I'm sitting at this table called love, staring down this irony called life. How come we reached this fork in the road, and it cuts like a knife?
With regard to Plax's holdout, for a moment put aside your opinions on honoring contracts and refrain from expouding your moral judgments of holding out. It's all irrelevant -- viewing the situation from a numbers standpoint, Plaxico Burress deserves a new contract.
Let's go back to the spring of 2005. St. Patrick's Day to be exact.
In an emphatic stroke of Byzantine whimsy, Burress fired his agent (Michael Harrison), hired the venerable Drew Rosenhaus, and shortly thereafter signed with the Giants:
6 years, $25 million, $8.25 million guaranteed. According to Len Pasquarelli, Burress was set to make
$14.6 million in the first three years of the contract.
By comparison, one year earlier Terrell Owens won an arbitration case, was freed from the penetentiary otherwise known as the Baltimore Ravens, and signed with the Eagles:
7 years, $49 million contract with $10 million guaranteed. At the time, Owens was the best receiver in the NFL, and his contract was a useful benchmark in determining Burress' market value.
After the 2005 season, when Burress helped the Giants supplant Owens' Eagles as the preeminent team in the NFC East, the NFL renegotiated the Collective Bargaining Agreement. As consequence, the salary cap increased substantially (and continues to increase), and player contracts followed suit. In other words, the football world went to hell in a handbasket. Fire and brimstone. Small helpless children drowing in pools of money. Adam Archuleta was suddently worth $35 million on an open market, making him the highest paid safety in the history of the league (funnily enough, in researching this post, I followed a link to the Redskins.com story on Archuleta's signing ... and their site was experiencing "technical difficulties"). Cats and dogs living together. Mass hysteria.
While Burress missed the spike in salaries by one season, his contemporary wide receivers were particularly affected by the league-wide spending spree. Since the new CBA's implementation, here's a sample of free agent contracts signed by wide receivers:
- Antwaan Randle El (2006):
7 years, $31 million, $11.5 million in bonuses
- David Givens (2006):
5 years, $24 million, $8 million signing bonus
- Brandon Lloyd (2006):
7 years, $17.5 million, $10 million guaranteed
- Kevin Curtis (2007):
6 years, $32 million, $9.5 million guaranteed
- Wes Welker (2007):
5 years, $18.1 million, $9 million signing bonus
- Bernard Berrian (2008):
6 years, $42 million, $16 million guaranteed
- Donte' Stallworth (2008):
7 years, $35 million, $10 million guaranteed
- Javon Walker (2008):
6 years, $55 million, $16 million guaranteed
*Walker could potentially earn up to $27 million over the first three years on his contract; this is nearly twice as much as Burress earned the past three years.
- Terrell Owens (2008):
4 years, $34 million, $13 million guaranteed
*Owens is an especially interesting parallel. Since signing with the Eagles in 2004, he has continued to drink deep the aura of the game. He is still arguably the best player in his position. And despite advancing into his mid-30s and getting cut by the Eagles for being an all-around jerkoff,
his market value has appreciated in light of the new CBA.
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Which brings us back to Plaxico Burress. Although the timing of his holdout is inopportune, it's difficult to criticize Burress for asking to be paid his proper market value. Extenuating circumstances have made the situation much more complex than "he signed a contract, he should live up to it," and the concepts of economics certainly support his decision.
After the renegotiation of the CBA, Plax's current contract was essentially rendered obsolete. Indeed, it was structured for a market that no longer exists. Meanwhile, the new market has rewarded lesser players at Plax's position, as evidenced by the contracts of the aforementioned individuals. After playing through multiple injuries and delivering a Super Bowl title, Plax deserves to be a beneficiary as well.
Finally, it's worth noting that Burress could have staged a holdout last offseason. After two excellent seasons with the Giants, he very easily could have made case that he had outperformed his contract. But instead he waited until after the team had secured a championship before he intimated that he was underpaid. A season in which he sustained an ankle injury that would have landed most players on injured reserve. A season in which he demonstrated how valuable and irreplaceable he is to this team. And at 30 years of age (he turns 31 in August), he definitely has several prime years left. If Plaxico Burress doesn't deserve a raise, then who does?
