04/25/24
February 26, 2004
Oops: Looks like a couple would-be wide receiver free agents aren't as available as they'd hoped. Terrell Owens and Dennis Northcutt, who were able to void the final three years of their respective contracts, missed the filing deadline for paperwork, and are now stuck on their present teams. Methinks some agents are getting canned today.
I doubt this works out that well for San Fran. What team wants to take on a really disgruntled TO? In a way Free Agency would have been a good thing for TO ... he would have seen just what his market value is. And I expect he would have realized that his actions had really cost him a lot of money. Because of this he doesn't face reality ... he can continue to blame it on the 49ers. If I was another team I would be extremely wary of trading for TO.
posted by Mike McD at 02:49 PM on February 26, 2004
Mike McD, you're kidding, right? There is no accountability for top-level pro athletes.
posted by dusted at 03:07 PM on February 26, 2004
Teams interested in TO have to consider it a tradeoff--between a disgruntled player and one of the best WRs in the league. I'm sure teams like the Eagles and Ravens are willing to take a chance (given how bad their WRs are) and are much more interested in TO now that he can't ask for David Boston-like money (who certainly is a much bigger enigma than TO).
posted by pwilly at 03:25 PM on February 26, 2004
I'm making a different point. TO goes to FA he goes to the market and gets the his best offer. The FA process has moderated the attitude of some players. For example, the Titans aren't franchising Kearse because they thought it would create more friction in their negotiations. The Titans think it's easier to let the market set the price (in other words it seems like the Titans suspect that Kearse thinks he's worth more than he actually is). I'm guessing that TO probably thinks he's worth more than he actually is as well. I didn't watch many 49er's games this year but their I recall a couple fan comments that TO didn't help them too much this year.
posted by Mike McD at 03:56 PM on February 26, 2004
Nelson says "ha ha!" to TO. OTOH, trading a player (often) has different salary cap effects, so I wonder how that will factor in here (besides the attitude issue).
posted by billsaysthis at 05:20 PM on February 26, 2004
he would have realized that his actions had really cost him a lot of money. Because of this he doesn't face reality I agree he will continue to blame others, but already his agent has potentially cost him a massive signing bonus, somewhere in the range of $10-15 mill.
posted by garfield at 03:32 PM on February 27, 2004
This morning's paper made the point that even if the Niners do trade TO his new team will need to negotiate a new contract, which would invariably have an eight figure bonus.
posted by billsaysthis at 04:23 PM on February 27, 2004
ok, I was just regurgitating something I heard on ESPN last night. I don't know why you get a signing bonus from a trade....Is that commonplace?
posted by garfield at 04:42 PM on February 27, 2004
He wouldn't get the bonus from the trade proper. If he were traded he would more than likely (given how he is) hold out until he got a new contract, which would be the renegotiating billsaysthis mentioned. That new contract would have the signing bonus.
posted by pivo at 06:33 PM on February 27, 2004
Pivo, even the holdout is probably unnecessary because of his existing contract's cap numbers for the next three years--the new team would want to give him a big bonus and a seven or eight year contract to spread it over.
posted by billsaysthis at 07:38 PM on February 27, 2004
I guess you're probably right. Cap-ology eludes me. I was just thinking of the vast chasm between what TO thinks he's worth and what he is actually worth creating problems for whoever gets him.
posted by pivo at 09:55 PM on February 27, 2004
LOL pivo! I definitely agree and think that players who let celebrity impact their game so deeply are making a huge mistake. But then again, these guys are human and susceptible to the same emotions and irrationality as the rest of us.
posted by billsaysthis at 12:56 PM on February 28, 2004
Owens now blames the NFL and San Fran for this screwup. Says they never got notice of an advanced deadline. Guess just turning in the paperwork early wouldn't make sense, eh?
posted by bcb2k2 at 04:44 PM on February 28, 2004
I'll bet you that bastard Garcia had something to do with it too! How is Mr. Owens supposed to showcase his skeeelzzz when the media, the league, his team's front office and coaching staff, his teammates, and his QB are all conspiring to keep him down and underpaid? Did you see how many passes they made him drop last season? This injustice should not be allowed to stand! Terrell shall overcome!
posted by pivo at 05:12 PM on February 28, 2004
Earth to TO, Earth to TO--Anyone There? This is going to work out great for everyone except TO. All the leverage is now with San Fran and I'm sure they are going to create a market for this guy and get rid of him. Now they'll be able to address needs they were going to have to use draft picks on. Also, this probably brings a lot more teams back in the mix now that TO can't set his own terms. What a stroke of genius franchising Julian Peterson--who'd thunk?