Originally posted by MadDog49er:
Originally posted by philmo:
Originally posted by MadDog49er:
Here is another evil guy in history: Barry Sanders.
In 1989, Barry Sanders signed his contract three days before the start of the regular season, in a prolonged salary dispute, and through his agent was able to get a 5 year, $6.1 million contract. The player drafted in front of him, Tony Manderich, signed a 4 year deal for $4.4 million. Quick math. Who got more?
"But, MadDog, I am so confused. I thought my entire life that Barry Sanders was a good guy. Maybe I was wrong all along. He didn't sign until just before the draft, so he must be evil and greedy. He's just a bad guy."
Sanders donates more than $200,000 dollars directly after signing to help build Paradise Baptist Church in his home town. I guess that doesn't count.
"We must obey the slot system. Otherwise, it will be the fall of western civilization."
Sanders, the number three pick, signs for substantially more than Tony Manderich, the number two.
Just example #45867 in my crushing of the two moronic throughts of the day from people all around the country that have no idea what they are talking about: 1) that players who do not sign and report to camp on time are evil, greedy, divas, heartless, baby-killers; and 2) that the slotting system is followed religiously, without exception, without excuses.
Someone else's turn to make an excuse. Ready, set, go.
Comparing the two is just idiotic. I don't think people think he is bad just because he is holding out, it is because he is a diva who has always cared more about himself than his team. And look at what you wrote Sanders signed for one year longer and instead of 1.1 million a year he got 1.2 million a year. Diva doesn't want 10% more than the pick ahead of him, he wants top 5 money which is 250% percent per year more than his slot. Lets see 10% and 250% yeah thats a great comparison.
Oh and back to my original point Sanders was a good guy, so him holding out wasn't something people got down on him for, but Crabtree is and always has been an as#hole, this is just another incident of him caring about himself more than the team.
Top 5 money is a leverage tool. We negotiate the same way in every day life. I don't know why people have a hard time understanding this, since they barter this way all the time.
For instance, you see a vendor selling t-shirts at a fair, and he marks them at $10. You want to buy at $7. Do you intially offer them $7? No. They have established their starting number, and you better establish you starting number lower than $7. In the end, you work your way to the middle.
In the example of Crabtree, if Crabtree initially demands DHB money, and the Niners start at the basic slot money for a number 10, where is the negotiation going to end? It is not going to end at DHB money. It will go for substantially less.
So, if it is true that Parker is asking for Top 5 money (which is speculation as well, since Parker has never given a number), it is a starting negotiation number.
I've been involved in several mediations and that's exactly how it goes. Both sides start with numbers that they know perfectly well they won't get . . . then start working towards the middle.
The side that will end up recieving money usually makes the first offer, or if the offer is known before hand they're the first party to reduce their demand. The first reduction is invariably chump-change. The the opposing side will make an equally insignificant counter-offer.
If the side that expects to get paid is serious about reaching agreement they make the first significant reduction, which normally motivates the other side (if the mediator is worth a s**t) to make an equally good-faith leap towards the middle.
This is different obviously in that there's no 3rd party so it's naturally a slow process. But I'm guessing the negotiating tactics are similar.
The middle here is probably a $1-2 Million dollar window straddling Heyward-Bey's contract $$.
Hopefully they get there soon.
