[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by Gotham Dark Knight

Like I said, the other stars of equal value around him where not getting more...

Yes, they were. I went back and added Staley's contract numbers.

Originally Posted by Gotham Dark Knight

That aside...I still like to see you back up the argument that a "winner" does not jump from a contender for more money...class and winning have little to do with each other...

Are there guys that win championships as career free agents? Sure, it happens. But for the purpose of this discussion, a "winner" is a guy who is focused on championships more than anything else. I'm talking about selfless, team-oriented players, not to mention guys who have leadership qualities and other intangiables. Elway wanted to win a title bad enough that he gave up his money to give his teammates raises. That to me is a winner through-and-through.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Yes, they were. I went back and added Staley's contract numbers.



Are there guys that win championships as career free agents? Sure, it happens. But for the purpose of this discussion, a "winner" is a guy who is focused on championships more than anything else. I'm talking about selfless, team-oriented players, not to mention guys who have leadership qualities and other intangiables. Elway wanted to win a title bad enough that he gave up his money to give his teammates raises. That to me is a winner through-and-through.

When will you be able to separate Apples from its cousin the Oranges:

Staley was younger than Bettis and was assume to have less milage...Edge came in, in 1999...younger than both Manning and Harrrison...who were already on the team and getting paid what the market would bare...Bettis with +12 years of service could not command what Edge could in the open market or the story would be different... In fact he might have been hard press to find matching money elsewhere...so it is waaay eaiser for him to say, "Sure, I wil shallow my pride for a smaller pay check"...Also the core of the team Bettis had played with was not getting raises...they went after a free agent...

Money has little to do with being a winner...or you would be hard press to name 5 winners in any team sport...are you saying that a hired gun like Clemens, Jackson, Hunter, any number of Yankees, or Cowboys or Lakers etc are have less than what it takes to be a winner cause they command more money?...oh please, stop before you hurt yourself my good man...A guy could be a team player and still say, "Hey, I want to be paid what I am worth in the open market"...he could still be selfless, run a route in the middle of a freakin zone, take less carries like Deuce McCallister etc...
So Edge took focus off winning and the team huh?...I did not hear of a single cult say, "Hey I'd give back 5% of my salary to keep Edge"...and yet, they are "winners compare to Edge"...oh please...

Dick Butkus taking the Bears to court to honor a contract is still a winner in my book...Papa Bear Halas (an all-time cheap skate if there ever was one) got away with paying his players squat...are you then saying just cause Butkus wanted his fair share that he was "less of a winner"...had less heart....less focus…less desire to win…was less of a teammate?...come on man, take a look at what you are saying…

The great Babe Ruth wanted to be paid what he was worth (more than the president at the time), and so has every star in sports under the sun for the most part…are they any less of a winner…hardly…

Did Csonka ,Warfield and Kick loose any credibility as winners for leaping to the WFL?...Steve Young for signing with the LA Express?...

Nope!...The Dolphins did not wish to pay the core of its team the going rate…and Young did what Namath did years before…

All of them losers by your definition…very slippery slope you are on my friend…

BTW, how many Colts have you heard questions Edge's desire, team spirit, or leadership skills?...I mean there should be oodles of quotes on that right?

[fredthefactor]

Originally Posted by Gotham Dark Knight

Like I said, the other stars of equal value around him where not getting more...nor did Bettis, that late in his career, have the marketing value of Edge...

That aside...I still like to see you back up the argument that a "winner" does not jump from a contender for more money...class and winning have little to do with each other...

And now Sir Knight I Will be Breaking "Left Knob Off Something" Sir are trying To get a land slide vote To this years class of the "Haters hall of Fame ".
Because If You are then then you won't be needing a campain spokesman your doing a Fine job your self.
Why Is It that everytime It's Time for a man to get his piece of that "Multi Billion Dollar Pie A Hater Like (hears were your supose to point a finger at your self) comes out and mention some Guy that got screwed out of the "Loot" He had coming to him.
Look hear "Buck o" this Is Maybe a trillion dollar Business thats Pimping fans and Players.
So Quit Co Signing With this Organized Crime Business and Be happy that a man gets some of the Loot that he's contributing to with his Life.
Will you at least concider this my friend ?
If they don't Pay the player wheres his cut Going To the Schools?

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by fredthefactor

And now Sir Knight I Will be Breaking "Left Knob Off Something" Sir are trying To get a land slide vote To this years class of the "Haters hall of Fame ".
Because If You are then then you won't be needing a campain spokesman your doing a Fine job your self.
Why Is It that everytime It's Time for a man to get his piece of that "Multi Billion Dollar Pie A Hater Like (hears were your supose to point a finger at your self) comes out and mention some Guy that got screwed out of the "Loot" He had coming to him.
Look hear "Buck o" this Is Maybe a trillion dollar Business thats Pimping fans and Players.
So Quit Co Signing With this Organized Crime Business and Be happy that a man gets some of the Loot that he's contributing to with his Life.
Will you at least concider this my friend ?
If they don't Pay the player wheres his cut Going To the Schools?

