TheDeuce |
07-26-2006 01:36 PM |
Here's a good article to calm some anxiety a little bit, maybe:
Quote:
Bush talks 'proceeding on a normal course'
But Saints GM, Bush's agent mum about contract details
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
By Mike Triplett
The Saints' contract talks with tailback Reggie Bush are "proceeding on a normal course," according to General Manager Mickey Loomis.
But, with only two of the NFL's 32 first-round draft picks having signed contracts, the "normal course" almost certainly will take the negotiations into next week, if not longer.
Neither Loomis nor Bush's agent, Joel Segal, would comment on details of the negotiations. But history and common sense dictate that Bush won't be in Jackson, Miss., when the Saints report for training camp Thursday evening.
Last year, seven first-round draft picks had agreed to contracts heading into the first full weekend of NFL training camps. The top five picks in the draft signed on July 26, Aug. 15, Aug. 11, Aug. 29 and July 29, respectively.
A report on Yahoo.com last week cited a league source as saying Bush has toyed with the idea of sitting out the entire season if his contract demands are not met, but that scenario seems unlikely.
Bush, who has already secured several million dollars in national endorsement deals, could risk damaging his popularity if he skips the entire season. And he has already been putting down roots in New Orleans, both through his charity work and the purchase of a $1.8 million riverfront condo downtown.
Still, the Saints certainly won't get off cheaply. Bush was almost universally rated as the No. 1 prospect in April's draft before the Houston Texans made the surprising decision to take defensive end Mario Williams instead. So Bush likely will seek a deal that approaches Williams' six-year, $54 million contract, with a reported $26.5 million in guaranteed money over the first two years.
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I have faith that it will get done. This guy is way too important to let him sit out a season because of money.
And actually jergens, I seriously disagree with your statement about fans being entitled to nothing. Sure he might not be "entitled" to an autograph, but fans are what make the NFL run, not the players. Without the fans, nobody would care about the game. Nobody would buy tickets, buy merchandise, there would be nobody to market athletes to, etc. etc. Basically, without the fans, the NFL is nothing. We pay the bills for the stadiums, we pay the players salaries, we pay the coaches salaries, the equipment costs, etc. etc. I don't think every player understands this, when they really should. Fans adore these guys who probably wouldn't be making much more than the national average salary if they weren't athletically gifted, so I think that these guys should feel blessed and lucky and should WANT to give back to the fans in whichever way they see fit. Without the fans, these guys aren't crap; they shouldn't bite the hand that feeds them.
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