OT: AB to the Bills ......

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

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?

Oh you misinterpreted this. I am not holding the Steelers accountable for the CBA. In fact, the Steelers players were the only team to vote no to it.

As for AB, yeah something like that. I mean, they obviously approached them this past offseason on restructuring, and the contract complaints should have been hashed out then. Now obviously that is on AB and Rosenhaus, why weren't they more vocal then?

I am not sure what totally set him off. I do say that the climate (it's always changing ya know) inside the Steelers locker room changed and I ultimately blame the coach.

Perhaps what really set off AB is the fact that JuJu had better numbers and became the darling the fans.

 

[pittmeister]

Oh you misinterpreted this. I am not holding the Steelers accountable for the CBA. In fact, the Steelers players were the only team to vote no to it.

As for AB, yeah something like that. I mean, they obviously approached them this past offseason on restructuring, and the contract complaints should have been hashed out then. Now obviously that is on AB and Rosenhaus, why weren't they more vocal then?

I am not sure what totally set him off. I do say that the climate (it's always changing ya know) inside the Steelers locker room changed and I ultimately blame the coach.

Perhaps what really set off AB is the fact that JuJu had better numbers and became the darling the fans.

The last paragraph has been lost in the discussion...Let’s get back to this in a second.

He money was the number one issue. Rooney went down to Florida to find out no only what was his side of the story, but also what would make him happy. Brown wanted a new contact all of it guaranteed...

End of conversation... Rooney was not going to do that. They both decided it was best for him to leave.

As for JuJu, this was s close number two issue. JuJu became the darling of the fans and locally media. Even on the national scene he was getting traction (NFL 100 Commercial). Roethlisberger said the team didn’t have a number one receiver. JuJu’s numbers were better as well.

Brown saw this as total disrespect. He felt that he made Roethlisberger (Jalen Ramsey agreed) and JuJu was getting better numbers because he was being double covered.

Brown was pissed and stuck it to everyone.

 

[FreeportPanther]

The last paragraph has been lost in the discussion...Let’s get back to this in a second.

He money was the number one issue. Rooney went down to Florida to find out no only what was his side of the story, but also what would make him happy. Brown wanted a new contact all of it guaranteed...

End of conversation... Rooney was not going to do that. They both decided it was best for him to leave.

As for JuJu, this was s close number two issue. JuJu became the darling of the fans and locally media. Even on the national scene he was getting traction (NFL 100 Commercial). Roethlisberger said the team didn’t have a number one receiver. JuJu’s numbers were better as well.

Brown saw this as total disrespect. He felt that he made Roethlisberger (Jalen Ramsey agreed) and JuJu was getting better numbers because he was being double covered.

Brown was pissed and stuck it to everyone.

Pretty much.
About 90%+ of this circus was on Brown. He blew it up and ran the circus. Once the show got rolling it was impossible to control.
Hope JuJu is up to the challenge. They'll need him to be to get past all of this.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Pretty much.
About 90%+ of this circus was on Brown. He blew it up and ran the circus. Once the show got rolling it was impossible to control.
Hope JuJu is up to the challenge. They'll need him to be to get past all of this.

One thing I don't like, is so many ex players but especially workers of the world unite media members lauding AB for "beating the system".

What message is this sending to our youth? More rules don't count. Contracts don't count. You are more important than anything else. I love a lot of these are liberals who seem to love this portion of capitalism. But seriously, because AB got his money and got what he want, that end justifies the means? So does that mean selling drugs, robbing, embezzlement what means possible, is acceptable to "get your money"?

I am serious here, it is a horrible message to applaud AB? Our sports media has their heads so far up the black athletes asses that they condone pretty much anything they do. While I agree with the players that the current CBA is unfair towards them, they negotiated it! It was not forced on them.

AB was not some poor sap, working the sweatshops, being taken advantage of. In one week he makes more than a lot of people do in 10-20 years. In one year, he makes more than most make in our lifetimes.

We condone his off the field behavior. We condone him not reporting for work (and the Steelers paid him anyways) he has had some assault investigations, 100 mph speeding on McKnight, disregarding team rules, all everything about him. And we applaud him. No wonder this country has gone completely to crap.

There's my rant.

 

[pittdan77]

One thing I don't like, is so many ex players but especially workers of the world unite media members lauding AB for "beating the system".

What message is this sending to our youth? More rules don't count. Contracts don't count. You are more important than anything else. I love a lot of these are liberals who seem to love this portion of capitalism. But seriously, because AB got his money and got what he want, that end justifies the means? So does that mean selling drugs, robbing, embezzlement what means possible, is acceptable to "get your money"?

