How many times have you watched somebody do a job and think to yourself, "I could that"?
Add sports adviser to that list.
Former Texas Tech standout, Michael Crabtree, has been the only remaining unsigned rookie for a while now, and it looks like that isn't changing anytime soon. According to ESPN.com, Crabtree, the 10th pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, has said he is prepared to sit out this season and enter the 2010 NFL Draft.
Why?
Because a five-year, $20-million contract ($16 million guaranteed) is not enough - and that's just the base number. With incentives, the 49ers are reportedly willing to go up to a dollar less than what the ninth pick (B.J. Raji) got, which is about $28 million.
Not bad, right?
Not good enough, however, because Crabtree feels he should have gone higher than #10 in the draft. Thus, he wants to be paid accordingly.
Numbers are just that, and I could on and on about how selfish this makes him look, but I want to focus on how dumb it makes him look. (Plus, who enjoys reading about normal folk complaining about how much athletes make. That subject is played.)
My problem is with his "adviser" advising him to sit out the 2009 season and re-enter the draft next year. Worst idea ever.
It should be mentioned his "adviser" is his cousin, David Wells, who was banned for life from USA Boxing because of allegations of misuse of funds.
It should also be known that Wells, who once started a security company with a court bailiff (illegal: conflict-of-interest), is not Crabtree's agent, so why does he have any say as to what kind of contract Crabtree signs?
Wells, who was once arrested for stealing boxing gloves from the Dallas Police Athletic League, is really just another piece of evidence as to how athletes can go broke after making tens of millions of dollars. Paying out money to cousins and their hair-brained schemes has got to take a toll on a bank account.
Getting back to why sitting out a year is such a bad idea, Crabtree was picked 10th in the 2009 draft. With what precedent is he expecting to move up in the draft by getting one year older, not playing organized football for a year, coming off an ankle injury, and being known around the league as a holdout?
Anyone with brains about the draft should know this is the more likely scenario: Crabtree sits out an entire season, re-enters the draft, and, with all of the aforementioned baggage, is drafted late in the first round.
His "adviser" should look at this little nugget of info before giving anymore advice: None of the the last 15 players drafted in the first round signed contracts worth as much as Crabtree was guaranteed with his.
It doesn't matter if he thinks 49ers are low-balling him. Nothing positive will come from sitting out a year.
You are a little off with your portrayal of contract numbers. The 9th pick, B.J. Raji, is making 17.7 guaranteed, 22.5 over 5 years and can make as much as 28.5 with incentives.
ReplyDeleteThe 11th pick, Aaron Maybin is making 14.2 guaranteed, 17.6 over 5 years and can make as much as 24.6 with incentives.
So now lets look at Crabtree's reported offer. He was offered 16 guaranteed, 20 over 5 years and reportedly somewhere between 26-28 with incentives, so in fact his offer is right in line with what he deserves. You are making it look as if he was offered less than the 11th pick which is completely false no matter how you look at it
Good call! I was just going off an NFL.com listing I saw and the commonly reported 5/$20 million deal, but after reading the 49ers are willing to go up to a dollar less than Raji with the incentives, it certainly looks like it is all on the Crabtree posse.
ReplyDeleteThanks for pointing that out. I'll change it up when I get a chance.
You might want to change the last line still but other than that good article.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Once again, I really do appreciate the proofread. Otherwise, people read it and think, "Boy, this guy's an idiot!"
ReplyDeleteCrabtree obviously isn't aware of the recent history of players who miss out on a year of football. It didn't turn out well for Mike Williams (who it should be noted was so sure of his talent that he proclaimed himself a "future phenom, future hall of famer" on his now-defunct website before he even played a snap in the NFL), nor did it turn out well for Maurice Clarett.
ReplyDeleteAs a side note, Crabtree' agent should know that the first contract isn't where the real money is, it is the 2nd and 3rd contracts that get you paid.