We mentioned on Sunday the report from ESPN’s Chris Mortensen regarding the possibility that the Michael Crabtree tampering investigation will include an interview of Deion Sanders, a league employee (via NFL Network) who created the current mess by talking on the air about the notion that two teams are willing to pay Crabtree twice the amount that the 49ers have placed on the table.
There’s another key figure in the tampering investigation: Agent Eugene Parker.
Parker isn’t required to cooperate, and he likely won’t. But, if he doesn’t, he won’t be able to rebut any information that the 49ers might provide regarding things that Parker said to them about, for example, the Jets’ interest in Crabtree.
The Jets surely will deny making any such statements — and that’s why, as Michael Lombardi pointed out last week on Inside the NFL, tampering is so rampant.
Basically, they all cheat, and then they all lie to cover up their cheating.
In this case, however, it’ll be interesting to see how the league handles the conflicting information. If, on one hand, the Niners says that Parker said something that would indicate tampering by the Jets and if, on the other hand, the Jets predictably deny it, how will it be resolved?
By choosing to remain silent, Parker could be giving credence to the Niners’ position. If, after all, Parker had nothing to hide, he’d talk. Moreover, if the Jets truly are a potential suitor for Crabtree’s services, Parker would want to avoid doing anything that might remove them as an option. Needless to say, if Parker were to snitch on the Jets, they probably would lose interest in his client. (And, possibly, in some of his other clients.)
Meanwhile, we’re hopeful that the ongoing CBA discussions (the next meeting is scheduled for tomorrow) will include negotiations regarding a joint mechanism for securing mandatory cooperation from agents in cases like this. Though the NFL has no power over any of them, the NFLPA exclusively regulates their work. So while Commissioner Roger Goodell can’t force Parker to talk, De Smith can. And Goodell and Smith need to realize that an atmosphere of brazen cheating does nothing to advance the long-term interests of the game, even if it sometimes helps a player finagle more money in the short-term, or a team to get a player that it covets.
I would say it is safe to say the 49ers could use a receiver, now that they are no longer undefeated, LOL. Think Crabtree’s stock might have just gone up, watching your team get beat by the 4th receiver on the depth chart yesterday playing ballerina at the back of the end zone?
“Parker isn’t required to cooperate, and he likely won’t. But, if he doesn’t, he won’t be able to rebut any information that the 49ers might provide regarding things that Parker said to them about, for example, the Jets’ interest in Crabtree.”
BS. It’s not gonna be a court thing, Mike. Doing exactly as you say that Parker CANNOT is as simple as answering certain questions and making certain statements and not answering certain other questions and making certain statements.
“Basically, they all cheat, and then they all lie to cover up their cheating.”
I take issue with that statement from Lombardi as a statement from somebody that’s either gotten busted for tampering or is desperate to remain relevant in the NFL. To you I would ask that you take your own advice. Don’t speak in absolutes.
“And Goodell and Smith need to realize that an atmosphere of brazen cheating does nothing to advance the long-term interests of the game”
Maybe they’ll just burn the NFLN tapes that show Deion talking about it.
Hopefully jackass, your career rivals the stardom of fellow players that sat out a year.
You know, the likes of Maurice Clarrett and Mike Williams.
Florio sounds like the guy who wants EVERY instance of line holding called. Forest for the trees, man. Do you really want to sit through a game with penalties every 2 or 3 plays (or more)?
Similarly, do you want a league where a team doesn’t have secret talks with agents regarding players? “Cheating” like this is part of the deception, part of the game within a game within a game. If you can mostly staying within the box as a lineman, you can sometimes get away with a little holding, a little leverage in the battle. If you keep your head down and are subtle about it, you can get away with bending around the rules. If you are dumb and get caught, you’re made an example of. Just like the offensive linemen.
It’s a gray line; not nearly as black-and-white as Florio makes it in this article.
Anyone else hate the word “tamper”? I can’t stand it. Can’t they use another word?
