Bedard: Brian Waters holdout for personal reasons and more $

[PATS16N0]

*Wrong thread

 

[Gumby]

Yep, this is an issue that hits home a bit more closely for you/I/road warriors (which is not meant to say others don't/wouldn't miss their families). I'm away for a total of about 6 months a year (for the past 4 or 5 years). It's a choice I make for a modestly better and more stable financial picture for the family. While it isn't even slightly in the Brain Waters financial security range, it still remains a similar choice to Waters. I definitely could go with less money/stability and take a desk job closer to home -- but I make my choice and live with the +/- of it. To take the Waters road as my own would be to go to my manager, say I need more money to continue to live on the road half the year, my manager then agrees, I then agree to be back on the road on X date, my manager schedules that time with a big project -- then just days before the start of the project I say I'm still not sure, but more money would help me see more clearly.
Playing business hardball? Absolutely. Maybe get even further ahead in dollars? Quite possibly. Cause for me to get empathy because I will be away from the family after working management over like a slick lawyer? I don't see that at all.....

Fyi, my posts are based on the theory that the Bedard story is true. I concede it very well may not be and concede I am speaking from an assumptive POV.

MAYBE GET YOUR BUTT FIRED (assuming you are not irreplaceable or one of only 10 guys in the country [like Waters] who can do what you do at that level). That is the more likely answer in the corporate world if you tried to pull that trick.

Or at least you would burn a bridge with your boss and your long-term security would be very much in question.

But you have to remember that an NFL career is short - so that makes all the dynamics different.

 

[Kontradiction]

YEAH! Pay the man. Give him whatever he wants. And Welker too. If the Patriots had any class they'd move the team to Texas for the year, to save the Waters family. The Pats really suck , The Kraft family knows nothing about business and BB and crew clearly are rotten human beings.

Give the players anything and everything all the time!

Duh. :bricks:

I know you're just being sarcastic, but I'll ask anyway: Do you think A-Gap penetration in the 2011 postseason was as much of a problem as it was in 2009 and 2010? What or who do you think contributed to that? IMO, Connolly at center and Waters are RG were huge proponents.

 

[aluminum seats]

At this point of the conversation, I would be remiss if I did not say...

Let us compare your situation or that of Waters to those who in the defense of freedom DEPLOY for up to 1 YEAR with usually not more than one 2-3 week opportunity at the 6-month point to see their family. NOT FOR SOME GENEROUS COMPENSATION package; but rather for the OPPORTUNITY TO RISK THEIR LIVES in the pursuit of the enemies of America GIVING THEIR LIVES IN SUPPORT OF THEIR AZZ-BACKWARD CAUSE.

(PS: at this time of assault on Americans overseas - please say a prayer. thx.)

From that perspective, I respect Mr. Waters right to choose; but do not have tons of sympathy.
(multi-millions buys a lot of plane tix or skype time)

That said, he is NOT apparently going to the media and whining about this to put pressure on the Pats. So IMO, he is comfortable with the situation - maybe not optimal for him; but not the worst outcome.

From BB's end he maybe doesn't like it and would optimally prefer to have him playing; BUT So as long as he is not a cap hit to the team, not a distraction (media & team chemistry) then is probably a situation he thinks he can live with to have an all-pro on the shadow roster if he has an injury problem.

I was thinking of referencing the military, too--certainly puts things in perspective. I didn't only because from that vantage point pretty much everything we'd discuss around these parts pales in comparison to that kind of sacrifice.

 

[mgteich]

We don't know whether Waters is willing to play in New England at any price. It is indeed possible that he will play in Texas (or within a short jet ride of home) or retire.

He does not have financial leverage and never did. The patriots have to make their business decision. It is quite possible they already have.

BTW, if Waters plays for us, the penalties will be irrelevant. They will go away or his compensation will be large enough to make them irrelevant.

His financial leverage seems to have completely disappeared.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

I still truly think that waters will not be back unless we suffer a major loss on the oline and we have no choice but to give him a call

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I still truly think that waters will not be back unless we suffer a major loss on the oline and we have no choice but to give him a call

I don't believe that the choice is the Patriots to make

 

[VJCPatriot]

That sounds like the surest way to tip his balance toward retirement. The fact that they didn't do it says to me that they really want him back.

Yup they did want him back or they wouln't have allowed him to skip training camp for 'personal reasons'. The Pats were already giving him a raise in year 2 so I don't see the need for a 'reraise'. IMO Waters was just creating an excuse for himself not to show up. If he really doesn't want to leave his family, fine. But don't make it about money. It's your last year dude and you are getting paid millions to play a sport or you can walk away. Ball is in your court, Waters. Pats have done nothing wrong here from what has been reported.

 

[Sicilian]

If he really doesn't want to leave his family, fine. But don't make it about money.

This feels like bizarro world... usually it's the exact OPPPOSITE sentiment to this when talking about a holdout. "Look, if you want more money just say that man, but don't bring your family into it."

 

[ATippett56]

"Look, if you want more money just say that man, but don't bring your family into it."

"But I got to feed my family!"

 

[VJCPatriot]

If Waters decides he does not want to retire, does that mean that he has to play for whatever BB decides to pay him this season ? Waters has incurred $30,000 per day fines, for not reporting, that have more than eaten up his entire 2012 $1.4 million salary.

His financial leverage seems to have completely disappeared.

The Pats have not fined Waters at all, so that's a moot point. If he comes back he would get his full salary, plus the raise that was negotiated. The Pats are unwilling, and rightfully so, to give him a 'reraise' however.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Give me a break. There is no reason to be so cheap!

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

The Pats have not fined Waters at all, so that's a moot point. If he comes back he would get his full salary, plus the raise that was negotiated. The Pats are unwilling, and rightfully so, to give him a 'reraise' however.

the pats won't give him more money than they already promised him..but 2 linemen go down..out comes the wallet!

 

[Sciz]

The Pats have not fined Waters at all

How do you know this? Are we even sure that the fining isn't automatic and then can be negotiated between the player and the team later?

 

[Deus Irae]

How do you know this? Are we even sure that the fining isn't automatic and then can be negotiated between the player and the team later?

Belichick has called it an excused absence. Unless they've changed the classification, there's no fining going on.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

How do you know this? Are we even sure that the fining isn't automatic and then can be negotiated between the player and the team later?

yeah he has not been fined as of yet

 

[Sciz]

Belichick has called it an excused absence. Unless they've changed the classification, there's no fining going on.

He said that once. He didn't have to come out and tell us when/if Waters started being fined.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

He said that once. He didn't have to come out and tell us when/if Waters started being fined.

Pretty sure we would have heard by now if he was getting fined

 

[Sciz]

Here we go:

However, because Waters has not reported, he has been accumulating $30,000 in fines for each day missed of training camp. That is automatic. If and when he shows up, Waters would have to negotiate with the team for a reeducation or waiver of all fines.

Update on Brian Waters situation - Extra Points - Boston.com

 

[Deus Irae]

He said that once. He didn't have to come out and tell us when/if Waters started being fined.

I acknowledged the possibiliy that they changed the status. I was responding to your comment/question about the fining being automatic. If the absence is excused, he's not getting fined, regardless of whatever is considered "automatic".