marty hurney press conference tidbits

[PntherPryd]

In Peppers' case he's played seven years in Carolina. He can't decide for himself where he can earn a living after seven years?

I think deep down we all know this isn't fair. But the players make so much money we don't care. We pay too much money for Panthers merchandise and tickets and everything else. We figure it's something they just need to live with as part of the deal.

Deep down I think this is very fair. If Peppers were a tennis player or a bowler I'd agree with you. But Peppers success/failure is tied to the success/failure of the Panthers. The Panthers have invested in the success of Peppers. Like it or not he is a commodity and the Panthers owe it to their fans and the team to get the most in return for said commodity.

The system of franchising a player is a very good compromise because a team can only franchise one starter out of 22 at a time. The system works and both Peppers and his agent will just have to deal with it. Just like Panther fans have to deal with the fact that a player they screamed for and bought millions of $ worth of merchandise really didn't want to play here.

Looks like an amicable divorce to me. It's a process, let it work.

[Highlandfire]

The draft isn't fair. If you go to college and earn a degree and do very well for yourself, you probably want a job at one of the top firms in your industry, right? You don't want your rights to be owned by the Detriot Lions of accounting, or the Pittsburgh Pirates of medicine.

Down that same path, any rule that keeps a player from pursuing what's best for him after playing out his first or second contract is unfair, too. He's played out his contract. In Peppers' case he's played seven years in Carolina. He can't decide for himself where he can earn a living after seven years?

I think deep down we all know this isn't fair. But the players make so much money we don't care. We pay too much money for Panthers merchandise and tickets and everything else. We figure it's something they just need to live with as part of the deal.

Are you some player that feels he got screwed or just one of these clowns that needs to 'fight the man' just because? I ask because all of this crap you are spewing is nonsense. It is how it is. Now live with it or go find another sport to friggin root for. Oh and BTW 99% of the NFLPA members think your views are full of crap. They like the CBA just fine, it makes them millionares regardless of where they play.

[Highlandfire]

Deep down I think this is very fair. If Peppers were a tennis player or a bowler I'd agree with you. But Peppers success/failure is tied to the success/failure of the Panthers. The Panthers have invested in the success of Peppers. Like it or not he is a commodity and the Panthers owe it to their fans and the team to get the most in return for said commodity.

The system of franchising a player is a very good compromise because a team can only franchise one starter out of 22 at a time. The system works and both Peppers and his agent will just have to deal with it. Just like Panther fans have to deal with the fact that a player they screamed for and bought millions of $ worth of merchandise really didn't want to play here.

Looks like an amicable divorce to me. It's a process, let it work.

Agreed it's 100% fair. I have no idea where this 'Meat' clown thinks he is coming from. Go root for bowling, tennis or something else that doesn't have a Union and labor rules.

[Matt Foley]

So following your logic, bad teams who get good players shouldn't be able to keep any of those good players, to help those teams get even better.

They can keep them if that player is happy. That's the whole point of all of this. Julius just isn't happy in Charlotte any more. Or maybe he's just sick of Fox. Either way, he wants out. Like someone else pointed out, he's not the first athlete to want out of Charlotte.

If a player holds out in the middle of his contract, I'm with you. That player is a scumbag. But when he's played out not just one but two contracts with the same team, and everyone else in the League is free to go wherever they want when their contracts are up, something's not right.

I didn't say it was illegal. I said it's not right.

[PntherPryd]

They can keep them if that player is happy. That's the whole point of all of this. Julius just isn't happy in Charlotte any more. Or maybe he's just sick of Fox. Either way, he wants out. Like someone else pointed out, he's not the first athlete to want out of Charlotte.

If a player holds out in the middle of his contract, I'm with you. That player is a scumbag. But when he's played out not just one but two contracts with the same team, and everyone else in the League is free to go wherever they want when their contracts are up, something's not right.

I didn't say it was illegal. I said it's not right.

Don't take this the wrong way, you've done a good job of presenting your point. But it's time to grow up Peter Pan.

Not fair? Not fair to who? the hundreds of thousands of Panther fans or to Peppers? The team has an obligation to look out for their best interests. Peppers isn't happy? Boo Phuckn Hoo. Was it fair to the Panthers that Peppers essentially sat out a season and consistently takes plays off? No, but they still pay his ass. You think Panther fans are happy to see a guy they thought was going to war with them come out and say he doesn't want to be here? Think Peppers and the league will be offering them rebates on their jerseys?

