Bears' Briggs bummed by lockout: 'Just have t

**dabears54** · 06-15-2011, 11:20 AM

Bears' Briggs bummed by lockout: 'Just have to stay strong'

By Vaughn McClure Tribune reporter 10:50 a.m. CDT, June 15, 2011

Although optimism abounds regarding the possibility of a new NFL labor agreement being reached in the next few weeks, Lance Briggs isn’t buying it.

When told of SportsBusiness Journal’s original report stating expectations are for the framework of an agreement to be reached in about two weeks, the Bears linebacker sighed.

To me, it is what it is,’’ Briggs said. "The thing that’s bothersome is not knowing what our schedule is going to be. Whether this thing is done in two weeks or done in a month, then where do we go from there? We obviously must start the next day.

"I don’t like the gray area. Not a fan of the gray area. I guess we just have to stay strong.’’

The Bears would have been in their third week of organized team activities, which were slated to start June 1 and end June 23, had there not been a lockout. Instead, defensive players such as Briggs are working out on their own waiting for a resolution, while Jay Cutler has organized offensive skill players for Tuesday and Thursday workouts at a suburban high school.

Briggs, who is working out in Tuscon, Ariz., missed out on a $250,000 workout bonus due for 85 percent OTA participation, something he discussed with the Tribune last month and continues to be disappointed about now.

"I don’t know what is going to happen with that bonus,’’ Briggs said. "I could use that money just as much as anybody else. That was definitely factored into my budget this year. But if I don’t get it, I don’t get it.

"More than anything else -- more than any bonus -- I just want to play football.''

Briggs recalled how former Bears defensive coordinator Ron Rivera once told him how the strike of 1987 helped make things better for today's players. Briggs hopes the same holds true now for the future.

"I want things to be right for players for as long as we play this game,'' he said. "If it happens that my son is blessed enough to play in the NFL, I want the things that we do now to affect him positively.’’

Briggs was asked if he was worried about the fans being turned off by this messy labor dispute.

"Fans have the right to be upset,’’ he said, "but when football resumes, you’re still going to have your team, your city to represent and cheer for. It’s not like we’ve missed a year. We haven’t missed a year ... yet.’’

vxmcclure@tribune.com

**dabears54** · 06-15-2011, 11:37 AM

think the vet's will be fine- heck lance held out of OTA's 2 years ago in a contract dispute and didn't affect him at all..come the season

**dabears54** · 06-15-2011, 12:10 PM

Briggs, who is working out in Tuscon, Ariz., missed out on a $250,000 workout bonus due for 85 percent OTA participation, something he discussed with the Tribune last month and continues to be disappointed about now.

"I don’t know what is going to happen with that bonus,’’ Briggs said. "I could use that money just as much as anybody else. That was definitely factored into my budget this year. But if I don’t get it, I don’t get it.

think this will be a sore subject,, BUT if the NFL owner's smart and not just petty, they will still give the bonuses- becuase almost all of them are to their top players, so in the "big scheme" of things, you want to keep them happy and its only usually 5-10% of thei salaries, so not a big deal and will go along way to mending the lockeroom IMO, even if do not "have to " give them

**Dagan81** · 06-15-2011, 09:56 PM

Lance Briggs sounds like he truly loves to play the game. I hate that the ones who could care less about the strikes or CBAs suffer through all this. I'm not saying that Lance Briggs doesn't care about the CBA - he kind of alludes to it when he mentions the Ron Rivera story - but he obviously is looking at this from a football perspective and representing the people of Chicago on arguably the league's most storied franchise.

**dabears54** · 06-16-2011, 06:03 AM

Originally Posted by Dagan81

Lance Briggs sounds like he truly loves to play the game. I hate that the ones who could care less about the strikes or CBAs suffer through all this. I'm not saying that Lance Briggs doesn't care about the CBA - he kind of alludes to it when he mentions the Ron Rivera story - but he obviously is looking at this from a football perspective and representing the people of Chicago on arguably the league's most storied franchise.

I guess you can look at that way.. OR that he's more mad missing the paychecks that comes from having football and a workout bonus he was scheduledto make this offseason.. personally feel it BOTH, he does just love the game, AND also loves the money that coems with it as much(and the "i've played my last down for chicago stuff, tell me money does matter)

I don’t know what is going to happen with that bonus,’’ Briggs said. "I could use that money just as much as anybody else. That was definitely factored into my budget this year. But if I don’t get it, I don’t get it.

**Dagan81** · 06-17-2011, 11:28 PM

Originally Posted by dabears54

I guess you can look at that way.. OR that he's more mad missing the paychecks that comes from having football and a workout bonus he was scheduledto make this offseason.. personally feel it BOTH, he does just love the game, AND also loves the money that coems with it as much(and the "i've played my last down for chicago stuff, tell me money does matter)

I was thinking that too about the money, but I was more shocked about the "love of the game" aspect of it. I didn't think that any player loved playing football that much these days since they all get paid mega-millions of dollars to do so.

**dabears54** · 06-18-2011, 05:49 AM

Originally Posted by Dagan81

I was thinking that too about the money, but I was more shocked about the "love of the game" aspect of it. I didn't think that any player loved playing football that much these days since they all get paid mega-millions of dollars to do so.

Disagree with that, think "most" players do it for the love of the game. but ALSO want , like all of us, to be paid and rewarded for their efforts, and nothing wrong with that. And lance does seem to rally love the game of football.I think you can seperate the "business of football" and the "game of football".. i thought lance's "ive played my last down for chicago" stuff was dumb and he should not have gone there, BUT it was part of Negotations and once settled, never questioned his dedication to game, and move on from the silliness- and lance like many players loves the game AND wants the $$$

**soulman** · 06-18-2011, 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by dabears54

think this will be a sore subject,, BUT if the NFL owner's smart and not just petty, they will still give the bonuses- becuase almost all of them are to their top players, so in the "big scheme" of things, you want to keep them happy and its only usually 5-10% of thei salaries, so not a big deal and will go along way to mending the lockeroom IMO, even if do not "have to " give them

That would make the most sense although I imagine there will be some who will want to withold it because they players walked out on them. Penny wise and pound foolish if they do though. Glad to hear Briggsy chomping at the bit to get things going. If it ever gets started this should be a great year for the Bears.

**dabears54** · 06-19-2011, 05:49 AM

Originally Posted by soulman

That would make the most sense although I imagine there will be some who will want to withold it because they players walked out on them. Penny wise and pound foolish if they do though. Glad to hear Briggsy chomping at the bit to get things going. it ever gets started this should be a great year for the Bears.

Yep- sometimes eg need to be put away and do what's right, even if do not need to. And like you really think we will sustain excellenace in 2011 and be even better and that will make a great year for us bear fans

**Dagan81** · 06-20-2011, 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by dabears54

Yep- sometimes eg need to be put away and do what's right, even if do not need to. And like you really think we will sustain excellenace in 2011 and be even better and that will make a great year for us bear fans

Let's hope that it's better than the hangover year of 2007 from the Super Bowl was after making it all the way to the NFC Championship Game this past season.

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