Happy Next Year Is Here

The best New Year's toast to everyone:

May your best day of last year be your worst day of next year.

Chuck

Is Taxation The Reason We Have No MadduxPudgeation?

I've had this idea for a while, but lunch with the Sloth makes me go public. Why wait until January 1 to sign more players? It could be the tax laws. The current tax cuts phase in a little more each year. Perhaps there's a tax advantage to the players and/or the teams to sign a player after the 2004 tax rules kick in. There is a slight increase in the tax brackects for 2004 for individuals. This lowers total tax paid. I can't seem to find the corporate marginal rates for 2004. Bottom line: For players, you want to get paid in 2004. That means that signing bonuses should be paid after January 1. Maybe this is the real reason for the delay.

I get nervous skimming irs.gov. I think they're snooping on me and I'll get audited!