Am I the last sane person on this planet?

[AvengerRam]

I guess I can understand why the print, internet, radio and TV media are spending time covering the latest Terrell Owens whine-fest. I mean, its not like ther there's much else going on these days for them to cover. But now, there seems to be a movement of SUPPORTING HIS CRAP!!!!! WTF!!!?!?!?!?!?!!?

They guy signed a $49 Million contract LAST YEAR. Yes, he had a great season until he got hurt, and it was admirable how he worked his way back into playing shape by Super Bowl Sunday, but... DOES ANYONE REMEMBER THAT THE EAGLES WON TWO PLAYOFF GAMES TO GET THERE WITHOUT T.O.?????

The last straw was on CNNSI.com. Michael Silver has an article trying to argue that fairness demands that Owens get more money! I'd copy it here, but I was unable to supress my gag reflex.

Now, Owens is reportedly going to go to camp, but he will be "unhappy." The guy just doesn't get it. If he wanted to maximize his earning potential, the way to do it is NOT to be a whining malcontent. The way to do it is to gain the respect of your team, your peers and the public.

I guarantee you that in 10 years Torry Holt will be making 10 times what T.O. will be. Why? Because, while Holt is regarded as a fun loving, nice guy, team player - qualities which will translate to an analyst job or some other lucrative endeavor, T.O. will be remembered as a highly skilled jerk. Heck, he's not even charismatic like other jerks who have made it after retirement (i.e. Michael Irvin).

So...

T.O. - SHUT THE HELL UP!!!!

Drew Rosenhause - SHUT THE HELL UP!!!!

And... to the Michael Silvers and other crybaby apologists - SHUT THE HELL UP!!!!

[RealRam]

Indeed. Looks like TO is succeeding big time in 'separating the player from the person!' LOL

I saw an interview this week (ESPN?) where Owens mentioned several times about his need to ... "take care of his family" and if they -- team management -- could not understand that, then he could/should be released. He must have a VERY large family!

Top player, bottom person. That is, he's a "nice" individual but not exactly a brain.

[UtterBlitz]

I can't believe the media is covering it. This is not new with TO. He will always find some reason to whine. :tut

[psycho9985]

T.O. wants his great great grand children wealthy.The guy already has more than he can spend,unless his agent is getting 90%,or hes taken lessons from Mike Tyson on how to blow a very large fortune.I wonder if hes bought any tigers yet.


:mask:

[MOM]

The asshat needs to try living off of what we live off of for a year. I guarantee you he would quit *****ing. Good grief!

[Masspatsfan12]

Oh hes a whiner alright.

[Nick]

Personally, I think Drew Rosenhaus is behind it. He doesn't get a penny if TO keeps the current contract he signed, so I wouldn't be surprised if he "convinced" TO he wasn't getting enough and needed to be drastic about it. And for TO, it wouldn't take much to convince him of that. But for some reason, I see Drew the Puppet Master behind this one, with TO playing right into his hands by being TO.

[Masspatsfan12]

hey nick I like that will ferril pic you have that was one funny snl episode.

[AvengerRam]

I agree. This has DR's name written all over it.


The funny thing is, he probably would have had a better chance at getting a new contract if he had handled the situation in a respectful manner. Instead, DR and TO are all over the media spouting nonsense about "fairness" and the like. Not to mention TO calling out the one guy on his team who is clearly more valuable than he is - Donovan McNabb.

[AugustaRamFan]

Can you agree with both sides - in part??

1) I do not condone what TO is doing... Shaddup you ******!
2) A contract is a contract.... and needs to be honored and by both parties!!
3) Teams purposely sign players to big contracts and then ask them to re-structure to make cap room, make the team better or save money if performance tails off and I see the Marshall Faulk case in this light. So why are not teams/owners held to the same standard?
4) TO is a malcontent. The reason his contract was back loaded, is just because of what he is doing. So the Eagles will have a choice to make - just like the Packers will.
5) My bottom line - is that TO was a malcontent and because of that few teams wanted to sign him and he had to settle for a little less $$$ in the early years of his contract. If that is true, then is sounds like he should fire his agent in that case. Sorry TO!

Should teams and players be held to the same standard? Or am I missing something? I do not like what TO is doing, but does that make it OK when a team cuts a player that was to make big bucks and get a huge signing bonus in the coming season, or is that just shrewd business management? I think that players only have a short timeframe too make most of the money that they can. Correct me here....

This whole issue is a Salary Cap end-around. Both parties know excactly what they are doing and have been doing, with all these multi-year megadeals. TO is just putting the same juice to the oweners as they give to the players.

Would this be different if it was Tory Holt asking for more $$$??? Does the fact that he is a nice guy really change anything?

If TO is wrong are not the owners/teams wrong as well when they do not honor contracts??

Read em and Weep! ARF

[AvengerRam]

You are, in fact, missing something.


The nature of a football contract is that it is only worth so much - for either side. The relative bargaining power of the parties changes over time, and so does the value of the contract.

Players often lament - "Why is it okay that the team can cut me despite my contract, but I can't hold out for more money?"

The Answer is simple: Cutting a player is not a breach of the contract. Holding out is a breach of the contract.

Players respond to this by again saying - "but that's not fair."

Fairness has nothing to do with it. If players had the bargaining power to obtain guaranteed contracts (as the NBA players do), then the teams could not cut a player without paying them their salary.

Top NFL players make up for the lack of guaranteed contracts by negotiating large signing bonuses. TO, for example, got a $14 Million bonus just last year. If he had suffered a career ending injury at the start of last year, he'd still get that money.

So, don't get sucked in by the "its not equal" or "its not fair" nonsense.

[AugustaRamFan]

Ok...I see your point. So, the owners have the power to cut a player and that is not prohibited by the contract.

Players just need to play as long as they can for a much as they can at the owners behest.

Sounds like the the NFL owners swing one might big stick.

ARF

PS - Thanks for the insight!

[HUbison]

Sounds like the the NFL owners swing one might big stick.

That's a perk of being the boss.

[laram0]

What ever happened to " for the love of the game "

I wish I had 1% of to's money........

[HUbison]

They guy signed a $49 Million contract LAST YEAR. Yes, he had a great season until he got hurt, and it was admirable how he worked his way back into playing shape by Super Bowl Sunday, but... DOES ANYONE REMEMBER THAT THE EAGLES WON TWO PLAYOFF GAMES TO GET THERE WITHOUT T.O.?????

By my calculation he OWES the Eagles some money. Here's from the other Owens thread...

I agree with you T.O.! That's right, you do deserve a new contract. You're not getting paid what you deserve at all. Let's break this down, shall we?

When you signed your $49 mil., 7 year deal, you had spent the 4 previous seasons in S.F. averaging the following stats per game:

6.27 receptions, 89.23 yards, .86 TDs

This past season, those per games stats were as follows:

5.50 receptions, 85.71 yards, 1.00 TDs

So to compare, since signing your contract, your reception numbers have fallen off by 12.3%, your yardage has fallen by 3.9% while to your defense your TD numbers have increased by 14%. The net difference being a drop in production by 2.2%. Therefore, your $49 million contract is really only worth $47.9 million to the Eagles.

The way I see it, be lucky the Eagles are letting you KEEP your contract and not charging you $1.1 million for your lack of production last year, junior.