Calling Mr. Triplethreat: Brady Quinn Holdout...?

The Coffee Shop
1

I read about this for the first time this evening. I was taken aback to say the least. Apparently, while the NFL agreed he was 22nd draft material at best, he still thinks he is top ten and wants to be paid accordingly. At least, that’s what the blogs are saying. Me, I thinks he knows he is going to be pretzelized the minute he steps onto the field with the big boys and is trying to avoid the inevitable and the punishment for as long as possible. He might not be that good a player, but I don’t think anyone ever said he was dumb.

TT, what’s your take on this, you being the Great and Powerful All-Knowing, All Sports Guy on ST, or at least in the LR?

2

Who is his agent and what is he smoking? The fact is that 21 players were chosen before him and there is NO way that the Browns ownership will pay out top 10 signing bonus money to a player (even a QB) that has slipped to 22.

I think his agent has given Brady a false sense of worth as he is an unproven NFL commodity. I’m sure he probably *wants *to be in camp with his teammates but his agent keeps telling him to hold out because he’s working on a contract with more guaranteed money.

3

Well, his agent is Tom Condon. Tom Condon is the agent of Peyton Manning, LT, & Drew Brees. He’s known as a tough negotiator and he’s playing an interesting game with Brady and the Browns. He feels that he’s in a good position to negotiate because the Browns have Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson as their possible starters (WHO?).

He sees that the big picture that once the contract is signed that missing camp won’t be a big deal, but if that goes to far and long he could have a lost season. From the Browns and their fans perspective this would stink but from Tom’s point of view Brady would get paid and he would have one more year theoretically of a career.

4

  1. Quinn went to Notre Dame, that means he’s entitled to being over-paid and over-rated. That’s just how it is. FWIW, I’m a ND fan, and even I know this.

  2. He got drafted #22, but doesn’t feel he deserves #22 money. See #1.

  3. He plays for the Browns. He’s a rookie QB. He (i.e., ND) did not do well against other top teams w/ fast defenses … Yeah, he knows he’s not long for this league (as a starter, someone will always sign a ND QB, see Rick Mirer) and noticed that the Dolphins passed him over and will be starting Joey Harrington. When a team eventually settles on harrington rather than drafting you, then it’s time to go for the biggest contract you can get … without taking a hit. Notre Dame may be over-rated on the field, but evidently not in finance class.

  4. Umm, thnking of something nice to say about him … hey, he looks good in the uniform.

College QB’s in the draft are the high school pitchers of MLB … you just never know how a guy is going to do … especially in the NFL where a team’s system needs to match their QB’s talent (i.e., Steve Young’s “transformation” once he left TB for SF).

Quinn needs to eat it, sign, and get in camp and on the field. His career has started off bad enough (cough top 5 pick dropping to 22) without an extended holdout, which will eventually get the fans and players talking … and that’s rarely good.

He should try something new and prove himself … but his agent is never going to tell him that.

5

and noticed that the Dolphins passed him over and will be starting Joey Harrington. When a team eventually settles on harrington rather than drafting you, then it’s time to go for the biggest contract you can get … without taking a hit.

AH-ah-ah! The Dolphins let Harrington go. He is now a Falcon, abd it seems as though he will be their starting QB for the forseeable future.

I am not sure what is going on with Brady Quinn though. I assume this stuff is just his agent trying to garner the most dollars for his client. In someways the Browns are in a similar spot as the Lions. They have to overpay some players because they need to attract or retain players who would just as soon play for better teams in better locales.

Bernie

6

AH-ah-ah! The Dolphins let Harrington go. He is now a Falcon, abd it seems as though he will be their starting QB for the forseeable future.

That’s right. By foreseeable future, do we mean “week 4”? grin Seriously, I’m rooting for Harrington. I would like to see him stick it to Detroit for essentially blaming him for the wreck that is The Lions.

**I am not sure what is going on with Brady Quinn though. I assume this stuff is just his agent trying to garner the most dollars for his client. **

I have no backing for this, but a part of me wonders if this isn’t some type of stalling tactic to BOTH get as much money as possible AND to guarantee that he won’t be the starter at the beginning of the year. IMO, the WORST thing that could happen to him is to be the opening starter and fail miserably. On the other hand, the back-up QB is the most popular guy in the stadium (for bad teams). With a hold-out, Brady can sit a few weeks, gain some more NFL knowledge, have minimal responsibility, and when things ddon’t go well for the starter, he can step in as “hero”, and whether he does poorly or not “at least he’s not as bad as the old guy” or “he’s just a rookie” … but he won’t be the guy that blew the season.

