Crabtree

[Baraka]

i'm so glad we didn't take this diva.

/>http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4381335

[ArmyBengal]

F*CK CRABTREE !!!

[combatbengal]

OK, I know this isn't how the NFL works, but I think that these kids should come into the NFL, earn a spot on the roster, earn a starting position, prove themselves and then worry about the big contract! Crabtree is willing to sit out the year and re-enter the draft next spring unless he gets more than the $23.5 million the Raiders guaranteed Heyward-Bey. I'm just as competitive as the next guy, but would be happy to back up a Palmer, Ocho, or a Peko for what 2nd string guys are making! That is a dream job, getting paid over $400,000.00 to be on the side lines of a pro team. Now don't get me wrong, I'd love to be on the field playing and would work to get there. Would I love to be making 23.5 million? Oh yea, but even 1 million is more then what these kids are making now. It's more then what all of us make on this board!

Now I know I'll probably get bashed with this threat. I can see it coming now! These guys are looking out for themselves after football. The games beat their bodies up and their careers aren't that long. They need money to support themselves after the game. They'll have bad knees and injuries to deal with the rest of their lives. Yea Yea Yea! Well, what I have to say to that is, look at the American Soldier on the battle field. Defending the USA for pride! They aren't making millions of $$. Some are losing legs and arms for this nation and aren't being compensated for that. Some are making the ultimate sacrifice! So, I don't feel so bad able these greedy football players!

However, I love football and I love the Bengals, so let's get this season started!!!

Oh and before I submit this threat, there are others out there doing dangerous jobs like our Soldiers! Police, fire fighters, etc...

[Ickey44]

I'm with you combat. I hope the 9ers call his bluff and he sits the whole damn year. He won't get drafted in the first round next year. Maybe not even the 2nd.

[derekshank]

I'm not really trying to defend Crabtree here, because I think hiring your cousin to represent you shows a real lack of maturity... but in fairness, Crabtree hasn't uttered a word in any of this. All this talk of deserving top 5 pay and re-entering the draft next year has been posturing by his agent.

Now, Crabtree at some point should have said, "Hey douchebag... you work for me. Get a reasonable contract done." It doesn't appear that he's done that, so yes... some fault does lie with him. But he's really young and it appears he's getting some very bad advice. We all saw how quickly Chad's persona changed when he hired Drew Rosenhaus.

I'm just saying, at least he's not the one making these outrageous statements. He just needs to tell his agent to shut his damn mouth.

[ArmyBengal]

Or his idiot cousin advisor. Or is his cousin his agent ??

Either way, he's an idiot...

[derekshank]

Or his idiot cousin advisor. Or is his cousin his agent ??

Either way, he's an idiot...

Yeah... I may have the story wrong. I heard this morning that it's his advisor who has been making the claims of re-entering the draft. But his agent is saying no such threat has been made. Which one of them is his cousin, I'm not sure. Either way... it sounds like his advisor is the biggest idiot in all of this.

[ArmyBengal]

I was just watching NFL Network and they said his agent hasn't made any claims at all and that it was his "advisor" who is his cousin running his mouth.

[Pidge]

I'm not really trying to defend Crabtree here, because I think hiring your cousin to represent you shows a real lack of maturity... but in fairness, Crabtree hasn't uttered a word in any of this. All this talk of deserving top 5 pay and re-entering the draft next year has been posturing by his agent.

Now, Crabtree at some point should have said, "Hey douchebag... you work for me. Get a reasonable contract done." It doesn't appear that he's done that, so yes... some fault does lie with him. But he's really young and it appears he's getting some very bad advice. We all saw how quickly Chad's persona changed when he hired Drew Rosenhaus.

I'm just saying, at least he's not the one making these outrageous statements. He just needs to tell his agent to shut his damn mouth.

I disagree. And whilst I quoted your post, this is more of a general rant.

Not some, all his fault. His agent is exactly that - an agent. He has been given authorization by Crabtree to act on his behalf. Now, as this is the case, the position his agent takes must be considered the position Crabtree himself takes unless expressly denied by Crabtree, in which case his agent wouldn't take this position. Him keeping his mouth shut indicates he's perfectly happy with the way his agent is going about things. The fact that many footballers seem to have very limited intelligence and vast, biblically sized malfunctioning egos does mean they are given the benefit of the doubt by me. It's a very nice way to act like a douche by proxy. But but it wasn't me man, it was my agent. It's just business etc.

