NO deal for Branch

[chinatown dragons]

No movement for Branch...remains under contract with the Pats, but his agent will file a grievance as they feel Jets made a reasonable offer....Also said prepared to sit out til November........Looks like Brady to Caldwell...Watson....Bam Childress....Daniel Graham...Troy Brown...and HOPEFULLY Chad Jackson this year...

[Yip Cabbage]

so much for my 10th round flyer

[Randall]

so much for my 10th round flyer

 

 

 

HEY, THIS IS JUST BEGINNING.

[Vet]

It's not football season until there's a grievance filed involving the Jets and Patriots.

 

Ready for some football!!!

[Fantasy Jesus]

This just keeps getting uglier . . .

 

Just when it appeared that the differences between the New England Patriots and holdout wide receiver Deion Branch couldn't get any messier, they did.

 

The Patriots and the NFL have filed a motion questioning whether arbitrator John Feerick of the Fordham Law School has jurisdiction over the first of two grievances filed on Branch's behalf by the NFL Players Association, and tentatively scheduled to be heard Saturday. In that grievance, Branch is contending that the Patriots reneged on a verbal promise to trade him if he reached a contract agreement with another team and that club made a "fair and reasonable" trade proposal to compensate New England.

 

The league and the Patriots feel that, under terms of the collective bargaining agreement, Feerick does not have purview over the grievance and that it should be heard by "special master" Stephen Burbank, who is kind of a super-arbitrator, from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

 

There is a Wednesday evening conference call, which is expected to include representatives from the NFLPA and the league's Management Council, to attempt to resolve the issue of jurisdiction.

 

While the jurisdictional conflict doesn't necessarily ramp up the level of enmity between the two sides, it does complicate things. And it could possibly delay a resolution as well. If it is decided that Feerick should not hear the grievance scheduled for Saturday, a hearing likely would not be scheduled before next week, possibly as late as Sept. 14.

 

Such a ruling would also, essentially, combine both grievances into one. In the second grievance, Branch is contending that New England officials failed to bargain with him in good faith.

 

Sources close to the four-year veteran said this week that Branch hopes for an expeditious ruling in the cases because he is anxious to return to the field. They reiterated, however, that he does not plan to return to the Patriots anytime soon, and maintained that his plans are to sit out until the final six games of the year. Under the collective bargaining agreement, Branch could report for those six games and gain a year of credit toward the pension program.

 

Branch needs to accrue one more season in the pension plan to become eligible for unrestricted free agency next spring.

 

That the two sides are now reduced to battling over jurisdictional matters in the grievance proceedings seems further evidence that there will be no rapprochement that allows Branch to return to the Patriots for the early part of the season.

 

On Aug. 25, the Patriots granted Branch permission, through Sept. 1 at 4 p.m., to seek a potential trade to another team. The Seattle Seahawks and New York Jets reached contract agreements with Branch on a six-year, $39 million deal that included $13 million in combined bonuses and would have paid him about $23 million over the first three years. But neither team could satisfy the demands of the Patriots, who were seeking first- and middle-round choices and Branch remained under contract to New England.

 

Under terms of the collective bargaining agreement, the Patriots were able to fine Branch $14,000 per day during his absence from camp, and he has accumulated more than $500,000 in fines. With the start of the season, New England can no longer impose daily fines, but can withhold Branch's game checks, beginning this week. His base salary for 2006 was to have been $1.05 million.

 

Branch, 27, is coming off a career year in 2005, when he had 78 receptions for 998 yards and five touchdowns. For his career, Branch, a second-round pick in the 2002 draft, has 213 catches for 2,744 yards and 14 touchdowns. He has appeared in 53 games and logged 42 starts. He earned most valuable player honors in Super Bowl XXXIX when he tied a title game record with 11 receptions, netting 133 yards.

 

Senior writer Len Pasquarelli covers the NFL for ESPN.com.

[NavinRJohnson]

This just keeps getting uglier . . .

his plans are to sit out until the final six games of the year. Under the collective bargaining agreement, Branch could report for those six games and gain a year of credit toward the pension program.

 

 

 

NFL Live last night pretty much said this was the plan all along. Now, he's just trying to pi$$ off the Pats enough to drop him or trade him.

