Its time for RamTime’s annual *****ing about Pace

Yep it’s that time of year again when we collectively wonder if Pace is team player or not. It looks as if this year will tell a lot. Since he “fired” his agent and Walter Jones has signed there really is no reason for Opie to hold the Rams hostage and should sign a deal before free agency. We shall see but don’t hold your breath because I still maintain the he’s lazy and hates camp enough that he would trade not having to participate in spring training for holding his team hostage. It’s time people start calling this like it looks and stop giving him the benefit of the doubt.

Left tackle for sale, abada abada abada Left tackle for sale.... Step right up and feast your eyes on this massive specimen. That's right for 8 million dollars he can be yours for a whole year ahm minus the off season and uhm minus training camp, and uhm minus most of the pre season... abada abada abada Left Tackle for sale....

[ZigZagRam]

It was all the Postons right? Orlando Pace is a good guy right? OP is a team player right?

I hope the answer to all of these questions are yes. Not only will a long-term deal solidify us at tackle for several years, but the cap relief we'll get from a deal could help us land some big name playmakers on D.

Come on Pace, you see what Faulk has done. Why cant you do the same

[Nick]

Originally Posted by RamTime

It’s time people start calling this like it looks and stop giving him the benefit of the doubt.

If he's not signed to a long term deal by the start of free agency, I'm with you. Until then, I'm hesitant on the issue. Still, I'm upset that it's taken him this long to sign an agent, but then again, maybe he has no intention of signing an agent and wants to represent him and just hand them Jones's deal.

[HUbison]

Originally Posted by NickSeiler

If he's not signed to a long term deal by the start of free agency, I'm with you. Until then, I'm hesitant on the issue. Still, I'm upset that it's taken him this long to sign an agent, but then again, maybe he has no intention of signing an agent and wants to represent him and just hand them Jones's deal.

I can't agree more. Right now, for me anyway, Pace has the benefit of the doubt and will continue to have it for another 4 days. March 2nd is the deadline. By then we will know if he is a team player or a selfish child.

You have 4 days, Mr. Pace. Don't disappoint us.

[Nick]

Can anyone even confirm that the Rams are trying to work something out with Pace right now? The phone works both ways, and I'm not sure I've even officially heard that the Rams have sent offers Pace's way, but instead, how much so-and-so thinks they need to.

Pace certainly deserves some blame for letting it reach this point, but it's hard to sign an offer that doesn't exist. Is it Pace's responsibility to come to the Rams with his contract offer, or do the Rams have equal responsibility in coming to Pace with their's? Agent or no agent, if the Rams aren't giving Pace any offers, they need to be held equally responsible.

[HUbison]

Certainly a valid question, Nick. But what would the Rams have to benefit by not making an offer this soon?

[Nick]

We can blame Pace for not hiring an agent or coming to the Rams with a proposal, but I think we also need to blame the Rams if they haven't been aggressive in negotiating with Pace thus far. If they're sitting on their butt waiting for him to sign an agent, they're not doing their job.

If the Rams want to be serious in this year's free agency period, they need all the money they can get, and need to be doing whatever it takes to get it. Thus far, all they've done is renegotiate Faulk's contract. That's a start, but they still have Bruce to work out and Pace's long term deal to finalize.

Look at a team like Seattle, whose front office was in disarray but still managed to negotiate two long-term deals and use their franchise tag. Thus far, we've used our franchise tag and have renegotiated one contract. What's the hold-up, I wonder?

[adarian_too]

Originally Posted by NickSeiler

Is it Pace's responsibility to come to the Rams with his contract offer, or do the Rams have equal responsibility in coming to Pace with their's?

Once the Rams' limited Pace's negotiability by placing the franchise tag on him, it became incumbent upon them to initiate a responsible offer affording Pace time for due consideration.

Once Jones signed, the Rams' window of plausible deniability narrowed considerably. The burden was on the Rams to have already offered something both parties could have bargained on in time certain.

[Yodude]

Whlie I have no idea what's going on on the negotiation front, a friend at work told me he heard on NFL Network Radio that Pace intends to be present at training camp this year.

[Nick]

Originally Posted by adarian_too

Once the Rams' limited Pace's negotiability by placing the franchise tag on him, it became incumbent upon them to initiate a responsible offer affording Pace time for due consideration.

Once Jones signed, the Rams' window of plausible deniability narrowed considerably. The burden was on the Rams to have already offered something both parties could have bargained on in time certain.

I agree with what you're saying. While I don't know what negotiations have been going on, you have to wonder how aggressively the Rams are pursuing this.

Originally Posted by Yodude

Whlie I have no idea what's going on on the negotiation front, a friend at work told me he heard on NFL Network Radio that Pace intends to be present at training camp this year.

That's certainly good news. After the 2004 season, I'm sure he needs some more time to work on perfecting his game. I wonder though if that means he's planning to sign long term or just planning on signing the tender.

[psycho9985]

He has more money then he could ever spend.Is he trying to make his great great grandkids rich? :disappoin