PFT accusing Gibbs of tampering

[GolfFreak]

I know this isn't a popular source for information, but it's interesting ...

Source

GIBBS VIOLATING TAMPERING RULES?



Among other things, those eleven years that Redskins coach Joe Gibbs spent away from the game of football apparently caused him to forget one of the cardinal rules of life in the NFL.



You never, ever talk publicly about a guy who's under contract with another team.



Still, on a Tuesday radio show, Gibbs fielded questions about at least two guys who are not yet free agents and, amazingly, Gibbs answered them.



Gibbs was asked about Panthers receiver Muhsin Muhammad. Muhammad is owed a $10 million roster bonus less than two weeks from now. The Panthers can pay it and keep him, or they can work out a new deal that (for example) converts the roster bonus into a signing bonus, or they can cut him.



Regardless of the team's ultimate decision, Muhammad currently remains property of the Panthers.



But in response to questions about Muhammad, Gibbs said, "The problem is he's 31, and basically what his agent said is: 'Show me the money.'"



Apart from the obvious fact that Gibbs commented on Muhammad when Gibbs clearly shouldn't have done so, Gibbs' reference to Muhammad's agent raises an obvious question.



Have the Redskins already been talking to him?



It wouldn't be the first time that the Redskins were accused of negotiating with a player who was still under contract with another team. In 2003, Sports Illustrated's Peter King reported that the Redskins had made safety Lawyer Milloy a contract offer before Milloy was cut by the Patriots. (To little surprise, Milloy later denied telling King that he'd gotten a prior offer from the Redskins.)



Gibbs also addressed on Tuesday Steelers receiver Plaxico Burress, when explaining that, with Muhammad and Burress, "what you're talking about is big bucks."



Again, how does Gibbs know that Burress wants big bucks, especially when (as we recently reported) the Steelers have yet to receive an opening demand from Burress's agent?



Bottom line -- Gibbs should get his knuckles rapped for even talking about Muhammad and Burress. Beyond that, the NFL needs to take a look at whether the 'Skins have been in communication with either Muhammad or Burress, or their agents.



With that said, we're hardly naive. At next week's scouting combine, agents won't be talking to teams only about the draft prospects they represent. There will be -- as there always are -- plenty of discussions about teams' interest in impending free agents, even though such conversations are against the rules.



Still, there's something to be said for the exercise of discretion. In Gibbs' case, his willingness to talk openly about guys who are still under contract elsewhere shows either that: (a) he's stupid; or (b) the Redskins have so little regard for the tampering rules that even basic, fundamental concepts such as never, ever talking about another team's player are ignored.



Either way, it's a problem that the NFL should not overlook.

[akhhorus]

Until the NFL weighs in, I dont care what PFT says.

Golffreak, there is difference between what PFT speculates(like Dallas going after Smoot) and reality.

[CNYSkinFan]

You know I think Akhorous on a previous thread said that this would come back to bite Gibbs in the but and it didn't take long.

However this is just amateur crapola!!!! Because Gibbs brings up Muhammed's age he must have talked to him? Or maybe Gibbs just went to ESPN.com and got the player profile. Because he thinks Plaxico wants alot of money he must already be in negotiations? An illiterate farm worker in Samoa knows that both Plaxico and Muslin want HUGE deals.

Now Gibbs mentioned what Muhammed's agent said, but, and off hand I have no proof of this, he could be refering to the agents comments in another publication.

PFT is a rag. I wouldn't wipe my butt with it. They speculate instead of report. If I want pure speculation with no actual facts I will read the White House's social security plan.

[IMALILTEAPOT]

i just think gibbs said that based on knowledge. It doesnt take a genius to figure out that a pro bowl reciever who is a free agent is gonna want big bucks. I hope the nfl doesnt fine him

[hockeygoalie29]

The fact is Gibbs was asked by the fans if he'd be going after these two guys becasue they will be free agents. Gibbs said no, they would cost too much. I don't see any signs of tampering what-so-ever. The reference to the amount of money Muhammed wants could easily be taken from his public demands of the Panthers. These guys are just trying to start some trouble.

[akhhorus]

Originally Posted by CNYSkinFan

You know I think Akhorous on a previous thread said that this would come back to bite Gibbs in the but and it didn't take long.

