Might be in the Steelers best interest to allow Rosenhaus to do this unfortunately.
OT: AB to the Bills ......
- Thread starter wbrpanther
- Start date
Might be in the Steelers best interest to allow Rosenhaus to do this unfortunately.
That’s why at this point you let his agent seek a trade. If the compensation isn’t there, then say no. The Steelers don’t have to trade him. If Rooney wants to be a prick, when they come back with a deal to a team he wants to go to, tell them no... If he doesn’t report to camp, you suspend him.
If he does show up, do not let on the practice facility. Warn the league that he will no doubt fake an injury. By the time trade deadline rolls around during the season, he will be begging to get out of Pittsburgh and teams will be more desperate to trade for him.
When they come back with a deal from a team he wants to go to, tell Brown the compensation is too low... That’ll send Mr. Big Chest into orbit... They need to draw the line in the sand, or it will happen again...
That was aimed at Swerve not you. But the reason why you got these reactions is your post (and hey you may have had some drinks, I have posted some stupid stuff drunk too) on your rant with Rooney was completely offbase. Stupid. Sorry, it was. And many called you out and you kept on doubling down. Sometimes you need to walk away. Remember, this is the franchise that put the tag on Leveon TWO years in a row, which they knew was going to piss him off and they did it anyways.
I have problems with some things the Steelers do, I think they need to change with the time a bit, but one thing they are definitely not is "soft" when it comes to contract negotiations and possible hold outs. They won't blink.
This would be a great tactic in my opinion. If the compensation is BS for AB, and the other team agrees with AB and Rosenhaus's contract demands, the Steelers need to say "no thanks". This will send them into orbit and it will also let them know they still have control. It will also show AB as bad ass as he thinks he is, he is going to have to compromise and will not get everything he wants.
THIS!
It’s time to play hardball:
Bob Pompeani
@KDPomp
Brown does NOT have “no-trade” clause. But clearly acted as if he did. He destroyed a trade return that would have helped #Steelers therefore its “Conduct Detrimental to team”. #DeclineTheBonus NFLPA likely files grievance but it’s worth a try
It’s time to play hardball:
Bob Pompeani
@KDPomp
Brown does NOT have “no-trade” clause. But clearly acted as if he did. He destroyed a trade return that would have helped #Steelers therefore its “Conduct Detrimental to team”. #DeclineTheBonus NFLPA likely files grievance but it’s worth a try
I think it's a cost/benefit play until it isn't. If they can get a good trade, then all of this is fine.
Brown said if he doesn't end up where he wants, he is retiring. The Steelers can easily put him on a "reserve/retired" list and wait for him to show up or go fight the union. That's truly a worst case scenario but it's plausible. The Steelers would love to free up that extra cash and get something in return if he's not going to be a meaningful contributor as a Steeler. They really can't afford to enter another season with a lot of dead money counting against their cap again. So for now, they'll allow it to continue because there is probably still someone out there who is negotiating at a level the Steelers see as having some value.
Of course if someone offers a No #1 Pick, you take it. Otherwise, toe the line and say no...
Au contraire, plenty of black athletes have taken Brown to task.
Have no fear Steeler nation. AB has assured the world HE, not the Steelers, will announce his new team by tomorrow afternoon. Solid proof that a deal is imminent.
In general, I think very little of the Rooney family Only Dan Rooney was strong and innovative, he made the franchise, he fixed it starting from 1969 on, hiring real coaches instead of Art Sr's drinking buddies, and drafting all the players from the black schools when others didn't-he really THOUGHT about how to win. Art Sr. Was a drunken failure who wasted 40 years and Art2 just basically sticks with the tired same old same old. hoping to keeps him at 9 wins or better every year, he has zero urgency or hunger for a championship.
In all honesty, as long as they get a 2nd round pick for the guy, they're a better team tomorrow. Ben has made WR's his entire career and will make the next one. There is a drop off, but not much from Bell to Conner and company. You get extra picks and $ to sure up the defense. How is it not a better team?
