Thread: Culpepper might be unhappy...........

Seems like Daunte and his agent mihgt want to rework his deal!
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=knight-_WWW_SPRT_12321883&prov=knight&type=lgns

I am not worried. Pep will get his $$$ and then get his roll on!

If that is really what is happening, I would not be very happy about it. I can understand players like Hines Ward wanting more money, because he has obviously out-played the contract. If Culpepper actually does want to change his deal that he signed for 10 years then that just doesn't make sense to me. Did he think that in a few years he would still be one of the top paid players in the league with the way salaries have been going? My advice is to not sign a contract for so long if you don't want to honor it.

Reading that article, this makes sense. He should be paid with the best. He is a top 3 QB. However, the thing here that does matter, is that he is going about it the way it should be done. None of that whiny stuff like Law last year, and the whole bunch of them this year. Either way, it will work out fine, I believe.

Turn this situation around for a minute: If you or I, or any of us "normal" citizens, were to want to "renegotiate" our salaries in mid-work, what do you think would happen? We'd be either laughed off the job or fired. I just think that these highly-overpaid "athletes" live in a totally different world than you or I, and it's really ridiculous the amount of money these guys make, compared to some teacher's salaries (right, VS?). My feeling is, you sign a contract, you HONOR that contract - no ifs, ands or buts, PERIOD. Then, at the end of the contract, look to make more money. I'm tired of doling out MY hard-earned paycheck for tickets and paraphenalia, just to keep these people in their Maserati's and bling-bling.

I'm glad to see the "renegotiate my contract" disease has worked its way across the Mississippi River.

I just hope that Whizzinator disease doesn't come our way. We already have Cletidus Hunt, but I think we're innoculated.

"shockzilla" wrote:

Turn this situation around for a minute: If you or I, or any of us "normal" citizens, were to want to "renegotiate" our salaries in mid-work, what do you think would happen? We'd be either laughed off the job or fired. I just think that these highly-overpaid "athletes" live in a totally different world than you or I, and it's really ridiculous the amount of money these guys make, compared to some teacher's salaries (right, VS?). My feeling is, you sign a contract, you HONOR that contract - no ifs, ands or buts, PERIOD. Then, at the end of the contract, look to make more money. I'm tired of doling out MY hard-earned paycheck for tickets and paraphenalia, just to keep these people in their Maserati's and bling-bling.

I agree 100% Shock. Can you imagine if the average working citizen called their boss up and said "I'm not reporting to my job until you agree to give me more money." I don't care what position in the company you have, they'd say "well don't bother coming in at all, cuz you're fired" and then you'd be the laughing stock of the company.

There was an article in one of the local fishwraps.





Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper was noticeably absent from Saturday's two practices.

Given the low intensity of the sessions, with both practices cut short and on the eve of the players' first break of training camp, Culpepper's absence did not raise any red flags.

Vikings coach Mike Tice indicated after the morning practice that a few players were excused for "personal reasons." He only specifically mentioned first-year guard Shannon Snell, but his umbrella certainly covered Culpepper and running back Michael Bennett, neither of whom was at either practice.

It's not unusual for veterans to get an extra day off during training camp. Head coaches, especially ones who played in the NFL as Tice did, are sensitive to rewarding key veterans whenever they can during training camp. But there are circumstances that suggest something might be brewing with Culpepper, as his agent, Mason Ashe, and Vikings vice president of football operations, Rob Brzezinski, have engaged in at least two discussions over a three-day span.

Both Ashe and Brzezinski declined to answer several questions regarding Culpepper, ranging from the quarterback's absence at practices Saturday to whether they were discussing contract matters.

Their silence could indicate that Culpepper's current deal is under review. Since agents and contract negotiators are not usually chummy, given the competitive nature of their interactions, the two probably did not speak for more than an hour about the weather.

Ashe attended the early-evening practice Wednesday, and he spent at least a half-hour talking to Brzezinski on a remote part of the practice field at Minnesota State (Mankato).

That an agent visits one of his star clients during training camp is not at all odd. Ashe and Randy Moss' agent, Dante DiTrapano, regularly stopped by for a day or two in recent years.

But Ashe resurfaced at Friday evening's intrasquad scrimmage, having an animated discussion with Brzezinski � again for at least a half-hour � in the shadows of an end zone. At one point, Brzezinski's salary cap partner, Dave Blando, the Vikings' director of football administration, joined them. Then, after the scrimmage ended, Vikings chairman Zygi Wilf talked to the two of them for more than 10 minutes.

Their discussion could have been about revising Culpepper's contract. Since signing his incentive-laden, 10-year, $102 million contract in May 2003, more than 18 other NFL players have trumped Culpepper financially. His contract included $15 million in guaranteed money, a respectable figure at the time but one that has been surpassed by many since.

When Culpepper signed his deal in 2003, the rage among elite quarterbacks was heavily inflated $100 million contracts. The only QBs to own such deals were Donovan McNabb of the Philadelphia Eagles, Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers and Drew Bledsoe, who is now with the Dallas Cowboys.

The next year, however, a new trend started.

Players and agents wanted less illusion and more reality, demanding the only certainty to NFL players, guaranteed money.

Peyton Manning raised the bar and re-established a new one, agreeing to a seven-year, $98 million contract with the Indianapolis Colts in March that included $34.5 million in guarantees, $14 million more than the previous record guarantee held by McNabb. In December, a new benchmark was set by Michael Vick, who agreed to an eight-year, $130 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons that included a whopping $37 million in guarantees. In May, Tom Brady of the New England Patriots reworked his deal and received $26.5 million in guarantees.

For the Vikings, redoing Culpepper's deal would be beneficial for multiple reaons. First, they have the most salary cap space of any NFL team, believed to be more than $8 million, which would give them the flexibility to rework Culpepper's contract. Secondly, Wilf would make a strong statement to Culpepper, who is clearly his franchise's top player and the key to their Super Bowl aspirations.

A three-time Pro Bowl quarterback, Culpepper received a $2.5 million roster bonus this offseason, and $1 million of his $1.54 million base salary for this season is guaranteed. In addition, he can earn up to $1.5 million more in incentives.

But those figures pale in comparison to more modern deals. For instance, the NFL's top draft pick, quarterback Alex Smith, is guaranteed $24 million even if he never completes a pass for the San Francisco 49ers.





I understand that his contract may be outdated, but it was not when he signed it. He should be in camp, if a deal gets worked out great. If not, do your best and win the damn superbowl!

After reading the article, I would have no problem with the Vikings "restructuring" his contract, just so long as it ended up helping the Vikings salary cap situation, which it could quite possibly do. Just as long as he is looking for more of the money in his contract to be "guaranteed" and not more money in general, I am fine with it. Just so long as it doesn't cause any distractions. Liken it to a salary advance, if you will...if we need to put it in the context of what us "regular Joes" get.

I think people are reading into this WAY too much. Culpepper missed a practice. Big Deal! He was excused. This is from the Scout article yesterday.

It’s OK to be gone

Tice said that quarterback Daunte Culpepper, running back Michael Bennett and offensive lineman Shannon Snell were excused from both practices Saturday. Tice said that Culpepper and Bennett would return to Mankato by the 6:30 p.m. deadline Sunday, but Snell might not be back until Monday.

Is Bennett reworking his deal too???

Whoever was the author that wrote that stupid article just assumed that because Pep missed practice that he was reworking his deal, which is complete baloney. If he did think that he needed a new one, then his agent and the team would've talked about in the offseason. Daunte wouldn't just wait until the middle of training camp and then start complaining!!!!