Whats this league coming to - Watson

[cern]

I don't know, I listen to some of these situations play out and I just don't get it. I know they are not an organization that is ran well but where does any player regardless of how great or good they might be get to pull this off.
I heard Randy Moss the other day and quote " The days of just shut up and play are over" what the hell does that mean?
You are an employee of a business, you have a union, you have a job to do, you have been there X amount of years and just signed a monster contract.
Becaus you have a union certain rules were put in place one of them being after a certain amount of years your a FA free to sign with whatever team you want for whatever dollar amount you want.
I don't know much about Watson except he is a talented guy but I don't care who it is, these guys need to play out contracts and not have the power to hold a team hostage.
Just mark my words, he forces a trade it will change the thoughts of players every time they are not happy. Since when in any business does an employee get to have a say in who is hired or interviewed. Even if they told him that , it shows that they are incompetent and not trust worthy but you neeed to soldier on and play your new contract.
The kids coming in today are very entitled this isn't the way the world works.
Personally I would not trade him, not pay him and just let him sit. I believe their is a clause in the new CBA where players do not get paid when they sit out while on a contract.
I know it would hurt the team but sometimes a little balls goes a long way in sending a message.
He also has other teammates and a city and fan base that he is playing for and that are depending on him.
Feel bad that he is in that situation but after just signing that contract he had the right to wait the contract out. Now that you not only signed it but you have a no trade clause in it. Man up, honor it and yeah Randy "just shut up and play".
Many great players had careers wasted by being in **** organizations, there are only a few solid ones. God only knows we don't have to look far. So on this topic go ahead and fire back, Im not one to start controversial posts but Im hanging on by a thread with this league and the more I see the more turned off I am in watching and supporting these players.

the owners have allowed the players to conduct business contrary to their contractural agreements. basketball has allowed the players to virtually dictate the game. nba players determine where they want to play. whether or not they will listen to a coach. all because the owners are desperate to win and fill seats. nfl owners are now allowing certain players to do the same. you would think billionaires would stand up and say enough, but the need to generate more profits has castrated them. houston should tell watson you will play here and fulfill your contract, or be in breech and receive no money from us. hold your breath until you turn blue. or they could tell him and his agent to go seek a deal, totally acceptable to the texans, and we'll consider it. but allowing him to dictate terms to the team sends a horrible message.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Funny thing is that in 40 years of watching the NFL, I've never once tuned in to learn a players opinion on.........anything. So, I pretty much root for the uniform and the nostalgia of my youth at this point.

I had the opportunity as a young man to work in the academic study hall of a large division 1 university as a way to pay for college. It was all basketball and football players. I wasn't helping them with physics or chemistry. It was more like 4th grade level math and remedial reading. So yeah, I'm not super interested in what they have to say about anything beyond football.

Just stop ........painting this brush over ALL NFL players is so misguided. Maybe it makes you feel superior coz you're not making their money but I'm sure there are plenty of smart NFL players.

 

[visionary]

Ah, you’re one of those. Noted.

Ah, I know where you were on ....

Noted

 

[HappyOnions]

I think Deshaun is a great talent, but he is vastly overrated.

He's got 1 playoff victory and led his team to a 4-12 season. He put up big numbers, but when Dak did the same in 2019, there were nothing but excuses as to why he was successful.

Now there's nothing but excuses for Deshaun as to why he didn't put together a winning season.

He's not trash, but he isn't a top level QB in the league either.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Remind me again how the Texans did last year.

Guess you don't see Watson as elite/valuable.....I'm not even touching that. Let's move on

 

[charron]

