past their rookie contract. Even if a player played for 20 years, she'd be in her 40's when her best earning years effectively end.

2. Well I don't think that $1 Million annually and with those endorsement, yes, Griner is one of the 5 highest paid players in the WNBA. She's also 31 and halfway (or more) through her playing career. Sooo, she shouldn't maximize her earnings for the next 10 years?

3. RIIIIIIIIIGHT. She made millions because she played in China and Russia... hence... why WNBA players go and play in places like China and Russia. Thank you for making my point.

I'm really surprised to see a SPS thread with so many encouraging a person to "work less." The mantra here is usually "work harder" and here's somebody doing that.

 

[ronpolk]

I don’t think we have any Americans serving a 9-year sentence for simple possession….unless there were aggravating circumstances like it being a parole or probation violation.

Hopefully you’re right and we don’t have someone serving that long of a sentence for simple possession.

Just for the record, I agree she shouldn’t be in prison. My only issue with doing some sort of prisoner swap and then letting her free is just the pure fact it’s still something she could get in legal trouble in some states in the US for.

Imagine being the guy/girl in jail for a weed offense, even if it’s a short sentence, and she comes back here and is just set free. Not only that she will be a bigger celebrity. When she inevitably does come back to the US she will be all over the news. Hell she will probably write a book and make more money than she ever would in the WNBA.

 

[Go Budaw]

Speaking of the WNBA, when she is back in the US, they should suspend her for violating the WNBA illegal substance policy. Her lawyer stated she has had a medical marijuana card for two years, but it’s a banned substance in the WNBA regardless of medical use or state legality. If she was arrested in Texas for marijuana possession it would require punishment. Can’t let her off just because we hate Russia.

*Edited to add that the WNBA has officially stated that they will not punish her for the use and possession of the banned substance. Curious to see if the Olympic committee will also let her skate.

It’s a technicality here….but I’m willing to bet that both the WNBA and the Olympic committee require a positive test on a screening to administer any sort of discipline under the banned substances policy. While the possession would indicate a relative likelihood that she had some THC in her system, it’s not equivalent at all to a failed drug test. Failing a drug test isn’t something that’s in her near future, to say the least. Regardless, all that is probably the furthest thing from the minds of everybody involved in this situation.

 

[mstateglfr]

I’m guessing you didn’t read the article

1) Griner’s WNBA salary is $227k. Not up to par with NBA players, granted, but definitely not a salary that would make it impossible to build a retirement nest egg

2) Griner has $1M in endorsement deals from Nike

3) Griner has been making millions from playing in China and Russia dating back to 2013

She has made plenty to not have to “need” to play in Russia any longer at this juncture

Collective SPS is most any thread about the economy or society- "Do the impossible and pull yourself up by your bootstraps! I did it, nevermind all the assistance I dont recognize was there for me, so you should do it too! Work hard!"
Person travels the world to earn a living and possibly create generational wealth- "she has made plenty and doesnt need to do that any longer."

 

[Dawgg]

One Hot Take #2, I get that WNBA players had been playing in Russia for 20 years. But with the invasion of Ukraine looming (they invaded a week later) and the State Dept. Class 4 warning not to travel to Russia being issued 3 weeks earlier, just traveling to Russia even without smuggling pot wasn't a smart decision.

I get that and I don't know about travel dates back and forth, but looking at the Euroleague website, it appears she was already over there as early as December of 2021 and maybe even earlier. I get there were already maneuvers happening, but she also wasn't the only one that went. At that point, no WNBA player had been arrested or meaningfully detained.

You could argue that she should have left earlier, but I don't see why the smart decision was to just not go and just turn down $1 Million to do that same job she's been doing in Russia for the past 8 years. We're looking at it in hindsight, but let's see any of us just throw away 5/7th of our yearly income on the chance something bad could happen.

 

[Irondawg]

I’m just surprised that some of the tycoons over there that can somehow pay WNBA players that kind of money allowed this to happen. Has to be impacting their league and teams and now they’ll have less players willing to take the chance and come over.

