Comments on: Vincent Jackson says Chargers tactics "feel unethical"

By: wohwinner

wohwinner — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 14:44:08 +0000

good job Vincent Jackson,
this is a free market and to offer him such a small tender is a smack in the face. Its as if you work for a company and break all the records and surpass what everyone else does and they turn around and not give you a raise but everyone else gets one. I would leave and never come back. Thats why san diego will lose year after year after year. The management team for the chargers should be fired. They were offered a 2nd and 3rd round pick and passed. WHAT A BUNCH OF LOSERS…..
Vincent Jackson will be a hall of famer and the chargers will be wanna bees for life.
I take my hat off to you Vincent for standing for your principles.

By: dave

dave — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 07:52:11 +0000

ask drew brees what? marty got his shoulder just about ripped off and we offerered him 10 mill , new orleans 10 mill offer was ‘guaranteed’
what does that matter anyway, drew was ‘the lord of no rings’ while in sd
as LT was ‘the lord of no rings’ while in sd
the team needs to move off the old indian burial ground haha

By: arejay

arejay — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 18:53:31 +0000

SD cut their nose off to spite their face. No winners here.
Couldn’t happen to a classier team. Ask Drew Brees. Ask LT.

By: Gomez25

Gomez25 — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 15:33:55 +0000

Maybe he should be happy that he is getting paid to play a kid’s game and take what he was offered and be happy!

By: dcollins8

dcollins8 — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 12:19:08 +0000

If you really wanted to play football you should have just signed your one year tender. Dont say you want to play when you wont sign your tender.

By: Gautam

Gautam — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 11:24:31 +0000

okay people who say that Jackson didn’t receive a long-term contract for running into problems with the law need to note the fact that AJ Smith didn’t even give a long term contract to his starting LT who as far as I know hasn’t had any issues with the law!
of course Jackson’s contract demands were way too much

By: longestlegs

longestlegs — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 10:53:09 +0000

Overpaid? 4 million a year for what the Chargers obiously consider (or consider for the purpose of trade) a top ten receiver is seriously not a lot of money. The Chargers are asking way too much, purposely.

By: Brobokil

Brobokil — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 10:48:47 +0000

Seems like both parties are in the wrong here. Chargers doing what they can to make sure no one is happy, even if it means they themselves will get nothing and lose out, and an immature player acting like skills on the field are the only thing that should be considered in payment and contract.
I’d just like to say TWO THUMBS UP VIKINGS for not caving and wasting valuable draft picks on a guy who may or may not help.
Besides our problem isn’t the receivers, it’s a tired old man who, God bless him, gives the effort, but just doesn’t have the passion for the game that he did a year ago. And the success that the majority of first round QB’s these past few years have shown, I’d say those 1st and 3rd picks will look great in the draft next year.
Freeman, Bradford, Stanford, Sanchez, Ryan, Flacco, these are all QB’s we could have had. Of course, I’d say passing Quinn for AP MAY have been a good idea too, lol.

By: JimmyY

JimmyY — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 10:28:18 +0000

Overrated, overpaid, get over-yourself. Him and his agent vastly overpriced his worth. They all knew or should have known, no CBA, no new contract, DUH. After the two DUI’s, acting like a jack-off on the field, having to have your QB drive you to the field on your playoff game, and who knows how many other issues the Chargers have had to deal with well, guess now its up to you and your agents VJ. Since you’ve said, oh, you’re prepared to sit out, how smart you are financially, prove it. Chargers, guess what, no Super Bowl rings with you and Mcneill, life goes on, they’ll learn to live without you to, Buh-bye!

By: sand0

sand0 — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 10:28:02 +0000

Here is the picture I have in my head. AJ Smith sitting in a room with other Chargers officials. They are all screaming at him “AJ you need to pull the trigger before the deadline or the offers will be reduced.” AJ just sits there with a confident, smug little grin on his face. “They’ll cave my boys. I bet your salaries on it.”
And nobody calls, obviously, because you don’t give up a 2nd and 3rd round pick for 12 weeks of a wide receiver with two DWI’s and a penchant for being a pain in the arse.
In all honesty I am mildly surprised that teams were allegedly willing to give up 2nd rounders. That must have been the Vikings or Redskins who figure to have later round picks or something. I doubt the Rams were going to give that.

