Funny: If Branch wins his suit to recover damages...

[Ungeheuer]

... couldn't the Patriots start fining him game checks for the higher amount?

Ok, to back up: say Branch loses both grievances this week. Kessler then files suit to recover the difference in wages between his current contract and what the Jets/Seahawks would have paid. Let's say the first-year compensation would have been 6.1 million in that deal.

By the time Kessler wins that suit, it would be at least week 3, I would think. By then Branch would have missed three game checks by holding out. Under the mythical 6.1 million deal he would have had, that's three $381,000 game checks, or a total of something like $1.14 million.

Couldn't the Patriots then theoretically turn around and fine Branch for the larger amount? In other words, if Branch holds out and wins his suit, he'll have been holding out of a much larger contract.

I don't think it would really happen, I'm just pursuing the logic of this situation to its ridiculous conclusion. My math, of course, might be off. Funny to think about, though...

 

[QuiGon]

... couldn't the Patriots start fining him game checks for the higher amount?

Ok, to back up: say Branch loses both grievances this week. Kessler then files suit to recover the difference in wages between his current contract and what the Jets/Seahawks would have paid. Let's say the first-year compensation would have been 6.1 million in that deal.

By the time Kessler wins that suit, it would be at least week 3, I would think. By then Branch would have missed three game checks by holding out. Under the mythical 6.1 million deal he would have had, that's three $381,000 game checks, or a total of something like $1.14 million.

Couldn't the Patriots then theoretically turn around and fine Branch for the larger amount? In other words, if Branch holds out and wins his suit, he'll have been holding out of a much larger contract.

I don't think it would really happen, I'm just pursuing the logic of this situation to its ridiculous conclusion. My math, of course, might be off. Funny to think about, though...

A player is subjected to a maximum of $14,000 per day for every day he is out of camp. This number is independent of the amount of money the player makes.

Come the regular season, the "fine" you levy is you withhold the player's paycheck. So yes, it follows logically that the more money a player makes the more you can "fine" them (even though it isn't really a fine). Also comes the nebulous, rarely tread path of attempting to recover a pro-rated portion of the signing bonus.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

I think its just going to have to take the new commish, or Kraft to step and say lets get it over with, Branch to seattle for a 1 and 4..