Punk

What if he sits out the whole year?.

We tried tot tell Philly Fan.

It was on CNN. A spokesperson for him (or friend, who knows) said he will sit out all year if he has too.

Then again, alot of players say that and only McCardell delivered.

Not only that, Philly can try to get his signing bonus money back as well.

He can''t be fined for missed games during the season - he forefits his game check for any games he misses. He can be fined for missing mandatory workouts like the minicamps going on right now.

Partially true, though probably not quite in the manner you''d expect. Most of his *salary* for 2005 will not count against the cap, because it will be forefit. However, Owens will have to join the team for 6 games this season if he wants to get credit for playing this year. He will receive his game checks for those 6 games. Also, his *signing bonus* (and any other received bonus money up to this point) will continue to count against the cap, minus any part that the Eagles might be able to get back from Owens.

Because Owens'' salary is pretty low for this year (part of the reason he''s not happy), the Eagles will not receive much savings from Owens sitting out.

Plus, as I understand it, the Eagles will not receive any savings until Owens actually start missing games. Until he misses a certain game, he has not yet defaulted on his end of the agreement for that game''s money. So instead of saving money up front, the Eagles would get some money (capwise) back over the course of the season, up until Owens returns. He has the choice to return anytime, and so even if he goes to the team or media or whatever and say he''s going to miss 10 games, the Eagles will still have Owens'' salary money for those games counting against the cap until Owens actually misses the games. So the Eagles would have some extra cap money during the season, which could help for mid-season injury replacement signings.

Most likely, they would hold onto it, and use a neat trick to add that money to the 2006 salary cap. Last year, the Jaguars were sitting on a full $6 million of free cap space during the season in 2004. That''s no chump change. What they did was give 3rd string QB Qunn Gray a new deal that contained performance bonuses that he would not likely reach (since, well, he wasn''t even going to step on the field). However, any performance bonuses in contracts done DURING the season are considered ""likely to be earned"" bonuses and are thus counted against the cap for that season. So that ate up that $6 million. However, once you move to the next season, if you had money counted against the cap for ""likely to be earned"" bonuses, and the bonuses were not actually earned, then you are credited that cap space back for the new season. So essentially, the Jaguars took that $6 mil from 2004 and added it to 2005, which is why they have had the most free cap space of any team for most of the offseason.

I would expect the Eagles to do something similar, so that they could use the freed money in 2006 where they could do something with it. You can''t do much with money during the season except add emergency players.

Thanks for the insight - looks like a good old fashioned stand-off. TO could lose bucks he already needs and Philly could lose a few games without him - although they didnt do too badly last year when he wasnt in. He is a difference maker though and the rest of the NFC East is improving - tough call to make as a GM... Any thoughts on how this gets resolved?

Yeah my commentary doesnt even address what an as* he is for besmirching his team mates, espeically McNabb whom I thought was fairly close to TO. Tough call on how his comments impacts McNabb and his desire to even deal with T.O. anymore - reminds me of Culpepper and Moss in a way.

I was actually warming up to him in the last season and until his comments I ddint really have much of an issue on the contract thing, but after he ran his mouth (AGAIN) it illustrates that he is a no-class ass with athletic ability, but zero character.

Makes me happy to have Jimmy Smith on my team instead. He''s gettin'' old now, but in his prime run, he and Marvin Harrison quietly outperformed the rest of the NFL in catches and yards.

Sad how both are quickly passing by Hall of Famers on the all-time receptions and yards lists, and neither are the first names to come up in discussions of the best receivers of their time. Jimmy''s name usually doesn''t come up in the conversation at all!

I think it''s because Jimmy Smith is consistent without every (or rarely) being spectacular. He lead the league only once in catches (1999), only broke 100 catches twice, and never scored more than 8 TDs in a year.

Still, he should break into the top 10 in catchs (815: he has 792) and yards (12,146: he has 11,264) this season without to much trouble. That alone should make him a first ballot HoFer unless the spector of drug use (4 game suspension in ''03) keeps him out. Too bad he sat on the bench in Dallas for 3 years.

In the case of Marvin Harrison though, I disagree. I think that most people would consider him one of the best all time receivers right now, even though he trails Smith in yards. He''ll end up with an all time Top 5 position in catches and TDs (maybe #2 there) EASILY unless he suddenly becomes injury prone.

The next 10-15 years of football will be quite interesting. Jerry Rice ushered in the era of the truly premier WR. My guess is that quite of few of those top 5 positions are going to change drastically. Add to that the fact that the NFL has changed rules to benefit the passing game and WR''s in general......well those stats are just going to be readjusted and what is considered ""HOF"" quality will be re-examined.

Harrison is still likely a first ballot. If remember correctly Jimmy was suspended for drug use one season and that may hamper any chance he did have.

Ohh and nobody will ever touch JR''s 22TD''s in 12 games back in 1987.

Lawrence Taylor

Sure, but some of LT''s extra achievements have to be offset by the fact that LT was a hell of a lot more of a druggie scandal than Jimmy. Jimmy''s violation was barely a blip on the radar. If he never tests positive again, I have a feeling it

Come to think of it, Michael Irvin had multiple cocaine possession arrests. He''s probably a better comparison to Jimmy than LT.

I think Jimmy Smith will be the next Monk in the ballet room...he''ll be viewed as an extremely good ball player - but many will not view him as a HoF''er. More to come...since I don''t vote.

But yeah, if you ask me the best receiver in the game...I would say Harrison as my first choice - you look at contribution, production, consistency, work ethic, etc...he blows away the Moss and TO''s...imho

I don''t stats will get you in the HoF on themselves anymore...Look at the recievers putting up 100+ catch seasons, etc...

The question is were they a playmaker for years and years...did they play their best games in the toughest games, etc...

For instance...I sure would love to see Moss or TO never reach the hall...

sorta throws out everything you say based on your bias.