I am serious here, it is a horrible message to applaud AB? Our sports media has their heads so far up the black athletes asses that they condone pretty much anything they do. While I agree with the players that the current CBA is unfair towards them, they negotiated it! It was not forced on them.

AB was not some poor sap, working the sweatshops, being taken advantage of. In one week he makes more than a lot of people do in 10-20 years. In one year, he makes more than most make in our lifetimes.

We condone his off the field behavior. We condone him not reporting for work (and the Steelers paid him anyways) he has had some assault investigations, 100 mph speeding on McKnight, disregarding team rules, all everything about him. And we applaud him. No wonder this country has gone completely to crap.

There's my rant.

Why is it that if an athlete does something nobody likes, we get a speech from someone about the perils of our youth as they witness this injustice? Barely any mention of the guys that own these teams. In the last ten years, we've seen anything from whatever Robert Kraft was doing to possession (Irsay), federal racketeering (Haslam), or RICO like fraud (Wilf).

AB might not have "acted" to some standard but let's quit acting like he's the worst thing about the NFL.

 

[TempleBAPittMPA]

Why is it that if an athlete does something nobody likes, we get a speech from someone about the perils of our youth as they witness this injustice? Barely any mention of the guys that own these teams. In the last ten years, we've seen anything from whatever Robert Kraft was doing to possession (Irsay), federal racketeering (Haslam), or RICO like fraud (Wilf).

AB might not have "acted" to some standard but let's quit acting like he's the worst thing about the NFL.

Ah, just another opportunity for someone to grind an axe about "the black athlete" . . .

 

[pittmeister]

Another thought....

One narrative that has been echoed lately is that this is a bad precedence thatBrown has created. Not the case.....

There are few players as talented as Brown. There won’t be an avalanche of Brown pretenders pulling this same stunt. In most cases they won’t be near the same talent level as Brown, so in most cases it will backfire. Bell is a perfect example.

Bell will never recoup the money he lost last season. He is not the workout warrior that Brown is. In fact, he is said to be overweight. The Steelers also showed how easy it was to replace him. James Conner was not only a Pro Bowler, but was also All-Pro.

In the case of Brown he will self destruct eventually. Las Vegas is a very transient city. Home games will not feel like home games. He will not get the adulation he received in Pittsburgh. He will be shunned by Steeler fans forever. Yeah, he has a lot of money now, but his mentor(Terrell Owens) had a lot of money too until he got into the baby making business... Everyone connected with Brown is gonna want paid too... The family that almost got hit with the furniture, the mother of a couple of his kids he pushed to the ground, etc.

He’s only 31 yrs old and will be living in Las Vegas... What could go wrong? Plenty of time to get into more trouble and pay more people...

 

[lilspainishflea]

Another thought....

One narrative that has been echoed lately is that this is a bad precedence thatBrown has created. Not the case.....

There are few players as talented as Brown. There won’t be an avalanche of Brown pretenders pulling this same stunt. In most cases they won’t be near the same talent level as Brown, so in most cases it will backfire. Bell is a perfect example.

Bell will never recoup the money he lost last season. He is not the workout warrior that Brown is. In fact, he is said to be overweight. The Steelers also showed how easy it was to replace him. James Conner was not only a Pro Bowler, but was also All-Pro.

In the case of Brown he will self destruct eventually. Las Vegas is a very transient city. Home games will not feel like home games. He will not get the adulation he received in Pittsburgh. He will be shunned by Steeler fans forever. Yeah, he has a lot of money now, but his mentor(Terrell Owens) had a lot of money too until he got into the baby making business... Everyone connected with Brown is gonna want paid too... The family that almost got hit with the furniture, the mother of a couple of his kids he pushed to the ground, etc.

He’s only 31 yrs old and will be living in Las Vegas... What could go wrong? Plenty of time to get into more trouble and pay more people...

I have 0 doubt he will be broke, and soon. Maybe as soon as 5 years from retirement. He's going to be living in his car at the mall like Allen Iverson. Won't be signing too many $50 autographs for Steelers fans either!

 

[pittmeister]

I have 0 doubt he will be broke, and soon. Maybe as soon as 5 years from retirement. He's going to be living in his car at the mall like Allen Iverson. Won't be signing too many $50 autographs for Steelers fans either!

I don’t wish that on him or anyone else, but with his personality and immaturity you can’t help to think it will end up that way...

 

[pittdan77]

In the case of Brown he will self destruct eventually.

