Mark July 27, 2011 as an important day in sports history. That is because this is the first time I will take Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown in ANYTHING.
Brown has come out publicly and said that he will not trade Carson Palmer. He said that Palmer signed a contract, and expects him to abide by it.
In January, I wrote that Palmer should be set free. Suffice it to say I have come around on that way of thinking.
Just imagine what would happen is Brown caved and traded Palmer. Every player on that team would whine and bitch if it meant getting a one-way ticket out of town.
Brown didn’t trade Chad Ocho-dope-o when the Redskins offered TWO first-round draft picks. He sure as hell won’t trade Palmer for no better than a third-round pick.
Besides, if Palmer hated life in Cincinnati so much, why in the hell did he sign that contract extension a few seasons ago? Short-term contracts are available for a reason dude!
Good for you Mr. Brown. The inmates should never be allowed to run the asylum.
Categories: NFL, sports story
I’ve been a Bengals fan since 1970 so I feel I have a good read on Mike Brown’s mindset. He understands that he’ll never be the football icon that his father was. He’s decided to go the other way and make profitability for the team and riches for his family his legacy. (Not a bad plan, actually. I ain’t mad at him). As you pointed out, the Stadium deal is the envy of just about every other team in professional sports. Thanks largely to the Stadium which practically prints money for the Brown family, the team’s estimated worth has skyrocketed. The Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers made a profit of $9.5 million last season. Forbes estimates that the Bengals profits were at least three times that. So, Mike Brown won the Championship that he cares about.
I say that to say this. Mike Brown is perfectly willing to show Palmer, the rest of the players and the whole league that he won’t be pushed around. Maybe they win 8 games with Palmer and 4-6 without. He could care less.
Many “experts” declare that these tactics will make it tougher for the Bengals to attract free agents. This is true to some degree but Cincinnati is not exactly a free agent paradise to begin with. MB knows that if he really covets someone, he’ll outbid the field and the player will jump at the chance to maximize his earnings, since time is so short for NFL players. If TO can put on a happy face and come here, so will most others.
Mike Brown holds all the cards. And he’s all in!
A Bengals fan since 1970?! Damn, you’re old brotha lol…
Yep. I was a little tyke when they won their first division title. Now it’s been since 1990 since they won a playoff game. But the money is rolling in faster than Mikey boy can count it. He is the true definition of laughing all the way to the bank.