Peppers will be gone, hopefully he'll be happy somewhere else. But I think he suffers from the same Peter Pan, everything should be fair, grass is always greener afliction that you seem to share as well.

[Sandy Claws]

Don't take this the wrong way, you've done a good job of presenting your point.

I disagree. I think he has stated only one perspective with no consideration for the big picture. The NFL is the most popular of the major sports league. It helps to maintain that position through its policies that maintain a competitive balance. The "tagging" of players and the draft are part of that.

The bottom line is that the NFL is treated like one big corporation and as such, it has the ability and the authority to move its employees or not. If you want to transfer but your company says NO, what are your options? Live with your current position or quit/retire. He has the same options. I'm sure the CFL would love a player of his calibre, as would the new league starting up. He won't get a salary near what he would on the NFL but, it's his choice.

[Matt Foley]

I disagree. I think he has stated only one perspective with no consideration for the big picture. The NFL is the most popular of the major sports league. It helps to maintain that position through its policies that maintain a competitive balance. The "tagging" of players and the draft are part of that.

The bottom line is that the NFL is treated like one big corporation and as such, it has the ability and the authority to move its employees or not. If you want to transfer but your company says NO, what are your options? Live with your current position or quit/retire. He has the same options. I'm sure the CFL would love a player of his calibre, as would the new league starting up. He won't get a salary near what he would on the NFL but, it's his choice.

Let's just drop it, damn. I'm "arguing" with a group of jilted Panthers fans who right now would take Michael Vick before they would bring Julius back, even though Julius hasn't done one thing to embarrass his team or community in seven years. And yet, they want to own him so he can't go somewhere else scot free and set the NFL sacks record.

Your argument, for lack of a better word, is "the NFL can do whatever it wants to do". You're absolutely right. It can. Until someone challenges them on it. That's all I was saying and my words have been twisted into enough straw men to fill B of A Stadium.

[Sandy Claws]

Let's just drop it, damn. I'm "arguing" with a group of jilted Panthers fans who right now would take Michael Vick before they would bring Julius back, even though Julius hasn't done one thing to embarrass his team or community in seven years. And yet, they want to own him so he can't go somewhere else scot free and set the NFL sacks record.

Your argument, for lack of a better word, is "the NFL can do whatever it wants to do". You're absolutely right. It can. Until someone challenges them on it. That's all I was saying and my words have been twisted into enough straw men to fill B of A Stadium.

Your idiocy is expanding. If you are a stock clerk at Walmart in St. Louis, can you demand to be let go so you can hire on as a stack clerk at the Walmart in Memphis? There is no contract involved. Can't Walmart say, "If you work for Walmart, it's here in St Louis"?

Peppers doesn't have to challenge anything. He's free to walk away.

PS. As far as the

"the NFL can do whatever it wants to do". You're absolutely right. It can. Until someone challenges them on it.

The challenge happened a few year ago. Ask Clarrett and Williams how that turned out.

[Matt Foley]

Your idiocy is expanding. If you are a stock clerk at Walmart in St. Louis, can you demand to be let go so you can hire on as a stack clerk at the Walmart in Memphis? There is no contract involved. Can't Walmart say, "If you work for Walmart, it's here in St Louis"?

Peppers doesn't have to challenge anything. He's free to walk away.

Whose idiocy is expanding? Julius Peppers is a top professional football player. Professional athletes have contracts, unlike Walmart employees. When said contract is up, he is supposed to be free. That's how it works in baseball. That's how it works in basketball.

You know what cracks me up about this whole thread? Torry Holt said he'd like to be a Panther last year. What was the reaction on this board? Was it "that traitorous scumbag, who would want him?" No, it was "how can we get him here?" He was STILL UNDER CONTRACT.

It's amazing how logic and reason gets bent around here to suit an argument.

[Sandy Claws]

Whose idiocy is expanding? Julius Peppers is a top professional football player. Professional athletes have contracts, unlike Walmart employees. When said contract is up, he is supposed to be free. That's how it works in baseball. That's how it works in basketball.

You know what cracks me up about this whole thread? Torry Holt said he'd like to be a Panther last year. What was the reaction on this board? Was it "that traitorous scumbag, who would want him?" No, it was "how can we get him here?" He was STILL UNDER CONTRACT.