You're far more than shiny haired, sweater vest wearing, preppie.
That was well written, with solid information and presented concisely.
Which means it is no more even money that 50% of BBI will read it and/or understand your position.
I only read every other word of your post, and I still got the gist of it.
or plax shows up (which he did)..doesnt practice.....gets interviewed..and there its out...do you want him to lie and say he was injured and not holding out or something....
they did go about it correctly or you would have heard the holdout a long time ago...
Even so Plax is a great player and his salary is very reasonable for the type of player the Giants got - but basing any raise he may deserve on the current CBA is hooey
that was my biggest "gripe". the fact that we have quite a few other players that need to be signed/extended will leave us VERY tight budget wise after them. with Plax/Osi wanting more money to relatively new contracts it is just frustrating.
He could have easily done what Osi did, which was continue to show up while saying he wants to renegotiate, but allowing the agent to go to the media like a 3 yr old brat is getting a bit tiring.
we all believe Plax deserves more as he has produced beyond expectations.
It also doesn't help that hte CBA allows scrub clowns to command so much money on the open market, inevitably ruining this game. The NFL needs to figure out how it will handle escalating Rookie contracts as well as a system that will possibly prorate old contracts to update them if/when Salary Caps increase...
the way it is working that new salary caps pretty much nullify existing contracts making them look like diddly piss is a diservice to the NFL, its players and fans. and it needs to be fixed somehow.
Of course Plax deserves a raise and the guy sacrificed his body for this team to be world champs, but football is still a business and we can't just throw money at a guy who, is already 30, and may not have many years left if this ankle is as bad as it seems.
Personally he is my favorite Giant on the current roster but is he someone who should be getting a large 6 year deal? I'd love to tear up his contract and write a new one similar to TO's that has 3 years with an option for 4th, and obviously for less money than that. I just wouldn't be surprised if Plax and Rosenhaus were looking for a 5-6 year deal with a large bonus and front loaded contract in order to allow Plax to earn as much as possible in case that ankle goes. If that is the case, I am not confident in the two sides agreeing soon because I'd be surprised if the front office would agree to a deal that paid him a lot up front and early since his career could be shortened due to injury.
You might have a specfic number in your head that represents what NFL players, in your estimation, should be paid. Fair enough. But realistically their value -- just like workers in other industries -- reflects the market for their skills. In the NFL's case, the market was redefined and players became more expensive. Whether or not the logic behind the market change was fair is immaterial. There's a new financial atmosphere and teams have to conform to some degree, otherwise they won't be able to compete.
I have no problem with him holding out and wanting a new contract. He was there and out in the field during minicamp. He played his heart out this past season, had a terrific post-season, and had 3 really good years as the Giants #1 receiver. Also, he's a lot better than Javon Walker's ridiculous contract.
In my industry, if I knew my salary was not in line with the current market value, I would either demand a new salary or quit and find something better.
So the logic is that teams are successfully retaining their key players in most cases. My guess is that they are doing so by making contract offers early and that players are (rightly) so nervous about injury that they are accepting the early offers even though the $s are under the market level. And that's why drafting well in today's NFL talent acquisition race is more important than big-time vet FA signings. Ties together nicely.
The Giants have been shrewd in circumventing those trends signing undervalued free agents (i.e. Kawika Mitchell) to low-risk contracts while focusing their resources on retaining their own players while adding talent through the draft. HOWEVAH, I think they have to bite the bullet with Plax.
What do you propose they do? Hold him to his contract? If that's the case, then there's a solid chance he doesn't play for us ... and he might be the scarcest, most irreplaceable resource on our team. I'd rather "overpay" than lose him altogether.
Dave Diehl and the Giants were able to agree on a number and he was signed. Plaxico and the Giants have not yeat agreed on a number. Osi and the Giants have not yet agree on a number.
You also fail to mention all the other players on the team who's contracts were rendered obsolete by the new CBA and who played through injuries last year. Or the ones who didn't play through injury but worked their asses off, just the same.
Ahmad Bradshaw was seriously underpaid. So was Steve Smith. And that Kevin Boss guy.
Or is it your position that they only need to pay the guys who threaten to dishonor their contracts?
