Czarina Posted March 22, 2006 Author Share Posted March 22, 2006 boston.com is reporting this morning that there may be contract talks with....Vandy. Now I'm sure I threw up a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhoops Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Isn't Josh Brown still a FA? I'd take him over VJerk or Edinger. And I had no problem with Damon leaving -- damaged goods, no arm, he and his hooker wife will be swallowed up in NYC. It's the principle I was talking about, like Czar said. 1381687[/snapback] Agreed! I'm excited about the Crisp era in Beantown. Yeah he could have gone just about anywhere except Indy and maybe Pitt and it would have been easier to handle. Not sure about Brown. Although the Colts better hope Rhodes/Mungro/draft pick can fill the void left by Edge, that's the bigger issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinatieri Is God Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Well...it's the morning after (isn't there a pill for that). Can't imagine the disappointment on my end at losing the premier clutch kicker of our time. But, you never know. Maybe he's already had his best days and never makes another game winner. Leg strength is certainly an issue so I don't blame the Pats for not paying some ridiculous amount to keep him, I just hope it doesn't come out that they never made him an offer (like McGinest). Playing half his games in a climate controlled environment certainly prolongs his career another 2-3 years, but I don't see him playing for much more than 5 more. The Colts still suck As for who we get next...who knows? Maybe if Vanderjagt comes on board with a chip on his shoulder he'll be even better. Remember, he is currently the most accurate kicker is the history of the NFL. Throw in a little "something to prove" along with the Belichick magic and he maynever miss again. People think of him as a bad person because of the things he said about Peyton but in New England, we've been saying those things all along so maybe he'll fit right in. God help him if he misses some in the beginning, though. The fans can be unmerciful. BC/Nova on Friday nhoops. I'll assume you're sticking with the alma mater? Traitor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gdawg Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 I'm sure it hurts to see a cornerstone of the franchise move on, but it IS the Patriot way; once guys become overpriced they are allowed to move on. Sux but fits the formula, don't you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charty Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Boston.com says Edinger was in for visit yesterday, so they must have seen this coming. Early reports are saying the deal with the Colts averages out to 2.5M over the first three years, which is what I thought the Patriots were willing to do. The interesting part was he went and got McGinest's agent. I am sure the Pats said "go ahead and get a new agent, but you are not going to get the money you think you will, you'll probably get around 2.5M a year, which is what we can give you". Maybe the Pats were right, and he and his new agent weren't going to go back and say "yeah, you were correct, let's sign that deal". Whatever the difference is on the Colts offer, he would have made up and then some in endorsments. Hook, you can probably answer this better, with Manning, Harrison, Freeney, etc., market size, and the view on kickers by Colts fans/local businesses being negatively impacted by Vanderjerk, I wouldn't think there is much endorsment $$ for Adam V. to be had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loyalboyd Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Chuck Norris would donate Tedy Bruchi's blood to the red cross. 1381078[/snapback] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhoops Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 BC/Nova on Friday nhoops. I'll assume you're sticking with the alma mater? Traitor 1381731[/snapback] Heck Ya, I'm super nervous but if we continue playing tough D and hit our shots we should win a close one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charty Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 (edited) How funny does that auction for Vinatieri's #4 for a license plate look now (NE 4)? Story from Patriots.com Photo Edited March 22, 2006 by charty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Czarina Posted March 22, 2006 Author Share Posted March 22, 2006 The good news is that the higher profile players the Pats have allowed to walk away (or outright got rid of) in the last few years haven't lived up to their hype in other cities. Let's hope the trend continues. The New England Patriots, helping to make other NFL teams weaker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 funny thread... but all you fellow colts haters, take heart. the colts have NOT gotten better this offseason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ced1001 Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 As I stayed up last night thinking about what this meant to the Pats and why they maid this decision I have come up with three keys reasons why they let him go: 1. He's old. In 2003 and 2004 he was playing with an injured back/leg. I think the Pats relized he'd be plagued by these injuries for the rest of his career, no matter what he says. 2. The money - it would be fiscally irresponible to give a kicker that kind of money. The Pats simply do not overpay at any position. Period. 3. HIS AURA OF CLUTCH/INVICIBILITY MAY BE GONE TOO - I can't help but remember that he missed 2 critical kicks in the Pats last playoff game at Denver. I remember saying to myself, "even Vinitieri has lost the magic." Maybe management has recognized this as a potential issue as well. There's no doubt he's a fan favorite, but IMO, if the money saved is used in a productive manner, than it will be worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainHook Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Vanderjagt can't kick-off worth a darn either. Endorsement money? For a kicker? In Indianapolis? None. