Re: Mort: Chicago Not Interested in Briggs' Trade
 

This is from [URL="http://www.sportsline.com/columns/weblogs/entry/10033019"]sportsline[/URL]:

A source close to Washington owner Daniel Snyder on Tuesday denied the club is close to making a deal for Chicago linebacker Lance Briggs.

"Not true," he said.

Reports indicated that Washington is willing to switch first-round positions with Chicago -- sacrificing the sixth overall pick for the 31st -- to gain Briggs, the Bears' unhappy franchise player. But that's not true, either, said the source.

"That's just Drew talking," he said.

Drew is Drew Rosenhaus, the agent for Briggs, and it was he who escorted the Bears' linebacker to a table Monday night where Snyder was dining at the annual NFL owners' meetings. Also there, according to others, were Washington's vice president of football operations Vinny Cerrato and Baltimore owner Steve Bischiotti.

Anyway, the source said, Rosenhaus said something about how much Briggs could do for the Redskins and suggested Snyder make a deal for him. Snyder responded by saying the Redskins and Bears should switch first-round positions to gain Briggs.

"It was innocent and meant as a joke," said the source, "but it's taken off."

Re: Mort: Chicago Not Interested in Briggs' Trade
 

[quote=Mattyk72;292165]This is from [URL="http://www.sportsline.com/columns/weblogs/entry/10033019"]sportsline[/URL]:

A source close to Washington owner Daniel Snyder on Tuesday denied the club is close to making a deal for Chicago linebacker Lance Briggs.

"Not true," he said.

Reports indicated that Washington is willing to switch first-round positions with Chicago -- sacrificing the sixth overall pick for the 31st -- to gain Briggs, the Bears' unhappy franchise player. But that's not true, either, said the source.

"That's just Drew talking," he said.

Drew is Drew Rosenhaus, the agent for Briggs, and it was he who escorted the Bears' linebacker to a table Monday night where Snyder was dining at the annual NFL owners' meetings. Also there, according to others, were Washington's vice president of football operations Vinny Cerrato and Baltimore owner Steve Bischiotti.

Anyway, the source said, Rosenhaus said something about how much Briggs could do for the Redskins and suggested Snyder make a deal for him. Snyder responded by saying the Redskins and Bears should switch first-round positions to gain Briggs.

"It was innocent and meant as a joke," said the source, "but it's taken off."[/quote]

I hope it was a joke. I hope DS isn't making serious offers without conferring with Gibbs first. I hope DS isn't involved in player acquisition at all.

Glad to hear someone say this was all a bunch of whostruckjohn.

Re: Mort: Chicago Not Interested in Briggs' Trade
 

Hmm, I still don't like the idea of Dan Snyder "joking" at a bar, presumably after a few drinks, about trading first round draft picks for a disgruntled player anxious to play for another team.

For once, it would be nice to read reports of top members of the Redskins front office taking their job seriously.

Re: Mort: Chicago Not Interested in Briggs' Trade
 

I don't think joking around in a social setting should be misconstrued as someone not taking their job seriously.

I don't think Snyder reached his level of success by not taking things seriously.

Lighten up Skins fans, this was a joke from the start and a lot of us bought into it hook, line, and sinker.

Re: Mort: Chicago Not Interested in Briggs' Trade
 

Wasn't so much a joke like Danny tried to play a joke on the media or on us or anything, it was more that he made a half-joke to Drew about a trade for Briggs, Drew ran with it, and started up a rumor.

The way the rumor came out, with Glazer from Fox, Schefter from the NFL network, and Pastabelly from ESPN all over the story, it seemed to have legitimacy despite the fact that it made little football sense.

It sounds like a situation where Drew Rosenhaus either misunderstood Snyder's half-joke, or understood his joke perfectly but decided to use Snyder to drive interest in Briggs. Snyder just simply cracked a joke, it wasn't that he wasn't taking his job seriously. He just didn't expect Rosenhaus to run with it, and he certainly didn't expect three major media outlets to buy into it.

Re: Mort: Chicago Not Interested in Briggs' Trade
 

Or maybe since Danny and Drew are so buddy-buddy, maybe Drew asked Danny to help him start up a huge rumor about Briggs just to drive interest for his client. Rosenhaus was likely looking for something to break the Bears' inertia on Briggs.