[Balzac]

As a Pats fan, this is extremely disappointing - the Pats are supposed to be the squad where this type of crap doesn't happen. Screw Branch and the all the idiots who don't want to play under the contract they signed . . . a-holes.

[Kid Cid]

The kid was gonna get $1.05 Mil this year and he's got about $500 K in fines this year. Somebody tell me how this is smart? If he would have just shut his mouth and played out his contract he'd be an UFA next year and eligible for his payday. Now, he's gonna take it up the ass in the press and lose a bunch of money and destroy his rep. Someone is not giving him good advice.

[Randall]

 

NFL Live last night pretty much said this was the plan all along. Now, he's just trying to pi$$ off the Pats enough to drop him or trade him.

 

 

 

He could get Javon Walker's father to chime in like Javon did. He told the press there was no way he would ever play again for GB.

 

"The kid was gonna get $1.05 Mil this year and he's got about $500 K in fines this year. Somebody tell me how this is smart? If he would have just shut his mouth and played out his contract he'd be an UFA next year and eligible for his payday. Now, he's gonna take it up the ass in the press and lose a bunch of money and destroy his rep. Someone is not giving him good advice."

 

Ths sounds like Javon too. Oh and Lelie.

[The Wolf]

Screw Branch and the all the idiots who don't want to play under the contract they signed . . . a-holes.

 

I am with you on that...you signed it, now honor it. Of course this is where the Gene Upshaw bashers jump in and talk about how he never got the NFL to guarantee every contract. I don't think it is entirely fair but it is the system, so accept it.

[AtomicCEO]

Screw Branch and the all the idiots who don't want to play under the contract they signed . . . a-holes.

 

 

Comparatively, that pay sucks. He's a Superbowl MVP. New England should pay him like they have an ounce of respect for what he brings to the team, and they'll earn that respect right back.

 

This isn't T.O. He's not demanding anything ridiculous. He's the #1 WR, the Superbowl MVP, and a key part of their team, and he was making crappy 2nd round rookie contract money. He could do much better, and he knows it... the Seahawks and the Jets know it... the Patriots know it... and the whole world knows it.

 

The Patriots treated him like crap, and he returned the favor. They could have given him the money he deserved. Now they are going to suck-diddly-uck this year with the worst receiving corps this side of Atlanta.

[Balzac]

Comparatively, that pay sucks. He's a Superbowl MVP. New England should pay him like they have an ounce of respect for what he brings to the team, and they'll earn that respect right back.

 

This isn't T.O. He's not demanding anything ridiculous. He's the #1 WR, the Superbowl MVP, and a key part of their team, and he was making crappy 2nd round rookie contract money. He could do much better, and he knows it... the Seahawks and the Jets know it... the Patriots know it... and the whole world knows it.

 

The Patriots treated him like crap, and he returned the favor. They could have given him the money he deserved. Now they are going to suck-diddly-uck this year with the worst receiving corps this side of Atlanta.

 

 

Hilarious. If that's how it should go down, what's the point of a contract at all? Why don't we just have a uniform system across the league where players' compensation is 100% incentive driven? Everyone is under contract with the NFL - each team funnels a portion of its revenue to the NFL and its players are paid accordingly?

 

To put the issue in layman's terms - let's say you're a small business owner and you sign a lease for space at $2K per month for 5 years - and your business explodes because it ends up being a prime location. Are you going to go back and offer your landlord more money before those 5 years are up just because his space ended up being great? How about a car lease? You sign on to pay $350/mo but find that the car performs more like a $400/mo car once you've driven it for a few months. You going to go offer some more money to the dealer? No. Why would an NFL team do any different?

 

While I agree that (performance-wise) Branch does deserve more money, he is also under contract with the New England Patriots. He signed a contract and should be (and legally is) bound to it. In that vein, I think he IS asking for something ridiculous - a contract is a contract. Asking out of it simply because you played well is ridiculous and I'll never understand for the life of me how it's (seemingly) become the norm in the NFL.

[AtomicCEO]

Hilarious. If that's how it should go down, what's the point of a contract at all? Why don't we just have a uniform system across the league where players' compensation is 100% incentive driven? Everyone is under contract with the NFL - each team funnels a portion of its revenue to the NFL and its players are paid accordingly?

