WP-Arrington has Grievance

[Butz65]

I hope this thing gets worked out. The team traded Champ away becuase they decided to make Lavar the "franchise" player. Somewhere I heard a rumor (true speculation on WTEM or ESPN) that Snyder offered Lavar a future "under the table" cash payment as part of the negotiations. That's why the deal ended up so much in the team's favor. That would be a huge no-no in the eyes of the league. The speculation is that that's why Poston stated the deal was $80 million (and then $74 million) vs. the $68 million reported by the team. I haven't heard anything else mentioned about the rumor so it was probably disproved.

Anyway, it sounds to me like the agent is trying to save face.

Aside from that, Lavar has been one of my favorite Skins as of late but that's beginning to change. His skeptical reaction to the signing of Gibbs and playng this contract greivance out in the press really bothers me.

Let's hope this gets resolved quickly. I disagree that' Lavar is overrated I just don't think he's had consistent coaching. I've seen him make some plays (like Urlacher or Lewis) that are simply amazing. I'm hoping that the new coahin staff can bring some consistency to his game.

:eaglesuck

[Destino]

Why is everyone faulting Lavar for attmepting to solve this situation by the book. He's brought the league into it to investigate and find out where the problem is. Hopefully it was his agents fault.

[Cskin]

I wouldn't be disappointed if the league decided to tear up the contract and allow Lavar to renegotiate. At that point, the team should just walk away from him and look to sign a linebacker who is intelligent and plays his responsibilities.

Until Lavar plays to the hype and his reputation as being an "elite" linebacker, he's simply replaceable.

[rdsknbill]

WOW Cskin, careful what you say. some around here will want to lynch you for such talk

:hammer: :hammer:

:whippin: :whippin:

[jake56]

I agree with Destino. Before we start blaming LaVar, his agents, or the Redskins, let the arbitration process play itself out. LaVar has every right to follow through on this dispute and we may never know exactly what was promised to whom but at least a fair process can happen with an arbitrator.

[Trung24]

Did it ever occur to anybody that Lavar may be trying to get out of his contract now that Gibbs is here? All the "he's gotta show me something" crap he is displaying towards Gibbs. Lavar is no longer the face of the Redskins-Joe Gibbs is and will always be. The days of him playing out of postion and freelancing are over and he knows it. I truly think he was lead to believe Edwards was returning and thats why he looks like someone is shoving a pinecone up his bum sideways when he talks abiut Gibbs. :puke:

[Troy Fakeman]

Gibbs will let LaVar do his thing....its Williams LaVar has to worry about, if it is conisidered worrying....at all.

[rdsknbill]

You may be right Trung. It doesn't seem that Lavar respects the coach much

[Destino]

Oh my now we have this "Laver doesn't like Gibbs" junk going around. Lavar feels cheated because somewhere at sometime someone told him he was going to be making more then he is. If that were ANY OF YOU, no matter how much you wish Gibbs was your best friend you'd be angery. 6 Million is 6 million folks and in a sport where on any given day your career can end that's a big deal.

Let Lavar play this by the book, which is what he is doing, and see how it turns out. I don't think Gibbs or anyone on this planet commands enough respect for players to look the other way when, from their perspective at least, they are being cheated out of 6.5 million.

[Tom [Giants fan]]

As far as Brandon Short for the person who asked if he rejected or didn't give an answer. I read he doesn't want to be a backup which is what he would be with the Redskins. He probably won't sign with the Skins. I say he ends up in Arizona where he would start.

I don't know the details of the situation with Arrington but if his new deal somehow does get voided, you guys are in trouble. That will put you over the cap and one or two players will have to go.

I don't see it happening but it will be interesting to see what happens in this episode of. "The Offseason of the Washington Redskins." Previews for the next episode can be seen tonight at 11.

[Montilar]

A nice "article" countertre posted over on cpnd. he attributed profootballtalk.com rumour mill as the source.

It talks about the Postons and several of their more recent client issues. Including Arrington, Pace, Lawyer Millow, Ty Law, Juilian Peterson, Ian Gold. Hmmmm, that's most of the ones with big contract issues...

POSTONS LOSING THEIR JUICE?

