Arrington Interview

[SkinsRock]

I think LaVar needs to open his eyes and realize that whether the Redskins intentionally left it out or tried to deceive him or not, it's his agent's JOB to make sure it is correct before anything is signed. But he wasn't even there! The point is that it was signed.

He seems to have soured on the Redskins from a business standpoint and if Redskins do win the ruling, if/when he is asked to restructure in a few years, he will probably be gone.....and that sucks....

[BleedBurgundy]

Regardless, I'd say his agent is pretty much fired. He'd be stupid not too. Like you said, the agent didn't do his j-o-b. Honestly, I think LA believes he's such a big part of the team that the front office should give him a mulligan and include the bonus he thought he was getting. One thing to think about though is that no matter how the ruling goes, just because we were accused of double dealing, we look like crooks to next year's free agents.

[JWsleep]

Well, I don't know about a full-on mulligan, but when the skins win this case, they would be well served to add on SOMETHING to smooth things over. No way it's going to be another 6.5 in 2006, but they could find some cap-friendly incentive-type bonus money, and maybe Danny-boy could give him some stock in the skins... but only if LA fires that numbnuts agent!

[AnonEmouse]

No we don't. The front office have negotiated a lot of contracts without hitches since mr Snyder took over. Some of them were very much biased towards the players. Every player out there knows the Skins are capable of paying out big bucks on new contracts. One bit of bad news doesn't mean they'll all hate us.

Consider the TO situation. Anyone seriously believe the 49ers FO will suffer any fallout? Of course not.

The problem here, if you ask me, is will the NFLPA involvement swing the arbitrator against us? From the evidence that's been revealed (which of course could be BS), it looks like LA's agent screwed up and is responsible for not checking the contract (they weren't 'forced' to sign) before signature. If the NFLPA and LA's agent can bluster that the FO tricked LA et al, will the arbitrator ignore the 'buyer beware' maxim and decide we acted unfairly?

I truly hope common sense will out in this case, and the agents get it in the neck. It's about time they were called to task. They earn a lot of money off the back of other peoples achievements and seem to have very little responsibility in these issues.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by irish

What I found most interesting about the article is LA's lack of excitement for the coaching change. I suspect this is because LA realizes Gibbs will not put up with his $hit and wanting to do what he wants on defense and to top it off if it comes down to a pissing contest there is no way LA can beat Gibbs in the eyes of the fans or the media.

I think the redskins should look at this as an opportunity to gauge other teams interest in LA and see what can be had in a trade. I suspect LA could help the redskins more by being part of a blockbuster trade that staying on a team he will never respect again.

I can understand him being lukewarm towards yet another coaching change, even if it is a legend like Gibbs. How many defensive coordinators has LaVar had to work with now? Schotty, Rhodes, Lewis, Edwards and now Williams. Did I leave anyone out? LOL

That's 5 different coaches, 5 different philosophies, 5 different management styles, etc. After all, the constant changes is what drove Bailey away, so of course LaVar is going to be a bit skeptical. I think once they get down to business and LaVar sees how things are going to go under Gibbs he'll fall in line.

[sportscurmudgeon]

Once again, we need to try to keep this in perspective because we don't know nearly enough of the facts in this matter to draw conclusions. We know that Lavar says he was jobbed out of $6.5M - that's not news. We know that the Skins' FO says that they did everything on the up and up - and you'd expect them to say anything else?

Wait until the case goes to the arbitrator in full. Remember how everyone said that Terrell Owens' agent was at fault and there was no way on Earth that he could win his case? Well, he did.

The key facts of this case have not yet been revealed but they will come out when the arbitrator hears the case. And probably just like the TO matter, once the facts are presented and the sides have a pretty good idea who is going to prevail, there will be a settlement at the last minute.

Until then, LaVar will use the Washington papers to blow off steam and try to generate sympathy for his side of the case. And the Redskins' FO will do precisely the same. Stand by for more of this kind of stuff because I've heard from one person that the arbitrator's hearings and decision may not come until early June.