Just thinkin’.

7

That’s right. By foreseeable future, do we mean “week 4”? grin Seriously, I’m rooting for Harrington. I would like to see him stick it to Detroit for essentially blaming him for the wreck that is The Lions.

He already had his “revenge” on Thanksgiving last year. Alas, I predicted that he would have a HUGE game and he did. Sadly, I think he may be one of those QB’s that spends the first 8 years of his career mucking in the pool of mediocrity where the best thing that coaches can say about him is that he has “a great attitude and I really like his mental toughness.” It has already happened with all 3 teams he has played for. Then, 1 season he’ll have some sort of lightning blast and he’ll play way outside of his game of the previous seasons. He’ll get called a veteran and journeyman, he’ll sign with some team that needs that kind of “leadership.” And then he’ll get sacked and injured and put out to pasture. That is my guess.

I have no backing for this, but a part of me wonders if this isn’t some type of stalling tactic to BOTH get as much money as possible AND to guarantee that he won’t be the starter at the beginning of the year. IMO, the WORST thing that could happen to him is to be the opening starter and fail miserably. On the other hand, the back-up QB is the most popular guy in the stadium (for bad teams). With a hold-out, Brady can sit a few weeks, gain some more NFL knowledge, have minimal responsibility, and when things ddon’t go well for the starter, he can step in as “hero”, and whether he does poorly or not “at least he’s not as bad as the old guy” or “he’s just a rookie” … but he won’t be the guy that blew the season.

That is torn right out of the pages of the Lions’ “What to do with a Rookie QB” manual.

Bernie

8

He already had his “revenge” on Thanksgiving last year. Alas, I predicted that he would have a HUGE game and he did. Sadly, I think he may be one of those QB’s that spends the first 8 years of his career mucking in the pool of mediocrity where the best thing that coaches can say about him is that he has “a great attitude and I really like his mental toughness.” It has already happened with all 3 teams he has played for. Then, 1 season he’ll have some sort of lightning blast and he’ll play way outside of his game of the previous seasons. He’ll get called a veteran and journeyman, he’ll sign with some team that needs that kind of “leadership.” And then he’ll get sacked and injured and put out to pasture. That is my guess.

Fantastic. You’re in full-on football mode already. Maybe one day Harrington can be the Rob Johnson, Jay Fiedler, or Damon Huard of an organization. A boy can dream.

The thing about the NFL is that you only have to have 4 or 5 “good” games as a QB and some organization will place its future in your hands.

I’m still shoulders-deep in the baseball season. Wanna talk about Vladamir Guerrero?

9

With a hold-out, Brady can sit a few weeks, gain some more NFL knowledge, have minimal responsibility, and when things ddon’t go well for the starter, he can step in as “hero”, and whether he does poorly or not “at least he’s not as bad as the old guy” or “he’s just a rookie” … but he won’t be the guy that blew the season.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/78/Peabody_sherman.jpg

“Sherman, set the WABAC machine.”

Gee, where are we going back to today Mr. Peabody?

“The time is August, 2004, and the place is New York City. We are off to see that fabled football team, the New York Giants!”

“Isn’t that the year the Giants traded for Eli Manning, the quarterback that refused to be drafted by San Diego, and then got traded to New York for the Giants quarterback pick Rivers, who is now doing great things in San Diego?”

“Yes, Sherman, that is correct. Furthermore, in mid-season, Coach Coughlin pulled the starting quarterback, and started Eli for the remainder of the season, which not surprisingly, was the start of an eight game losing streak.”

“Well, what are we going to do in New York, Mr. Peabody?”

“We are going to try and pound some sense into Giant management and prevent them from trading away Rivers and acquiring Eli Manning.”

“Good luck with that Mr. Peabody.”

10

Hilarious.

… and yet the guy (Eli) is endorsing watches on the back of my sports illustrated. Why?

