I'll just go ahead and add the bricks because I've never seen a debate on this board that didn't instantly become personal. :bricks:
let me first say that I have a ton of respect for BB as a personnel decision maker. IMO, rings are more on the players than the coaches...but coaches who change the game become HoFers....Bill Cowher is not a HoFer...how has he changed the game?
The overarching hallmark of Bill's career is that he's consistently made incredibly courageous and smart personnel decisions in an era where those decisions had to be made. He's revolutionized the way FOs operate. He's made decisions that were in the best interest of the team, despite being HIGHLY unpopular -- even suicidal...this aspect is way more impressive to me than his occasionally overrated Xs/Os genius, teaching genius, or scouting/draft genius -- not that he's a slouch in those areas either...but did he make Lawrence Taylor and Tom Brady look great, or did they make him look great?
having established my respect for Bill the PERSONNEL MANAGER, I will now express my frustration for both sides that this deal is not getting done.
the fact is Deion's agent is fielding calls right now...this won't take a week...and, like the FO, they won't deal with this behind closed doors...we'll hear about the proposal in a press release the same time Bill will.
is anyone considering the fact the cap is about to SKYROCKET...and maybe we're low-balling Deion hoping he'll submit to the value paradigm of the current cap level?, or else look "stubborn" to ignorant media/fans.
is anyone considering how humiliating this tactic is? Deion's not returning with his tail between his legs to help this team...this is no olive branch, it's a kick in the balls. He's not getting great money in late August, the Pats know this, but he has pride and I doubt Tom's phone calls are going to do the trick at this point.
is anyone considering chemistry?...it matters. It's worth value. We should not overpay, but we should adjust our value paradigm in-line with the current cost of securing the FUTURE services of a reliable receiver like Deion, who has been a tremendous asset on and off the field for us.
is anyone considering that if Branch releases a statement tomorrow saying he wishes to go to team X (philly?, NYJ?, etc...) that we have two lousy options:
1. veto trade, get disgruntled unproductive receiver for '06.
2. allow him to leave, and get very little in return.
where is the leverage?...seems to be with Deion to me.
where is the brilliant plan here? Is the brilliant plan to go into the season without Deion because he's a cancer and we need to get rid of him? Anyone who believes that is a total reactionary who deserves their own talk radio show.
it's not a question of whether we NEED Deion, it's a question of how much worse off we are. Give him an extra million -- still in line with Givens money -- and go win the ******* super bowl.
Deion and Tom have chemistry -- in this passing system "rapport" is more valuable than sheer athleticism, because we don't rely on HoF receivers to make huge plays, but rather the unspoken communication that comes from experience.
I'm not saying he's an all-pro, but you can't throw away chemistry and expect to rebuild it overnight. Jackson is potentially a much more dangerous receiver than Deion, but we're still better off with both of them.
We can overcome the loss of Givens, but both Givens and Branch at once? Not sayin' the offense will suck by any means, but is it as good without Deion?
A week ago I was certain a deal would be done...now I'm convinced he'll leave.
This team may indeed still be good enough to go all the way (every team has holes -- this is something the media has trouble understanding), but we're definitely worse off than we would've been with him. And given the fact that our QB stuck his neck out there, you just don't want to send the message to the rest of your players that you can't get a deal done with a SB-MVP, with a sterling clubhouse record, who's still playing on his el cheapo rookie contract.
You people may hate Deion...he may be dead to you...but he's not dead to this team...he's one of the most beloved players in the clubhouse. And unlike Lawyer, his skills aren't diminishing.
There will be ripples if he leaves...I'm not saying it will split the team, but we will have to deal with it...and ripples like this can -- and have -- sapped the momentum and energy out of many a season.
again, I'm not saying the FO is wrong or right...and perhaps we should've stayed hardline with him...Borges will call it "arrogance"...not me...but I don't see any brilliance here.
I guarantee Tom is flying off the walls...he's too ambitious to let it destroy HIS future...but that doesn't mean he's a happy camper.
I'm not changing my avatar over this, but it's definitely a kick in the gut.