So maybe Rosenhaus had Danny in on the whole thing, or maybe Rosenhaus took Danny's joke and just ran with it. Either way, this was all Rosenhaus' doing.

Re: Mort: Chicago Not Interested in Briggs' Trade
 

[quote=Mattyk72;292170]I don't think joking around in a social setting should be misconstrued as someone not taking their job seriously.

I don't think Snyder reached his level of success by not taking things seriously.

Lighten up Skins fans, this was a joke from the start and a lot of us bought into it hook, line, and sinker.[/quote]


ESPN's John Clayton confirmed the Reskins made an offer for Briggs. The Bears feel like they are being pushed into this so that is the main reason it may not happen.

Re: Mort: Chicago Not Interested in Briggs' Trade
 

What's the problem with Dan talking at a bar ? Don't these types of deals have to be signed or does the NFL work on a handshake policy now ? He's at a bar, talking shit, that's it. What else is he going to do. Have you ever been at a bar with your friends and played the how much to do her game ? Seriously ? He's an owner of a football team. The man knows that there are contracts that have to be signed, red tape that has to be hammered out. I'm sure he's not going to draw up a contract at a sports bar over a glass of 1738. I mean if you guys owned a football team, I'm sure from time to time you'd talk a little trash, having rich owner fun ! It probably started like this.

[B]Drew :[/B] 'Sup Dan ! Whatcha drinkin' ?

[B]Dan :[/B] 1738, want one ?

[B]Drew :[/B] Sure

[B]Dan :[/B] Nothing really, just bored as hell man. Then I got this whole nanny thing and ...

[B]Drew :[/B] Yeah I know what you mean.

[B]Dan :[/B] Hey don't T.O. me with Sean (Taylor) cause I want to keep him here. You know how many jerseys he sells ?

[B]Drew :[/B] Naw I'm not gonna do you like that. You're not like alot of these other guys. Like Chicago ! **** this Briggs thing is killing me. Just give the guy his money. Hell, you guys should take him.....

[B]Dan :[/B] Yeah, if Chicago would give us him and their first pick what is it ?

[B]Drew :[/B] 31, hold on Dan. Hey Lance,...... LANCE..... let me introduce you to my good buddy Dan Snyder

[B]Lance :[/B] Hey

[B]Drew :[/B] Okay Lance go back over there..................

[B]Lance :[/B] Later guys....

[B]Dan :[/B] That's a big guy, how much does he want ?

[B]Drew :[/B] You don't want to know

[B]Dan :[/B] I DON'T WANT TO KNOW ? ....................... damn

[B]Drew :[/B] I know, well I'll see if they'll take your first for him and their 31st okay.

[B]Dan :[/B] They won't but, just in case let me know.

[B]Drew :[/B] Hell you wouldn't do that, and you've don'e some wild things.

[B]Dan :[/B] Not anymore

Re: Mort: Chicago Not Interested in Briggs' Trade
 

Anytime Rosenhaus is involved, I think a very cautious eye should be placed on what is being said.

The guy is notorious for doing whatever it takes to pump up a client's worth.

Re: Mort: Chicago Not Interested in Briggs' Trade
 

How serious the offer was, or how serious Dan Snyder was after tipping a few drinks is anyone's guess. If it was a "wink-wink" situation to help out Danny's buddy Drew -- fine. We seem to be the type of team that doesn't hesitate to do other people favors.

But did you notice that only [I]after[/I] the Bears officially shot it down did an "unnamed source" close to Snyder say that it was only a rumor, that the rumor wasn't true, and it was all a joke?

Ha ha. Very funny.

Still, with knowledge of recent trades over the past few years, this one doesn't seem all that preposterous considering the track record of this organization. Despite all of Snyder's "success," something tells me you won't find Scott Pioli, Ron Wolf, or A.J. Smith schmoozing it up at a bar casually tossing out 1st round swaps to help out a buddy-player agent.

Re: Mort: Chicago Not Interested in Briggs' Trade
 

Interesting turn of non-events!
the danny might not mind Rosenhaus talkin up this faux trade if it raises the price for Briggs, whose is not only Rosenhaus' client, but our competition as well. I wondered if the Danny entertained Leonard Davis knowing full well we wouldn't sign him, but raising the price for the pokes. It seems like his style & engagin in this kind of drama might make him happy in an otherwise dull offseason.

