Lavar Tribute

[Riggo44]

Originally Posted by PSUSkinsFan21

Just so I'm clear.......you have a problem with a guy that actually gave the skins back $4 million? If he wanted to be a real a$$ about it, he would have made the skins cut him and take the cap hit. Instead he chose to leave like a professional and start anew somewhere else, without ANY harm coming to the Redskins. And you want to hate him for it? Do you even bother thinking any of these things through before you post? I mean, do you ever bother to sit back and actually try to use ration or reason?

And who really turned his back on who here? Lavar stuck with this team through its darkest days. He was an outstading citizen for the D.C. area. He showed nothing but love to the fans. He never threatened to test free agency. He never demanded a trade. He dealt with a revolving door of coaches and coordinators through the most crucial time in his career for developing into an NFL player...............And last year he was benched. He was second sting for a number of games and wasn't allowed to be an every-down player. Now I'm not going to rehash the wisdom of the coaches' decisions in that regard. That's not the point of this post. But from his perspective, who really turned their back on who here? Should we expect him to stay on a team that doesn't really appreciate or want him? Should we expect him to want to continue his career being allowed to play 70% of all downs or occasionally being benched? Why would or should we expect that of him? Or perhaps, just maybe, what happened here is that both sides realized that the current coaching staff and Lavar just don't fit with each other anymore. Doesn't matter whose fault that is, they just didn't fit. And so the professional thing to do, if you really love a team, is to leave, start somewhere else fresh, and make as few waves as possible in the process. Why you want to crucify a guy who voluteered to improve the Skins' cap situation on the way out is simply beyond me. Of course, blind hatred makes people say some pretty stupid shit, doesn't it?

Great post. I agree with you 100%

[12thMan]

I was gonna start a new thread on this one...but what the hell.

I don't think it's out of the question that LaVar could return in a season or two. We've seen it happen before with other players. And he's made it perfectly clear that he's a Redskin. It just seems that he was very careful in his comments to not burn any bridges.

[PSUSkinsFan21]

Originally Posted by Riggo44

Great post. I agree with you 100%

Thanks Riggo

[PSUSkinsFan21]

Originally Posted by 12thMan

I was gonna start a new thread on this one...but what the hell.

I don't think it's out of the question that LaVar could return in a season or two. We've seen it happen before with other players. And he's made it perfectly clear that he's a Redskin. It just seems that he was very careful in his comments to not burn any bridges.

It's no secret that I'd welcome him back with open arms. My guess is Gibbs/Williams won't have any interest, but with as often as our coaching staff turns over, you never know (although I'd rather have this staff stay on for the next decade if it means playoffs and rings).

[12thMan]

Originally Posted by PSUSkinsFan21

It's no secret that I'd welcome him back with open arms. My guess is Gibbs/Williams won't have any interest, but with as often as our coaching staff turns over, you never know (although I'd rather have this staff stay on for the next decade if it means playoffs and rings).

Well, my feelings are in a couple of years he'll still be 29 yrs old. Feelings will have subsided some and perhaps the Redskins will actually have a need to use an athletic LB with a lower price tag.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by PSUSkinsFan21

Just so I'm clear.......you have a problem with a guy that actually gave the skins back $4 million? If he wanted to be a real a$$ about it, he would have made the skins cut him and take the cap hit. Instead he chose to leave like a professional and start anew somewhere else, without ANY harm coming to the Redskins. And you want to hate him for it? Do you even bother thinking any of these things through before you post? I mean, do you ever bother to sit back and actually try to use ration or reason?

And who really turned his back on who here? Lavar stuck with this team through its darkest days. He was an outstading citizen for the D.C. area. He showed nothing but love to the fans. He never threatened to test free agency. He never demanded a trade. He dealt with a revolving door of coaches and coordinators through the most crucial time in his career for developing into an NFL player...............And last year he was benched. He was second sting for a number of games and wasn't allowed to be an every-down player. Now I'm not going to rehash the wisdom of the coaches' decisions in that regard. That's not the point of this post. But from his perspective, who really turned their back on who here? Should we expect him to stay on a team that doesn't really appreciate or want him? Should we expect him to want to continue his career being allowed to play 70% of all downs or occasionally being benched? Why would or should we expect that of him? Or perhaps, just maybe, what happened here is that both sides realized that the current coaching staff and Lavar just don't fit with each other anymore. Doesn't matter whose fault that is, they just didn't fit. And so the professional thing to do, if you really love a team, is to leave, start somewhere else fresh, and make as few waves as possible in the process. Why you want to crucify a guy who voluteered to improve the Skins' cap situation on the way out is simply beyond me. Of course, blind hatred makes people say some pretty stupid shit, doesn't it?

So you think Lavar gave back the 4 mil to help the skins and you are sure it was not so he could become a free agent before all the teams used up their cap money? I'm sad to see him go but I don't know if I buy that one but if I was Lavar that would be my story. I also have a hard time thinking that he wants to stay in the NFC so he can come to DC and play once a year. I would have to think its to show the skin and fans that the team was wrong about him.

[PWNED]

heres a question, do you think they would have cut him and just let him keep the money or do you think they would have made an example out of him and just bench him for the next two seasons? I truly think that he was trying to help out to an extent, if for any reason for his teammates and friends.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by PWNED

heres a question, do you think they would have cut him and just let him keep the money or do you think they would have made an example out of him and just bench him for the next two seasons? I truly think that he was trying to help out to an extent, if for any reason for his teammates and friends.

I have no idea.I was just asking because people are saying he did it for the team and there is no way on knowing.

