I’d appreciate people just letting each other feel how they want to feel about it. You want to hang on his nuts, go for it. You want to have a beef over his antics, so be it. I try and stay in the middle of things, but I’m pissed at him. He HAS to know that a raise at this point of his career is just not going to happen with the current team. I’d love to have him, he’s an all-time talent. There is so much that goes into getting paid, and I’m sorry, but his malcontent doesn’t demonstrate the complete package of person, player, and performance that would have me break the bank to keep him. He doesn’t even need to be THE leader—we have Robert Wagner for that, and Franklin Clark has even proclaimed the defense, ‘his’.
Bottom line. Players being retained have given the front office a no brainer decision. Make them want you. Sherman is trying to bring him to San Fran. His childish behavior, I could see him doing it, just to try and prove that we should have retained him. Earl, I beg you—do what’s right for your game and career, and do what you can to get back into good graces with the 12 and all that surrounds us. We still love you, but you’ve opened a deep cut.