That's all I am saying Fred my Man... Edge wanting a piece of the pie, is seen as a bad thing...last I heard, America is all about going in for your fair share of the pie...

Say it with me Fred...give Edge his fair share of pie...give Edge his...

[Lefty Noob]

Yeah, people here in this country have every right to go out and knock themselves earning as much money as they want. But I think it's a shame that for so many people, that's all they worry about... not about being character people, not wanting to give their all and striving for excellence, not doing something special with their lives. Just show me the money. And I guess now I'm getting beyond athletics and waxing a little philosophical, because it bothers me to see a guy like James get $49 million as a rookie and then for some reason need more. There are more important things in life than money, and I take my hat off to those who realize it.

And on another topic -- that of guys like Roger Clemens and other free agents. I'm not saying that athletes can't go free agent, and I'm not saying that money isn't a factor. But Clemens always insists on playing for a contender, does he not? I mean, it's not like the Royals have come calling with $25 million per season, nor could they. But if this offer was on the table vs. $20 million from the Astros, to pitch at home and on a contender, don't you think the other factors would win out for Clemens? How about Karl Malone. He stayed with Utah up until Stockton retired, and then when he left, I'm 99.9% certain that he turned down bigger offers to go to L.A. so that he could have a crack at the ring.

Anyway, that's my two cents, and I really don't have anything else to say on the topic.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Yeah, people here in this country have every right to go out and knock themselves earning as much money as they want. But I think it's a shame that for so many people, that's all they worry about... not about being character people, not wanting to give their all and striving for excellence, not doing something special with their lives. Just show me the money. And I guess now I'm getting beyond athletics and waxing a little philosophical, because it bothers me to see a guy like James get $49 million as a rookie and then for some reason need more. There are more important things in life than money, and I take my hat off to those who realize it.

And on another topic -- that of guys like Roger Clemens and other free agents. I'm not saying that athletes can't go free agent, and I'm not saying that money isn't a factor. But Clemens always insists on playing for a contender, does he not? I mean, it's not like the Royals have come calling with $25 million per season, nor could they. But if this offer was on the table vs. $20 million from the Astros, to pitch at home and on a contender, don't you think the other factors would win out for Clemens? How about Karl Malone. He stayed with Utah up until Stockton retired, and then when he left, I'm 99.9% certain that he turned down bigger offers to go to L.A. so that he could have a crack at the ring.

Anyway, that's my two cents, and I really don't have anything else to say on the topic.

Yeah but you blame Edge and not the way the NFL runs...he also did not get $49 mil...he got injured his third year and a lot of the money had incentive clauses...not as bad as Ricky Williams but bad enough...you also fail to take into account some of the good the guy does with the money...the all night club he set up in his Florida home town to keep kids off the street etc...I guess that part makes you sick as well...

Its just way to easy to attack someone's character when he is just saying...I just want what the market deems fair...the man after all was not the idiot that set up the market...

[Notorious C.L.E.]

Does Edge have fleeting thoughts about what could have been should he have stayed with the Colts? Probably. Does Edge regret the decision he made? Probably not.

It's human nature to have regrets, but I doubt Edge truly is bothered by his decision. The man deserved to get paid and he got it. Chasing the money doesn't make him a loser, it just makes him someone that wants to get paid, and I don't think there is anything wrong with that.

For all intents and purposes, the Arizona Cardinals are an offensive lineman or two away from being the new Indianapolis Colts, so his situation isn't really analogous to signing with the Royals.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Notorious C.L.E.

Does Edge have fleeting thoughts about what could have been should he have stayed with the Colts? Probably. Does Edge regret the decision he made? Probably not.

It's human nature to have regrets, but I doubt Edge truly is bothered by his decision. The man deserved to get paid and he got it. Chasing the money doesn't make him a loser, it just makes him someone that wants to get paid, and I don't think there is anything wrong with that.

For all intents and purposes, the Arizona Cardinals are an offensive lineman or two away from being the new Indianapolis Colts, so his situation isn't really analogous to signing with the Royals.

Finally a sensible response...

[ThePundit]

From Stampede Blue:

Edgerrin James = Standup Guy
By BigBlueShoe Section: Analysis

We've been debating whether or not Edge regrets leaving Indy now that they are in the Super Bowl. Whatever you opinions of Edgerrin, you cannot say he is a "turncoat." The dude is just a pleasant, standup guy who does not forget his friends. Edge was there to greet the Colts when they arrived in Miami:

"I'm with them," he says. "I'm cool with everything. Remember, I'm Edge. I'm totally different than most cats. My friends are still with that team. We're like family."

Edge is still one of my all-time favorite Colts.

Stampede Blue :: An Indianapolis Colts Blog