[Gmanc711]

LaVar Seemd pretty " melo " on the coaching change way back when it first occured, way before any of this crap came out. I have really mixed feelings on this issue, on one hand, I like Lavar and I think he is handling this somewhere in the middle. I do like how he says it wont affect his on feild performance, and he wont let this sour his relationship with his coaching staff. If LaVar is our guy for the future and forever, I think we have to look at giving him somthing just to make him happy, even though he dosent deserve it, because this whole thing is on " His side " ( him/agent). Whatever, as someone else pointed out, at least this isnt to Ty Law perportiaons, which by the way, I think he is making himself out to be the biggest ass in professional sports.

[dieselhog]

This is the thing I hate about the NFL.

If they leave arbitration until June, just suppose they declare LaVar a free agent. They are penalising the team (replacing him) and the player (options would be far more limited post 1st June).

Most teams needing a player at LaVar's position will have addressed the problem by then, thus limiting his choices as well as the team's.

They should get the damn thing sorted.... NOW, then everyone can move on!!

:FIREdevil

[sportscurmudgeon]

dieselhog:

There is no NFL rule that delays this until June. I was told that is how long it will take because there is a specified process for these kinds of things spelled out in the CBA and since this is thought to be a "complicated grievance", it will take longer than a grievance about something really simple.

The end date of "early June" that I heard comes from the date at which LaVar and his agent filed the grievance. Had it been filed in December, it probably would be almost over by now.

So this is not some grand conspiracy.

[Longtimefan]

Last year after we had won three of the first four games we played, LaVar was quoting Warren Sapp relevant to teams coming to Fed Ex havin to pay rent (speaking of defence) No one paid rent, and Lavar didn't play up to his lofty expectations.The next time we heard from LaVar, he was going to "Get" Sapp if he waltzed through our warmups. One minute He's Quoting Sapp, the next minute he's going to get him. LaVar's not working with a full deck.

[skinsguy]

Okay, this is what I get for not reading the whole thread, but to be honest, four pages of reading kind of scared me! LOL...I just heard on the news about the Lavar contact situation. He obviously should have read not only the fine print, but the finer print. I hate that he got screwed..but I mean, come on, it's not like he's going to be hurting for money anyways ya know. I would feel ashamed to be getting paid on of the top salaries in the league (not saying he is just saying in general) and not have the play to show for it. Of course, we all know that Arrington has the ability to be the next L.T., but honestly, this past year wasn't his best year ya know. Of course, I understand the case he has that he's had to work with 100 different D-Coords. in the past few years.

I just hope Arrington doesn't decide to go somewhere else if it's possible for him to do so. We definitely need him! Right now, he's the best player on the D!

[skinsfanthru&thru]

if somehow the ruling does go in favor of lavar(which from what has been made public, I don't think will happen) could the roster bonus be added to a different year than the one originally planned? cuz a $18 mil cap hit just ain't gonna happen and it would have to be reworked all over again.

[offiss]

IMO lavar is being paid because he's a personality and comes with a lot of hype, personally I do not think he's come close to fullfilling his lofty expectation's, new coordinator's or not, how many tackles has he missed the last 2 year's? that's not a coordinator's prob. as for changes in D-philosophy isn't that why we kept edward's so we could run the same D? with lavar's whole hearted approval I might add, he has been turned loose at the QB many times last year and failed to get there, I think lavar should be extatic over the contract he recieved because IMO it's to way to much for a LB of his production!

[Gmanc711]

I honestly think that next season(2005 season) is LaVar's year to show what he is really made of. I fully expect him to have a strong showing this year (2004), but if LaVar is going to be the HOF LB that we all hope and think he can be, I think in his second season with Greg Williams, he will come to form, or just stay a good, but not HOF Calibur Linebacker.

[Shane]

I think Thomas Boswell said it right when the Redskins' front office has to be presumed innocent on this until proven guilty. I really believe they are innocent.

I don't agree with the idea that if something was signed but done under circumstances where someone was taken advantage of that somehow he should just shut up and accept it, though.

However, Arrington is coming out and making some severe criticisms of the Redskins, and that is really unfortunate. He could have been quiet and gone to the arbitrator. Arrington said that there was a misunderstanding but that the Redskins didn't own up to it. Well maybe they have a side to the story, LaVar, and aren't going to give you an extra 6.5 million just because you thought that they agreed to do that. Obviously the way the contract was signed could easily lead to misunderstandings.

Arrington has been the public face of the Redskins, but there is a new show in town now, and LaVar doesn't fit in as prominently anymore. I hope he is going to recognize that the misunderstanding may have been his, apologize, and make amends.