“The one thing we know for sure, and that players eventually figure out, is that the National Football League moves on. Players … They’re always replaced. The league goes on, players continue to play, coaches continue to coach, and the game goes on.”
This quote more than any other synthesizes contemporary sports in America. Plain and simply … it’s a business. And it seems that Mr. Crabtree clearly understands this point. As in many business decisions, he is taking a risk which he, no doubt, hopes will pay dividends in the long run. His advantage, in my mind, is that no one knows just how good (or bad) he will be and so as long as he stays in shape and out of trouble there will always be some team that would be willing to pay for his services … even if he has to sit out a year. With an injury (Bo Jackson), bad luck (Drew Bledsoe) or just making a bad decision (Michael Vick/Plaxico Burress) lurking to derail a players career at any given moment … why not negotiate to get the money up front and guaranteed. That’s just good business. More power to him. Stay strong my brutha!
Michael Crabtree holds out for a better NFL contract, and the questions fly
