Gibbs hinted that Springs is hiding an injury

[heybigstar]

My gut feeling is that Springs is not on great terms with Williams, Gibbs, and / or Snyder.. He just said this to the post:

Springs said. "I don't know what Coach Gibbs is talking about." Springs, who rebuffed requests for him to slash his salary in the offseason, said that he is not anticipating a quick change to his starting status. "Start? I doubt it," Springs said. "Usually when you start the season off like that, that's probably the way it is."

Springs said that he is okay with his role, and was not shocked to be on the bench, though privately some players said that the coaches did not clarify the starting situation with the corners until game day, and did not speak with them to clarify their status. Springs laughed that off.

"Man, with my salary this year I'm not trippin,' " he said.

The two bolded comments look like shots at Gibbs and Snyder.

[SmootSmack]

We really don't need another "player in the doghouse" story. Hopefully it's something minor and we can just get on with the season.

[AlvinWalton'sNeckBrace]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

We really don't need another "player in the doghouse" story. Hopefully it's something minor and we can just get on with the season.

I was just about to post something to this effect....if GW hasn't figured out that this kind of crap hurts the team...then he'll never be a head coach...granted that my statement is only valid if it is in fact a case of springs being "in the dog house"

[70Chip]

Hopefully this will blow over. Hopefully they are just being careful with him. Williams needs to do whatever he needs to do to nip this in the bud so we can move on. We certainly don't need another Dale Lindsay/Lavar situation. Figure out a way to co-exist and then everyone smile and keep your mouth shut. I'll never understand all this childishness.

And Springs is getting all his money for this season, so there is no reason for him to be upset. What does he want? A guaranteed lifetime contract? Maybe a Snickers bar?

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by 70Chip

Hopefully this will blow over. Hopefully they are just being careful with him. Williams needs to do whatever he needs to do to nip this in the bud so we can move on. We certainly don't need another Dale Lindsay/Lavar situation. Figure out a way to co-exist and then everyone smile and keep your mouth shut. I'll never understand all this childishness.

And Springs is getting all his money for this season, so there is no reason for him to be upset. What does he want? A guaranteed lifetime contract? Maybe a Snickers bar?

Maybe a Klondike bar?

[AlvinWalton'sNeckBrace]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Maybe a Klondike bar?

what would you do for a klondike bar?

would you act like a monkey....

would you ...kill a man............

[offiss]

Without being behind the scenes, it looks like there's some vindictiveness going on here, Springs refused to get on board with a pay cut, and now it's payback, Springs looked like he wasnt quite cutting the way he should? Awfully astute for a coach who has been playing Mark Brunell for the last 3 years, to find out after every bad performance Mark may have had an arm or leg injury? What happened to letting Springs go out on the field and fight his guts out? Gibbs constantly sings the praises of players who fight through injuries, yet Springs and the players around him say he's fine and yet he's not on the field? I have to laugh, at least have the guts to leave out the lame excuses.

[hagams]

Wow. I can't see him being injured as much as he has. I like him, but this can't be over-looked.

[freddyg12]

There was an article in the wash post a month ago or so in which Springs was asked by the coaches about playing nickel & he said he was cool w/it as it would help extend his career. Now it sounds like he's pissed at not starting, or at least pissed at Gibbs' explanation.

Hopefully the two talk this week & it's settled. I agree w/those who said that this sounds too much like a lavar, l. coles situation. They should be over that stuff, can't expect the team to come together w/those circumstances.

[#56fanatic]

This all sounds a little familiar. Springs has contract dispute, now all of the sudden he isn't good enough to play? The guy says he is as healthy this year as he has been coming into the last 2 or 3 seasons. Yes smoot and rogers are younger, but no where near the cover abilities of Springs. Its crazy how these things all work out. I just think this has nothing to do with injury. If he was injured and cant run, then why did they play him at all? This stinks of Snyder laying down the hammer because Springs wouldn't redo his deal.