They TAMPERED, he was TAMPERING, let’s all go TAMPER each other….
If they just say:
“If you don’t talk, I won’t give you this dollar.”
Parker sings like a canary.
Good points.
However, if it’s true per Chris Mortenson’s report last week that Sanders’ testimony may be crucial to make or break the case, then SF’s complaint seems to be based on nothing more than hearsay.
You’d expect more (than hearsay) to base a finding of tampering. So, what was the burden of proof in the Briggs case? The Niners should know. That’s why I’d expect more than Sanders blabbing on the tube if SF really has a case.
ItalianArmyGuy says:
I would say it is safe to say the 49ers could use a receiver, now that they are no longer undefeated, LOL. Think Crabtree’s stock might have just gone up, watching your team get beat by the 4th receiver on the depth chart yesterday playing ballerina at the back of the end zone?
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LOL? Crabtree doesn’t play cornerback. There’s not much he could’ve done to stop Favre from the sidelines, now is there? So, no…Crabtree’s stock didn’t rise any. It is not “safe to say” any such nonsense.
@ rodstiffington
Clarrett and Mike Williams did not sit out a year. Clarrett challenged the NFL’s rule that a player must be three years removed from high school in order to be eligible for the NFL draft. He won the case and hired an agent. Williams made the mistake of jumping the gun on the ruling and hiring an agent when he too declared himself for the draft as well and he hired an agent. The court ruling was appealed and later overturned making both ineligible for the draft. Since they hired agents they could not go back and play for Ohio State or USC, so they had to wait a year to be eligible for the NFL draft. So..they did not sit out a year…they made poor choices that made them ineligible to play for a college team or in the NFL that year. Williams ended up getting drafted in the first round the next year…10th…same slot as Crabtree.
This is more than hearsay since Crabtree’s agent Eugene Parker was/is Deion Sanders’ agent, too, which suggests a targeted leak of information.
ItalianArmyGuy says:
I would say it is safe to say the 49ers could use a receiver, now that they are no longer undefeated, LOL. Think Crabtree’s stock might have just gone up, watching your team get beat by the 4th receiver on the depth chart yesterday playing ballerina at the back of the end zone?
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LOL? Crabtree doesn’t play cornerback. There’s not much he could’ve done to stop Favre from the sidelines, now is there? So, no…Crabtree’s stock didn’t rise any. It is not “safe to say” any such nonsense.
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And it took a play like that to win, at home, when San Fran had their best player on the sidelines for more than 3 quarters.
Not a very impressive showing bythe “future” Super Bowl champs.
The 49ers lost on the Briggs issue because the league pulled up phone records and saw that SF had been contacting Rosenhaus before the trade deadline. Now they could have been calling Rosenhaus about any one of his clients including current 49ers at the time (Jets fans are currently relying on Parker being Keller’s agent to suggest that phone records would not be dispositive – they of course ignore recent history in doing so.) In the Briggs case, the league saw the phone logs as enough evidence to punish them.
On the other hand, you have Deion going on national TV claiming other teams are not only making contact with Crabtree and/or Parker but specifically telling him they will pay him more money than the 49ers were offering.
This isn’t a situation where a team wanted to solidify a deal before making a trade at the deadline to ensure they’d keep the guy around a couple years. They jumped the gun in that regard and should have made the deal contingent on negotiating a long term extension. They made a mistake and were punished.
But the Crabtree, situatio, this is another team contacting a high draft pick claiming they will over-pay for his services if he refuses to sign with the team that drafted him. Talk about a slippery slope, especially on the precipice of an un-capped year.
The NFL should not want to fumble towards an MLB-esque draft scenario where too often signability determines draft picks and sometimes the best prospects fall to the teams who can afford to pay their large salary demands.
Grey area? What grey area? When the Pats got caugt taping everyone wanted them hung by the thumbs for something that certainly was “grey,” if you look at the rules. This isn’t grey, it is cheating. You aren’t allowed to talk to the player or his agent! Period, end of sentence.
