7 Transactions That Backfired
Transaction: Soccer team Real Madrid lent benchwarmer Fernando Morientes to Monaco
Result: Morientes ripped it up and helped Monaco bury his former team
The arrival of superstar striker Ronaldo to Real Madrid spelled trouble for Fernando Morientes, who suddenly found himself in the role of substitute — even if he was still being paid like a starter. This turn of events combined with the injury of another player, Monaco's Shabani Nonda, to produce one of the oddest and stupidest deals in sports history.
Monaco needed a replacement for Nonda, and Real Madrid needed to dump the salary of the frustrated Morientes. The two organizations made what seemed like a logical deal for both, although it would eventually shift into one team's favor.
Morientes found new life in Monaco, becoming one of the top scorers in the Champions League. If this wasn't painful enough for the Real brass to watch, they were still paying two-thirds of Morientes' $5.5 million salary! The toughest blow of all came when Morientes' goals helped Monaco knock Real out of the 2004 Champions League, evaporating their chances at the championship title and the accompanying financial rewards.
Real continues to struggle today, while Morientes is starting for Liverpool after signing a contract worth roughly $11 million.
what were they thinking?If someone asked the responsible parties why they made such boneheaded decisions, the answer would probably be, "It seemed like a good idea at the time." Of course it did. If it didn't seem like a good idea, who would do it?
How and why did these decisions backfire? In the case of NBC and Villeneuve, taking greed as the guiding principle seemed to be the problem. Simple bad fortune could be to blame in the Lindros and Walker cases.
Whatever the reason, these deals will forever be remembered because they turned out so sour for the people who dreamed them up. To team and network executives, these transactions will forever serve as memorable examples of what not to do.
Question: What quarterback is often considered to have been the worst draft pick in NFL history?
Answer: The San Diego Chargers took Ryan Leaf second in the 1998 draft. He started only 18 games, and had a dismal passer rating.