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ramithard
I bet Kronke has a few choice words....
If that's even true, he is wisely keeping it to himself.
You know there was a day when the Rams leaked their displeasure at hold outs or guys in tough contract situations. That even happened to Warner in 2000. Warner did not hold out but there was a period there where the thinking was he would. Some in national press were even saying it would happen. The front office talked tough in public and took a hard line:
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Inside The NFL
By Peter King
Back to RealityThe Rams and Cinderella star Kurt Warner are miles apart on a newdeal
June 12, 2000
A source close to the contract talks between St. Louis and Warner's agent, Mark Bartelstein, says that the passer is asking for a signing bonus in excess of $10 million and that the Ramshave no intention of giving him that kind of money after just one great season. (Another source says Warner wants close to $15million, or what Cardinals quarterback Jake Plummer got as partof a four-year, $25 million extension he signed after his second season, in 1998.)
Fact is, St. Louis doesn't have to shell out that much. While Warner, who played in the Arena League before catching on with the Rams, is not under contract, he has no free-agent rights because he's only a two-year veteran. According to the league's collective bargaining agreement, a player is eligible for restricted free agency after three seasons, giving him the opportunity to solicit offers from other teams, and can become an unrestricted free agent after his fourth year. Though obligated to pay Warner only the very mortal sum of $358,000 this season,St. Louis would like to hammer out a long-term deal.
Now Warner wants to be paid like a top-notch quarterback.
"We're in a quandary," says Rams general manager Jay Zygmunt."You have to have some respect for the system, and the systemsays Kurt owes us two years. If Kurt is as good as they think heis, as he thinks he is, he's going to get his money. The question is when."