 

To put the issue in layman's terms - let's say you're a small business owner and you sign a lease for space at $2K per month for 5 years - and your business explodes because it ends up being a prime location. Are you going to go back and offer your landlord more money before those 5 years are up just because his space ended up being great? How about a car lease? You sign on to pay $350/mo but find that the car performs more like a $400/mo car once you've driven it for a few months. You going to go offer some more money to the dealer? No. Why would an NFL team do any different?

 

While I agree that (performance-wise) Branch does deserve more money, he is also under contract with the New England Patriots. He signed a contract and should be (and legally is) bound to it. In that vein, I think he IS asking for something ridiculous - a contract is a contract. Asking out of it simply because you played well is ridiculous and I'll never understand for the life of me how it's (seemingly) become the norm in the NFL.

 

 

The contract system in the NFL is exactly how they negotiated it to be. Owners can terminate it at any time, and players can withhold their services. This is the agreement that they came to. It's not a lease. It's a labor contract.

 

Let's take your metaphor in another direction... you sign a contract to do labor for a company for 12 months. After 8 months, you get a fantastic job opportunity that pays double but you need to start this week. I don't know about you because you seem to think this is some higher moral calling... but most people would take the new job. It happens every day all over the country and people leave smiling.

 

T.O. didn't earn the respect he thought he deserved, and it made him a whining tool and a media wh0re. Branch HAS earned his respect, and he does deserve a better contract. In the end of this... who is going to be worse off? Branch with a brand new multi-million dollar contract which will easily cover his fines? Or The Patriots with their Superbowl dreams shattered before week 1 even kicks off?

 

The Patriots screwed this one up.

Edited September 6, 2006 by AtomicCEO

[Caveman_Nick]

Comparatively, that pay sucks. He's a Superbowl MVP. New England should pay him like they have an ounce of respect for what he brings to the team, and they'll earn that respect right back.

 

This isn't T.O. He's not demanding anything ridiculous. He's the #1 WR, the Superbowl MVP, and a key part of their team, and he was making crappy 2nd round rookie contract money. He could do much better, and he knows it... the Seahawks and the Jets know it... the Patriots know it... and the whole world knows it.

 

The Patriots treated him like crap, and he returned the favor. They could have given him the money he deserved. Now they are going to suck-diddly-uck this year with the worst receiving corps this side of Atlanta.

 

 

 

That's just stupid. He thumbed his nose at a 4 year extension worth 24 million, with 12 million guaranteed. For a guy that didn't have 1000 yards receiving last year.

[tbimm]

Hilarious. If that's how it should go down, what's the point of a contract at all? Why don't we just have a uniform system across the league where players' compensation is 100% incentive driven? Everyone is under contract with the NFL - each team funnels a portion of its revenue to the NFL and its players are paid accordingly?

 

To put the issue in layman's terms - let's say you're a small business owner and you sign a lease for space at $2K per month for 5 years - and your business explodes because it ends up being a prime location. Are you going to go back and offer your landlord more money before those 5 years are up just because his space ended up being great? How about a car lease? You sign on to pay $350/mo but find that the car performs more like a $400/mo car once you've driven it for a few months. You going to go offer some more money to the dealer? No. Why would an NFL team do any different?

 

While I agree that (performance-wise) Branch does deserve more money, he is also under contract with the New England Patriots. He signed a contract and should be (and legally is) bound to it. In that vein, I think he IS asking for something ridiculous - a contract is a contract. Asking out of it simply because you played well is ridiculous and I'll never understand for the life of me how it's (seemingly) become the norm in the NFL.

 

The NFL owners and the players have already set precedence here which is why we keep seeing it. With the players contracts not being guartanteed they know they are one blindside hit away from the end of thier career.

This being the case you are seeing more high profile players holding out for more money! Like I said precedence has been set with the moves of Moss and TO just to name a couple. He11 look at the debacle we had 2 or 3 years ago with the TO trade to Balt and then eventually Philly.

While I cant say I stand 100% behind the players I sure can see where they are coming from.

I do not feel bad for the owners as they have shown the willingness to allow these hold-outs to turn out good for the players by giving in and making the trades rather than lose the player to free agency the following year.