By: Worst Poster Ever

Worst Poster Ever — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 10:25:03 +0000

SO much ignorance in these comments.
To all the idiots who keep saying “he has a contract,” he doesn’t have a contract, and he didn’t sign a contract. The Chargers offered him a year tender (which is a contract) and he DID NOT sign it, so no, he is not under contract.
So frustrating to watch typically ignorant peons like this bunch talk out of their asses with such emotion while they have absolutely zero clue what they are even talking about.

By: GDBroker

GDBroker — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 10:21:59 +0000

Not taking either side on this issue, just amazed at the number of posters spitting out the “He signed a contract and now he’s not honoring it” line. For the record, he did honor the contract he signed. That contract is now over and because of this the Chargers offered him a tender, as is their right, and he has yet to sign it, as is his right.
But to be clear, VINCENT JACKSON IS NOT UNDER CONTRACT, therefore he is not holding out and is not reneging on a deal he already agreed to. He is simply UNSIGNED. I hate using caps to prove a point but it just seems like most of the commentors here just don’t get it. Shocker.
I’m a Pats fan and I hear the same BS on how Mankins signed a contract and now wants more money. Um, no, that isn’t the case. The Pats own his rights and they haven’t been able to make a deal. Not the same thing as not honoring a contract people.

By: DRex

DRex — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 10:14:17 +0000

Get rid of Schwartz and Feinsod. They are costing you money and obviously giving you bad advice Vincent!!!
It’s the agent’s job to know what he’s dealing with in a GM and they have to have the ability to measure AJ Smith’s resolve. If they had a brain, they would have seen what this would end up like.
Galloway’s career was never as great as it could have been after he held out.

By: meatball13

meatball13 — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 10:09:59 +0000

A.J. thinks V.J. is worth the same more than what Philly got for McNabb?

By: reno76

reno76 — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 10:08:18 +0000

unethical——-this comes from the drunk driver known as Vincent Jackson

By: heyguru

heyguru — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 09:54:10 +0000

Dictionary definition:
Unethical (un-ETH-i-kal). Adjective. “Morally wrong, or against accepted standards of behavior, especially in a particular profession.”
Kind of like committing yourself to a professional sports team and teammates, including a signed contractual agreement that guarantees you to be a millionaire and then some for services rendered, then suddenly backing out and abandoning your teammates who trusted you and helped you succeed in the first place.
Any part of that you don’t understand VJ? Why don’t you look up “Karma” in the dictionary. You’ve over-estimated your worth to the Chargers or any other team. I’m offering you a 3-step solution:
1) Apologize publicly for your childish behavior
2) Serve your suspension and stay in shape
3) Return and play out your contract to the best of your abilities, then get whatever additional payday you earn.

By: longestlegs

longestlegs — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 09:53:52 +0000

He is not under contract, I believe. The Chargers own his rights though.

By: nflhof

nflhof — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 09:51:55 +0000

The agents sent VJ packing and he is still on vacation right now. Everyone in SD knew what AJ Smith would do hell AJ told everyone up front wha he was going to do and the agents chose to take a tact that effed their guy. The agents are the ones who thought they could play AJ while holding no cards. The Jets in their reality tv show made themselves look soft and not incontrol with revis so the agents took control and won and now look what they have? revis says he may have to hold out 2 years. More power to AJ because he does his job and that is what is best for his employer the chargers.

By: lawdjayee

lawdjayee — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 09:51:31 +0000

Florio, we all know how you feel about AJ Smith, and sure, I’m glad he’s not my boss. But seriously, you’re basing this entire thing on the words of two incompetent agents who are claiming that they haven’t priced Jackson out of the market. When it’s pretty clear they have.
Also, the Chargers “announced,” through beat reporter Kevin Acee, that they would not be offering VJ a long-term deal, back in May! VJ playing for SD this year was never going to happen…

By: Switch1

Switch1 — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 09:51:00 +0000

The bottom line is The Chargers get NOTHING. Charger Fans YOU GET NOTHING!
Good Job A.J. Smith, you showed him, . You sure did whats best for the organization by not taking compensation close to what you wanted?
Now he signs with another team next year and you get notta~
Geez what a putz.
And that is a fact. Scream all you want “well he is is greedy, He held out and he’s a drunken idiot, YOU GET NOTHING!
dum dums!
Equals Fans lose, organozation loses.

