Is Asante worth it?

[fgssand]

You try and tell your boss you are not coming to work until you get a rediculous amount of money....

See how long you have a job.

I don't think the amount of money being discussed here is ridiculous in terms of the market and Pro Football in general. The players are entertainers just like movie stars, with very short careers, as such they are worth whatever the market will pay because the players generate the income that drives the entire NFL. They are why we all watch and spend our money - they deserve their fair share and they are getting it. Asante played by the rules (unlike Branch) and is entitled to "get paid" IMHO. Maybe not from us though and that's OK too.

I would have no problem working for another company that offers to pay me more than the one I am working for....would you??

I would also tell that company offering me more money that I am not quite free to come to you unless you satisfy the terms and conditions that my present employer has with me - if the new company wanted me that bad, they would work something out.

I don't see the problem here.....Asante is within his rights to wait for a better offer and NE is within their rights to only offer him what they feel his value is. If another team feels otherwise they can make a deal with NE and have him.

It's all good - either way. Do I want to see Asante play here - yes, but not for a longterm cap killing deal as we need that money next year for guys like Warren.

My best case scenario is to see him sign the Franchise deal AND we deal him next year for a high draft choice......I just don't see the sense in having any animosity towards the player or the team.

 

[fgssand]

yes...greedy...maximization of it all..like it is one's god..frankly I could care less if you agree or not..maximizing profits..same as some CEO who gets paid millions of dollars while others get so little...GREED!! It is what it is.....many do not which is why teh difference between rich and poor has grown so much.. If that is HIS value system fine..but THAT is GREEDY!!

So who then in your opinion should get all the money that the NFL generates if not the players??

Are you feeling sympatheitc towards the owners now??

 

[TruthSeeker]

Greed?? I think not, seems to me he is simply trying to maximize his earning potential and get the best deal he possibly can.

I do not see anything wrong with that at all.

Are you saying you don't do the same where you work?

I believe I said that we're all at least a little guilty of it. Are you telling me that if he wasn't greedy then he wouldn't have signed by now? Capitalism is built on people acting in their own interests (which is often, but not always, at least partially greed).

Actually, I don't have a problem with Asante choosing not to sign the tender. I do have a problem with the statements that have come from Asante and his agent. That's why I think calling it greedy is appropriate.

Just to be a little more clear, Asante and his agent are acting like what the Patriots are doing with the franchise tag is somehow inappropriate, that is that somehow he has the "right" to be a free agent right now and not be franchised. I have a big issue with that position. Asante knew the rules. He knows the Patriots are just following the rules. So what's the big deal? Why isn't he willing to sell his services to the Patriots for 7.79 million? Why does he threaten to sit out 10 games? (Why 10 games? I bet the pension money is a pittance compared with the 4.5+ million he's not earning by sitting out these games.) Why is he trying to force the situation to get a milestone contract this year? The answer is - G-R-E-E-D.

No one "needs" 15 million dollars to support a family. Nor does Asante "need" the 8 million. But he wants whatever he can get and is willing to say/do things I consider inappropriate to get it. Who knows if he'll be successful or not. And a lot of people are like Asante and see nothing wrong with it. If you're one of those, we can agree to disagree. But I think my position on the issue is well worth considering.

 

[TruthSeeker]

So who then in your opinion should get all the money that the NFL generates if not the players??

Are you feeling sympatheitc towards the owners now??

The Patriots pay up to the salary cap every year, so this is a non-issue as far as the Patriots are concerned. It's all about how the money gets distributed between the various players, not how much the players get.

 

[shakadave]

As I've said before, it's been 3 years since we've held the Colts under 30 points. We need Assante, or we run the risk of losing to them this year 33-30.

 

[Pats726]

So who then in your opinion should get all the money that the NFL generates if not the players??

Are you feeling sympatheitc towards the owners now??

When have the Patriots NOT given money to the players.....Seems like they ALWAYS spend to the cap...OR close...

 

[Pats726]

I don't think the amount of money being discussed here is ridiculous in terms of the market and Pro Football in general. The players are entertainers just like movie stars, with very short careers, as such they are worth whatever the market will pay because the players generate the income that drives the entire NFL.

True..to some degree...they come to see a TEAM not Asanate Samuel or any one player...so a direct comparison with entertainers is only partially correct..and teh fact that there IS a salary cap is also part of this as well. And in many ways AS getting paid MORE than what he deserves is taking money away from other players...there is no roof of spending like in baseball..so the greed is also a selfish greed.

