S Donte Whitner (Buffalo Bills)

[MililaniBuckeye]

Originally Posted by ShakerBuck

Because $1Mill is a tremendous amount of money to us working stiffs. but a diff of $1Mill is only about 7% raise over what he has been offered.

holding out for an extra $million (over 5 years) can cause more damage than it is worth in the long run...

Believe it or not, I think Donte is going as much on principle here as much as his is financial gain...

[restless]

Originally Posted by MililaniBuckeye

Believe it or not, I think Donte is going as much on principle here as much as his is financial gain...

Totally agree. My guess is that Bills are having 2nd thoughts about drafting Dante so early. But you drafted him #8, you should suck it up and treat him like #8.

Overall, this is no good for any party. Too bad it happens to Dante.

[ScarletBlood31]

Originally Posted by buckeyeboy

Did those #2 picks all come out and say to the media before contract negotiations began that they would not hold out due in part to the situation in their cities? I didn't think so. Your question is not responsive to my argument.

I doubt Bush's "Holdout" did anything to damage New Orleans.

[osugrad21]

Dispatch

NFL NOTEBOOK
Bills, Whitner haggling over $1 million
Thursday, August 03, 2006
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Rookie safety Donte Whitner of Ohio State and the Buffalo Bills are $1.1 million apart in negotiations to sign the No. 8 draft pick, a person familiar with the talks told The Associated Press yesterday.
The Bills’ last offer included $12.9 million guaranteed on a five-year deal while Whitner is seeking closer to $14 million, the person told the AP, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Whitner has missed six days of camp and considers the offer too far below the $15 million guaranteed safety Michael Huff — the No. 7 pick — received as part of a five-year deal with the Oakland Raiders, the person said.
The No. 9 pick, linebacker Ernie Sims, received $12.1 million guaranteed in a five-year contract with the Detroit Lions.
Whitner is seeking a deal that’s closer to Huff’s because both play the same position.
Whitner is the highest player selected in the draft last April who remains unsigned.
Cowboy gets pay boost

Take it from Terrell Owens: Roy Williams is such a hardhitter that offensive players look for him before the ball is snapped so they can try avoiding the star safety.
Teams can’t ever have enough guys like that. So the Dallas Cowboys made sure he’s theirs for a while by giving him a fiveyear deal worth $25.2 million, with $11.1 million guaranteed.
Williams was entering the final year of his contract. The new contract gives him a raise this season and locks him up for four more years, through 2010.
Concussion affects Shockey

The effects of his first concussion left Jeremy Shockey nauseous, sensitive to light, reduced his motor skills and made it difficult for him to sleep, the three-time Pro Bowl tight end said.
"Don’t get too close, I might get sick," a soft-spoken and rather subdued Shockey said. "I am feeling better but I have headaches and I am pretty sensitive to light."
The comments were Shockey’s first to the media since he sustained what the Giants described as a mild concussion in a collision with safety Will Demps late on Monday.
Pooch punts

Arizona Cardinals right tackle Oliver Ross will miss at least three weeks, and possibly as many as 10, because of a right knee injury. ... The St. Louis Rams signed Moe Williams to a one-year contract addressing the need for a backup running back. ... The Kansas City Chiefs acquired running back Michael Bennett from the New Orleans Saints, but insisted that didn’t mean Priest Holmes would retire. Holmes is being held out of contact by doctors because of a neck and spinal cord injury he sustained in a game last season.

[IronBuckI]

1.1 million difference between offer and asking price, and 2.1 million below Huff's deal. Not exactly nickels and dimes.

[Oh8ch]

1.1 million difference between offer and asking price, and 2.1 million below Huff's deal. Not exactly nickels and dimes.

To be precise, it is 22 million nickels.

[ShakerBuck]

Originally Posted by MililaniBuckeye

Believe it or not, I think Donte is going as much on principle here as much as his is financial gain...

Agreed.

But there comes a time when you gotta pick your battles. if there isn't a helluva lot to gain, and there is more to lose...get in camp, be prepared and be ready for the season. He could use the perceived "slight" as motivation.