Possibly. The guy definitely has issues. But he beat the system. Doubt anyone is going to convince him he's wrong.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Not sure where you're getting your media, but I haven't seen anyone siding with Brown in this fiasco.
Unless you think objective reporting on what happened as biased just because Brown came out on top?

I've yet to see any "Little guy beats the Man" stories.
The Trib writers are just shaking their heads, as was the PG Beat writer. Didn't listen to the Fan, but reporting that Brown jobbed the Steelers is accurate and sad at the same time.

FP, it is pervasive amongst the national media right now. Ex jocks obviously, but even someone like Mike Greenburg or Colin Cowherd.

 

[FreeportPanther]

FP, it is pervasive amongst the national media right now. Ex jocks obviously, but even someone like Mike Greenburg or Colin Cowherd.

I don't watch those people or pay attention to them so I wouldn't know or care what they have to say.
An ex jock's opinion, take it for what it's worth.

 

[McKee Place]

The self destruction will be self inflicted... He or anyone will ever convince him he was wrong... when he ends up in the gutter he will have the satisfaction of knowing he did it his way...

Looking back, Brown’s picture with Rooney was hilarious. I know guys that have taken Polaroid pictures of girls they’re about screw.... In Brown’s case he did the same thing only difference is he was in the picture too...

Rooney looked just as happy to be screwed.

As i wrote in another thread, this was a disaster, but the only ones really aware, or bothered by it are the fans. Particular the yinzer contingent that associate with the team too much and have the bizarre opinion that the steelers are some elite org, much like how PSU cultists desperately hold onto the success with honor bullshit.

Not giving a darn about the foundering of the franchise suggests a complacency and indifference that, ugh, dare suggest, approaches Pitt and Pirates levels.

I guess as long as he gets lauded for Rooney Rules, all good.

 

[FreeportPanther]

Rooney looked just as happy to be screwed.

As i wrote in another thread, this was a disaster, but the only ones really aware, or bothered by it are the fans. Particular the yinzer contingent that associate with the team too much and have the bizarre opinion that the steelers are some elite org, much like how PSU cultists desperately hold onto the success with honor bullshit.

Not giving a darn about the foundering of the franchise suggests a complacency and indifference that, ugh, dare suggest, approaches Pitt and Pirates levels.

I guess as long as he gets lauded for Rooney Rules, all good.

The Rooney Rule really upsets you doesn't it?
Why?

 

[TempleBAPittMPA]

The self destruction will be self inflicted...

100% of the time!

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Counter point

NFL careers are crazy short and Salaries aren’t guaranteed.
Grab every dollar you can while you’re able .

I understand.

Point counter point. They agreed to these non guaranteed contracts through the CBA. Instead of always taking the money grab, make a stand for their and future players career earnings financial security by willing to strike if it comes to that for guaranteed money. That should be the NFLPA's number 1 goal the next CBA. But the players have no discipline, Goodell will remove testing for pot, the players will be all fat dumb and happy and AB will show up to summer camp in an Elon Musk rocket spending millions on it. As you have told me in other matters, it was collectively bargained. And well, it was. Foolishly, but legally.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

I understand.

Point counter point. They agreed to these non guaranteed contracts through the CBA. Instead of always taking the money grab, make a stand for their and future players career earnings financial security by willing to strike if it comes to that for guaranteed money. That should be the NFLPA's number 1 goal the next CBA. But the players have no discipline, Goodell will remove testing for pot, the players will be all fat dumb and happy and AB will show up to summer camp in an Elon Musk rocket spending millions on it. As you have told me in other matters, it was collectively bargained. And well, it was. Foolishly, but legally.

The collective bargain doesn’t have anything to do with brown being unhappy because his guaranteed money.
Stillers could have managed that.

Likewise they handled bell wrong .

So - instead dead cap space last year with bell.
Dead cap space next year with brown.

And neither playing for the Stillers.

Contracts are an one-way street for teams.
I’ll never blame a player for looking out for themselves.
Because nobody else is.

 

[McKee Place]

The Rooney Rule really upsets you doesn't it?
Why?

As a fan and customer, the success of the franchise is much more important. I couldn't care less of the color of the coach, player, trainer, or guy selling the brewskis. I just want them to be the best at those jobs. Period.

I happen to think Tomlin was once a decent coach, but has jumped the shark. He has grown fat, happy and complacent. He has lost the team.

So has Colbert, a gasp, caucasian guy.

And Butler and Finkner, other, gasp, caucasian guys, are unqualified and never should have been hired.

AR2 might be the biggest problem of all, and reason why these guys still have jobs after this, but... he's the guy who inherited the deed to the team so we're stuck there. But pressure from his partners should start to be applied, to put these jabronies on the clock.