Usually those guys can bribe their way into making those kinds of charges go away.

 

[Dawgg]

I’m just surprised that some of the tycoons over there that can somehow pay WNBA players that kind of money allowed this to happen. Has to be impacting their league and teams and now they’ll have less players willing to take the chance and come over.

Usually those guys can bribe their way into making those kinds of charges go away.

If I had to guess, I'm betting they probably have in the past.

 

[Dawgg]

Agree. I'm certain there isn't a "sound bite" answer for it and assuming that applying another country's rules in the US would be effective is not really an answer either as culture plays a huge role in how successful certain governance policies work.

The one sound bite I heard/read was "The US treats drugs as a war to be won, not a market to be tamed." and I think there's a lot of truth to that, especially after looking at those incarceration numbers.

 

[DoggieDaddy13]

I’m just surprised that some of the tycoons over there that can somehow pay WNBA players that kind of money allowed this to happen. Has to be impacting their league and teams and now they’ll have less players willing to take the chance and come over.

Usually those guys can bribe their way into making those kinds of charges go away.

The tycoons paying for women's basketball teams in Russia are not anywhere near the same level as Putin's tycoon buddies. They got the new money, not the old money the communists had been socking away for when it started raining down capitalism.

 

[PBDog]

"The United States leads the world in total number of people incarcerated, with more than 2 million prisoners nationwide (per data released in October 2021 by World Prison Brief). This number is equivalent to roughly 25% of the world's total prison population and leads to an incarceration rate of 629 people per 100,000—the highest rate in the world. The prison populations in each U.S. state vary from one to the next, with the highest rates in Louisiana and Oklahoma. Overall, the incarceration rate in the U.S. has skyrocketed in the past decade—the prison population was a mere 200,000 in 1972, less than a tenth of today's total. However, the current rate is the lowest it has been in 20 years."

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/incarceration-rates-by-country

Good news….and we should be building a new prison a week and then fill it with criminals asap

 

[horshack.sixpack]

If you haven't, you should do some reading on how MJ got turned into the boogeyman. It's an interesting story related to the government agency responsible for prohibition enforcement needing a new boogeyman to stay afloat once prohibition ended. MJ provided a great option as it was used pretty widely but was primarily smoked by Mexicans. If I remember correctly, it only then began to be referred to as MJ, the Mexican word for it. Handed the guy a great enemy to keep on fighting against and he got to set up the Mexicans as the ones bring in this terrible drug. I can't recall details, but it was eye opening to see how it started. Thankfully we've left behind those kinds of biases.***

 

[Dawgg]

If you haven't, you should do some reading on how MJ got turned into the boogeyman. It's an interesting story related to the government agency responsible for prohibition enforcement needing a new boogeyman to stay afloat once prohibition ended. MJ provided a great option as it was used pretty widely but was primarily smoked by Mexicans. If I remember correctly, it only then began to be referred to as MJ, the Mexican word for it. Handed the guy a great enemy to keep on fighting against and he got to set up the Mexicans as the ones bring in this terrible drug. I can't recall details, but it was eye opening to see how it started. Thankfully we've left behind those kinds of biases.***

Interesting, I’ll check that out.

Kind of sounds like how Prohibition was used to target the Irish.

 

[GloryDawg]

Why do we have to get her home? Serious question. How many Americans are locked up abroad for minor drug charges or other minor charges? What kind of precedent are we setting if we trade an international arms dealer for a pot head just because we all know her name? It's a lose, lose for Biden. If he trades the terrorist for her he alienates every law abiding citizen and every family or friend of someone locked up abroad. If he doesn't trade he alienates the woke crowd.

I agree. She broke their laws. That's on her. Don't let the Lord of War go for her. How many people will die through out the world if that guy gets lose again. Now I am a little concern about the sentencing. Did she get hammer harder because she's an American?