I don't know, I listen to some of these situations play out and I just don't get it. I know they are not an organization that is ran well but where does any player regardless of how great or good they might be get to pull this off.
I heard Randy Moss the other day and quote " The days of just shut up and play are over" what the hell does that mean?
You are an employee of a business, you have a union, you have a job to do, you have been there X amount of years and just signed a monster contract.
Becaus you have a union certain rules were put in place one of them being after a certain amount of years your a FA free to sign with whatever team you want for whatever dollar amount you want.
I don't know much about Watson except he is a talented guy but I don't care who it is, these guys need to play out contracts and not have the power to hold a team hostage.
Just mark my words, he forces a trade it will change the thoughts of players every time they are not happy. Since when in any business does an employee get to have a say in who is hired or interviewed. Even if they told him that , it shows that they are incompetent and not trust worthy but you neeed to soldier on and play your new contract.
The kids coming in today are very entitled this isn't the way the world works.
Personally I would not trade him, not pay him and just let him sit. I believe their is a clause in the new CBA where players do not get paid when they sit out while on a contract.
I know it would hurt the team but sometimes a little balls goes a long way in sending a message.
He also has other teammates and a city and fan base that he is playing for and that are depending on him.
Feel bad that he is in that situation but after just signing that contract he had the right to wait the contract out. Now that you not only signed it but you have a no trade clause in it. Man up, honor it and yeah Randy "just shut up and play".
Many great players had careers wasted by being in **** organizations, there are only a few solid ones. God only knows we don't have to look far. So on this topic go ahead and fire back, Im not one to start controversial posts but Im hanging on by a thread with this league and the more I see the more turned off I am in watching and supporting these players.

My understanding is team brass/owner came to him and asked him to be apart of their decisions. If that is correct then he has every right to feel slighted. Their tommy boy owner makes jerry look good as a GM. I feel bad for anyone under contract there.

 

[ItzKelz]

Players have a choice to work or not to work. It's a job. They are not cattle to be used however the farmer so chooses.

Watson has a right to say my boss sucks and I do not want to work for him anymore. If he doesn't work then he will not get paid. Because this is contract work; Watson's boss can trade his contract for desirable compensation. Or he can just not pay him.

Bottom line is that football is a job.

 

[MyFairLady]

Guess you don't see Watson as elite/valuable.....I'm not even touching that. Let's move on

I see him as a top 5 QB. I rate him higher than Dak. I would take him on his current salary all day long. What I would not do is trade away 3 first round picks for him and his salary.

 

[Proof]

These players know they have leverage now. The model of a player use to be just shut up and dribble. Play your contract out. Don't speak on anything not sports related just wake up and play sports and go home.

These younger guys are different. They are no longer the sheep that these billionaires have profited over. You can no longer be a incompetent owner and just sit back and not have people upset.

You keep trying to correlate the NFL to the real world but that's not the case. But let's do it for arguments sake. In the real world when a company is being ran poorly what happens?

The players are what make the NFL...people don't tune in to watch Jerry Jones they tune in to watch his product.

Yup. Also trying to compare them to regular employees is a losing proposition. At this level they’re more akin to C - suite. And yes, those guys have the same exact type of power and utilize leverage and leave over similar complaints constantly. And receive massive severances or buy out packages. Only difference is that they aren’t told where to work in the beginning.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

I don't know, I listen to some of these situations play out and I just don't get it. I know they are not an organization that is ran well but where does any player regardless of how great or good they might be get to pull this off.
I heard Randy Moss the other day and quote " The days of just shut up and play are over" what the hell does that mean?
You are an employee of a business, you have a union, you have a job to do, you have been there X amount of years and just signed a monster contract.
Becaus you have a union certain rules were put in place one of them being after a certain amount of years your a FA free to sign with whatever team you want for whatever dollar amount you want.
I don't know much about Watson except he is a talented guy but I don't care who it is, these guys need to play out contracts and not have the power to hold a team hostage.
Just mark my words, he forces a trade it will change the thoughts of players every time they are not happy. Since when in any business does an employee get to have a say in who is hired or interviewed. Even if they told him that , it shows that they are incompetent and not trust worthy but you neeed to soldier on and play your new contract.
The kids coming in today are very entitled this isn't the way the world works.
Personally I would not trade him, not pay him and just let him sit. I believe their is a clause in the new CBA where players do not get paid when they sit out while on a contract.
I know it would hurt the team but sometimes a little balls goes a long way in sending a message.
He also has other teammates and a city and fan base that he is playing for and that are depending on him.
Feel bad that he is in that situation but after just signing that contract he had the right to wait the contract out. Now that you not only signed it but you have a no trade clause in it. Man up, honor it and yeah Randy "just shut up and play".
Many great players had careers wasted by being in **** organizations, there are only a few solid ones. God only knows we don't have to look far. So on this topic go ahead and fire back, Im not one to start controversial posts but Im hanging on by a thread with this league and the more I see the more turned off I am in watching and supporting these players.

