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RFL
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oldschoolramfan
Seems to me the Rams are willing and eager to get this Donald Deal behind them so they can start working with the cap to make sure other players already on the roster stay Rams.
I am kind of upset about the way Donald is going about it.......But, it's a business........So, it's just a day in the life of the NFL.
I frequently see fans attributing the holdup to the player. Here, you say the team SEEMS to be eager to settle and express mild displeasure with AD's approach to business.
Now, I must confess that I don't get this. I have no idea what is happening with the negotiations. I don't know which side is asking for what or which is being more reasonable than the other. I especially have no idea what the team's time frame is for working these numerous trades and deals. The team SAYS it has budget for AD. I have no way of assessing this claim. Do they have enough budget? Are they willing to pay fair price?
How would I know? Whenever there's a deal, rumors and leaks fly. Either side can leak things, claim things, or claim the best intent. Or, it can go silent. Whatever decision is made, it is always a tactic and rarely trustworthy. We don't know unless we are on the inside of the negotiation, which we virtually never are.
To me, it seems that any attempt to pick sides in this long negotiation would be an exercise not only ion futility, but in assumptions. I don't know what is going on between team and player. I think it's important for me to acknowledge that fact. Personally, I don't choose to make assumptions about which side is doing what.
I will, however, acknowledge a personal bias. I have a strong tendency to identify with the player over the ownership. Yes, agents can wreak havoc, but the professional negotiators employed by billionaires are masters at hardball negotiation. If I had to GUESS which side is being unreasonable, I'd generally guess it was the team.
This bias, I've noticed over the years, tends to be the opposite of what many fans feel. I've noticed this over decades in several sports. But as soon as a player starts negotiating hard, fans turn against the player. I never get this. We pay to watch the players. And owner/FOs are generally ruthless. It's in their nature.
My instincts are always with the player ... until and unless I KNOW something turning me against him. Now, Donald did hold out. Then he came back and won DPOY. And probably learned a lesson.
I don't know a dang thing. But my instincts are with a magnificent athlete of unbelievable intensity and commitment.