It's amazing how logic and reason gets bent around here to suit an argument.

What position does he play again? Shortstop? Left Field? Point Guard? If he wants to go to K-mart, he can pick his store, but if he wants to work at Walmart, his position has been designated at the Charlotte store. FWIW, I haven't said anything against the man (Peppers). He knew the rules going in. The tag isn't new. I'm laughing at those of you who are so outraged by NFL policy all of a sudden.

[Matt Foley]

What position does he play again? Shortstop? Left Field? Point Guard? If he wants to go to K-mart, he can pick his store, but if he wants to work at Walmart, his position has been designated at the Charlotte store. FWIW, I haven't said anything against the man (Peppers). He knew the rules going in. The tag isn't new. I'm laughing at those of you who are so outraged by NFL policy all of a sudden.

I'm not the one who's outraged. I have calmly explained my position on what I think is an unfair policy. Baseball agrees with me. Basketball agrees with me.

The ones who are outraged are Panthers fans who feel like Peppers should have to suffer for his outrageous desire to play for another team. Which, like I said, is pretty comical considering how many of you were all for Torry Holt coming here not too long ago.

The main problem is that fans think the players see the team the same way they see it. They don't. Not even close.

I'm an Angels fan. We sold our souls for Mark Teixeira last July and five months later he left us high and dry for the Yankees. You should hear the Angels fans bitching. "How could he? He said he liked it here!" Guess what? He has a right to work where he wants. In his case it was all about the money. I respect Peppers because obviously that isn't the case with him.

[Sandy Claws]

I'm not the one who's outraged. I have calmly explained my position on what I think is an unfair policy. Baseball agrees with me. Basketball agrees with me.

.

And Peppers is perfectly free to pursue a contract with an NBA team or a MLB team. The rules now regarding the Franchise player designation are pretty much the same as they were when he CHOSE the NFL over his other options. Now he doesn't want to live with the rules that he CHOSE.

The ones who are outraged are Panthers fans who feel like Peppers should have to suffer for his outrageous desire to play for another team. Which, like I said, is pretty comical considering how many of you were all for Torry Holt coming here not too long ago.

I don't think he should have to suffer for an "outrageous desire to play for another team". I don't particularly care one way or the other if Holt comes here. If he does, I expect that it will be accomplished within the league rules and CBA. You know, the rules and the CBA that Peppers accepted for 7 years now hates because they don't satisfy his current wishes.

I'm an Angels fan. We sold our souls for Mark Teixeira last July and five months later he left us high and dry for the Yankees. You should hear the Angels fans bitching. "How could he? He said he liked it here!" Guess what? He has a right to work where he wants.

He can move around as he wants because MLB allows it in their agreements between owners and union. Baseball players who don't care for the limitations in that agreement can go places like Japan or some of the Latin American leagues. Basketball players who don't like the terms of their CBA can go to Europe. But if they choose to play in MLB or the NBA, they are bound by the restrictions that are in place, just like Peppers is with the Franchise tag.

[Matt Foley]

He can move around as he wants because MLB allows it in their agreements between owners and union. Baseball players who don't care for the limitations in that agreement can go places like Japan or some of the Latin American leagues. Basketball players who don't like the terms of their CBA can go to Europe. But if they choose to play in MLB or the NBA, they are bound by the restrictions that are in place, just like Peppers is with the Franchise tag.

I have never once argued in this thread or any other that the NFL isn't different. I am aware that they have different rules. All I have said is that they are unfair, and where there is an unfair rule, there is a lawyer who will probably be willing to challenge it if he has a client willing to do so. That's all I have said.

[Sandy Claws]

I have never once argued in this thread or any other that the NFL isn't different. I am aware that they have different rules. All I have said is that they are unfair, and where there is an unfair rule, there is a lawyer who will probably be willing to challenge it if he has a client willing to do so. That's all I have said.

But, as has been pointed out to you (but you refuse to accept), Peppers accepted the rule when he came in the league. It hasn't changed. The only thing that has changed is that it now is applied to him. He'll have a hard time finding anything more than an ambulance chaser to try anything with it. Haynesworth didn't like it either. What did he do with the Franchise tender/contract? He got the team to add a clause that they couldn't tag him again if he reached certain performance goals. That's another option for Peppers, but of course, he's here another year and he would have to perform.