The steelers have plenty of intent to win and compete for championships. Cynically it is because that they (unlike some in this city) realize the perception of such is what the customer base demands.
The newest gen of the ownership, as royal heirs often are (and in Pgh they certainly are), are somewhat complacent and guilt ridden, so they worry a bit too much about appearances and social activism. But within the artificial system of pro football (closer to socialism in process within greater capitalism of practice), they compete as hard as any other franchise.
The main twin problems of the last decade: Roethlisberger hasn't been adequately kept under control and his great qualities too often get thwarted by his demons (talking strictly on the field here!). Allowing a really smart and grounded OC to leverage him would have made a merely powerful offense into a real juggernaut. But letting BR have things totally his way resulted in inefficiency, too many wasted plays possessions etc. And bad turnovers, thus too many bad losses that prevented home field advantage every year. Plus, the defense lost its blitzburgh mojo as LeBeau aged and the ferocious players like Porter, Hampton, Smith, Polumalu, Harrison drifted away. Butler is a hollow shell of Lebeau, as are the new generation of players. Thus the D has no killer instinct it once had. An overhaul of the D from DC down was needed. Though to be fair it didn't seem that obvious at the time.
Added up, they've been good but not good enough, sadly not taking advantage of having a high level QB
The newest gen of the ownership, as royal heirs often are (and in Pgh they certainly are), are somewhat complacent and guilt ridden, so they worry a bit too much about appearances and social activism. But within the artificial system of pro football (closer to socialism in process within greater capitalism of practice), they compete as hard as any other franchise.
The main twin problems of the last decade: Roethlisberger hasn't been adequately kept under control and his great qualities too often get thwarted by his demons (talking strictly on the field here!). Allowing a really smart and grounded OC to leverage him would have made a merely powerful offense into a real juggernaut. But letting BR have things totally his way resulted in inefficiency, too many wasted plays possessions etc. And bad turnovers, thus too many bad losses that prevented home field advantage every year. Plus, the defense lost its blitzburgh mojo as LeBeau aged and the ferocious players like Porter, Hampton, Smith, Polumalu, Harrison drifted away. Butler is a hollow shell of Lebeau, as are the new generation of players. Thus the D has no killer instinct it once had. An overhaul of the D from DC down was needed. Though to be fair it didn't seem that obvious at the time.
Added up, they've been good but not good enough, sadly not taking advantage of having a high level QB
I am not going to argue against any of that, except of course they want to win. Do they know how and are willing to change, well that is a legit question.
Reportedly going to the Raiders for a 3rd and a 5th. Seems like the Steelers caved, though at least they can move forward now.
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Steelers got absolutely fleeced but had no choice. AB refused to show for any team that didn't give him a raise.
So he gets $30m guaranteed new money from the Raiders.
Was never about the Steelers, coaches, Ben, whatever. He wanted to and got traded to a 4-12 team that still won't sniff the playoffs with him so he could get more money. Call it savage or mercenary or whatever, but this was all about money. I will be rooting against him hard and will be happy when he's broke again in 3 years.
They had a choice, GET NOTHING, and screw him over out of pure spite, who cares that they get to draft two future AAF players.
Last few 3rd round picks.
Rudolph (potential ben replacement)
Chukes (potential starting RT this year)
Sutton (nickel cb)
Conner (starting rb)
Hargrave (starting nt)
Slightly better than AFL talent.
Still not worth getting POSTERIZED over, sometimes I'd rather not do the most logical thing and keep my self respect.
As someone who regularly debases himself on these forums-
This comment is gold
I totally am 110% PROUD of everything I say and believe in. Screwing over AB and getting nothing in return is better than what happened.
I actually do I'M PROUD of every comment I ever made here, PROUD of every opinion and belief.
Here's an interesting article (from a non Pittsburgh take) just focusing on the actual contracts and how the Steelers structure them. It shows that perhaps the "Steelers Way" may not be the best way and it paint them into a corner with both AB and Bell. It doesn't paint Steelers cap management in the best of light.