This sad episode, one of the most stupid in recent Pgh sports history (and that's saying something, given the incompetence in the Dixon fire and Stallings hire by Pitt, the Haywood/ Graham debacle, and numerous Pirates salary dumps) prove it.

Short of a division win and one playoff game win this season, all of the above need to go. That's kind of the low bar with the talent still on this roster.

Bottom line, incompetence should be punished. If you want to hire all African, or Mexican, or Martians for that matter, to replace em, super, as long as they're upgrades. I only care about ME ... My Entertainment.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

As a fan and customer, the success of the franchise is much more important. I couldn't care less of the color of the coach, player, trainer, or guy selling the brewskis. I just want them to be the best at those jobs. Period.

I happen to think Tomlin was once a decent coach, but has jumped the shark. He has grown fat, happy and complacent. He has lost the team.

So has Colbert, a gasp, caucasian guy.

And Butler and Finkner, other, gasp, caucasian guys, are unqualified and never should have been hired.

AR2 might be the biggest problem of all, and reason why these guys still have jobs after this, but... he's the guy who inherited the deed to the team so we're stuck there. But pressure from his partners should start to be applied, to put these jabronies on the clock.

This sad episode, one of the most stupid in recent Pgh sports history (and that's saying something, given the incompetence in the Dixon fire and Stallings hire by Pitt, the Haywood/ Graham debacle, and numerous Pirates salary dumps) prove it.

Short of a division win and one playoff game win this season, all of the above need to go. That's kind of the low bar with the talent still on this roster.

Bottom line, incompetence should be punished. If you want to hire all African, or Mexican, or Martians for that matter, to replace em, super, as long as they're upgrades. I only care about ME ... My Entertainment.

I’ll ask again
What is the grand social crusade ?

 

[TempleBAPittMPA]

I’ll ask again
What is the grand social crusade ?

I'm curious as well, given that he just alluded to it in another thread also.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

The collective bargain doesn’t have anything to do with brown being unhappy because his guaranteed money.
Stillers could have managed that.

Likewise they handled bell wrong .

So - instead dead cap space last year with bell.
Dead cap space next year with brown.

And neither playing for the Stillers.

Contracts are an one-way street for teams.
I’ll never blame a player for looking out for themselves.
Because nobody else is.

But when you talk about players going to the NBA out of HS, you always say "it is collectively bargained" so it they want to change it, then negotiate the CBA. Same applies here. I blame them for not be willing to man up and challenge the owners to get guaranteed money and stop all of this charades.

 

[McKee Place]

I'm curious as well, given that he just alluded to it in another thread also.

Be curious no more. Right there above.

 

[McKee Place]

But when you talk about players going to the NBA out of HS, you always say "it is collectively bargained" so it they want to change it, then negotiate the CBA. Same applies here. I blame them for not be willing to man up and challenge the owners to get guaranteed money and stop all of this charades.

Yep.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

But when you talk about players going to the NBA out of HS, you always say "it is collectively bargained" so it they want to change it, then negotiate the CBA. Same applies here. I blame them for not be willing to man up and challenge the owners to get guaranteed money and stop all of this charades.

This player did Just that and won.
You complained about not honoring his contract .

Ab told the Steelers to eff themselves and his deal and trade me
He won.

High school kids aren’t-eligible for the nba no more than they are for the nfl

The kids don’t get a vote and the players union doesn’t represent them
They can go play somewhere for money- or play the game
In college for much more
Exposure to improve their draft stock

These are two very unrelated topics.

Nfl contracts aren’t worth anything aside from the guaranteed.
Ab was out of security in pittsburgh and they weren’t going to play ball with 3’years
Of control.
So he played the card he could- force a trade and renegotiate elsewhere.
Ab held the winning hand while the Stiller’s thought he was bluffing .

Just like bell refusing to play under the tag - he ran a masters course on how to dictate terms to a franchise .

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

This player did Just that and won.
You complained about not honoring his contract .

Ab told the Steelers to eff themselves and his deal and trade me
He won.

High school kids aren’t-eligible for the nba no more than they are for the nfl

The kids don’t get a vote and the players union doesn’t represent them
They can go play somewhere for money- or play the game
In college for much more
Exposure to improve their draft stock

These are two very unrelated topics.

Nfl contracts aren’t worth anything aside from the guaranteed.
Ab was out of security in pittsburgh and they weren’t going to play ball with 3’years
Of control.
So he played the card he could- force a trade and renegotiate elsewhere.
Ab held the winning hand while the Stiller’s thought he was bluffing .

