Baker “Tweaked Something” In Practice
Posted on June 6th, 2008 by Bassett
After a solid afternoon practice yesterday, Chris Baker rode stationary bikes this morning, and told the press that he had “tweaked something.”
If I may be so bold as to make a gross speculation on my part?
I’m not totally convinced how tweaked Baker’s “something” really is. Baker may in fact have truly pulled something or this could be a new twist on using the team policy on injuries against them (the press knows they won’t be able to dig on this) and the team won’t contradict him to the public. Is this a new page in the playbook from his agency we didn’t see from Kendall?
Filed under: Main Page
Did anyone read the article in the imes about Abram Elam and having 3 siblings killed by gang violence.? Most incredible story i have ever read. Combine this story with the one about the ‘roids dealer who turned up dead riddled with bullets and a shiver went down my spine.
I’m not going to say the Jets haven’t been in the wrong in these Kendall and Baker negotiations because I think they’ve handled these situations poorly, but I love how conveniently everyone throws away the fact that Baker was given $800,000 of this years salary last year. So when everyone including Baker says he makes less money this year than the other TE’s its never mentioned how he was advanced money last year to help the cap. Yes he did it at the Jets request. But its like signing a 5 year 20 million dollar contract, getting 19 Mill in the first year and then complaining the next 4 years that you are only making $250,000 a year.
I feel really bad for Elam. I don’t condone his criminal actions, but you realize where he must have come from and he really seems to be trying to move on. I respect that greatly.
RK- best example yet!
Anyone hear anything about camp today yet?
http://www.newyorkjets.com/blog/posts/537-round-1-well-represented-this-morning
Some News
Just to point something out to u guys- Baker was never promised anything from the team. He stated yesterday for the first time that his former agent Mr. Brady had a conversation with Mr. T and this is where Mr.T supposedly told Mr. Brady that if Baker plays well we will look at redoing his contract! Guess who good reporters need to interview? Mr. Brady is who we need to hear from! How do we not know that this promise Baker a new contract stuff was not something that his agent made up? Baker wanted a new contract last year and probably put pressure on his agent to get something done.( Hence Baker Fired Mr. Brady after not getting a new contract at the end of this season) Last year, his agent was able to get him $800,000 advance from this years salary,but no new contract. Then probably sets up a meeting with Mr.T sometime after saying that his client- Baker still wants to redo his contract, we need to get something done. Mr. T says well thats not happening. Mr. Brady feels pressure from Baker to produce and wasnt able to so fibs a little and tells him to play great this year and they will redo your contract. This is Possible that his agent Mr. Brady felt pressure from Baker to get something done and wasnt able to, so he took things a little out of context from Mr. T or just made this up, and told baker that play well and u will get a new contract. I’m just speculating, throwing out a possible situtation, and talking a little out of my Butt right now, but something like this scenario is possible in my eyes. And how come Mr. Brady is no longer his agent? The person we really need to hear from is Mr. Brady!
I really wish that whoever posts as RK besides me would change their name to avoid confusion.
Here’s a chance to vote on Fireman Ed against the DolFin: http://www.sportsline.com/spin/story/10851162
Give you something worthwhile to do!
I’ll change mine to RLK how’s that? I’ve posted many times over the last year or so under RK. Never noticed someone else posting it as well. I guess I should have copyrighted it before you did right RK?
I meant RobK, not RLK.
If I remember correctly Kendall was riding the bike too last year. Then he said he wasn’t going to take any shots(pain killers) for his back to play. I think that was the last straw for management on Kendall. It seems Baker is doing the same thing, hmmm same agent as Kendall makes you wonder. Look if you feel sorry for Baker well thats life, no one made him sign that contract or take money upfront to lessen his cap number this year. Tell me how many in here are going to make in salary in there lifetime what Baker is getting paid for in this contract? So don’t feel sorry for this guy, if you ask me I think he has money problems, someone is spending it faster than it is coming in just my opinion, who knows.
Baker is missing the point. In calculating his contract, he must include his SIGNING BONUS as well as any advances. The bottom line is he is getting paid roughly $1.65M/yr, about the same as Franks. How many pro bowls has Baker been to ? How many championships has Baker won ?