I am also going to add that as long as Biden is President I don't think she will not come home. You don't call a world leader war criminal then try to negotiate. Words have consequences.

 

[johnson86-1]

The one sound bite I heard/read was "The US treats drugs as a war to be won, not a market to be tamed." and I think there's a lot of truth to that, especially after looking at those incarceration numbers.

That's been a big part of it. We helped create the mafia with prohibition of alcohol and have created much stronger gangs and cartels through prohibition of other drugs, but not sure that explains everything. I think if you pull the drug trade related violence out, we're still relatively violent. Not positive on that though. But still much more likely to be subject to violence walking through bad areas than equivalent places in most western european countries.

 

[thekimmer]

"The United States leads the world in total number of people incarcerated, with more than 2 million prisoners nationwide (per data released in October 2021 by World Prison Brief). This number is equivalent to roughly 25% of the world's total prison population and leads to an incarceration rate of 629 people per 100,000—the highest rate in the world. The prison populations in each U.S. state vary from one to the next, with the highest rates in Louisiana and Oklahoma. Overall, the incarceration rate in the U.S. has skyrocketed in the past decade—the prison population was a mere 200,000 in 1972, less than a tenth of today's total. However, the current rate is the lowest it has been in 20 years."

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/incarceration-rates-by-country

While violent crime is breaking records. Correlation?

 

[CookieMonster.sixpack]

Makes sense. I'm pretty ignorant in the specifics, but per my other post, we have a broken prison system as our incarceration rates lead the world. Something is broken somewhere.

Easier to keep the incarceration rate low when you execute more of the criminals, see 11thEagleFan's post

 

[Irondawg]

She’ll get out - I think Putin gets a bigger kick out of being able to make the President of the US do things and squirm than he does holding a grudge.

He’s just going to make them work for it a bit because he likes being the puppet master and the media attention.

So he’s either going to ask for more concessions and we will cave or it will happen in a few months when the media moved onto other things and his leverage starts to dwindle.

 

[The Peeper]

She is a Grade A piece of garbage

1. She has played in Russia since 2014 so she had to know the laws/rules and consequences. She has pled guilty. Do the crime do the time Be-otch, I don't care if its just a little oil or weed, its THEIR LAW and you have to abide!
2. She had another wife before the current one. They got in a fight before actually married, they were charged w/ domestic type charges and got married a month later anyway. Another month passes and she releases the info that she (Griners wife) had in-vitro fertilization done and has twins due. The NEXT DAY Griner files for annulment reportedly to avoid as much alimony and child support as possible and claiming she wasn't for the pregnancy.
3. 2020 she joins the Kaepernick movement and calls for the WNBA to stop playing the National Anthem at all games. And now she wants the USA to arrange for an international arms smuggler and an assassin to be traded for her sorry *** to come home?
I'm "noping out" on supporting her in any shape form or fashion, do your 9 years and hope we let you come home then, maybe.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

She is a Grade A piece of garbage

3. 2020 she joins the Kaepernick movement and calls for the WNBA to stop playing the National Anthem at all games. And now she wants the USA to arrange for an international arms smuggler and an assassin to be traded for her sorry *** to come home?
I'm "noping out" on supporting her in any shape form or fashion, do your 9 years and hope we let you come home then, maybe.

I will definitely be kneeling next Time I hear of the Russian national anthem. That will hit them right where it hurts.

 

[hatfieldms]

Abroad? there are TENS OF THOUSANDS of people in prisons in American for minor offenses related to a NOW LEGAL drug

Yep. It is completely insane. Violent criminals are running the streets while people who have been arrested for pot are in prison. So *** backwards

 

[Drebin]

Abroad? there are TENS OF THOUSANDS of people in prisons in American for minor offenses related to a NOW LEGAL drug

It wasn't legal when they broke the law. Actions have consequences. I know that's not a popular position for a large section of society today, but it's also a big reason why things are so effed up.

