Urlacher to skip minicamp?

[jetfuel]

Trippin

[drago]

Chair builders don't sign contracts million dollar contracts.

[124]

OH NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I ONLY HAVE A CONTRACT FOR $56.5 MILLION ON TOP OF WHAT I GOT IN MY ROOKIE DEAL!!!!!!! NO!!!!!!!!!!!! I'M GOING F'ING BANKRUPT, HOW THE **** DO YOU EXPECT ME TO LIVE ON BASICALLY PENNIES!!!!!!!

Seriously Brian? Seriously?

These players just flat out suck.

[jetfuel]

Chair builders don't sign contracts million dollar contracts.

I don't know what chair-builders you've been hanging out with. I just signed a 5 year $20 mill contract with Cozy Chairs Inc. last year and now I have to ask for more. Chip got a 5 year $27 mill and I'm pissed!

[slats]

“It’s easy for people to criticize me for wanting (a new deal), and I understand that it’s a contract and I signed it,” Urlacher said. “But this is the NFL, and if I’d signed it and I’d played like (expletive), they’d have cut me or tried to get me to take less. In my mind, there’s no difference. If they can ‘break’ a contract, I have a right to ask for more if I play well enough."

I agree with him 100%.

I don't understand why fans think it's perfectly fair that the franchises are under no obligation to "honor a contract." That they can do whatever's in their best interest financially at any time. But the moment a player looks for a better deal for himself, he's selfish, an *******, or worse.

This is Urlacher's livelihood, and his earning days are almost done. The owners will be making millions upon millions long after he's gone.

He wants more? Let him press for it. It's his right, AFAIC.

If the team doesn't want to pay him, or thinks they're better off without him, they certainly have that right, too.

[jetfuel]

I agree with him 100%.

I don't understand why fans think it's perfectly fair that the franchises are under no obligation to "honor a contract." That they can do whatever's in their best interest financially at any time. But the moment a player looks for a better deal for himself, he's selfish, an *******, or worse.

This is Urlacher's livelihood, and his earning days are almost done. The owners will be making millions upon millions long after he's gone.

He wants more? Let him press for it. It's his right, AFAIC.

If the team doesn't want to pay him, or thinks they're better off without him, they certainly have that right, too.

I never said I disagreed with him. I just had some fun with the chair-builders comment.

[drago]

I agree with him 100%.

I don't understand why fans think it's perfectly fair that the franchises are under no obligation to "honor a contract." That they can do whatever's in their best interest financially at any time. But the moment a player looks for a better deal for himself, he's selfish, an *******, or worse.

This is Urlacher's livelihood, and his earning days are almost done. The owners will be making millions upon millions long after he's gone.

He wants more? Let him press for it. It's his right, AFAIC.

If the team doesn't want to pay him, or thinks they're better off without him, they certainly have that right, too.

I see your side of the argument but I don't think the players deserve the money. They play a game at a very high level and a guy like Urlacher has made enough over his career to pay for his family's livlihood for generations, if they spend it properly.

I guess I'd rather see the money go to the owners than the players. At least I won't have to read about the owner's saying "i'm just trying to feed my family" crap. haha

oh well, i really don't care.

[billo83]

I agree with him 100%.

I don't understand why fans think it's perfectly fair that the franchises are under no obligation to "honor a contract." That they can do whatever's in their best interest financially at any time. But the moment a player looks for a better deal for himself, he's selfish, an *******, or worse.

This is Urlacher's livelihood, and his earning days are almost done. The owners will be making millions upon millions long after he's gone.

He wants more? Let him press for it. It's his right, AFAIC.

If the team doesn't want to pay him, or thinks they're better off without him, they certainly have that right, too.

One thing you're not taking into consideration though are signing bonuses. This makes it harder for a team to release a player for poor performance. Ulracher states that he could play like **it and the team would release him. That's highly unlikely if he just got a 5-10 Million signing bonus. Take our own BT for example. He gets 5M in a contract year and then plays like crap and admits to being lazy last season. IMO the signing bonus is one reason why the FO hasn't cut his sorry ass yet.

I also don't see players volunteering to give money back when they haven't lived up to their contract, but of course they line up expecting increases when they do.

I would like to see a pay per performance structure employed, but the NFLPA would never go for that.

[Irish Jet]

Are players paid too much?? Definetly IMO.

That being said how can you fault a guy for trying to get as much as he can get when there are players who he's probably better than making more??

The NFL is a business, the players will go after what they feel they're worth and what they feel will be impacted by what other players are paid.

[billo83]

Are players paid too much?? Definetly IMO.

That being said how can you fault a guy for trying to get as much as he can get when there are players who he's probably better than making more??

The NFL is a business, the players will go after what they feel they're worth and what they feel will be impacted by what other players are paid.

Why did the dope Ulracher sign a 9 year contract? He only has himself and his agent to blame. Plus I'm sure he got a huge signing bonus at the time, and he's probably not taking that into account.

I'm starting to think that teams should have a cap on the length of the contracts, say 4 years or maybe 5. Signing someone to a longer contract is just going to wind up having the player whine and hold out for a new contract anyway.

In the Ulracher situation, I don't blame the Bears if they play hardball. Look at what re-signing Mo Lewis to a big contract late in his career did for us.

I don't know what the right answer is, but I'm getting sick of this crap after seeing the likes of Kendall, Coles, and Baker complaining about their contracts.

[slats]

I also don't see players volunteering to give money back when they haven't lived up to their contract, but of course they line up expecting increases when they do.

Conversely, you don't see teams offering up more money when a player exceeds his contract, but they're quick to look for a paycut if a player underperforms. If a player underperforms enough, the team can cut him. But if the player overperforms, he's expected to abide by the contract that the team isn't obligated to abide by.

I'm fully aware of bonus money. It's often the only guaranteed money in the only major sports league without guaranteed contracts.

I never have a problem with any player looking for more money. The team always has the option not to pay.

[The Troll]

He needs more $$$$$ so Paris will go out with him again.