I predicted they'd go with the Balt, Pitt & SD # little fishy when vegas has NE as a clear #1 but not bspn. we're getting our share of love too PKing & others, but honestly we'd all rather fly under the radar anyway.
It is interesting that Vegas has NE high & ESPN doesn't; that is no surprise.
I love how the media is also trying to make bill look like a meanie for forcing Richard to "relocate his family from mass." # the media can't stand BB. He is an ******* to them so they go out of their way to make him look like scrooge.
Again, typical ESPN; BB haters; remember lie gate?
BB has made mistakes. this isn't the deion branch fiasco.
I was the only poster on this board at the time who questioned the sanity of that decision. everyone else was saying, goodbye Deion, you are a selfish me-first guy, we don't need you we're just fine wtih Caldwell and Gabriel, etc Having a legit receiver on taht team earns us a ring in 06 & whatever extra 1-2 mill that DB was asking for he was worth & we all know it now. DB threatened to sit out the REG season & NE hadn't dealt with that before. NE was looking at DB's value on the open market as not being very high & using that as leverage against him. But BB refused to acknowledge that Deion's value to NE was greater than any other team because of his RAPPORT with TB & and that DB understood this and that ultimately that gave him the upper hand at the table (& rightfully so to a certain extent). the rapport with TB is what made his value exceed what it was elsewhere based on his pure talent alone. Bill really let his ego get in the way of that one & we learned the hard way. And we were talking about FAR LESS money than we are with sey. The moral of that one was that you better consult with TB before letting a cheap receiver walk who put in thousands of hours of practice with him;.they learned & basically any receiver who gets let go now, is a guy who TB doesn't like. But that summer Tom told PKing that he didn't want DB to be let go * BB ignored him & took the economic hard line stance. I'm not suggesting that BB should ever "overpay" anyone, I'm just suggesting that we totally missed DB's true value.
Firstly, the team had a big lead in that game,the offense got points on the board, it wasn't the O that did not do the job, it was a tired and sick D that gave up all the points. As far as I know DB plays on one side of the ball.
Actually Branch earlier in the year said that he was going to HONOR his contract and then basically turned it over to his agent. It was his friend Givens who was a FA and he was not happy that he wasn't as well. I also think the fact that the Patriots went after DMason earlier that year for big bucks did not please him. And that was when Deion put himself first and threatened not to play. There was nothing RIGHT with what he did. It was PURE GREED and yet the team negotiated, although at that point, DB had basically made his decision about not playing. It has nothing to do about letting a "cheap receiver walk" it has more to do with a contract that existed that a greedy player failed to honor. If you think that is all ego you missed the point entirely as to what happened. If anything the Patriots went beyond where they should have to sign him to an extension, but the decision by DB was already made and the Pats had no choice.
But you can't sit there & pretend that every move BB makes is wrong like Felger & expect anyone to take you seriously. tonight he even said that the Buff had better receivers than NE! Yeah, the most talented deep threat in the history of the league & the best slot receiver in the game, but Felger says, "yeah, but who do they have after that." #
If Felger said that, he's just trying to stir the pot. If he really believes that and he may, he's dumber than the nearest stone wall and why I don't pay attention to him.
but the seymour deal is easily equal net present value #no FO makes decisions based solely on the current season #they'd be laughed out of the league. it's a salary cap system. # it's not just win right now at all costs. the fans dont' get it and they never will. YOU CAN'T KEEP EVERYONE. you have to manage the cap & that means looking at FUTURE years. As great players get older, their performance DECLINES, but their contract value usually INCREASES. If fans could understand this basic economic principle & realize that under a salary cap you have to avoid this AT ALL COSTS. especially when Davis gives away his top pick in teh draft.
I think you have said something quite large here about how a player's contract increases and at some point their playing ability decreases;it's an important evaluation to not sign a player to a big deal when you think a player's ability is headed down. This is hardly an exact science and there are some exceptions;Seau;Galloway; older beyond most and can play. So a team would rather let go of a player a bit before this happens rather than waiting and having a big contract with one on the decline. And it's more value than anything else. A top player on the decline might have value, but at a more reasonable dollar.