Although Patriots cornerback Ty Law contends that his agent, Carl Poston, is "hands down, the best agent in the league," word around the league is that Carl and his brother Kevin could start losing clients based on their failure to get deals done, and based on their handling of Redskins linebacker LaVar Arrington's contract.

In an era of free agency moon shots, the Postons have aimed higher than any other agents, insisting on cap-shattering deals for their big-name clients -- and persuading those players who are approached to take a reduced salary to dig in their heels.

Rams left tackle Orlando Pace is in his second offseason as the team's franchise player. Last year, the Postons wanted a seven-year, $85 million contract with a $23 million signing bonus. When they didn't get it, Carl demanded a trade.

In the end, Pace signed a one-year tender offer, and the Postons have failed again in 2004 to work out a long-term deal.

Sure, Pace will get a big, fat salary if he takes the tender. But it's for one year only -- if Pace gets hurt or becomes ineffective, he'll be out in the cold without ever snagging that eight-figure bonus.

Speaking of injuries, we've previously explained that the Postons' reputation apparently dissuaded the Broncos from attempting to extend linebacker Ian Gold's contract before his ACL went wishbone in October 2003. And even as Gold was rehabbing the knee, the Postons wanted $15 million up front from a team that knows all too well the problems that can arise after an ACL injury (see Davis, Terrell).

Gold, at last check, was still waiting for that $15 million bonus on the open market.

Then there's 49ers linebacker Julian Peterson. The Postons wanted $20 million in guaranteed money, so Peterson gets to wear the franchise tag, as Pace already is doing.

Falling into a different category are former Patriots safety Lawyer Milloy and current Pats corner Ty Law. The Postons, who wouldn't have earned a penny on the Milloy contract they inherited from Ray Anderson if they merely had restructured for less coin, provoked (as we see it) a divorce in order to snag a fee on the new contract that Milloy signed with the Bills.

In week one of the 2003 season, when the Bills thumped the Patriots by the score of 31-0, it looked like a good move. In all other weeks of the season, it didn't.

Now, the Postons have manipulated another New England defensive back into parlaying the team's desire to create a more manageable cap situation into another big payday -- either from the Patriots or from someone else.

Finally, there's the Arrington contract. The Redskins linebacker has filed a formal grievance against the team resulting from a $6.5 million roster bonus allegedly due in 2006, which was not included in Arrington's December 2003 contract extension.

"I firmly believe and have trusted my agents, Carl and Kevin Poston," Arrington told the Washington Post Sunday night. "And I believe they're the best in the business. This is a clear case of a contract negotiation done at the last minute in good faith with the team to be a life-long Redskin, and to clear cap room to make the team better. There was a mistake made during this time."

The "mistake" as the Postons have described it, is that the team filed a different contract than the Postons approved and Athat rrington signed, which makes it anything but a "mistake."

Indeed, Arrington's choice of words seems to suggest that, in the rush to get the deal done, the 'Skins didn't include the roster bonus in the paper, and his agents missed it.

And that's the key -- his agents missed it.

Agents aren't supposed to miss things like the absence of a $6.5 million roster bonus in 2006, especially since they stand to make an extra $195,000 when the bonus is paid (assuming a three percent fee).

We're not saying that the Postons are ineffective. They've done well for themselves, and for many of their clients. But the objective evidence indicates to us that they're not quite the best in the business -- unless not reading contracts is a sign of excellence.

[SkinsThug]

If the Poston's initaled every page of the contract, then signed it, that means they approved it.

In the real world, that is.

[Reaganaut]

I hate to say this... Exit Lavar Arrington.

Dan Snyder loved Stephen Davis and Champ Bailey and they're still with the team... oh that's right they're gone. Arrington is expendible and so is Patrick Ramsey. If I were a betting man, I'd say they are not on the team in two years.

[jake56]

SkinsTHug,

I agree that if LaVar's agent initialized every page then this grievance is going to be very very difficult for LaVar; however, the only place I've seen the reference about LaVar's agent initializing every page is from a statement by the Redskins cap guy, not LaVar or his agent, so I'm not sure what we should believe until this plays out.

[riggins44]

This contract has been signed and given to the league. LaVar's cap number comes from this contract. I'd say if what he says is true then he needs to get a new agent.

