njpatsfan
Third String But Playing on Special Teams
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2004
- Messages
- 909
- Reaction score
- 125
I have loved Deion from the first game I saw him in. I always loved the fact that he could succeed despite his size. Like many here, I always thought he was a good guy.
But I have had enough. The recent revelation that Branch rejected a May Patriots offer worth more than $6 million a year, without any counteroffer, has turned me off completely. Worse, Branch and his agent have made no counteroffer because they feel that $6 million a year is "stratospheres apart" from what Branch is "owed".
In my opinion, someone who holds out - holds out after being offered a pretty favorable deal - is the very epitome of the "me first" player. In essence, the player is saying "F*ck you all, I'm getting mine". When NFL players say (of another player's contract issues) "it's just business", they aren't just talking about the relationship between said player and the FO - they are ALSO talking about the relationship between said player and his TEAMMATES. In cap physics, lots of money extorted by a single player impacts ALL the other players. It is the very antithesis of what we have come to expect from people who don the Patriots uniform.
I reject the attitude of several I've heard on this board, who say, in essence "Just give him what he wants - I don't care". I, for one, remember the crappy pre-Belichick teams that were handicapped by poor cap management. We ran out of cap money LAST year, hurting our ability to get quality replacements. I say, Never Again.
I also reject the contention that it's "all the agent's fault". Sure agents are scumbags. Sure, we've got one here (Chyut) that rivals the Postons for bottomfeeder(s) of the year. Is he getting bad advice ? Absolutely. But to reach the point we are at, where he hasn't even directed his agent to make counteroffer, and where his actions are hurting the team, the blame is 100% on Branch.
Branch may sign tomorrow. I will root for him and cheer when he makes a great play. But he will never be "Deion" to me again.
R
But I have had enough. The recent revelation that Branch rejected a May Patriots offer worth more than $6 million a year, without any counteroffer, has turned me off completely. Worse, Branch and his agent have made no counteroffer because they feel that $6 million a year is "stratospheres apart" from what Branch is "owed".
In my opinion, someone who holds out - holds out after being offered a pretty favorable deal - is the very epitome of the "me first" player. In essence, the player is saying "F*ck you all, I'm getting mine". When NFL players say (of another player's contract issues) "it's just business", they aren't just talking about the relationship between said player and the FO - they are ALSO talking about the relationship between said player and his TEAMMATES. In cap physics, lots of money extorted by a single player impacts ALL the other players. It is the very antithesis of what we have come to expect from people who don the Patriots uniform.
I reject the attitude of several I've heard on this board, who say, in essence "Just give him what he wants - I don't care". I, for one, remember the crappy pre-Belichick teams that were handicapped by poor cap management. We ran out of cap money LAST year, hurting our ability to get quality replacements. I say, Never Again.
I also reject the contention that it's "all the agent's fault". Sure agents are scumbags. Sure, we've got one here (Chyut) that rivals the Postons for bottomfeeder(s) of the year. Is he getting bad advice ? Absolutely. But to reach the point we are at, where he hasn't even directed his agent to make counteroffer, and where his actions are hurting the team, the blame is 100% on Branch.
Branch may sign tomorrow. I will root for him and cheer when he makes a great play. But he will never be "Deion" to me again.
R
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