On the other hand, the Danny could be furious w/Drew for running his mouth about it. Who did Pastabelly, Mort et al cite as sources to verify that we actually made the offer?

Re: Mort: Chicago Not Interested in Briggs' Trade
 

[quote=Beemnseven;292185]How serious the offer was, or how serious Dan Snyder was after tipping a few drinks is anyone's guess. If it was a "wink-wink" situation to help out Danny's buddy Drew -- fine. We seem to be the type of team that doesn't hesitate to do other people favors.

But did you notice that only [I]after[/I] the Bears officially shot it down did an "unnamed source" close to Snyder say that it was only a rumor, that the rumor wasn't true, and it was all a joke?

Ha ha. Very funny.

Still, with knowledge of recent trades over the past few years, this one doesn't seem all that preposterous considering the track record of this organization. Despite all of Snyder's "success," something tells me you won't find Scott Pioli, Ron Wolf, or A.J. Smith schmoozing it up at a bar casually tossing out 1st round swaps to help out a buddy-player agent.[/quote]

Is it just me or do you think that D. Snyder (He's NOT GONNA TAKE IT! NO HE AIN'T GONNA' TAKE IT!) drinks Cosmos?

Re: Mort: Chicago Not Interested in Briggs' Trade
 

[quote=TheMalcolmConnection;292190]Is it just me or do you think that D. Snyder (He's NOT GONNA TAKE IT! NO HE AIN'T GONNA' TAKE IT!) drinks Cosmos?[/quote]

Yes, and he & Vinny love to shop for shoes.

Re: Mort: Chicago Not Interested in Briggs' Trade
 

I am glad Chicago turned the trade down. I hope the Skins show some restraint and keep the pick all the way to draft day. What advantage do the Skins gain by making a deal before the draft? The only one I can think of is the player that the Sskins acquire would get a head start on learning the playbook. Other than that it makes no sense to pull the trigger until draft day. It kind of reminds me of the time frame leading up to Derrick Dockery's free agency - there was no incentive for Dock to lock himself into a contract before free agency hit and what did he gain by waiting - an insane contract (good for him, bad for the Bills cap).

So the Redskins should do the smart thing, hold their cards until the draft and when some of the other teams get nervous and maybe make a dumb offer (see Ditka trading for Ricky Williams) the Redskins should pounce on it. If they don't get any reasonable trade offers than draft one of the studs on the defensive line where they really need some help. This also has an added benefit of telling Rocky that we are not giving up on you after just one year and it also makes Lemar Marshall not feel slighted. The skins have already spent enough on LB.

Re: Mort: Chicago Not Interested in Briggs' Trade
 

The sad thing is that this organization has been in such disarray over the last 10 yrs that just about any ridiculous rumor is plausible.

Re: Mort: Chicago Not Interested in Briggs' Trade
 

Any trade for Briggs would be puzzling to say the least. With the trade up last year to aquire Rocky McIntosh, the already high priced Marcus Washington, coupled with the recent addition of London Fletcher makes one wonder just what the Redskins are thinking when they have more pressing needs.

Re: Mort: Chicago Not Interested in Briggs' Trade
 

[QUOTE=TheMalcolmConnection;292190]Is it just me or do you think that D. Snyder (He's NOT GONNA TAKE IT! NO HE AIN'T GONNA' TAKE IT!) drinks Cosmos?[/QUOTE]

Well, in another thread I mentioned that he had this conversation somewhere between a few Long Island Iced Teas. But those are obviously too strong for a man his size.

What ever he usually orders from a bar, I can tell you it probably has lots of cocktail fruit and a miniature umbrella.

Re: Mort: Chicago Not Interested in Briggs' Trade
 

[QUOTE=Longtimefan;292211]Any trade for Briggs would be puzzling to say the least. With the trade up last year to aquire Rocky McIntosh, the already high priced Marcus Washington, coupled with the recent addition of London Fletcher makes one wonder just what the Redskins are thinking when they have more pressing needs.[/QUOTE]

Honestly that's the only real problem I have with the deal. The fact that we've already made moves to get linebackers.

Re: Mort: Chicago Not Interested in Briggs' Trade
 

[QUOTE=Beemnseven;292153]Glad to finally see a rational, clear-thinking GM finally steps in and makes the right decision for the Redskins.

Now if we could only get Jerry Angelo to work for us.[/QUOTE]

LOL!