[PSUSkinsFan21]

Originally Posted by firstdown

So you think Lavar gave back the 4 mil to help the skins and you are sure it was not so he could become a free agent before all the teams used up their cap money? I'm sad to see him go but I don't know if I buy that one but if I was Lavar that would be my story. I also have a hard time thinking that he wants to stay in the NFC so he can come to DC and play once a year. I would have to think its to show the skin and fans that the team was wrong about him.

Well, he was going to be a free agent either way. My point is that if he wanted to screw the Skins over, he could have waited for them to cut him. Instead, he opted to leave and forego the $4.4 mill. I might understand hating him if he chose the former course of action.

As for hitting the market ahead of others, I don't really think that's an issue. I haven't heard anything about any teams offering him a contract yet.......and any team that is interested in him is in no different position by negotiating with him now or later. Either they're going to spend the money on a LB or they're going to spend their money elsewhere. Regardless of when they sign him, he's no more or less affordable to that particular team. It all counts against the cap. Also, I might note that Lavar agreed to forego the $4.4 mill even before the new cap was set for this year. Before last night, teams would have had to sign him with the understanding that the cap would be the same as last year (i.e. if no CBA extension was reached). It wasn't until late last night that the teams learned what the new 2006 cap is. So, at the time he agreed to leave the Skins, there was actually less money for teams to spend on him than if he would have waited and forced the Skins to cut him.

As for wanting to stay in the NFC East, I'm mixed. I don't doubt that he wants to stay in this division and prove himself, but I also think he's just so much more familiar with the teams in this division. He's a more knowledgeable player with respect to the NFC East teams, so why not want to stay here? In addition, Lavar just loves the game. He loves going out there and playing football. It's still fun for him. I imagine it would be more fun for him to play with and against the guys he's come to know best from playing in the NFC East for his entire career.

Again, I just don't see anything wrong with the way he handled this situation. He didn't burn any bridges and he didn't take any shots at the Skins organization. I wish more guys would follow his lead instead of acting like fools like Trotter who came to the skins talking all kinds of smack about how he couldn't wait to stick it to the Eagles and how they were such a terrible and ungrateful franchise (only to go back to them with his tail between his legs after a few overpaid years of disappointment).

[PWNED]

Originally Posted by firstdown

I have no idea.I was just asking because people are saying he did it for the team and there is no way on knowing.

theres no way of knowing but youd have to say that the facts tend to lean towards him actually doing the team a favor.

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Originally Posted by PWNED

theres no way of knowing but youd have to say that the facts tend to lean towards him actually doing the team a favor.

Damn PWNED! You're burning up the site. You've posted over 100 posts in what, 2 days? At this rate, you'll be a Pro Bowler in a week.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by PSUSkinsFan21

Well, he was going to be a free agent either way. My point is that if he wanted to screw the Skins over, he could have waited for them to cut him. Instead, he opted to leave and forego the $4.4 mill. I might understand hating him if he chose the former course of action.

As for hitting the market ahead of others, I don't really think that's an issue. I haven't heard anything about any teams offering him a contract yet.......and any team that is interested in him is in no different position by negotiating with him now or later. Either they're going to spend the money on a LB or they're going to spend their money elsewhere. Regardless of when they sign him, he's no more or less affordable to that particular team. It all counts against the cap. Also, I might note that Lavar agreed to forego the $4.4 mill even before the new cap was set for this year. Before last night, teams would have had to sign him with the understanding that the cap would be the same as last year (i.e. if no CBA extension was reached). It wasn't until late last night that the teams learned what the new 2006 cap is. So, at the time he agreed to leave the Skins, there was actually less money for teams to spend on him than if he would have waited and forced the Skins to cut him.

As for wanting to stay in the NFC East, I'm mixed. I don't doubt that he wants to stay in this division and prove himself, but I also think he's just so much more familiar with the teams in this division. He's a more knowledgeable player with respect to the NFC East teams, so why not want to stay here? In addition, Lavar just loves the game. He loves going out there and playing football. It's still fun for him. I imagine it would be more fun for him to play with and against the guys he's come to know best from playing in the NFC East for his entire career.

Again, I just don't see anything wrong with the way he handled this situation. He didn't burn any bridges and he didn't take any shots at the Skins organization. I wish more guys would follow his lead instead of acting like fools like Trotter who came to the skins talking all kinds of smack about how he couldn't wait to stick it to the Eagles and how they were such a terrible and ungrateful franchise (only to go back to them with his tail between his legs after a few overpaid years of disappointment).

Oh, I realy don't have any problem with how he left we kind of knew it was coming. I was just asking the question.

[PSUSkinsFan21]

Originally Posted by firstdown

Oh, I realy don't have any problem with how he left we kind of knew it was coming. I was just asking the question.

It's a good question. I was just reiterating why I made my initial post in response to the haters out there. I guess for me, even if he did forego the $4.4 mill for selfish reasons, I'm just glad he wasn't spiteful and didn't try screwing the Skins even when he had the opportunity. Most players don't leave so gracefully. So maybe it's not so much that he did what he did to help the Skins, as much as he did what he did to not hurt the Skins. I know it's a very fine line, but there is a distinction there, and I wouldn't take issue with anyone who feels that the latter is what really happened.

[Pocket$ $traight]

The ONLY reason he restructured is because he feels he will get a better deal by being available when FA starts period.

If anyone truly believes that Lavar was trying to help the skins they are kidding themselves. He has always looked out for himself.

It is us vs. them. Lavar is one of them.

[PSUSkinsFan21]

He was going to be available at the start of free agency one way or another.

And again, the point is that he could have screwed the skins if he wanted to. He didn't, so there's no reason to hate him for the way he left. It was a mutual parting between player and coaching staff. I don't get what the big deal is.