I personally just don't think this is a worthy fight.....but it isn't my situation its his

[buckeyeboy]

Originally Posted by ScarletBlood31

I doubt Bush's "Holdout" did anything to damage New Orleans.

Again, a non-responsive point. I never claimed his holdout damaged New Orleans. I simply claimed that he's not a man of his word. Before you respond again, please make sure that you know exactly what I said for once. Thanks.

[methomps]

Originally Posted by buckeyeboy

Again, a non-responsive point. I never claimed his holdout damaged New Orleans. I simply claimed that he's not a man of his word. Before you respond again, please make sure that you know exactly what I said for once. Thanks.

He clarified just a day later that the contract would have to make business sense for him.

[buckeyeboy]

Originally Posted by methomps

He clarified just a day later that the contract would have to make business sense for him.

Too little, too late. His first statement was widely publicized, and the "clarification" (timely made, I might add) was not.

[methomps]

Originally Posted by buckeyeboy

Too little, too late. His first statement was widely publicized, and the "clarification" (timely made, I might add) was not.

So Reggie Bush is a horrible person because he couldn't control the media's differing coverage of his two statements? Under no honest and reasonable standard is a clarification the next day "too little, too late". Lucky for you, you don't let reason get in your way.

[jwinslow]

Originally Posted by buckeyeboy

Too little, too late. His first statement was widely publicized, and the "clarification" (timely made, I might add) was not.

so the only published quotations that count are the ones the media finds juicy enough to replay repeatedly?

[martinss01]

Originally Posted by IronBuckI

1.1 million difference between offer and asking price, and 2.1 million below Huff's deal. Not exactly nickels and dimes.

donte is one of my fav bucks, but the moral of the story is he's not willing to play a kids game for 12.9 mill guaranteed... priciples are one thing. but when the paycheck is enough to retire on i have a real hard time sympathizing with the athlete. expecially when he is a milk truck away from getting nothing...

everyday he doesn't sign is a day a simple accident could keep him from making 12.9 mill in his lifetime, let alone in a single contract. it may not be ideal, but its enough to live ones life fat n happy. im not dissing donte, i just don't want to see someone with so much promise miss such an increadible opportunity.

[korchiki]

i am a huge bills fan...in fact i was a bills fan before i was a buckeyes fan...regardless...looking at all of the problems that the bills are gonna have this year i would hope that he would just take the contract and go out there and prove that he deserves it...I am a huge fan of DW and there was talk that he was gonna be starting from day 1...however bills fans are incredibly annoying and hold major grudges...this is not a wise choice for him to hold out like this...yes is a a million dollars that he would get...but he is already getting 12 or whatever it is...it [censored]es me off that these rookies can come in and get that much money whereas the proven veterans dont get nearly as much...it should be the other way around IMHO...Levy has mentioned that if this keeps up it will no longer be DW's spot and that he could be moving in another direction...Levy doesnt take this kinda crap so I am hoping that DW will figure it out...i love the guy to death but he is making a big mistake

[IronBuckI]

Originally Posted by martinss01

donte is one of my fav bucks, but the moral of the story is he's not willing to play a kids game for 12.9 mill guaranteed... priciples are one thing. but when the paycheck is enough to retire on i have a real hard time sympathizing with the athlete. expecially when he is a milk truck away from getting nothing...

everyday he doesn't sign is a day a simple accident could keep him from making 12.9 mill in his lifetime, let alone in a single contract. it may not be ideal, but its enough to live ones life fat n happy. im not dissing donte, i just don't want to see someone with so much promise miss such an increadible opportunity.

The moral of the story is that this is a capitalist society. You demand to be paid your market value. The Bills are managing a kids game, and the owners knew the stakes before they started doing so. They can't expect a low ball offer to get their guy in camp. Ernie sims got 12.1 million guaranteed. Huff got 15 million guaranteed. If the Bills want to split the difference at 13.55 million for the guy they picked in that spot, then I'm sure Donte would be more willing to listen. This may be the only contract in his career. An NFL players career only lasts 5 to 6 years, on average. He needs to get what his market value is right now.

If a simple accident occurs. These guys have very large insurance policies to protect against that type of thing.