markshark84 wrote:Is this a joke or do you really not get it? Do you really not understand the politics behind football and free agency? Come on. As someone who speaks with NFL agents quite often, here are some of the tips given:
Oh I see, one of our resident THN experts (with credentials mind you) -- get your info from NFL agents? I have to admit you got me, because I only get my info from the TV, Radio and Internet.
(1) If you are on a team, you ALWAYS back your coach. He's the one that can play or sit you. Most of these players have incentive contracts and must hit their numbers to get paid. If they don't play, they won't get paid. Players know that one of the most important things is to be a team player. Mouthing off about your coach is literally the WORST thing you can do for a team. If you coach likes you --- you're set.
Take a look at the roll call of players I listed, they were former players and one of them, Carlos bashed the organization wich could be more fatal than bashing a coach. McNabb certainly bashed the Shannies and still got to play with another team, so much for you expert opinion.
Also, while you asking if this was a joke or not, you failed to notice that I listed sports writers as well, some of them have no problem bashing NFL organizations. Some move up to be NFL Network guys.
You also failed to notice a couple of Skins publicly questioned Shanny on his comments to the media about going into a evaluation mode. I guess your NFL agents forget to tell you about that.
(2) When it's a contract year, a player must ALWAYS say they want to go back to their original team. That way other teams will throw more money at them as an incentive to leave. And if there is less interest in the player, at least he is a "loyal team guy". And in terms of getting resigned, see number (1) --- if a coach likes you, you are more likely to get resigned.
Really? Are you serious with this? If they like you? Tell that to Dockery. Shanny said he liked Dock and Dock still got cut because he was not a ZBS blocker. There is more to it than just liking a player.
(3) After you leave, you NEVER say anything bad about the organization (as with any normal job). People don't like players that talk smack after they leave --- because they know that once he leaves the new organization, the same thing is likely to happen. This makes players less marketable on the free agency market. Look at TO; how's that working out for him? Besides, the only people that talk smack after they leave are players who the organization did see being part of the franchise moving forward. This is pretty known.
This is true in any business - one doesn't have to have talked to NFL agents to know this - BTW - it does happen, when someone feels that they were screwed, that they mouth off - See Donovan McNabb, LaRon Landry and Carlos Rogers -last I checked after leaving the Skins, they all found jobs and in McNabb's case it was his lack of current talent that got him let go - not his mouth.
(4) It is even more important to never talk smack about any person that has been in the league -- in any capacity -- for a long period of time. Most of the longer term coaches all know each other. Their assistants will become HCs. Their mentors are likely still HCs. They know GMs well. It's a fraternity at the HC and GM level. If you bad mouth one coach, you might as well talk smack about everyone in his "inner circle" --- which can be a ton of guys. For example, if you talk smack about Behichick, you are killing your chances of being signed with KC, DET, ATL, BAL, CLE, and PITT. Trust is very important in order for GMs to work with one another. And GMs give advice/help out other GMs (that they trust and have a history with) MUCH MUCH more than most people think.
Did you really learn all of this from NFL Agents?
This is NFL politics
What job or business doesn't have these politics you speak of?
Now, here is a tip for you, sometimes
you can learn a lot more from a player's actions than what they say. Like

ey. We know that he had offers from other teams to be a back up. We know players who refuse to take play cuts from their teams will go off and sign for less money with the new team just to try to make a point.

ey did no such thing. He wanted to be a Redskin, period.
Fletcher, we know could have had his last hurrah with another team. Perhaps a play-off caliber team, but he chose to stay here. That is a statement with out saying anything. The Skins didn't break the bank to keep him. He could have got pissed that the Skins let him be available for the Free Agency, but he stayed put. Santana was allowed to test the FA market and he got offers, but he chose to stay here.