[MonkManiac]

Originally Posted by offiss

Without being behind the scenes, it looks like there's some vindictiveness going on here, Springs refused to get on board with a pay cut, and now it's payback, Springs looked like he wasnt quite cutting the way he should? Awfully astute for a coach who has been playing Mark Brunell for the last 3 years, to find out after every bad performance Mark may have had an arm or leg injury? What happened to letting Springs go out on the field and fight his guts out? Gibbs constantly sings the praises of players who fight through injuries, yet Springs and the players around him say he's fine and yet he's not on the field? I have to laugh, at least have the guts to leave out the lame excuses.

Gibbs would never utilize playing time to punish a player for not taking a pay cut. Even as team president, he does not negotiate contracts or manage the salary cap.

Springs comes off as sounding petty, money-obssessed, and self-centered. True, football is a business, but Springs is a vet and should know better about what to say and what not to say to the media. Was he pissed at Gibbs for talking about it at his press conference? Maybe. But come on, OF COURSE reporters were going to ask him about it. Gibbs had to have some sort of explanation - a no comment would have been even worse - and the explanation he gave was gentler than perhaps he could have been.

Gibbs' word choice struck me as sounding an awful lot like code for "Springs was dogging it in practice last week, so we didn't start him." This doesn't sound like the Shawn Springs we all know, but there are very other plausible explanations for why he didn't start. If he was injured, he would have been on the injury report. Gibbs said that the team was worried about him earlier in the week, and the injury report was due on Friday.

Hopefully this situation is remedied in the coming days. It's not a good thing at all to hear your top corner say "I don't know what Coach Gibbs is talking about."

[#56fanatic]

Originally Posted by freddyg12

There was an article in the wash post a month ago or so in which Springs was asked by the coaches about playing nickel & he said he was cool w/it as it would help extend his career. Now it sounds like he's pissed at not starting, or at least pissed at Gibbs' explanation.

Hopefully the two talk this week & it's settled. I agree w/those who said that this sounds too much like a lavar, l. coles situation. They should be over that stuff, can't expect the team to come together w/those circumstances.

no, he was asked about playing some safety. no just nickel packages.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by MonkManiac

Gibbs would never utilize playing time to punish a player for not taking a pay cut. Even as team president, he does not negotiate contracts or manage the salary cap.

Springs comes off as sounding petty, money-obssessed, and self-centered. True, football is a business, but Springs is a vet and should know better about what to say and what not to say to the media. Was he pissed at Gibbs for talking about it at his press conference? Maybe. But come on, OF COURSE reporters were going to ask him about it. Gibbs had to have some sort of explanation - a no comment would have been even worse - and the explanation he gave was gentler than perhaps he could have been.

Gibbs' word choice struck me as sounding an awful lot like code for "Springs was dogging it in practice last week, so we didn't start him." This doesn't sound like the Shawn Springs we all know, but there are very other plausible explanations for why he didn't start. If he was injured, he would have been on the injury report. Gibbs said that the team was worried about him earlier in the week, and the injury report was due on Friday.

Hopefully this situation is remedied in the coming days. It's not a good thing at all to hear your top corner say "I don't know what Coach Gibbs is talking about."

I think you're on point.

This comment by Springs caught me off guard a bit

"Man, with my salary this year I'm not trippin,' " he said.

I agree that Gibbs and the coaches may have felt that Springs just hasn't earned a starting job. I'm feeling a bit of the LaVar situation all over again. I think the coaches are sending him a clear message that he needs to step up his game and earn his playing time. That money comment by Springs is disappointing to me. I expect more from a proven vet like himself.

Hopefully he'll get his act in gear and get on board.

[dmek25]

i don't believe that any NFL coach would try to use playing time as a punishment. springs is easily the skins best corner. that would lead to the defense playing better. that would lead to more wins. this is the bottom line in pro sports. winning

[MTK]

Originally Posted by offiss

Without being behind the scenes, it looks like there's some vindictiveness going on here, Springs refused to get on board with a pay cut, and now it's payback, Springs looked like he wasnt quite cutting the way he should? Awfully astute for a coach who has been playing Mark Brunell for the last 3 years, to find out after every bad performance Mark may have had an arm or leg injury? What happened to letting Springs go out on the field and fight his guts out? Gibbs constantly sings the praises of players who fight through injuries, yet Springs and the players around him say he's fine and yet he's not on the field? I have to laugh, at least have the guts to leave out the lame excuses.

Jeez a little grumpy over that Skins win are we?