[tbimm]

That's just stupid. He thumbed his nose at a 4 year extension worth 24 million, with 12 million guaranteed. For a guy that didn't have 1000 yards receiving last year.

 

He thumbed his nose at it as he thought and it now appears he can get more.

[Whiskey Pimp]

Branch has the right to ask for a new contract before his is up and the Pats have a right to refuse. Didn't the Pats offer Branch a new contract that Branch felt wasn't fair and turned down?

 

 

After not being able to work something out, Branch should've just kept his mouth shut and reported. Go out and play and let the offers roll in after that.

[Caveman_Nick]

He thumbed his nose at it as he thought and it now appears he can get more.

 

 

Oh, come on. He's getting offers for 6/36, which is the same deal. Nobody ever sees the l;ast couple of years of a six year deal.

 

Regardless, what I am saying is stupid is that the Patriots treated him like crap. 4/24 with 12 guaranteed for a guy that didn;t have 1000yds receiving is not treating someone like crap.

[Balzac]

Let's take your metaphor in another direction... you sign a contract to do labor for a company for 12 months. After 8 months, you get a fantastic job opportunity that pays double but you need to start this week. I don't know about you because you seem to think this is some higher moral calling... but most people would take the new job. It happens every day all over the country and people leave smiling.

 

Where does this happen all over the country? Last I checked, the vast majority of employment opportunities didn't entail people signing contracts for fixed terms of employment.

People leave their jobs for new ones w/o consequence b/c they are employed "at-will" and they are not bound to stay. Anyway, if I signed an actual contract obligating me to work for someone for 12 months, I'd stick with it (but I'd NEVER sign that type of contract in my line of work).

 

Of course, the above is an apples-oranges comparison b/c I don't play in the NFL. Unfortunately, Deion Branch does - and he knew what he was getting into when he signed on the dotted line. I'm not saying that the NFL contract system is fair or even makes any sense - but it is what it is and Deion was fully aware of it going in.

 

T.O. didn't earn the respect he thought he deserved, and it made him a whining tool and a media wh0re. Branch HAS earned his respect, and he does deserve a better contract. In the end of this... who is going to be worse off? Branch with a brand new multi-million dollar contract which will easily cover his fines? Or The Patriots with their Superbowl dreams shattered before week 1 even kicks off?

 

Branch, with his play, has earned more respect than T.O.? I'm not sure I agree with that at all. Talent-wise, T.O. and Branch aren't even close to being on the same level - Branch just happened to play on a great team and had the opportunity to be a cog in the machine of something special. I'm not sure the 2 are even comparable. That said, Branch had my "respect" . . . right up until he started acting like he's acting right now.

 

Who's worse off is immaterial, but I'd say it's clearly Branch. He's being fined every day and he's NOT getting traded. His grievances are an absolute joke as well. The Pats will be no worse off without Branch - mark my words.

[Whiskey Pimp]

Oh, come on. He's getting offers for 6/36, which is the same deal. Nobody ever sees the l;ast couple of years of a six year deal.

 

Regardless, what I am saying is stupid is that the Patriots treated him like crap. 4/24 with 12 guaranteed for a guy that didn;t have 1000yds receiving is not treating someone like crap.

 

 

+1

[tbimm]

Oh, come on. He's getting offers for 6/36, which is the same deal. Nobody ever sees the l;ast couple of years of a six year deal.

 

Regardless, what I am saying is stupid is that the Patriots treated him like crap. 4/24 with 12 guaranteed for a guy that didn;t have 1000yds receiving is not treating someone like crap.

You may be right he may never see the last 2 years of that contract but if he does thats a cool 12 mil in his pocket that the pats havent offered.

I will not argue that 4/24 is treating him like crap though because you are correct on that count.

Unless the owners and team management start letting these guys sit out the whole season when they do this we will be seeing more and more of it!

[Balzac]

That's just stupid. He thumbed his nose at a 4 year extension worth 24 million, with 12 million guaranteed. For a guy that didn't have 1000 yards receiving last year.

 

what he said.

[Balzac]

You may be right he may never see the last 2 years of that contract but if he does thats a cool 12 mil in his pocket that the pats havent offered.

I will not argue that 4/24 is treating him like crap though because you are correct on that count.

