Player collusion in Seattle?

[jonboy79]

Dude, this is the only real issue anyone has with what you're saying!

How is Aaron Wilson tweeting what D Smith is saying, mean that A. Wilson is reporting collusion?

How is that evidence!?!??!

agreed. BT has "proven" that there is suspicion of collusion, but is claiming that as evidence ther IS collusion. Anyone that has followed football/Free Agency with even a cursory knowledge in supply/demand and budgeting would understand what is going on in this market today.

[bt12483]

They are allowed to enter into a collective bargaining agreement as one entity, and set minimum and maximum TOTAL expenditures on player salaries. No, they're not allowed to cooperate beyond that, and there is no evidence that they have done so.

Agents fit the adage, "To a child with a hammer, everything looks like a nail". They should be vigilant, but they shouldn't assume any change in the status quo must be "collusion".

So they can spend to the cap (a sticking point of many here) and still be guilty of collusion if in fact they are shown to have agreed to fix prices right on the free agent market?

If for some reason a recording of a smoke filled room pops up and Kraft and Rooney say "let's agree to not pay anyone over 30 more than $6M /year" then they would be guilty of collusion, even if they spent their full cap allotment.

[jonboy79]

When hasn't it been a young man's game?

it is trending in that direction even further and this market is all the proof i need to know that.

[bt12483]

So if 20 more "reporters" tweeted the same thing, that would strengthen your case, even though they're all talking to the same agents. Right?

Do you know they are all talking to the same agents?

Do you know that the beat reporter in AZ has the same industry contacts as Aaron Wilson in Baltimore?

Without them naming names, we have no clue how their sources overlap.

I am telling you right now that agent Tony Agnone is 100% convinced the owners are colluding.

Ask him:
http://www.easfootball.com/team/Staff.asp?id=1

[NCRAVEN]

I don't think I've ever claimed that Aaron Wilson believes collusion is happening. I have no clue his opinion on the topic.

I merely said his Twitter post supports my suspicion. His twitter post references agents. See post 31.

But, unless he believes there is collusion, how does his tweet support your suspicion?

[bt12483]

agreed. BT has "proven" that there is suspicion of collusion, but is claiming that as evidence ther IS collusion. .

Show me where I said that.

My position has been that the recent comments by news entities and D Smith support my suspicion. Please show me where I said that that was actual proof of collusion. i don't think I have ever said that. please correct me if I am wrong.

perhaps you guys are all stuck in a group-think attack mode, and are convinced I said something I never actually said.

[bt12483]

But, unless he believes there is collusion, how does his tweet support your suspicion?

because his tweet represents the feelings of the agents in the industry? Is this really that hard to understand?

here is his tweet once again:

Aaron Wilson
‏@RavensInsider
Lot of agents using C word, collusion, when discussing free agency patterns and trends. Very tough to prove, and it's a buyers' market

7:54 AM - 18 Mar 13

LOTS OF AGENTS

USING C WORD

COLLUSION

WHEN DISCUSSING

FREE AGENCY PATTERNS AND TRENDS

[moose10101]

If for some reason a recording of a smoke filled room pops up and Kraft and Rooney say "let's agree to not pay anyone over 30 more than $6M /year" then they would be guilty of collusion, even if they spent their full cap allotment.

Obviously. Yet nothing in this year's FA non-/signings would indicate that any such agreement exists.

32 people can make the same decision without colluding.

[Haloti92]

Lots of defense attorneys using the "I" word (innocent)....

People are getting railroaded all over the place!

;)

[moose10101]

Aaron Wilson
‏@RavensInsider
Lot of agents using C word, collusion, when discussing free agency patterns and trends. Very tough to prove, and it's a buyers' market

7:54 AM - 18 Mar 13

LOTS OF AGENTS

USING C WORD

COLLUSION

WHEN DISCUSSING

FREE AGENCY PATTERNS AND TRENDS

Lots of people in government were using the "WMD" words back in 2002. Why? Because it was what they wanted to hear. Sound familiar?

[bt12483]

Obviously. Yet nothing in this year's FA non-/signings would indicate that any such agreement exists.

32 people can make the same decision without colluding.

But 32 people coming out with the same exact decision should nonetheless trigger your interest.

And the NFLPA will have to show some type of agreement or conspiracy if this has any legs. Which is why they are soliciting agents for relevant info, since the agents are the ones fielding offers from the various teams.

[jonboy79]

Ed Reed got a buttload of money for an odler player as well, so that rules out collusion of the 30+, at least not universal collusion of 30+ players.


PERHAPS, and I'm takign a stab in the dark here, what we are witnessing is the FREE MARKET IN ACTION.