By: JoeMcRugby

JoeMcRugby — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 09:41:08 +0000

Just as the Chargers tendered VJ under the rules of the CBA, 99%+ of VJ’s 211 RFA brethren were tendered the same. Virtually all of them signed the tenders – if I’m not mistaken – by June 15th when teams threatened to reduce the tenders to 110% of their 2009 salaries. These RFAs who signed their tenders included other Pro Bowlers and I can’t recall any of the 211 other RFAs getting a one-year bridge contract to UFA status at a $1 more than their RFA tender.
VJ and his agents are tilting at windmills: they’re asking VJ to be treated like a UFA instead of the RFA that he is.
Truth is that the Chargers are treating VJ no more “unethically” than those “loser” franchises New England, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh have treated holdouts over the years.
And it’s good to see that you’ve finally acknowledged what I and others have been saying for months, Mike:
RFAs holding out and remaining as an RFA the following season is currently the status quo. In order to change the status quo regarding an issue that is important to the owners in the overall scheme (i.e. not rewarding holdouts with the “golden ticket” of UFA status), the NFLPA will have to give up something of significance that in all likelihood will negatively impact all 2,000 players.
Banking on the fact that he’ll be a UFA after holding out for the season would be yet another foolish decision on VJ’s part after following his agents’ advice and promises that if he follows their lead, he’ll get a bridge contract for one season at much more than the CBA-mandated RFA tender that 209 out of 212 players signed followed by the UFA “pot of gold” in 2011. All of Schwartz’s and Feinsod’s promises to VJ crumbled yesterday when the Vikings refused to tender reasonable compensation for a Pro Bowl WR, largely due to Schwartz’s and Feinsod’s unreasonable long-term contract demands for a currently-suspended player who is one DUI away from a year-long suspension.
And all of this is not taking into account that players seem to be hell-bent on decertifying the union in 2011, thereby locking in the current CBA rules until issues can be litigated years down the road.
Current rules = holdout RFAs remain RFAs the following season.
Unless Feinsod and Schwartz get a long-term deal done during the 36 hour window that’s coming up in October – or a desperate Vikings team is willing to add at least a 4th round pick to the 2nd rounder (and they’ll recoup a 2012 compensatory 3rd rounder if VJ bails on them after the season) – VJ’s only smart play is to report before Week 8, serve his 3 game roster exempt “suspension” and gain his guaranteed UFA status through his active-roster status from Week 12 through Week 17.
Otherwise, it will likely be Groundhog Day for VJ and his agents “who are doing a great job” in 2011.

By: andyprough

andyprough — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 09:41:07 +0000

I guess if none of the 31 teams were willing to spend a 2nd and a 3rd for one of the NFL’s top producing receivers, that should tell Jackson and his agents all they need to know about his value on the market. How often do 2nd and 3rd round picks turn into top producing players in the NFL at their positions? I’ll bet it is far less than 50%, even for 1st round picks.

By: Chapnasty.

Chapnasty. — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 09:34:50 +0000

“Is anyone else fed up with the current pro athlete mentality?”
@ Ross
I think most of us are fed up with this kind of BS and that is why many of us are on the side of the owners. The owners may make a lot of money but they also risk a lot of money as well. By trusting their money with guys like this it is easy to understand why they are so rigid in negotiations.

