Reiss on Brady: "He'll be there." - Page 3 - New England Patriots Forums

***AndyJohnson*** · 07-23-2010, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgteich

What part of "it's a business" don't you understand? There is an ME in TEAM and Brady has business and personal interests just like everyone else. IMHO, Bruschi is the only player in recent memory that really did not focus on his own needs and interests. Compensation in the nfl is a relatively balanced adversarial process. I have no problem with that. It is a better situation than if the players were the primadionnas dictating terms, or if the team dictated terms.

Why do you assume it has to be adverserial?
If Brady wants to be here, and Kraft wants him, and they agree on his relative value, why is there something wrong with delaying the largest contract that could have the most impact on the future salary cap until the unknowns in the labor agreement are worked out?
I haven't understood this the whole time. Brady, BB and Kraft have always acted as of they are in this together. I think all trust none of the others will screw them. So why not try to wait until the CBA and cap rules are set so they can take the best advantage of them in this contract to keep the team more competitive?
And the injury BS is just that. He isn't going to die, and he isn't going to sustain a worse injury than the one he came back from.
If we take a step back and recognize that Brady works for someone he trusts maybe we can stop assuming he is thinking like he is working for George Steinbrenner after he already got Howard Spira involved.
This whole story that has taken on a life of its own is based upon speculation added on top of speculation by people who don't want to put effort into uncovering a real story to write about.
If we started a rumor that BB is upset with Kraft because Kraft won't let him pay assistant coaches more, so he has to do more himself, and that rumor spread to the wea-ass journalism that has dominated the Brady story, by rumor would ultimately be the fact that 6 levels of conjecture would be based upon, and the nation would be watching whether BB is going to retire.

Sicilian · 07-23-2010, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgteich

So, now Brady wouldn't be a leader unless he comes to camp with no contract extension.

Yup. His contract for THIS YEAR says he's supposed to be there in training camp. He hurts his team by not being there, in order to benefit only himself. That is not being a leader. It's one thing to look out for your own interests, but he signed the contract he did, and to not live up to it is putting himself before his teammates.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgteich

Presumably, he can only be a leader by not taking any steps at all to protect his interests.

Where has he taken no steps? He signed the contract. Now, if that contract were to run out, and he refused to take a pay cut to re-sign, that's still looking out for his own interests in a responsible way. Refusing to honor a contract is not protecting your interests, it's weaseling.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgteich

He is a leader if shows no spine at all. Rubbish!

Rubbish is implying that honoring an agreement means you have no spine.

***mgteich*** · 07-23-2010, 05:32 PM

What you are saying is that Brady can play on a handshake. Why bother having a contract at all?

There is ABSOLUTELY no reason to believe that Kraft, Belichick and Brady agree on the elements of a contract and are just waiting for the final CBA sometime next year to sign the agreement.

Perhaps the best thing for Brady is to play and ignore the risks. Perhaps he has already indicated to Belichick that he will do so. Perhaps he really has no choice. If kraft tells him that a deal will not get done this year no matter what, then Brady will have lfew good chocies.

HOWEVER, if you think that Kraft will give Brady the same contract whether or not he is injured this year as badly as last, then I strongly disagree with you.

BOTTOM LINE
I don't know what Brady WILL do. However, I do not agree with 90% of the posters who think that Brady will show particiapte in camp, whether he has an agreement on extension or not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndyJohnson

Why do you assume it has to be adverserial?
If Brady wants to be here, and Kraft wants him, and they agree on his relative value, why is there something wrong with delaying the largest contract that could have the most impact on the future salary cap until the unknowns in the labor agreement are worked out?
I haven't understood this the whole time. Brady, BB and Kraft have always acted as of they are in this together. I think all trust none of the others will screw them. So why not try to wait until the CBA and cap rules are set so they can take the best advantage of them in this contract to keep the team more competitive?
And the injury BS is just that. He isn't going to die, and he isn't going to sustain a worse injury than the one he came back from.
If we take a step back and recognize that Brady works for someone he trusts maybe we can stop assuming he is thinking like he is working for George Steinbrenner after he already got Howard Spira involved.
This whole story that has taken on a life of its own is based upon speculation added on top of speculation by people who don't want to put effort into uncovering a real story to write about.
If we started a rumor that BB is upset with Kraft because Kraft won't let him pay assistant coaches more, so he has to do more himself, and that rumor spread to the wea-ass journalism that has dominated the Brady story, by rumor would ultimately be the fact that 6 levels of conjecture would be based upon, and the nation would be watching whether BB is going to retire.

Snake Eyes · 07-23-2010, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgteich

What you are saying is that Brady can play on a handshake. Why bother having a contract at all?

Brady isn't playing on a handshake, he has a has a contract RIGHT NOW and is expected to fulfill that contract RIGHT NOW, why are you trying to make it more complicated than that?

***MoLewisrocks*** · 07-23-2010, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snake Eyes

Brady isn't playing on a handshake, he has a has a contract RIGHT NOW and is expected to fulfill that contract RIGHT NOW, why are you trying to make it more complicated than that?

Because that's mg's MO. His view of labor management is adversarial to the core.

This is what Brady said in January:

Quote:

"I think we're way overpaid as it is, all of us," "We get to go play football for a living. I love playing, and I'm very fortunate to play. … The contract is not really a concern."

"I'm under contract, and I signed a six-year contract five years ago," Brady said on Jan. 25, reminding reporters that he is not the only player in this situation.

"There is a lot of uncertainty with the league, and being a player rep now, I realize all the different issues that we're facing. It's a really unique time in the league, and as a team player, I don't sit here saying, 'What about me, What about me?' I'm under contract, and I'm going to go out there and play and play my butt off."

But then, what does he know...

Snake Eyes · 07-23-2010, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoLewisrocks

Because that's mg's MO.

It's not a viewpoint it's just the truth, he is obligated to perform and they are obligated to pay. It makes no sense to not perform because you want a new contract which you expect them to perform.

I wonder what would happen if a team simply decided to "hold out" and not pay a player.

***mgteich*** · 07-23-2010, 08:29 PM

Teams waive players under contract all the time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snake Eyes

It's not a viewpoint it's just the truth, he is obligated to perform and they are obligated to pay. It makes no sense to not perform because you want a new contract which you expect them to perform.

I wonder what would happen if a team simply decided to "hold out" and not pay a player.

***mgteich*** · 07-23-2010, 08:32 PM

Of course Brady knows his situation better than anyone.

I never put stock in public statements. Do you? Why?

However, Brady can choose to play for $5M a year if he is so overpaid, and leave more money for support players. But he's not doing that, is he?

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoLewisrocks

Because that's mg's MO. His view of labor management is adversarial to the core.

This is what Brady said in January:

But then, what does he know...

Snake Eyes · 07-23-2010, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgteich

Teams waive players under contract all the time.

As is their right per the contract, there is nothing in those contracts that make training camp an option for the players, voluntary activities are a different story.

***Deus Irae*** · 07-23-2010, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snake Eyes

As is their right per the contract, there is nothing in those contracts that make training camp an option for the players, voluntary activities are a different story.

Well, if you want to get technical about it, Brady doesn't have to show until August 10th, in order to still earn his service time. As is his right, he can just pay the daily fines prior to that, if he so chooses.