They are why we all watch and spend our money - they deserve their fair share and they are getting it. Asante played by the rules (unlike Branch) and is entitled to "get paid" IMHO. Maybe not from us though and that's OK too..

is he not getting paid?? he wants plenty more than just PAID..and that is the problem with his position.

I would have no problem working for another company that offers to pay me more than the one I am working for....would you??..

He can play for another league if he wishes and he can do it now...NO ONE is stopping him.

It's all good - either way. Do I want to see Asante play here - yes, but not for a longterm cap killing deal as we need that money next year for guys like Warren.
My best case scenario is to see him sign the Franchise deal AND we deal him next year for a high draft choice......I just don't see the sense in having any animosity towards the player or the team.

I agree there..I would like to see him stay but for fair money..not teh outrageous amount he is demanding..

 

[fgssand]

When have the Patriots NOT given money to the players.....Seems like they ALWAYS spend to the cap...OR close...

You'll never find me criticizing the Patriots organization, owner or coach...are you kidding? I am the #1 fan.

I just never feel that the athletes do not deserve the money they get as a result of money generated by their performances.

Don't confuse that with my saying we should pay Samuel the huge contract he seeks, I do not.

 

[fgssand]

I believe I said that we're all at least a little guilty of it. Are you telling me that if he wasn't greedy then he wouldn't have signed by now? Capitalism is built on people acting in their own interests (which is often, but not always, at least partially greed).

Actually, I don't have a problem with Asante choosing not to sign the tender. I do have a problem with the statements that have come from Asante and his agent. That's why I think calling it greedy is appropriate.

Just to be a little more clear, Asante and his agent are acting like what the Patriots are doing with the franchise tag is somehow inappropriate, that is that somehow he has the "right" to be a free agent right now and not be franchised. I have a big issue with that position. Asante knew the rules. He knows the Patriots are just following the rules. So what's the big deal? Why isn't he willing to sell his services to the Patriots for 7.79 million? Why does he threaten to sit out 10 games? (Why 10 games? I bet the pension money is a pittance compared with the 4.5+ million he's not earning by sitting out these games.) Why is he trying to force the situation to get a milestone contract this year? The answer is - G-R-E-E-D.

No one "needs" 15 million dollars to support a family. Nor does Asante "need" the 8 million. But he wants whatever he can get and is willing to say/do things I consider inappropriate to get it. Who knows if he'll be successful or not. And a lot of people are like Asante and see nothing wrong with it. If you're one of those, we can agree to disagree. But I think my position on the issue is well worth considering.

I agree with you 100% - no way should Shavers or Asante be spouting off crap against this organization. You would never see a BB coached team or a Kraft run organization saying bad things about their players, they have too much class to go there and rightfully so.

I happen to think the players deserve as much as they can get as they are the performers. I do feel it is not fair that Asante can get 8MM plus a signing bonus while others struggle to make 25% of that, just because of the timing of it all. I would actually advocate a true positional pay scale dictated by how long a player paid - naturally that would be too far against a free market.

I am just saying it's OK for Asante to seek his millions, but it is also OK for NE to pay what they deem fair value for the player and the position in relationship to the team.

BB will ALWAYS make the best decision for what is best for the TEAM. That is why he will always be so successful, he can make the hard choices and is right more often than not.

 

[Seven Nation Army]

As I've said before, it's been 3 years since we've held the Colts under 30 points. We need Assante, or we run the risk of losing to them this year 33-30.

Huh? The Patriots held them under thirty (27) just seven months ago. They also held them under thirty (3) two years ago. Futhermore, the Patriots can hold their own in a shootout with the Colts as evidenced by the two 38-34 games (one win, one loss) held at the RCA Dome in the last few years.

 

[Pats726]

I just never feel that the athletes do not deserve the money they get as a result of money generated by their performances.

Not sure what that means...but I actually think in some ways we agree...

 

[captain stone]

I believe I said that we're all at least a little guilty of it. Are you telling me that if he wasn't greedy then he wouldn't have signed by now? Capitalism is built on people acting in their own interests (which is often, but not always, at least partially greed).

Actually, I don't have a problem with Asante choosing not to sign the tender. I do have a problem with the statements that have come from Asante and his agent. That's why I think calling it greedy is appropriate.

Just to be a little more clear, Asante and his agent are acting like what the Patriots are doing with the franchise tag is somehow inappropriate, that is that somehow he has the "right" to be a free agent right now and not be franchised. I have a big issue with that position. Asante knew the rules. He knows the Patriots are just following the rules. So what's the big deal? Why isn't he willing to sell his services to the Patriots for 7.79 million? Why does he threaten to sit out 10 games? (Why 10 games? I bet the pension money is a pittance compared with the 4.5+ million he's not earning by sitting out these games.) Why is he trying to force the situation to get a milestone contract this year? The answer is - G-R-E-E-D.