1. GMs and owners cut players they've signed to contracts literally all the time. So the "honor your contract" stuff is complete bs if you think it should only be required one way and not the other

2. No anger at Carson Wentz? Who has also tried to request a trade when he didn't get his way. But even worse..was reported as being insubordinate on and off the field to his HC.

Makes me wonder..

 

[jterrell]

I don't know, I listen to some of these situations play out and I just don't get it. I know they are not an organization that is ran well but where does any player regardless of how great or good they might be get to pull this off.
I heard Randy Moss the other day and quote " The days of just shut up and play are over" what the hell does that mean?
You are an employee of a business, you have a union, you have a job to do, you have been there X amount of years and just signed a monster contract.
Becaus you have a union certain rules were put in place one of them being after a certain amount of years your a FA free to sign with whatever team you want for whatever dollar amount you want.
I don't know much about Watson except he is a talented guy but I don't care who it is, these guys need to play out contracts and not have the power to hold a team hostage.
Just mark my words, he forces a trade it will change the thoughts of players every time they are not happy. Since when in any business does an employee get to have a say in who is hired or interviewed. Even if they told him that , it shows that they are incompetent and not trust worthy but you neeed to soldier on and play your new contract.
The kids coming in today are very entitled this isn't the way the world works.
Personally I would not trade him, not pay him and just let him sit. I believe their is a clause in the new CBA where players do not get paid when they sit out while on a contract.
I know it would hurt the team but sometimes a little balls goes a long way in sending a message.
He also has other teammates and a city and fan base that he is playing for and that are depending on him.
Feel bad that he is in that situation but after just signing that contract he had the right to wait the contract out. Now that you not only signed it but you have a no trade clause in it. Man up, honor it and yeah Randy "just shut up and play".
Many great players had careers wasted by being in **** organizations, there are only a few solid ones. God only knows we don't have to look far. So on this topic go ahead and fire back, Im not one to start controversial posts but Im hanging on by a thread with this league and the more I see the more turned off I am in watching and supporting these players.

This certainly can feel unsettling but reality is ANY business and their highest paid employee are in a partnership.
QBs are like the CEO of companies and they get paid massive amounts to "step down" for the very same reason QBs get their wishes granted in every possible way.

The Texans could certainly do some things here to their appease Watson and get him back in the fold or go to war with him and challenge that his conduct means returning signing bonus money.
But again no new team wants to take on an unhappy Watson to the best move for the Texans is probably to try to appease him with a trade that brings back significant resources and kick starts their rebuild.
Once the trade is over they start murmuring that Watson's inability to read defenses and his tendency to hold the ball too long trying was a big part of why they couldn't win.
It might be mostly inaccurate but there is at least a grain of truth there.

Houston escapes his contract mostly unscathed and brings in a solid return for trading him off.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

What Randy Moss doesn't understand is that the "voice" these players think they are entitled to is the exact reason why fans are turned off. These millenials are forgetting that other millenials don't really care about football and it's the other generations that are the reason for their large paychecks. The end of the NFL is coming.

Speak for yourself bud. These players, like every other American, are ABSOLUTELY entitled to a voice and their thoughts and opinions. Imagine them being forced to do PCs and interviews I'm sure none of them really want to do in the first place and then being told they should just "shut up and play!" Lol

How ironic and hypocritical that some people think the players are the entitled ones for simply speaking their minds when a mic is shoved in their face. Some "fans" should really invest in a mirror..