I've noticed recently several agent mistakes. These guys get

paid serious $$ to be on top of things.

The media will put a spin on this to show the Redskins as the bad guy.

I deal with contracts every day. When I go over a contract I do so by going line by line, then asking if have any questions before getting signature(s).

[jrfriedm]

Arrington is far from being overhyped. Yes, he misses takles on occasions, and he blows assinment too, but name on player in the history of football who never did either of these things....

Arrington plays hard, plays through pain, and plays with a lot of heart If the agent made a mistake, than the agent should eat it, if the team made the mistake then they should eat it, but I don't think that Lavar will be going anywhere nor should he, and I don't think he will hold out of camp. He has questions about Gibbs and Those Questions will be answered.

[fwo40]

Arrington has handled himself much better than most of today's players with something like this...just look at Ty Law's latest ****ing. This leads me to believe that Lavar still wants to be a Skin, and since he has said that this will not effect his play...I think this will all be resolved a lot sooner than the "dire" predictions floating around.

We're not trading him...that's just nonense. Part of the reason Champ is gone..is because Synder felt he had to really go after and keep one of the two. He made his choice....he chose Lavar. He won't be so eager to give up on him.

Winning, by the way cures a lot...and we should win a lot more this year than last. Lavar will be in a better mood for the season...and this thing will work itself out behind the scenes.

[Larry]

Originally posted by lavarleap56 (Quoting Arrington):

"I firmly believe and have trusted my agents, Carl and Kevin Poston," Arrington said last night.

I think I see the problem.

Make that, "I think I see your problem".

[fish]

I welcome the outside look, assuming that they can actually find the truth. If so, whomever is at fault should rectify pronto.

I do find it hard to believe that DS would pull a slicky and try an underhanded move like that.

LaVar does know how to read right?

[jenmdixon]

Originally posted by jake56

SkinsTHug,

I agree that if LaVar's agent initialized every page then this grievance is going to be very very difficult for LaVar; however, the only place I've seen the reference about LaVar's agent initializing every page is from a statement by the Redskins cap guy, not LaVar or his agent, so I'm not sure what we should believe until this plays out.

Hm. When you look at this article at nfl.com (http://www.nfl.com/nflnetwork/story/7162292), Pat Kirwan says the following:

Henderson: You've dealt with a lot of these agents before, agents like Owens', Dennis Northcutt's agent, LaVar Arrington's agent -- they have all made huge mistakes that have cost their respective clients millions of dollars. How does this continue to happen?

Kirwan: Well, let me make a couple of statements first. We have all made mistakes on both sides of the negotiating table, and I'm so surprised that these players haven't fired their agents because in fact they are going to lose millions of dollars. Now, interesting to me is the LaVar Arrington case. He claims that there's a $6.5 million roster bonus waiting for him in 2005, yet it's not on the contract I read. And I've looked through that contract closely enough to know that it's not there and that the agent signed off on it, the player signed off on it and the club signed off on it. I don't expect LaVar Arrington to get his money back. I don't expect Terrell Owens to get his wish and do what he wants. And as for Northcutt, he's back in Cleveland, so these agents better start paying attention to the dates that their supposed to send papers in, and if they don't, you're going to start seeing them get fired.

Is Kirwan a reliable source? I'd be more apt to believe him than LaVar at this point...although I am willing to admit I am wrong at a later time should that highly unlikely event occur

[Glenn X]

Originally posted by Cskin

I wouldn't be disappointed if the league decided to tear up the contract and allow Lavar to renegotiate. At that point, the team should just walk away from him and look to sign a linebacker who is intelligent and plays his responsibilities.

Until Lavar plays to the hype and his reputation as being an "elite" linebacker, he's simply replaceable.

I hate to say this (as I like LaVar as a personality), but I concur with the above analysis. LaVar simply hasn't lived up to his titanic hype. The next LT? Puhleeeeze! LaVar isn't even the kind of game-changing linebacker that Ray Lewis is. And if you're gonna be a good-yet-not-great-like-LT type of linebacker, that's fine. Just don't be that type of linebacker, not read your contracts thoroughly, and then whine when you get less money than you thought you were going to get.