Just like bell refusing to play under the tag - he ran a masters course on how to dictate terms to a franchise .

If the players want guaranteed money, they can do it two ways.
1) Negotiate it.
2) Negotiate it via the CBA.

What AB did was not honor the contract, broke it so to speak. He walked out on his teammates while still getting paid. That is stealing. That is also stupidity by the Steelers. It's funny, all of these uninformed national opinions on how bad and oppressed the Steelers were and AB was, no one seems to mention this.

Bell? Entirely different. And in that situation I don't think either side was completely sure of the rules. What Bell did was completely in his rights. He didn't break any contracts because he was not under any contract. So yeah, completely different things.

My point is the double franchise tag is way too onerous for the players and way too one sided for the owners. So Dear NFLPA, again bargain it out of the next CBA.

There has to be a work stoppage this next CBA. More than any sport, this agreement is the most one sided.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

If the players want guaranteed money, they can do it two ways.
1) Negotiate it.
2) Negotiate it via the CBA.

What AB did was not honor the contract, broke it so to speak. He walked out on his teammates while still getting paid. That is stealing. That is also stupidity by the Steelers. It's funny, all of these uninformed national opinions on how bad and oppressed the Steelers were and AB was, no one seems to mention this.

Bell? Entirely different. And in that situation I don't think either side was completely sure of the rules. What Bell did was completely in his rights. He didn't break any contracts because he was not under any contract. So yeah, completely different things.

My point is the double franchise tag is way too onerous for the players and way too one sided for the owners. So Dear NFLPA, again bargain it out of the next CBA.

There has to be a work stoppage this next CBA. More than any sport, this agreement is the most one sided.

There won’t be a work stoppage-
Last time the owners locked the players out.

Average nfl career is a bit over 3 years-
80 % can’t afford to miss those game checks.

Ab was suspended for the last game, and was under contract . He’s unable to break his contract- other than refusing to play-
The Stillers traded him away for a ham sandwich.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

There won’t be a work stoppage-
Last time the owners locked the players out.

Average nfl career is a bit over 3 years-
80 % can’t afford to miss those game checks.

Ab was suspended for the last game, and was under contract . He’s unable to break his contract- other than refusing to play-
The Stillers traded him away for a ham sandwich.

In 1982? Wasn't that the last time? I thought the players did strike, because the NFL had replacement workers and they couldn't do that if the owners locked them out.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

In 1982? Wasn't that the last time? I thought the players did strike, because the NFL had replacement workers and they couldn't do that if the owners locked them out.

2011

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

2011

Wow...lol, I must have been sleeping, totally forgot about that. I was thinking back to the last actual work stoppage (missed games) which as we know has occurred in the other sports leagues. I think for the NFL that would have been 1982 and it was definitely a strike.

 

[pittdan77]

I think the point about the CBA is relevant. A lot of ex players just shook their heads when De Smith folded but to be fair, the guys who were still in the league weren't ready for a fight and seemed to be more interested in limiting rookie pay than anything. I think the circumstances will be much different for the next go around because it ended up being a terrible deal.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

I think the point about the CBA is relevant. A lot of ex players just shook their heads when De Smith folded but to be fair, the guys who were still in the league weren't ready for a fight and seemed to be more interested in limiting rookie pay than anything. I think the circumstances will be much different for the next go around because it ended up being a terrible deal.

Yeah, well Goodell has continued to be a bully too. With his heavy and unevenhanded ways of dispensing discipline to the forcing of more weeknight games and wanting to go to 18 games, etc...plus being the only league without guaranteed contracts.

But I said, all Goodell has to do is eliminate testing for pot and the players will ratify anything.

 

[pittbb80]

Yeah, well Goodell has continued to be a bully too. With his heavy and unevenhanded ways of dispensing discipline to the forcing of more weeknight games and wanting to go to 18 games, etc...plus being the only league without guaranteed contracts.

But I said, all Goodell has to do is eliminate testing for pot and the players will ratify anything.

The word "bullly" is so over used today and is so freaking lame..........what happened to good old fashioned descriptions like jagoff, jerkoff, prick.......

 

[pittdan77]

Yeah, well Goodell has continued to be a bully too. With his heavy and unevenhanded ways of dispensing discipline to the forcing of more weeknight games and wanting to go to 18 games, etc...plus being the only league without guaranteed contracts.

But I said, all Goodell has to do is eliminate testing for pot and the players will ratify anything.

I don't agree that pot is that important. It really hasn't stopped the players from using it.