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

I don't know, I listen to some of these situations play out and I just don't get it. I know they are not an organization that is ran well but where does any player regardless of how great or good they might be get to pull this off.
I heard Randy Moss the other day and quote " The days of just shut up and play are over" what the hell does that mean?
You are an employee of a business, you have a union, you have a job to do, you have been there X amount of years and just signed a monster contract.
Becaus you have a union certain rules were put in place one of them being after a certain amount of years your a FA free to sign with whatever team you want for whatever dollar amount you want.
I don't know much about Watson except he is a talented guy but I don't care who it is, these guys need to play out contracts and not have the power to hold a team hostage.
Just mark my words, he forces a trade it will change the thoughts of players every time they are not happy. Since when in any business does an employee get to have a say in who is hired or interviewed. Even if they told him that , it shows that they are incompetent and not trust worthy but you neeed to soldier on and play your new contract.
The kids coming in today are very entitled this isn't the way the world works.
Personally I would not trade him, not pay him and just let him sit. I believe their is a clause in the new CBA where players do not get paid when they sit out while on a contract.
I know it would hurt the team but sometimes a little balls goes a long way in sending a message.
He also has other teammates and a city and fan base that he is playing for and that are depending on him.
Feel bad that he is in that situation but after just signing that contract he had the right to wait the contract out. Now that you not only signed it but you have a no trade clause in it. Man up, honor it and yeah Randy "just shut up and play".
Many great players had careers wasted by being in **** organizations, there are only a few solid ones. God only knows we don't have to look far. So on this topic go ahead and fire back, Im not one to start controversial posts but Im hanging on by a thread with this league and the more I see the more turned off I am in watching and supporting these players.

I love these “the players need to honor their contracts” takes.

Of course, they never consider the fact a team can terminate the contract whenever they’re dissatisfied with the player.

 

[Future]

well said. Yup..its a new breed of player. More concerned about social issues and speaking venues, social media and merch, rather than the job at hand, which is pleasing the fans that pay there way. We are clearly secondary to them. SADLY, winning is only a happenstance these days.

Players have never, ever cared about fans lmao.

 

[Future]

What Randy Moss doesn't understand is that the "voice" these players think they are entitled to is the exact reason why fans are turned off. These millenials are forgetting that other millenials don't really care about football and it's the other generations that are the reason for their large paychecks. The end of the NFL is coming.

It's not millenials who are turned off by that. It's the olds.

The Venn Diagram of people who say "shut up and play," "build around Dalton," and "control the clock by running the ball" is a perfect circle, and it's almost entirely one demographic.

 

[CouchCoach]

Watson's hardly the first to do this and it is their only avenue when the team turns south and they don't like how it's run.

It is up to the club to decide what to do with an employee who no longer wants to be a part of their company. Try to placate him or make changes once it is known they are unhappy.

Look at what PHL did to placate Wentz and get him back on board. And it's not just players. Look at what Shanahan did when Griffin was forced on him, picked an additional QB in the same draft. Think that didn't torque Snyder?

There are some of these athletes that don't like the owner and I could surely see why Watson wouldn't like McNair and some don't like the GM or HC or position coach. Just because they sign a contract doesn't mean they don't have employment options like the rest of us do.

You have to take into account how these star athletes are coddled, they don't live lives like the rest of us. They're just like those celebrity parents circumventing the system to get their spoiled kids into certain schools.

What this league is coming to is no different than it's always been. Watson gets singled out. What about the other 1919 other players that just gut it out or are just happy to have that contract? Elway and E, Manning made the news on their refusal to go to teams that were drafting them. 2 QB's in how many that have been glad to get picked in the 1st?

The media feels the need to make the news and there's not much so Watson is page 1.

In his defense, look how that club had been run? The best D player calling out his own teammates and one of the best QB/WR tandems in league history separated because the GM/HC didn't like the WR. Then, that GM/HC was fired in season.

 

[MarcusRock]

^bingo. They have become their own ceo. AND HEY, good for them...BUT they forgot the most important thing, THE FANS. ALIENATE the vast majority of fans, and you got no 'company" to be ceo of. DO YA?

Fans have an overexaggerated sense of power (mostly due to denial of not having it). The league knows most of them are drama queens who will huff and puff and threaten and yet do nothing. The last few years and start of this season proves that. It's always laughable when I hear people call for not buying DC merchandise or not showing up to games to get Jerry where it hurts. In the end, people don't like to be left out so they'll watch, show up, and then complain the whole way or risk losing a connection they themselves have made important in their lives.

So the NFL knows that with all the "I'm getting turned off" talk, people will still be there in the end plus new recruits. All this "we have power and will revolt" garbage is just TV-esque fantasy which is why the sour pusses love to imagine the NFL failing due their own sense of powerlessness to have an effect. If the NFL is so unwatchable or damaging to your ego, go. Soccer needs recruits. I've seen people whine for years they're "this close" to leaving. They won't though and if not, then how about "shut up and fan" and don't complain since they're choosing to be part of something.