Unless the owners and team management start letting these guys sit out the whole season when they do this we will be seeing more and more of it!

 

If he's still playing at a level that would entice a team to keep him on for those last 2 years for $6mm a piece, he'd be better off if he were a FA after 4 years . . . he'd get more money, as the team in question would only keep him on for that if they felt they were getting a bargain.

[Sgt. Ryan]

Where does this happen all over the country? Last I checked, the vast majority of employment opportunities didn't entail people signing contracts for fixed terms of employment.

People leave their jobs for new ones w/o consequence b/c they are employed "at-will" and they are not bound to stay. Anyway, if I signed an actual contract obligating me to work for someone for 12 months, I'd stick with it (but I'd NEVER sign that type of contract in my line of work).

 

Of course, the above is an apples-oranges comparison b/c I don't play in the NFL. Unfortunately, Deion Branch does - and he knew what he was getting into when he signed on the dotted line. I'm not saying that the NFL contract system is fair or even makes any sense - but it is what it is and Deion was fully aware of it going in.

Branch, with his play, has earned more respect than T.O.? I'm not sure I agree with that at all. Talent-wise, T.O. and Branch aren't even close to being on the same level - Branch just happened to play on a great team and had the opportunity to be a cog in the machine of something special. I'm not sure the 2 are even comparable. That said, Branch had my "respect" . . . right up until he started acting like he's acting right now.

 

Who's worse off is immaterial, but I'd say it's clearly Branch. He's being fined every day and he's NOT getting traded. His grievances are an absolute joke as well. The Pats will be no worse off without Branch - mark my words.

 

 

If the Pats are no worse off without branch, then why offer him 12 mil to sign and 24 overall. That statement is ludicrous. Branch is by far the best receiving option on that team, and he has every right under the terms of this collective bargaining agreement to sit out until week 10, just like the owners have every right to cut him before the end of his contract. Bottom line Branch is playing hardball with the Pats, and their fans dont like it. But if this organization like the Iggles, would actually pay their players what they were worth, and not try and affectionate them at the end of their career to take less money to stay, younger players may have shown some loyalty. But when Troy Brown gets a terrible contract to play out his remaining days, after everything he gave to that franchise during their SB years, and Brady wasnt paid like one of the top 2 Qbs in the NFL, expected to take a hometown discount, and Ty Law not being paid his market value, having to walk. Those are just examples of players from this team that havent been treated fairly, and Branch probably doesnt want to be there as a result.

[Caveman_Nick]

If the Pats are no worse off without branch, then why offer him 12 mil to sign and 24 overall. That statement is ludicrous. Branch is by far the best receiving option on that team, and he has every right under the terms of this collective bargaining agreement to sit out until week 10, just like the owners have every right to cut him before the end of his contract. Bottom line Branch is playing hardball with the Pats, and their fans dont like it.

 

You are absolutely right. The Pats would be better off with Branch. The fans want him signed, and we don't like what's going on.

 

 

But if this organization like the Iggles, would actually pay their players what they were worth, and not try and affectionate them at the end of their career to take less money to stay, younger players may have shown some loyalty.

 

But I have to ask...as you suggesting that a guy that didn't break 1000 yds receiving and caught 5 TDs last year is worth more than the 24 million with 12 guaranteed? How much more?

 

 

But when Troy Brown gets a terrible contract to play out his remaining days, after everything he gave to that franchise during their SB years, and Brady wasnt paid like one of the top 2 Qbs in the NFL, expected to take a hometown discount, and Ty Law not being paid his market value, having to walk. Those are just examples of players from this team that havent been treated fairly, and Branch probably doesnt want to be there as a result.

 

 

The Pats are frugal, cold, and tough when it comes to contracts. There's no arguing, and the fans here understand that. It's understood that players will leave to get higher paydays elsewhere. I am not sure about your examples, though...

 

I'll give you Troy Brown.

Tom Brady is really well paid. I don't know how his contract ranks, but I do know that he agreed to make a ton of money with a ton guaranteed. I think he's okay with it.

Ty Law wasn't worth what he wanted, plain and simple. He was too old and beat up, coming off a bad injury to get the type of contract he was looking for. The only guy in the NFL that would pay him is Herm Edwards...and what does that tell you?