The football gods showed compassion on the Chargers for the whole Ryan Leaf fiasco. He, Cade McNown, and Akili Smith (and likely more that I am forgetting) are why you don’t draft a PAC-10 QB based on 1 good year. Yeah, no one saw the Akili Smith bust coming. rolls eyes Ha! I just rolled my eyes. I’m so gay lame.

11

While we’re talking about QBs, and bad ones, I want to re-live the Super Bowl. What follows is 3-consecutive series in the SB with the Bears trailing by 5 points.

2nd down – Grossman trips and sacks himself.
3rd and long – Grossman fumbles the snap, falls on it, sacks himself.
4th down – punt.

Next series – Interception for a TD. Bears still in it (kinda)

Next Series – Interception to Sanders on a pass that was way underthrown (and to the right) intended for berriam who had 2 defenders beat deep.

Wrecks Grossman.

Now, Jones is gone and our small window may have went with it.

12

Grossman is great! I loved how he didn’t bother to prepare for the last game, so my Packers could beat the Bears. A bright shining moment in an otherwise mediocre season.

Go Rex!

13

Yeah, well, he was the MVP through 4 games. An honor usually bestowed on Minnesota’s Robert Smith … until he got annually injured in week 5.

14

Fantastic. You’re in full-on football mode already. Maybe one day Harrington can be the Rob Johnson, Jay Fiedler, or Damon Huard of an organization. A boy can dream.

Ah, yes. Dream on! Somehow I don’t think Canton is in his future. As far as “full-on football mode” goes, you have to see the Sports sections here to believe it. You would think the Lions are Superbowl Champions coming back to defend their title. It is weird. The really strange thing is that some people seem to be buying it. About a week ago, DavHamm postulated that someone had spiked the water supply with the Honolulu Blue and Silver Kool-Aid. Unfortunately, I know that this euphoria lasts only until the Lions first offensive series when they go 3 and out. The Universe will fall right back into alignment and forget this annual hiccup.

**The thing about the NFL is that you only have to have 4 or 5 “good” games as a QB and some organization will place its future in your hands. **

To bring the topic back to OT, those 4 or 5 good games could have been played in college, a la Brady Quinn.

I’m still shoulders-deep in the baseball season. Wanna talk about Vladamir Guerrero?

Sorry, I’m not mature enough for baseball. I can watch an inning or two, and then only when I am sitting next to one of my baseball nut buddies who can explain it to me. I love the Popular Mechanics articles about it though.

Bernie

15

Unfortunately, I know that this euphoria lasts only until the Lions first offensive series when they go 3 and out.

You liar! You’re just as optimistic as the rest! Totally discounting the possibility of a turnover in those first three downs is showing your true colors!

:wink:

Not having a favorite MLB, NFL, or NBA team - priceless!

16

The irony of this whole thing, is Quinn and agents say he should have been a top 10 pick. If it wasn’t for the Browns, he likely would have slid to the second round. They did him a favor by taking him 22nd, and he sticks it back to them.

BTW - IMO - both Russell and Quinn will be busts of colossal proportions. I think both are way overrated.

17

Yeah, that’s basically my take. I saw a couple of the ND games last year when they won in the last minute because the other team decided to stop playing for some inexplicable reason. You couldn’t even call it luck, it was so bizarre.

I never saw any brilliance from Quinn. How he thinks he is going to prove the NFL misjudged him, I have no idea.

What puzzles me, though, is that the NFL only pays you if you stick around. He’ll keep the signing bonus, and collect a check for every game that he remains with the team. But, if he manages to grind out a big buck contract that is loaded up at the back end, who really cares? If he gets cut, it is meaningless.

18

You liar! You’re just as optimistic as the rest! Totally discounting the possibility of a turnover in those first three downs is showing your true colors!

Guilty as charged! In reality that turnover will probably result in a defensive touchdown.

Bernie

19

In reality that turnover will probably result in a defensive touchdown.

Okay, now you are invoking public flagelation just to get the public sympathy vote.

20

Unfortunately, I know that this euphoria lasts only until the Lions first offensive series when they go 3 and out.

One of my favorite things from last year was “The Lions Thread”. If memory serves me right, predictions were 16-0 in the pre-season, then 15-1 after week 1, then 14-2 after week 2, 13-3 and so an on until eventually it got to “Awww, screw it”.

That thread was classic.