No one "needs" 15 million dollars to support a family. Nor does Asante "need" the 8 million. But he wants whatever he can get and is willing to say/do things I consider inappropriate to get it. Who knows if he'll be successful or not. And a lot of people are like Asante and see nothing wrong with it. If you're one of those, we can agree to disagree. But I think my position on the issue is well worth considering.

I agree with both your and fgssand's POVs. Wasn't it Gordon Gecko who said that greed, for lack of a better word, is good?

My beef with Samuel's camp is that he, and/or his representation, insult us by claiming that they are insulted by a $7.75M/one year contract. B!tching about money, in public, is almost always unbecoming. Most jocks, like some children, are better seen than heard. Besides, Samuel's anger is misplaced; it should be directed at his union and its leadership.

The FO caved vs. Meion last year, and it helped lose us a SB. BB/SP should have let him sit his 10 weeks, then use him for the stretch run. I'd rather have another Lombardi trophy than another 1st-round draft pick. History must not be allowed to repeat itself, although I would be surprised if Samuel sits for his 10 weeks; doing so would cost him much more than it would have cost Branch.

If Samuel is traded, a starting-calibre CB MUST be part of the deal; otherwise the CB depth chart becomes AFU. To counter this possibility, I would give a serious number of snaps at CB to Wilson and Meriweather, and the same number at FS to the bigger, older and slower Chad Scott and Tory James, provided that their open-field tackling can pass muster.

 

[Pats726]

The FO caved vs. Meion last year, and it helped lose us a SB. BB/SP should have let him sit his 10 weeks, then use him for the stretch run. I'd rather have another Lombardi trophy than another 1st-round draft pick. History must not be allowed to repeat itself, although I would be surprised if Samuel sits for his 10 weeks; doing so would cost him much more than it would have cost Branch.

How did the FO cave in?? And how did that help to lose a SB?? I think speculation about how Branch would have acted if he was not traded and what effect he would have had on teh team is optimistic at best. I think the reality of it is closer to a disgruntled Branch causing more harm to the team than good...and a team struggling to get into post season. Always easy to say what/ifs...but if they had done that and missed the playoffs first to grumble that they should have done something else.
I think what they did was wise and doing the best for the team in an ugly situation. Do you not think if the situation had gone forward it would NOT have been a distraction?

 

[Water Boy]

Asante knows he's not worth that much, so he is trying to play off a big statistical year.

I agree. I think he knows that his stock may never be higher.

 

[QuiGon]

I believe I said that we're all at least a little guilty of it. Are you telling me that if he wasn't greedy then he wouldn't have signed by now? Capitalism is built on people acting in their own interests (which is often, but not always, at least partially greed).

Adam Smith showed us all that personal ambition serves the collective good. that's why capitalism succeeds where communism fails.

 

[captain stone]

I think what they did was wise and doing the best for the team in an ugly situation. Do you not think if the situation had gone forward it would NOT have been a distraction?

I don't think it would have been worse than it already was. The FO should have insisted that Seattle include DJ Hackett, or at least Darrell Jackson, plus their 1st-rounder. That way, Kelvin Kight never would have had to suit-up. The FO also should have re-signed Tim Dwight, for continuity's sake. And don't get me started with Doug Gabriel.

 

[Fogbuster]

Adam Smith showed us all that personal ambition serves the collective good. that's why capitalism succeeds where communism fails.

Ahem, just because total subservience to an imperfect state is a no-brainer deal-killer does not automatically indicate that total self-centeredness is the answer. My mind gravitates toward a "golden mean" of balance: if the guy wants to see the TEAM win -- and let's remember, this IS a TEAM sport, not an individual sport -- he should make a good faith effort to work out some kind of compromise so BOTH his team AND he can make out well.

Worked for Brady, worked for Seymour, worked for others -- why not for Asante?? Only answer I can see: he is demanding MORE than what his team believes he is worth. End of story. Sorry to see you go, Asante, but if that's your attitude, it's better you find those who are willing to pay you what you (AND your agent) are demanding. I think you'll be sorry in the end, however.

Hasta la vista, baby.


//

 

[townes]

I'd give him an 8 million dollar signing bonus and 6 years at 36 total, no more than that. He's a good player but he's not worth anywhere near what he thinks he's worth.


I'd be fine with trading him to a weak NFC team for next years 1st round choice, giving them 3 first rounders and the ability to go after any player in that draft they really want.