I realize the team has asked him to block, and that’s an admirable trait.; but NO ONE is going to mistake him for Gates or Gonzales. 41 catches ?? roughly 3.4/game or LESS than 1 catch per quarter throughout the year. Can a team live without that “huge” production? hell, yes. Where else in America can Chris Baker earn over $100,000 per Sunday ? I realize training camp, practice, etc…but the fact remains he’s getting paid a fair salary for a fair day’s work by NFL tight ends’ standards given his resume.
I say the Jets DON’T release him and DON’T trade him; and IF he “dogs” it, withhold his salary in escrow pending some kind of arbitration. If any of us decided not to give our best at work, we’d be out on our collective asses so fast it’d make your head spin. This is BULL. What about his “OLD” agent? What does he have to say about his talks with MR. T ??
Lastly, if Baker had a somewhat bad year last year based on expectation, would Baker have offered a partial refund of his salary ?? I DOUBT IT !! FOR ONCE CHRIS, I like you as a player. You give it your all. Now be a man, and HONOR your contract !! Trust me, if you catch 50 balls for 600 yds. and the Jets win the division, I’LL PAY you even if the jets don’t !!!
I have defended Baker and it seems I feel Baker is a much better player than most of you but this story is begining to stink.
I agree with Steve don’t release him because I fear he would end up burning the Jets as a Patroit. Don’t trade him unless you get fair value which is always unlikly in these situations. If Baker wants to see the money it would not be in his best interest to dog it.
Thanks RobK. I posted a thank you earlier or so I thought.
I just didn’t want to share my Golden Cupie Doll from Harlan.
There are many scenarios for why Baker is acting the way he is, but the more I hear him, the more I think he has monitary issues, and because of those issues has tried to get managment to open up diologue concerning a new contract, which managment is reluctant to do. To further damage any hope he has of remaining a JET he has by his “own choice” pulled himself out of OTA’s because of an undisclosed injury to his back which according to Baker he is unable to talk about “team policy”, as far as team policy is concerned and Bakers desire to not talk about the injury. I’m sure that “team policy” is also not to air out your differences with the media about your contract, but that hasn’t stopped him. Baker has made it clear that he no longer wants to be a JET and IMHO he will not be, this guy is worse than a cancer he is an ingrate. I will not dispute the fact that Baker has talent and could be a probowl type player, no arguement from me, but as an employer and one who pays the checks the types of actions by Baker make it almost impossable to not only keep him, but the roots will run deep for years to come because of his words. Just a little side bar, but one I think holds true, in Hell’s Kitchen there is a competion to become the next head Chef of a multimillion restaurant, the competion is very hot, but what I get most out of the show is would I want any of these hateful people working in my business, people who say terrible things about one another, hateful things to join my business? My answer was no, and just like these aspiring wantobe’s Baker too has put himself in a bad light by the things he say’s. One last thing, I’ve learned over the years you don’t say things you don’t mean, because those words come back to haunt you. Respect is something you earn, but it goes a little deeper than just that one statement. Respect for someone or something cannot be earned, it has to be something like love, it has to be unconditional, but in this case, and many like it, Baker respects you (the JETS) to the point that you agree with him, otherwise, he will not work, not participate, become a disruptive force, and speak ill of those employing him, his loyalty is to his own wants and needs, as was pointed out, who was it that caused Baker to sign the contract he did for 1.6 million a year. If Baker were really someone with foresight he would have seen where he was and where he was headed and right now could have been getting paid 3 million a year, but this guy can only see past his nose and will cry again when another player is making more than him, but to finish this off, it all boils down to money for the man, money he doesn’t have, and money he may be spending faster than he’s making.
If they cave in to Baker, how many New York minutes will it be before LC is in Tannenbaum’s office?
He’s hurt? Oh, poor guy…
Put him on IR for the next 2 years. I have no respect left for this guy.
They’re not going to cut him – not because he’ll end up on a division rival (although that would suck). They’re not gonna cut him because they’ve already paid half his salary this year.
This is setting a really bad precedent and I really believe that they’re going to have to make an example out of baker if he continues like this. Management should send him home and pay him to sit on his ass for the next 2 years. Then, when he’s a free agent again, let’s see who wants to give him anything more than the league minimum.
I say if we going to have a unhappy player
it better to trade him to another team for some draft picks(one or more)
Then how do you recoup your front money? I’m sure he’s spent it and needs more!