I think some fans are upset at players who have power to exercise choice because they feel self-hamstrung at exercising theirs. This is why some love recalling the good old days when players didn't have as much power or money which helped them to feel better about their own self-deterministic prospects. Can't do that now, can they? Life's about adapting though. Get to work or be bitter.

 

[foofighters]

Speak for yourself bud. These players, like every other American, are ABSOLUTELY entitled to a voice and their thoughts and opinions. Imagine them being forced to do PCs and interviews I'm sure none of them really want to do in the first place and then being told they should just "shut up and play!" Lol

How ironic and hypocritical that some people think the players are the entitled ones for simply speaking their minds when a mic is shoved in their face. Some "fans" should really invest in a mirror..

This "fan" isn't fan entitled. I keep my head down and I work hard. I explained myself further in another response in this thread. It's not that these guys can't express themselves, they have to remember that they are representing the NFL. It's no different than you. Can you speak your mind to outside sources while representing your work? Unfortunately for these NFL guys, they are constantly under a microscope. So, ya, I am looking in a mirror, and I don't mind the image. How about you? It goes back to the old saying, "Just because you can say it, doesn't mean you actually should." A concept that will probably elude you all your life.

 

[khiladi]

I don't know, I listen to some of these situations play out and I just don't get it. I know they are not an organization that is ran well but where does any player regardless of how great or good they might be get to pull this off.
I heard Randy Moss the other day and quote " The days of just shut up and play are over" what the hell does that mean?
You are an employee of a business, you have a union, you have a job to do, you have been there X amount of years and just signed a monster contract.
Becaus you have a union certain rules were put in place one of them being after a certain amount of years your a FA free to sign with whatever team you want for whatever dollar amount you want.
I don't know much about Watson except he is a talented guy but I don't care who it is, these guys need to play out contracts and not have the power to hold a team hostage.
Just mark my words, he forces a trade it will change the thoughts of players every time they are not happy. Since when in any business does an employee get to have a say in who is hired or interviewed. Even if they told him that , it shows that they are incompetent and not trust worthy but you neeed to soldier on and play your new contract.
The kids coming in today are very entitled this isn't the way the world works.
Personally I would not trade him, not pay him and just let him sit. I believe their is a clause in the new CBA where players do not get paid when they sit out while on a contract.
I know it would hurt the team but sometimes a little balls goes a long way in sending a message.
He also has other teammates and a city and fan base that he is playing for and that are depending on him.
Feel bad that he is in that situation but after just signing that contract he had the right to wait the contract out. Now that you not only signed it but you have a no trade clause in it. Man up, honor it and yeah Randy "just shut up and play".
Many great players had careers wasted by being in **** organizations, there are only a few solid ones. God only knows we don't have to look far. So on this topic go ahead and fire back, Im not one to start controversial posts but Im hanging on by a thread with this league and the more I see the more turned off I am in watching and supporting these players.

No player can FORCE a trade, but they can negotiate their careers more, via vehicles free agency. It’s like any job. They can say, if you aren’t going to make the necessary changes to get OL, so I won’t get sacked 60 plus times in a year like Watson did, otherwise I’m not going to sign once free agency comes around, that’s no holding a team hostage.

Watson was promised things by management that they reneged on. Teams are supposed to get input from their players regarding the game itself. This doesn’t mean teams are obligated to make changes, but they surely need to listen in the context of a player being designated a leader. This isn’t a case of a a disgruntled player like Earl Thomas who just wanted to get paid more and through a hissy fit.

Further, if you sit, you don’t get paid. You also get fined. It is the team that has the choice whether or not they want to weather the storm.

 

[khiladi]

The other point is:

The NFL owners refuse to show their books. They are making billions via TV revenue contracts.

Additionally, taxpayers are funding their stadiums, which are being rebuilt to take into account the new digital age, and that revenue sharing isn’t going to the cities funding these stadiums. The owners get by on bogus claims of economy generation and job creation, while studies consistently show this is a farce. Danny boy in DC, wants to open a casino with a new stadium, via the new NFL gambling rules. That’s basically just another benefit these owners have at the expense of the tax-payer.

Neither the athletes nor the owners care about the everyday person. In all honesty, who cares if it all blows up in the grand scheme of things? Then the economy can move the wealth towards something more beneficial to society than Jerry’s 400 million dollar yacht.