 

[Drebin]

I agree with Hot Take #1. Her sentencing was above the average for the crime and WAY above the average for such a little amount. She's being used a political weapon here.

On Hot Take #2, it's not quite that simple. WNBA players, even the top WNBA players like Griner, don't make enough to create any sort of retirement nest egg, so they kind of have to play overseas during their best playing years to maximize their earnings and Russia has long been a spot where they could go and make significantly more money(2-3X) than in the US. To my knowledge, this is the first time something like this has happened to a WNBA player in the 20ish years they've been playing in Russia. There was a 30 For 30 podcast episode called the Spy Who Signed Me with Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi talking about how they were lured over there in the first place and the difference in treatment.

That being said, if the Ukraine invasion didn't kill the line of players going into Russia, this detainment probably did, so yeah, ultimately I think you're probably right going forward.

On your point 2, she makes 220k in salary and significantly more in endorsements. She doesn't have to go to Russia for the money. And if others don't make enough here, maybe they should look into another career.

 

[Cooterpoot]

It takes a lot of pot to get you to prison.

 

[Drebin]

Collective SPS is most any thread about the economy or society- "Do the impossible and pull yourself up by your bootstraps! I did it, nevermind all the assistance I dont recognize was there for me, so you should do it too! Work hard!"
Person travels the world to earn a living and possibly create generational wealth- "she has made plenty and doesnt need to do that any longer."

What's it like to lead the free world in downvotes?

 

[johnson86-1]

She is a Grade A piece of garbage

1. She has played in Russia since 2014 so she had to know the laws/rules and consequences. She has pled guilty. Do the crime do the time Be-otch, I don't care if its just a little oil or weed, its THEIR LAW and you have to abide!
2. She had another wife before the current one. They got in a fight before actually married, they were charged w/ domestic type charges and got married a month later anyway. Another month passes and she releases the info that she (Griners wife) had in-vitro fertilization done and has twins due. The NEXT DAY Griner files for annulment reportedly to avoid as much alimony and child support as possible and claiming she wasn't for the pregnancy.
3. 2020 she joins the Kaepernick movement and calls for the WNBA to stop playing the National Anthem at all games. And now she wants the USA to arrange for an international arms smuggler and an assassin to be traded for her sorry *** to come home?
I'm "noping out" on supporting her in any shape form or fashion, do your 9 years and hope we let you come home then, maybe.

Man, I am pretty critical of the skill and athleticism (or lack there of) of the WNBA, but that right there is NBA quality.

 

[johnson86-1]

One Hot Take #2, I get that WNBA players had been playing in Russia for 20 years. But with the invasion of Ukraine looming (they invaded a week later) and the State Dept. Class 4 warning not to travel to Russia being issued 3 weeks earlier, just traveling to Russia even without smuggling pot wasn't a smart decision.

Are you sure you have the timeline right? I read she was actually arrested like 6 months before it came out and Nike and the WNBA and state department had been keeping it quiet while working behind the scenes because they thought making it public would actually make it harder for them to get Russia to move on it.

 

[Dawgg]

It takes a lot of pot to get you to prison.

But it only takes a little pot if you did something else or have prior convictions (even if they weren’t drug related), at least that’s how it works in Texas.

 

[CochiseCowbell]

Don't break the law? Is that an option?

 

[ezsoil]

I'm surprised this from Chris Rock hasn't been pulled

https://youtu.be/uj0mtxXEGE8

 

[Drebin]

"The United States leads the world in total number of people incarcerated, with more than 2 million prisoners nationwide (per data released in October 2021 by World Prison Brief). This number is equivalent to roughly 25% of the world's total prison population and leads to an incarceration rate of 629 people per 100,000—the highest rate in the world. The prison populations in each U.S. state vary from one to the next, with the highest rates in Louisiana and Oklahoma. Overall, the incarceration rate in the U.S. has skyrocketed in the past decade—the prison population was a mere 200,000 in 1972, less than a tenth of today's total. However, the current rate is the lowest it has been in 20 years."

