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Commander Shears said:The fine numbers that keep being thrown around are the maximum that the Pats are allowed to fine Branch, not what they are actually charging him. Fining a hold-out virtually never happens, because all you're really doing is kicking the guy out the door and closing it behind him. You don't act like that kind of a hard-ass for a player you're trying to keep. If the Pats hold out any hope at all of resigning Branch now or next year, they won't fine him a penny.
Basically, the fines that get publicized, and the fines that are paid are two very different numbers. I believe everybody's favorite hillbilly, John Rocker, even talked about this recently.
Baseball in completely different. If he pushes this too far the Patriots will not hesitate to lower the boom. They can't allow this to go unchecked otherwise they will be dealing with it time after time.
Branch has until sometime next week at the maximum to report. He needs a couple of weeks to get his timing down between him, Brady, and the rests of his teammates.
He knows now that the Patriots are not going to budge. It would be in his best interest to report and then try to work something out with the team.
He seems to be getting some very bad advise from his agent. I hope that they wake up before it's too late.