You seem to take this contract stuff very personally. I understand where you are coming from. In general, I agree with the complaint that the players look to take advantage when things go well but never offer to give money back when things don't. However, there is such a thing as an unjust or unfair contract. I have a very hard time seeing most multi-million dollar football contracts that way, but such things do exist in the world of contracts.
Fact is that Plax is not breaking any rules as far as I can see. He can't go to another NFL team in the middle of this contract - that would be breaking the rules. But he can hold out if he's willing to lose his paychecks. If he feels that playing football for millions is unfair because a few other lesser players are making more then he's entitled to sit out. And if the Giants were really trying to lowball him I might even be sympathetic. (But I don't believe it to be the case, since they seem to be talking contract.)
The Giants are also entitled to rework a contract. Nothing against the rules there. What it comes down to is that as fans we have no control over the business side of the game. If Plax wants to hold out we can question the wisdom of signing him in the first place. But since we just won a Super Bowl it's hard to complain too much.
Why do some fans assume that it's Rosenhaus and Plaxico who have an objective view on his value to the team and that it's Mara, Reese, and Abrams who are low-balling him?
As I said in my earlier post, Diehl was reasonable and the Giants were able to give him a raise in a manner that was win-win. People talk about Plaxico's heroic contribution to the team, but Diehl made quite a heroic contribution that was just as indispensible as Plaxico's.
Bradshaw, Smith, and Boss are inapt counterexamples. They signed rookie contracts that were based upon their draft position. And they also entered the league after the new CBA had already been instituted. You might argue they were underpaid (debatable), but no rookies sign an extension after their first season. Thus, none of them have the same negotiating leverage that Burress does, and they couldn't exactly afford to purposefully sit out practice, either. And while Burress isn't the only player with an outdated deal, his case for getting a new contract is the most convincing.
As for Plaxico's demands, I agree with you. My guess is he's asking for Owens-Moss-Walker money with big guarantees.
I completely agree with you on the point you just made. In this particular case it is entirely possible that Reese has been reasonable, and Plax and Rosenhaus not. We really can't know because there haven't even been any leaks yet. (But if numbers did come out reasonable people might disagree on which side was in the right.)
Or is it your position that they only need to pay the guys who threaten to dishonor their contracts?
I think a new CBA -- especially one as momentous as this -- implies that any deal signed before the CBA (with the exception of rookie contracts; that is completely separate issue) should be revisited and analyzed the same way I presented Burress' situation.
It's obviously a case by case basis. If Plax threatens to holdout, there's every reason to renegotiate: his value to the team provides him bargaining power, he's demonstrably underpaid, and the team cannot win without him. Whereas if Steve Smith holds out, he can take a hike.
And the last several contract, dating back to the ones that Shockey and Osi and Diehl signed years ago, have all been for numbers that were less than I expected. So you are right that I've had inflated views of player demands. The flip-side is that now we have Shockey and Osi wanting more money and Diehl having recently gotten new money.
With some of the outrageous contracts around the league, it's hard to tell what's a reasonable demand, especially for someone under contract for another three or four years.
I find the Osi situation the most curious. He has something up his sleeve. I find it hard to believe he's willing to wait until 2009 for a new deal.
My issue is with the fans who simply say, "Pay the guy." My response is, "Pay him what?"
And I do appreciate the effort you made in detailing his pay history and the market history for his position. But we are all going to have a different idea of what is fair.
Being and becoming...
Thanks...
But as far as what's fair it is difficult. It all depends on what the cap is going to be going forward, and that seems to be getting more and more unclear. At least to me. If the Giants are going to say (in theory) give Snee a $16 million bonus, is that unfair to Plax? Or is it just that we can't pay everyone and Snee is younger? On the flip side, I can't see giving Plax Owens-Moss-Walker money. As good as he is he's not Moss or Owens, and Walker was ridiculously overpaid. But if it's a good business decision and the money is there then what difference does it make?
The only part of the whole thing that really mystifies me is this - once someone has 15 or 20 or 25 million dollars in the bank, is it REALLY worth being on a losing team to make (say) another 15 or 20 million? AS opposed to making another 5 or 10 million and winning another championship? Esp. in NY where the personal and financial rewards of being on a winner are also pretty considerable.
(depending on the field)
Bottom line, pay the man.