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Updated: August 29, 2011, 12:50 PM ET
Mike Ditka: No raise for Lance Briggs
Comments35
ESPNChicago.com
Mike Ditka said the Chicago Bears would be foolish to give Lance Briggs a raise with three years left on his contract.
Waddle and Silvy: Mike Ditka
Mike Ditka joined "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000 and discussed Lance Briggs' contract issues.
A source told ESPNChicago.com's Michael C. Wright that Briggs' agent Drew Rosenhaus recently approached the Bears about restructuring his deal in order to boost his base pay this season. The Chicago Tribune, which first reported the news, quoted Briggs saying his contract issues won't be a team distraction.
While Bears general manager Jerry Angelo refused to comment on the situation, Ditka -- a former Super Bowl champion coach for the Bears -- was candid.
"You can't do it," Ditka said on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" Monday on ESPN 1000. "I mean you just can't do it. The Bears aren't going to do it. Anybody in their right mind wouldn't do it. If you do it, you're a fool."
Ditka said it would set a bad precedent for the Bears to give in to Briggs.
"To me, somewhere you have to draw a line in the sand," Ditka said. "That's my feeling. If every player who comes in and says they want a raise, you're going to give him a raise? You're going to run out of money.
"When you sign a contract, you have an obligation. It says, 'OK, we're going to pay you this much, you're going to sign the contract.' Now all of a sudden you play for a while the contract is no good anymore? Stop it. When the contract is over, then you go in and ask for a raise."
Brian Urlacher received a one-year extension with a $6 million signing bonus and $1 million bump annually for four years in 2008.
"In the case of Urlacher, I don't know if I agree with it there, either," Ditka said. "But you're right, he is the face of the franchise. And unfortunately, Lance isn't. "Lance is a good football player. I'm not knocking his talent, he's a great football player, but then again, that's what a contract is."
I'm getting to that age where a lifetime warranty just doesn't mean as much to me anymore as an afternoon nap. 
Honey Badger Don't Care. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit.
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Well it was a nice try Lance but sorry it ain't gonna happen. DaCoach has spoken!
(I think we need a Ditka smilie, LOL)
I'm getting to that age where a lifetime warranty just doesn't mean as much to me anymore as an afternoon nap. Honey Badger Don't Care. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit.
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I forgot which one of you guys said it...but the perfect solution would be to swap his 2013 salary with his 2011 one. That way...he gets a "raise" this year, but still is playing under his original contract, and we have the cash to do it this year.
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This is my favorite part
"It's not just about me. I know there are guys on our team that deserve to be paid and should be paid," he said. "And I do act as a voice when I have an opportunity to do so. I've been that way all my life.
"I want Matt Forte, Chris Harris, these guys who deserve long-term deals to be Chicago Bears for a long time and help us win championship after championship."
Tell me, if there was only enough money for say Forte and or Tilman, would Briggs step aside for them to get theirs?
I don't think so either
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I see drafting LBs early in our near future
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Originally Posted by
Jimmors 
I forgot which one of you guys said it...but the perfect solution would be to swap his 2013 salary with his 2011 one. That way...he gets a "raise" this year, but still is playing under his original contract, and we have the cash to do it this year.
I've said it and so have a couple of the sportswriters. If that will keep him happy then do it. The real dollars for the years 2011-2013 don't change and the difference of paying the extra $2.6 mil now versus then based on the TMV (time value of money) is chump change in comparison to the trouble it saves. They have the cash and the cap room so to not do it to solve a problem is foolish in this one instance.
I'm getting to that age where a lifetime warranty just doesn't mean as much to me anymore as an afternoon nap. Honey Badger Don't Care. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit.
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Originally Posted by
soulman The tipoff for that would be that they don't compromise with him on flipping his 2013 salary into 2011. No sense doing that if they plan to trade him after this season anyway. If JA sticks to his guns then Briggs really has no recourse at all. Like I said this is all about Rosenhaus wanting to engineer another pay me or trade me deal just like he did with Olsen. I wonder if Drew realizes just how transparent he is?
He's so transparent, he can't even find himself.
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High Fives / Like - 1 BEAR DOWN!, 0 Dislikes
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I have to say that I agree wholeheartedly with what Ditka said. A contract is a legally-binding pact. You pay in accordance to what you agreed to when you originally signed it. Briggs' greed is ridiculous. If he starts this trend of going to the front office asking for more money and gets it, then every other Bears player will do the same.
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Junior Member
I like Briggs...always have. But dude needs to get over himself...this is ludicrous. You can't just make up rules as you go.
Tell ya what I'd do: I'd tell him to STFU and play ball. I wouldn't even consider trading him either...just out of spite. If he wants to play hardball, let's play hardball. He can hold out, go on strike, whatever...let the fines pile up until he's paying us to be on the team if that's what it takes...but you ain't gettin' a raise.
/end rant
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High Fives / Like - 1 BEAR DOWN!, 0 Dislikes
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Originally Posted by
KML I like Briggs...always have. But dude needs to get over himself...this is ludicrous. You can't just make up rules as you go.
Tell ya what I'd do: I'd tell him to STFU and play ball. I wouldn't even consider trading him either...just out of spite. If he wants to play hardball, let's play hardball. He can hold out, go on strike, whatever...let the fines pile up until he's paying us to be on the team if that's what it takes...but you ain't gettin' a raise.
/end rant
If it weren't for the fact that Briggs is a Pro-Bowl ROLB and has even been voted All-Pro on a couple occasions, I'd probably tell the bastard, "Sayonara, mother f*cker!"
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