Sey is going to suck in Oak. the guy plays when he wants to now# takes off plays #takes off games#inconsistent & I really think it speaks about his conditioning. BB doesn't want him to train down in SC because he knows he ISN'T training he's BBQing & giant DTs need to stay in really good shape as they get toward the 10 yr mark. borges is a friend & would never admit it, but it's not just the injuries that have hurt richard, it's his age, & also his conditioning. How much effort is he going to give out in OAK!?
if word had leaked that Davis had offered NE a high 1st rnd pick for an aging DT in the last yr of his contract but NE balked & didn't do the deal, the radio people like Felger would be SCREAMING at him after all, he let Cassel go to his buddy Pioli for a 2nd rounder, why wouldn't he be willing to part with Sey at this stage of his career for that kind of value. They are all contrarians.
I tend to agree..those same big mouths that hate this deal would be doing the same thing in retrospect.."you mean they had a first round pick from Oakland and did not do the deal?" Absolutely true..it's more to stir the pot..no matter which way it goes..and sadly, I believe the mediots(media-idiots) have really driven the dislike for the trade. I don;t think he will do poorly in Oakland..or wherever he may end up, but I do think he's more on the decline and that might take a few years to happen. But being on the downswing of a 5 year deal after 2 years is more likely what could happen. Which is why I am sure he wants so much guaranteed and up front. THAT wasn't happening here..and a 3rd round pick would have been scoffed at by the media.."Seymour walks, the team gets a 3rd could have had more." Again contrarians.
as for whether Sey's feelings are hurt who effing cares. Deal with it #you wanted to play hardball with NE good for you they can play that game too. It's a business, just like YOU always said.
Another good point it's a business, so it's a business when you grab your large contract as well as when you get traded to Oakland deal!
Same bs with BMarshall. All the former avg players who are now commentators acting like he is a "distraction" & not being "a team player" IT'S THE OFFSEASON he'll show up & play the games & be a great teammate, just like 9 out of 10 other great players who try to negotiate their way into more money by holding out or being a malcontent. it's a NEGOTIATING tactic. They players are nowadays instructed by their agents to hold out or act dissatisfied with their deals. It's how the league works at the superstar level. Most of the guys on TV, like Dilfer, THasselbeck were not superstars & do not understand this principle.
You don't think Marshall is a distraction?? If what he did was a negotiating tactic, it's a poor one. It only works if teams give in to such nonsense and more and more teams are not. The only negotiating he is doing is out the door. If more teams did that it would not work, but there are always some left that buy into that. Marshall had a good year but not a superstar now.
It's almost always a political reason behind these picks though. for ex it's well known that MSmith is desperate to earn national respect & that he's afraid of being seen as a homer. Notice he always makes sure to mention PManning & THEN Brady when mentioning the best QBs in the league. please don't think that's an accident.
I like the fact that Schefter isn't afraid to say Den is underated. I agree & he's right, but most guys who used to beat report for a team #ESPECIALLY ex-BOS media members #are usually afraid to go there.
Smith like most seem to go for the easy picks; the bland; and without big names..HOW could the Patriots D REALLY be all that good? No Bruschi, Harrison, Vrabel, Seymour I mean HOW could the D be good? Again, it's more an understanding of how the whole is as compared to the parts. Without Harrison, Vrabel, Bruschi and Seymour, there are holes, but with a 43..the holes aren't exactly the same. The team is replacing Seymour NOT in a 34..but in a 43..which is a bit different. Same with Bruschi and Vrabel. What is lacking in the D..big point might be leadership..but Mayo, Thomas Warren and others in the backfield will step it up. I also like the fact that the ESPN types and more are not hyping the team..under the radar is a lot better than being a sitting target.
TO the OP..I tried to include all, but 10000 char limit..