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/26186487/grading-antonio-brown-trade-steelers-raiders-won
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/26186487/grading-antonio-brown-trade-steelers-raiders-won
Again, IDK. It worked for a long time. They got burned by one low character guy, and another guy who was trying to make a principled point (I guess?).
If anything, the Steelers are victims of their negotiating prowess. They sat down with these players and their agents, made their proposal, and both parties signed on. If the deal was so atrocious or one sided, why would the player and their agent accept it?
Their strategy has burned them once, really. With Leveon Bell, they offered the guy $14 million/year. But he was angling for more guaranteed, let's see if he gets it...
With AB, they restructured his deal to try to placate him with more money up front. They had every intention of keeping him, what organization not named the Patriots wouldn't? It's like those on here that say I don't care if we cheat to get recruits, we just want to win! Well the Steelers want to win also and were willing to put up with the crackpot shenanigans of Brown so long as he performed as a prime WR on Sundays.
The thing is, AB decided to go nuclear to get out. He escalated the rhetoric and insanity to a level where it was impossible for the Steelers to keep him. The fact it was played out in the public and every team knew the Steelers COULDN'T keep him dropped his value like a stone.
Will the Steelers change their cap/contract philosophy going forward? Who knows? It has worked pretty well for them over the years. What franchise has had the consistency of being relevant for as long as they have not named the Patriots?
Everyone hates this deal because the lunatic won. On an individual basis, he has, but if the Steelers go on and win in spite of losing him, big deal! This is only chapter one of this saga. There are lots of unwritten pages yet to be revealed.
Well a few things, you a union man has to cringe at not just a "franchise tag" but the way it was written they could do it another year in a row. That is horrible take by the NFLPA. I can't believe they negotiated that. Once, okay. But twice and then it is still unclear if the Steelers could put another tag on the guy. But the Steelers misread this whole situation, I think Lev Bell's agent misread this whole negotiation and it is obvious that these rules are way too complicated and repleat with lawyerese to muddy up so no one is sure.
With AB, even after he showed all of those antics last year, they went to AB and restructured his deal anchoring a $21 million cap hit in 2019. But you are right, Rosenhaus and AB signed this only in 2017 without a gun to their heads.
It is obvious that contracts like with college coaches are no longer worth anything. They are written with pencil, with a lot of eraser. It's dangerous. I think someone needs to sit down with all parties and let them know the moment you sign a contract, someone likely will sign one soon after that is more. You got to be comfortable with this. We see this in baseball and hockey, probably because the players know the money is guarantee and if they want to push making these contracts are fluid and amendable, then obviously the flip side can occur too.
I think the NFL has to have guaranteed contracts. This is the top revenue sport. This is the sport where the guys have less of a career length. To save owners from themselves, max out the term (like the NHL does) and a lot of this stuff would come to an end.
But I do think a lot of that "Steelers Way" of not negotiating contracts to the season, not renegotiating until the last year, etc....you have to be flexible so you don't paint yourself into a corner.
This was a perfect storm.
You can't hold the Steelers solely responsible for the CBA. They are one of 30 franchises, and as you say, the Union signed on as well. They all play within that framework.
Perhaps if they had approached AB last year and instead of reworking his deal, they tore it up and started fresh, he may have been the old humble AB from years gone by and quietly went about his business with that million dollar smile on his face, etc. etc.
Is that what you're saying? Not sure....
What do you do with the best WR in football who has gone completely off the reservation?
But they could have, just commit to be HARD and get nothing in return (a 3 and 5 is like NOTHING), demand he show up and even if he does, FIGHT HIM, get in his face and mess with him, DISRESPECT HIM TO HIS FACE until he walks out, then suspend him without pay and block him from getting his way and going elsewhere.
LOL
Send your resume to the Steelers. After all, everyone is saying Colbert is getting fired so there will be an opening.
Ever hear of addition by subtraction? Didn't think so.
I happen to disagree that this is positive. Hoping someone else see's "The AB Method" as a way out sometime soon and will laugh when the have to deal with this again.
