Globe Sunday Football Notes Column: Solomon plays the poor Deion card

[MoLewisrocks]

At least he picks on other teams (and meathead QB's). But like his senior peers he seems to have to portray the Branch standoff as another cheap Pats dig. Smart, but cheap. Then he seems to also contend that the Pats in fact believe Deion has not outplayed his rookie contract. Sources Jerome, or just something you think you know?

"Part of Branch's problem is he signed a five-year contract as a second-round pick in 2002. It is something the Patriots insisted on so they would hold leverage on Branch if he turned out to be a top player. Smart move.

That type of forced leverage even led to a change in the collective bargaining agreement (the ``Patriots Clause" as some agents refer to it), limiting contracts to four years for second-round picks, and five years for players taken in the bottom half of the first round. That came too late to help Branch.

Had Branch done like Antwaan Randle El, he would be a rich man today. (And, as is the case with the Steelers and Randle El, the Patriots would be missing him.)

The Patriots don't believe Branch has outplayed his contract. They say he has performed up to what they expected. Because of his play, he has hit escalator clauses in his contract that basically double his base pay for this season to a little more than $1 million, an amount the Patriots gladly will fork over.

But Branch believes it is time for the team to drop the fork and grab a shovel to dig for real money.

For Branch, the player, timing is everything. For Branch, the league's most underpaid receiver, the timing might not be right for him to pick up the money he deserves."


http://www.boston.com/sports/footba...06/07/16/branch_not_catching_a_break_on_pact/

 

[bishbash]

Yep. Read that this morning and thought, Jeez, was this written be Borges?

 

[spacecrime]

like his senior peers he seems to have to portray the Branch standoff as another cheap Pats dig.

http://www.boston.com/sports/footba...06/07/16/branch_not_catching_a_break_on_pact/

Solomon did a study to prove that the Patriots are cheap. He figured out the median income, then checked and found out that half of the Patriots players make LESS than the median.

Then he went back to check other years, and found that this has been true for the entire time the Patriots have been in existence!!!!!!

 

[drpatriot]

I actually agree with many of the sentiments in Solomon's statement. Branch is vastly underpaid. However, he will remain so until his contract is over. Period.

Edit: Note that I think that Branch has played beyond the Pats' expectations, but will still not get a high-paying extension.

 

[spacecrime]

I actually agree with many of the sentiments in Solomon's statement. Branch is vastly underpaid.

He was drafted in the second round, received a contract that paid him like a second round player, and has performed like a second round player.

Givens was underpaid, at least in his third and fourth years.

 

[BelichickFan]

I actually agree with many of the sentiments in Solomon's statement. Branch is vastly underpaid.

And a lot of guys are vastly overpaid. It's how the system is set up. If Branch doesn't like it, too bad. He gets his big payday in 7 months.

 

[PromisedLand]

Yep. Read that this morning and thought, Jeez, was this written be Borges?

I had the same thought. The Globe must train em that way!

BTW, he misreported later in the same article the Ben Roethlisberger will ride without a helmet again. I saw the interview, and he clearly said that while he may ride again, he will NOT ride without a helmet.

Shoddy, bad reporting.

 

[captain stone]

Re: Jerome "With Not Exactly the Wisdom of" Solomon...

As soon as I see his byline, I turn the page. I lived in Galveston, TX for seven years. He was a useless hack then with the Houston Chronicle. He is a useless hack now with the glob.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

Guess who got himself involved in the Union negotiations this last offseason, as a personal consultant to Upshaw........Good ole' Tom Condon, who may have helped set Ben Watson back a year in his development. Thanks, Tom, you Da Man!

So you call it the 'Patriots Clause', eh?

 

[Brady-To-Branch]

That $95,000 difference in upfront money may not have seemed meaningless then, but it is now, since Randle El took advantage of free agency to grab a $10 million signing bonus from the Redskins in March. Branch has spent the summer dreaming of a similar payday.

That's the 2nd time Solomon has claimed to know what Deion thinks. Either he's lying or he's being Branch's agent's media tool.

 

[flutie2phelan]

I had the same thought. The Globe must train em that way!

BTW, he misreported later in the same article the Ben Roethlisberger will ride without a helmet again. I saw the interview, and he clearly said that while he may ride again, he will NOT ride without a helmet.

Shoddy, bad reporting.

Whoa there, m' man Promised Land !

Keep in mind ... this is the illustrious ... storied ... fabled ... Boston Globe that you slander!

Or is that the problem ... stories and fables?

 

[PromisedLand]

Whoa there, m' man Promised Land !

Keep in mind ... this is the illustrious ... storied ... fabled ... Boston Globe that you slander!

Or is that the problem ... stories and fables?

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