The Jets are, and have been, one of the biggest cheats in the game, and have been for some time. Now that their ex employee Goodell is running things, they have gotten very brazen about it. Finally this year they at least got fined for one episode of their cheating. Hopefully they lose their first round pick to the Niners for this episode of cheating. The Jets have been accused of tampering more than any other team in the last decade. They deserve to get busted.
Tampering is an ugly word.
And Viking would never tamper with Brett Favre if he was still under contract with Packer, Jet or the high school team in Hattiesburg.
We just don’t go around tampering. So there.
now that Stepher Jones is on the compitition committee, the cowgirls will never tamper with pending free agent either.
STANJAM, WHAT THE ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE JETS HAVE BEEN CHEATING FOR SOME TIME, DO YOU HAVE ANY PROOF OR ARE YOU JUST YAPPING.
THEY SURE AS HELL ARE NOT DOING A GOOD JOB AT CHEATING BECAUSE THEY HAVEN’Y WON ANYTHING SINCE 1969.
STOP MAKING ACCUSATIONS FOR WHICH YOU HAVE NO PROOF.NOW GO BACK TO PICKING CORN IN IOWA.
The Vikings got a prayer yesterday. But watching Favre yesterday, he won’t make it through the season. Nor will Kurt Warener. The niners have all the leverage with CRAPTREE . Their QB is the 4 highest rated in the 4th qtr. The Niners will be 3-1 after kicking the shit out of the Rams at home on sunday. And the Falcons come to the Stick the week after giving the Niners a real shot at 4-1 into the bye week. The Niners really need CRAPTREE . No, they need to let him sit out the season, and trade him for a #1 next draft, and have 3 #1′s ( Niners have Carolina’s #1 in the next draft via a draft trade). Dez Bryant would work. Throw in a first rd tackle and db. Sounds good to me. fukq CRAPTREE ! Go Niners.
@ItalianDUMBguy
You have made the DUMBEST comments regarding this craptree situation.
The Niners must have SHITED on your team for a very long time. OBVIOUS, you have something against the NINERS.
We are fine without craptree and if it wasnt for a miracle the niners would be 3-0. The receiver was about the size of your slong from being out of bounds.
FastEddy415 says: September 28, 2009 2:59 PM
@ItalianDUMBguy
You have made the DUMBEST comments regarding this craptree situation.
The Niners must have SHITED on your team for a very long time. OBVIOUS, you have something against the NINERS.
We are fine without craptree and if it wasnt for a miracle the niners would be 3-0. The receiver was about the size of your slong from being out of bounds.
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Yeah, you are right, he was in bounds by a few feet.
If you had some firepower on your team, you wouldn’t have to be praying for blocked field goal returns to get points on the board. Everyone said you would lose once you played a real NFL team – guess what? You lost.
Just ignore Italianarmyguy his comments are never worth reading.
Idk why the phrase grey area is in here. It seems pretty black and white. If you can’t call a player or agent and the Niners have reason to believe that they called a player or agent then they have the right to accuse tampering. If the Jets did in fact contact a player or agent they cheated its as simple as that. If you are supporting the Jets on this I will tell you the same thing I told Pats fans when their team was caught cheating. Just because other teams might be doing it doesn’t make it any less cheating. Maybe less effective, but not less cheating. So if you are punished all it means is you suck at cheating.
Regarding Pimp Juice Man’s comments, yes I do have proof the Jets cheated they just got caught cheating like 2 weeks ago. They also been accused of more tampering than any other team this decade. We don’t know that they did it but if everyone does it like is supposed then the Jets either suck at tampering because they are doing a bad job at not getting caught, or do it more than everyone else.
ItalianDUMBguy
Ya pretty Ignorant more like an inch from being out of bounds.
Anyhow hope u enjoy the niners playoff push this year without Craptree. With 2 number one picks and a possible third coming from the jets. The niners are going to be force.