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msaint Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Vanderjagt can't kick-off worth a darn either. Endorsement money? For a kicker? In Indianapolis? None. 1381938[/snapback] People, including myself, keep talking about endorsement money, but even now, in his supposed high profile heyday, it's not like he's getting crappy shoes from spammers ads -- he's doing Bernie & Phyls (crappy, low-budget local furniture store copmmercials) and local Ford spots....not exactly Air Jordan. His kickoffs keep getting shorter and shorter, a bad sign of leg exhaustion, and this past season he missed more makeable kicks than ever (e.g. Denver playoff). This is not a situation where I'm justifying the black album cover after the fact a la Spinal Tap, but I trust that Belichick and Pioli know more about Vinatieri's 3-5 year future outlook better than anyone, and they, in their proven minds, decided he wasn't worth the money. I don't begrudge his taking the $, and I'll miss him as a cornerstone of my fave team's SB runs, but this is a business, unfortunately...it happens. The good news is, we got him in his prime...Indy gets him on the slippery slope downside Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gdawg Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 People, including myself, keep talking about endorsement money, but even now, in his supposed high profile heyday, it's not like he's getting crappy shoes from spammers ads -- he's doing Bernie & Phyls (crappy, low-budget local furniture store copmmercials) and local Ford spots....not exactly Air Jordan. His kickoffs keep getting shorter and shorter, a bad sign of leg exhaustion, and this past season he missed more makeable kicks than ever (e.g. Denver playoff). This is not a situation where I'm justifying the black album cover after the fact a la Spinal Tap, but I trust that Belichick and Pioli know more about Vinatieri's 3-5 year future outlook better than anyone, and they, in their proven minds, decided he wasn't worth the money. I don't begrudge his taking the $, and I'll miss him as a cornerstone of my fave team's SB runs, but this is a business, unfortunately...it happens. The good news is, we got him in his prime...Indy gets him on the slippery slope downside 1381979[/snapback] Well written AND you worked in a Spinal Tap reference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charty Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 People, including myself, keep talking about endorsement money, but even now, in his supposed high profile heyday, it's not like he's getting crappy shoes from spammers ads -- he's doing Bernie & Phyls (crappy, low-budget local furniture store copmmercials) and local Ford spots....not exactly Air Jordan. 1381979[/snapback] Related story on projo.com, registration required so I'll paste it below: Patriots Beat by Tom Curran: For Vinatieri, staying put offers long-term dividends 01:00 AM EST on Sunday, March 12, 2006 A schmoe cornerback named Brian Williams signed a six-year, $32-million deal with the "low revenue" Jacksonville Jaguars yesterday. The deal included a $10-million signing bonus. All this for a guy who wasn't even a starter for the Vikings last year. The money is most definitely out there in this free-agent season. And if Williams can cash in, what can a guy who closes out regular-season games, playoff games and Super Bowls earn? A guy such as Adam Vinatieri. Not just a very good kicker, a historic one. A superstar one. There haven't been many of those. Vinatieri's one. And the money will be there for him now that he's on the open market as an unrestricted free agent. The lure of a giant score has to be great, especially now that the newly approved CBA has opened up the cash spigot even more. But will the money offset everything else Vinatieri's built for himself in New England? "If he's smart, he will (stay in New England)," Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said when asked if the Cowboys would have interest in Vinatieri. "He could be Bobby Orr and Carl Yastrzemski and John Havlicek. That guy's done a lot." Vinatieri faces an interesting dilemma. He may get more money up front somewhere else as a free agent, but how much money in endorsements and appearances will he be giving up if he leaves New England? And it's not just while he's still kicking. Simply being Adam Vinatieri professionally for the rest of his days could be a pretty lucrative business. It's a situation similar to the one wide receiver Troy Brown faced last year. Cleon Daskalakis is the president of Celebrity Marketing Inc., based in Andover, Mass. In addition to working endorsement and appearance opportunities at TD Banknorth Garden and handling the local marketing affairs for a number of Bruins, he also has helped raise the endorsement profile of Brown. Last offseason, Brown could have signed a more lucrative deal to play for the New Orleans Saints, but Daskalakis had helped set him up with an endorsement deal at TD Banknorth that offset the contract difference. This was the best place for Brown, Daskalakis said, because Brown was established, had a very good reputation and would never be the primary receiver for New Orleans, thereby reducing his visibility. Brown re-signed with the Patriots and continues to appear in ads for companies such as Banknorth and Dunkin' Donuts. "Adam's a little different," Daskalakis said. "He's still at the top of his game and will obviously be the only kicker in the market he goes to, but he's not going to make more off-field than he can in New England. "Around here, Tom (Brady) will be in a league of his own, then there will be Adam, Troy and Tedy Bruschi. There are only so many buyers out there and they are concerned with how long an athlete is staying in a market, whether he's considering leaving and what his off-field reputation is like." If Vinatieri chases the money, he won't be the first. Damien Woody, Bobby Hamilton, David Patten, Ted Washington, Lawyer Milloy, Ty Law, Tebucky Jones and Joe Andruzzi have all left the Patriots for more lucrative deals. Not a single one of them has played in a playoff game since departing the Pats. Nor will they ever enjoy the marketability in this region that they had before they left. Vinatieri may be the most prolific Patriot when it comes to local ad deals. He's worked with Papa Gino's, Dunkin' Donuts, Bernie and Phyl's Furniture and others. Over the