Ah, the Ides of April. Yes, that's right - tax season is upon us... no wait, that's behind us (yep, you're late). With the passing of the Apr. 15 IRS tax completion deadline, the Daily's Sports Department opens the ledger of history and takes a look into the largest financial blunders of professional sports.
10. The Boston Celtics, who finally released Vin Baker after he took up space and did largely nothing else, are still paying "Vin and Tonic" for sitting at home on his couch. Nice that he finally found a use for his particular talents.
9. Boston Red Sox pitcher Keith Foulke is slated to earn in excess of $7 million this season. After being replaced as closer by Jonathan Papelbon, Foulke will undoubtedly be the highest-paid middle reliever in baseball.
8. New York Yankee starters Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright are slated to bring in about $15 million combined this season. The Yankees will be lucky to squeeze 15 wins combined from those two stiffs.
7. Mo Vaughn. The Mets paid the former Sox great $15 million in 2004 to play golf.
6. Koy Detmer. After weaseling almost $7.5 million from the Eagles between 2000 and 2004, Daily Sports analysts have authoritatively concluded that Detmer's accuracy is just below the Beirut shot of a drunk Alpha Phi girl.
5. PNC Stadium. With a $262 million price tag for a stadium for the hopelessly awful Pirates, the only rivers now are the tears of suicidal, and now broke, Pittsburgh fans.
4. Ryan Leaf. After trading away most of their draft in 1998 to move up to get him, the Chargers signed Leaf to a four year contract worth $31.25 million. His rookie year he put up two TD passes to 15 INTs, and was out of the league by 2002. Money well spent indeed.
3. The 1919 Black Sox Scandal. Eight Chicago White Sox were bought off by crooked gamblers and threw the 1919 World Series. Although the money those eight received was under the table and therefore not taxable (though we're sure the IRS tried), all were banned from baseball and would never earn another penny playing the game they love.
2. The sale of Babe Ruth. Then owner of the Boston Red Sox needed cash to finance his play "No No Nannette."
1. The entirety of the Golden State Warriors, Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Arizona Cardinals franchises.