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/incarceration-rates-by-country

Probably because the Unites States leads the world in total number of crimes committed, and probably leads the world also in spineless district attorneys charging criminals appropriately for the crimes they commit.

We should start going full thunderdome on criminal activity. Cut hands off for theft, cut dicks off for sexual assault, start putting bullets in folks for murders. Do it all publicly. That will straighten this **** out quickly.

 

[patdog]

Timeline in the link:
Brittney Griner’s Arrest and Detainment in Russia: A Timeline – NBC New York

 

[tired]

Weak.

Do you dry clean or wash your cape?

 

[Dawgg]

Don't break the law? Is that an option?

I'm not excusing anybody breaking the law. I'm just saying that there are situations where what would be a nominal fine or probation can be enhanced to a much harsher sentence if the court decides to come down on you.

For example, I live in the DFW metroplex. Just 2 hours north, in Oklahoma, marijuana is legal. If I have a family member with a legal medical marijuana card travel with their medical marijuana from Oklahoma to visit us in Texas, they have effectively now broken the law as soon as they cross the border. Now, let's say they get pulled over and are charged with possession. Best case scenario, Class B misdemeanor, they maybe spend the night in jail, but most likely they get a small fine and probation. (Worst case, it's 180 days in jail.) Ok, lesson learned.

NOW... let's say they have a previous DUI conviction (that's just a random charge. I wanted to use something somewhat common). Well... now that minor misdemeanor gets enhanced from a Class B to Class A misdemeanor. That's up to a year in a county jail.

That above scenario can occur in Texas for anything less than 2 ounces (yes, even a single joint if the cops and courts are so inclined).

 

[PuebloDawg]

Well….the vast majority of violent crime (not all) is due to drug trafficking. And Americans use a shitton of illegal drugs because we are rich. So…if the most lucrative industry in the entire world is illegal drug trafficking to the United States (pretty much a fact), in which the only way to maintain your position is violence and intimidation, how do you fix it? Legalize it. Yep.

If you are a legal pharmacist or know a pharmacist, ask them how many times in their career they have been shot at, threatened with a weapon, or robbed at their place or work or traveling to and from their place of work.

The public health “emergency” of drug use will be there regardless of the legality of the use.

 

[dog12]

"The United States leads the world in total number of people incarcerated, with more than 2 million prisoners nationwide (per data released in October 2021 by World Prison Brief). This number is equivalent to roughly 25% of the world's total prison population and leads to an incarceration rate of 629 people per 100,000—the highest rate in the world. The prison populations in each U.S. state vary from one to the next, with the highest rates in Louisiana and Oklahoma. Overall, the incarceration rate in the U.S. has skyrocketed in the past decade—the prison population was a mere 200,000 in 1972, less than a tenth of today's total. However, the current rate is the lowest it has been in 20 years."

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/incarceration-rates-by-country

Increase the percentage of homes with fathers present in the home, and these numbers will go down.

 

[paindonthurt]

Why do we have to try and get her home?

Would they try and get me home if I acted like a complete dubmass?

 

[Dawgbite]

Abroad? there are TENS OF THOUSANDS of people in prisons in American for minor offenses related to a NOW LEGAL drug

If you’re doing serious time in the US for pot it’s not because you got busted with a few joints it’s because you’re stupid. Stupid people should be gotten off the streets before they breed with other stupid people and make a whole generation of even stupider people.

 

[paindonthurt]

You’ve got to be like 10 to 5000 in thumbs up to down in the last 7 days.

 

[WilCoDawg]

“That burka made her look SO hawt!”

 

[mstateglfr]

Do you dry clean or wash your cape?

It's weak to call her a guy. That's an overplayed comment and was dumb 13 years ago when it started being said. A lot of people are so sensitive(ironic since i am being viewed as sensitive). All I said is that it's a weak comment and a bunch of people cry.