So yeah, it is his fault and he's not a kid, he's a young man. He knows right from wrong and knows what he wants. Whether he gets it remains to be seen - probably yes.

And honestly, bickering over what will probably be a couple of million in a 20 million dollar contract at this point (having played zero downs in the NFL) is a bit douchey. I know it's the norm and perfectly justifiable (what you can get is your market value etc etc) in some people's minds but really, we're not talking about some poor schlep here trying to get an extra grand a yr when he earns 30 grand. It will make zero difference to their quality of life. It's avarice and has nothing to do with getting a fair deal and the fact that it has become the norm and expected thing now by pro athletes across the globe is really quite saddening. These are pie in the sky numbers. More fool the owners if they keep getting held to ransom naturally but it doesn't put *insert any number of players* in the right.

And yes, I know, some players snap both their legs in a tackle on their first play. That's horrible but s**t happens, all the time. It's a risk they take playing football and shouldn't be used as a justification for acting like a hobo diving on a half eaten donut that's been thrown on the ground during negotiations. The value they inherently bring to the team through their play should be the deciding factor. Not the fact that if his aunty had balls she'd be his uncle.

[derekshank]

Pidge... I agree with you for the most part. I understand that the agent works for him... but what's the point of hiring an agent if you aren't going to take his advice? I hired a realtor last year, and chose someone who my family had done a good deal of business with because he had a good reputation and knows his way around the house buying process. If when he gave me advice, I just said "Hey a**h***! You work for me. Shut the hell up and get the deal done." then what was the point in hiring him?

That's my point. Crabtree is an immature kid, and I think that was shown prior to the draft. He also appears to have surrounded himself with people who stroke his ego. That's his fault. But he hasn't made any of the threats we've heard in the news. He hasn't said a word actually. He appears to just be taking the advice of the people he pays to give it. His immaturity is shown in who he hired... not in the fact that he's taking the advice.

So again... I'm not giving him a pass. But I do think he's doing some things right, like keeping his mouth shut. It's a little late in the game to change agents now, so I can't fault him as much as I'd like to for letting the people he pays do the job they were hired to do... even if they are idiots.

[Pidge]

Pidge... I agree with you for the most part. I understand that the agent works for him... but what's the point of hiring an agent if you aren't going to take his advice? I hired a realtor last year, and chose someone who my family had done a good deal of business with because he had a good reputation and knows his way around the house buying process. If when he gave me advice, I just said "Hey a**h***! You work for me. Shut the hell up and get the deal done." then what was the point in hiring him?

That's my point. Crabtree is an immature kid, and I think that was shown prior to the draft. He also appears to have surrounded himself with people who stroke his ego. That's his fault. But he hasn't made any of the threats we've heard in the news. He hasn't said a word actually. He appears to just be taking the advice of the people he pays to give it. His immaturity is shown in who he hired... not in the fact that he's taking the advice.

So again... I'm not giving him a pass. But I do think he's doing some things right, like keeping his mouth shut. It's a little late in the game to change agents now, so I can't fault him as much as I'd like to for letting the people he pays do the job they were hired to do... even if they are idiots.

Nah, I see what you're saying and you're correct. I suppose we all make mistakes and become wiser for them. Still, many athletes won't though. He'll get his money and will probably do so whilst having a nice cushy seat on the bench for a few weeks. Lesson learned, make an ill thought out choice and still come out smelling like roses.

Mainly, and this a crass generalisation as I'm very sporty but stupendously intelligent (not to mention humble), genuinely talented athletes can live in a bubble. Not that all do of course but many are surrounded by sycophants and coddled from many of the utterly mundane details of everyday life. Lucky them but it leads to an attitude which is unhealthy. It really is time to get a salary structure in place for rookies as is done in other sports. Not to screw them, I mean I'm sure we could all just about get by on a mill a yr for a couple of yrs until a new contract can be negotiated. We'd have to cut down on the foie gras naturally. As for this s**t that is trotted out by many players, rookies and vets, about the chances of injury etc. Get out of here? Really, you might be injured playing pro sprots? They should invent something to help people out when they get s**tcanned by injury. They could call it something snappy like insurance.

/twitter and bisted (sic)