By: MissionValleyMafia

MissionValleyMafia — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 09:29:45 +0000

Should have Taken the $3.2mil proved to the Chargers that he is a good guy and gotten a gates style contract in the offseason.
Now he makes nothing. That is what he deserves.
You don’t get a pay raise for getting 2 DUI’S, Almost getting arrested the day of a playoff game and then kicking a challenge flag.
He needed Rivers and the Chargers more than they needed him. Good riddance.
Now can we please sign Marcus McNeil….
Vincent and his agent knows that the Chargers don’t negotiate with terrorists. But they thought AJ smith would change? Bad advice and they were way too worried about Revis to give a crap about VJ until it was too late.

By: Coach Stram

Coach Stram — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 09:27:04 +0000

“Unethical”?
Please correct me if Im wrong, but is’nt this deadbeat under contract?
Pot, meet kettle.

By: HarrisonHits

HarrisonHits — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 09:26:58 +0000

Jackson, just another greedy POS who thinks he is better and more important than the system. GFY Jackson.

By: Switch1

Switch1 — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 09:24:39 +0000

Wow I’m agreeing with Mike. You can’t ask Elite reciever trade compensation and then turn around and only offer the player a minimum tender for a veteran. Thats pretty lame. The Chargers could off took what other teams werer offering which was a 2nd and a later round pick, but they wouldn’t budge. The Chargers are already loaded on picks for 2011 from other trades. Obviously they wanted to stick it to Jackson. Pretty stupid, GM ego gets no picks now and he’s a free agent next year. :/

By: LiveNBreatheFootball

LiveNBreatheFootball — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 09:18:54 +0000

Actually, from a business standpoint it makes complete sense. Buy low, sell high. If they are getting rid of him, they want as much as possible for him. If they are keeping him, they want to pay as little as possible for him. The other teams are doing the same thing by refusing to compensate the Chargers at the asking price.
The unethical thing is that the Chargers know Jackson has no choice since the Chargers own his rights. He has no choice but to accept their buy/sell terms. He can’t go elsewhere.

By: Sinatra's Index Finger

Sinatra's Index Finger — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 09:17:38 +0000

When I was about 10 years old my father made me watch the movie “The Sting” claiming that, within the movie, I’d find THE most important life lesson. Unfortunately I failed; the subtlety beyond my adolescent brain. I asked him to explain it and he said that he would not; that I’d have to discover and understand the metaphor on my own. It wasn’t until I was in my mid-twenties and watched the movie again that it struck me.
At the end of the movie Redford and Newman had scammed Robert Shaw out of his money BUT Shaw didn’t know that. Shaw thought they’d shot each other and were dead. “Winning” for Redford and Newman was about the money. They won without Shaw feeling that he’d been bested. Sure he’d lost his money but he could sleep soundly in the knowledge that Redford and Newman hadn’t won since, after all, he thought they were dead.
For too many people winning requires the other person KNOW that they’ve lost. Even if you get what you want (the money) you can’t feel satisfied unless your opponent (Shaw) knows that you’ve bested him. You want – no you NEED the satisfaction of rubbing his nose in it.
Assuming I understand the intricacies of this situation we have AJ Smith able to get a 2nd round choice PLUS an additional conditional choice or he can do nothing this year and receive no more than a 3rd round choice. Smith chose the latter option. Why?
The answer is in the movie “The Sting”. It isn’t enough for Smith to win (receiving the maximum compensation); Vincent Jackson must lose and KNOW that he lost (basically sitting out all of 2010).

By: madhat420bx

madhat420bx — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 09:14:25 +0000

Sounds like somebody (VJ and his agents) are now upset that their attempt at forcing the Chargers hands failed, and they are now resorting to name calling and allegations of “unethical” business practices.
I say he got exactly what he deserved. The guy had a ~3.5 millions offer on the table to come in for one year, show he was going to be able to avoid further DUI’s or kicking penalty flags on the field. Now he wants to say things like “They obviously think I’m a valuable player by asking for such high trade compensation, but why am I only offered tender salary?” Well they offered him the maximum tender they could. I mean lets be blunt for a second. Any jerk who tries to tell me that they couldn’t live off of 3.5 million for the rest of their lives needs to be slapped. Especially when the unemployment percentage rate is double digits in SD.
I truly hope he sits out, and remains a restrictred free agent next year.
Besides, VJ will find out real quick the best thing he had going for him was the man getting him the ball.