course of his career, he's likely made close to $1 million in off-field work. "Adam has one of the best chances of anyone around here to simply be a career Patriot after he's done playing," said Daskalakis. "There are definitely opportunities to tie in with companies and do card shows, appearances and speaking engagements. It's not so much just showing up anymore, it's client entertainment that athletes have a chance to maximize. "Businesses and companies want to interact with a player. They want to share an experience with one, not just get tickets to a game. And the money the players can make from that is substantial. "If Adam stays here, his income will continue well beyond his retirement," added Daskalakis. "When he leaves, it ends. He may make more money elsewhere but, 10 years after he's retired, the off-field opportunities will end. People will always know him for what he did. "Loyalty is very big here. And not that Adam would be disloyal if he took a better deal, but being a "lifetime" Patriot or Bruin or Red Sox is something people identify with. It's worth something." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msaint Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Related story on projo.com, registration required so I'll paste it below: 1381990[/snapback] great analysis of this situation, endorsement-wise. who knows, he could sign a 1-year deal in a couple years, play one more season in NE and people will forget he ever went to indy. hell, people here are ready to accept antichrist clemens back into the collective NE sports busom, so i don't think vinatieri would be dried up here as far as off-field opps go down the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caveman_Nick Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 "Loyalty is very big here. And not that Adam would be disloyal if he took a better deal, but being a "lifetime" Patriot or Bruin or Red Sox is something people identify with. It's worth something." I disagree with part of this statement. This will be viewed as disloyalty, because as the article states and as everyone around here knows, he would have had the goose that laid the golden egg for the rest of his life if he had stayed. Now he's gone to the hated Colts. This is probably the worst place he could have chosen to go, and is a stab in the back to Pats fans. This doesn't compare to Damon signing with the Yankees. Damon was only here a few years. This is Adam V., a Patriot for a long, long time who could have spent his whole career here. He doesn;t have the excuse of having been cut. He can;t say that the Pats wouldn;t have made him the highest paid kicker in the league. He left over small potatoes, and it will cost him in the long run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 "Loyalty is very big here. And not that Adam would be disloyal if he took a better deal, but being a "lifetime" Patriot or Bruin or Red Sox is something people identify with. It's worth something." gimme a break. why is "loyalty" in sports such a one way street? and why is it always these boston homos who spout this nonsense? what about the pats being "loyal" to a guy who helped them win 3 super bowls? i'm sure if they were anywhere close to the money other teams were willing to offer him, vinatieri would still be a pat. but they weren't. they were happy to show him the door. anyway this quote reminds me of ray bourque. 20 years in that schithole, and look what happens when he finally gets out. "loyalty" to cheap ass teams is highly overrated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Swerski Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Maybe if Vanderjagt comes on board with a chip on his shoulder he'll be even better. Remember, he is currently the most accurate kicker is the history of the NFL. 1381731[/snapback] Unfortunately for whoever picks him up, he's never accurate in high-pressure situations. People think of him as a bad person because of the things he said about Peyton but in New England, we've been saying those things all along so maybe he'll fit right in. He's an arrogant jacka$$ who threw his own QB and coach under the bus back five years ago. And then he proceeded to make obnoxious comments about the Colts' playoff opponents in subsequent years, brining of ton of bad press (and apparently bad karma) to the team. Good riddance... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Swerski Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Oh certainly. You just hate to see anyone go to the evil Empire. It's like he succumbed to the dark side. 1381291[/snapback] You probably won't mind so much when the Empire crumbles this year and Beckett, Lowell, Crisp, Pena, and Tavarez propel the BoSox to the AL East title. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Czarina Posted March 22, 2006 Author Share Posted March 22, 2006 You probably won't mind so much when the Empire crumbles this year and Beckett, Lowell, Crisp, Pena, and Tavarez propel the BoSox to the AL East title. 1382183[/snapback] Yeah, well. I'm not holding out any hugh hopes for Wily Mo this year, but hope springs eternal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainHook Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 I love the posts about Vin being past his prime. If the Pats had re-signed him, I wonder if it would have been a good signing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gdawg Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Yeah, well. I'm not holding out any hugh hopes for Wily Mo this year, but hope springs eternal. 1382295[/snapback] Willy Mo isnt as bad as advertised. Use him against lefties and he will get the job done. Righties...not so good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Swerski Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 I love the posts about Vin being past his prime. If the Pats had re-signed him, I wonder if it would have been a good signing? 1382420[/snapback] He's 34. That's certainly not young, but not really "old" for a kicker, either. He'll be good for another 4 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainHook Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Vandy is 36. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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