However this is just amateur crapola!!!! Because Gibbs brings up Muhammed's age he must have talked to him? Or maybe Gibbs just went to ESPN.com and got the player profile. Because he thinks Plaxico wants alot of money he must already be in negotiations? An illiterate farm worker in Samoa knows that both Plaxico and Muslin want HUGE deals.

Now Gibbs mentioned what Muhammed's agent said, but, and off hand I have no proof of this, he could be refering to the agents comments in another publication.

PFT is a rag. I wouldn't wipe my but with it. They speculate instead of report. If I want pure speculation with no actual facts I will read the White House's social security plan.

As soon as I heard that Gibbs mentioned Muhammed, I knew that someone would bring up tampering. PFT has zero case on tampering when it comes to Plaxico. He's not under contract, but Musin can be considered tampering but only if Carolina never cuts him. But they would have to show that Gibbs went beyond telling Musin's agent that they would be interested and started negotiations. It is legal to ask an agent what he would be looking for in a new contract or for the agent to call Gibbs unsolicited and tell him what they are looking for. There is nothing that violates this in what I heard(at least nothing that could be proven as a violation).

[smoak]

This is total %*$&-ing %&#$. I'm so angry I can't respond futher, but I agree with CNY.

An illiterate farm worker in Samoa knows that both Plaxico and Muslin want HUGE deals.

[smoak]

The NFL is probably going to take our first round pick.

[Dexter72]

Originally Posted by hockeygoalie29

The fact is Gibbs was asked by the fans if he'd be going after these two guys becasue they will be free agents. Gibbs said no, they would cost too much. I don't see any signs of tampering what-so-ever. The reference to the amount of money Muhammed wants could easily be taken from his public demands of the Panthers. These guys are just trying to start some trouble.

I agree...Gibbs can say he was merely speculatin' or going off the rumors he's seen and heard...Unless their is a smoking gun, paperwork that has been exchanged or tape, I don't see how tampering can be proved.

[akhhorus]

Originally Posted by smoakme

The NFL is probably going to take our first round pick.

The most they could take is our third. Unless We signed both Musin and Plaxico and they could prove the case. Like with a document written before the FA date or with people testifying that the skins signed them before the deadline. They nailed the Broncos for doing somethign similar and they stripped their third rounder this year.

[Spence]

Everything Gibbs said is public knowledge. How does Gibbs know what Mushin Muhammed's agent is demanding? Maybe Gibbs reads the newspapers. I knew it and I haven't been tampering. I just read newspapers. How does Gibbs know what Plaxico Burress wants? Maybe Gibbs reads newspapers. Same deal. Negotiations begin long before formal offers are tendered.

Of course, there's also the grapevine. Agents talk to each other and to general managers. General managers talk to each other. This stuff gets around quickly. If Gibbs got information about a player from another general manager--which is common--that's not tampering at all.

The boys over at PFT say they're trying not to be naive. Maybe they should try a little harder.

[CNYSkinFan]

You know I just, for the first time really checked out PFT and I have to say my conclusion about it being a rag not worthy of my rounder side holds up well. Here is something else they wrote later on:

On the issue of tampering, Cardinals exec Rod Graves arguably committed a technical violation of the rules when saying that, as to the possibility of signing Browns QB Jeff Garcia after he's released on February 22, "we're keeping the door open" (unless, of course, Graves was referring to the proverbial closet).

This is not tampering either. If this was tampering there would never be an NFL draft because all 32 teams would have all of their picks stripped of all their picks every year.

So I was a little curious about who these guys were and I went to their "about us" section. Here a few tidbits:

We don't have editors, we don't have agendas, we don't owe anyone anything and we don't care.

Well you are batting .500 there. No editors and not caring is certain. In fact those two things walk hand in hand down the path of true BS. However their agenda is pretty obvious, to make money and sell advertising space. Generating web hits by posting crap is their motus operandi. As for not owing anyone anything....well if they don't count their own self respect then they are right.

We're the first to admit that we don't always adhere to pure journalistic standards. We don't seek reactions from players, coaches, and/or agents before posting controversial stories.

No crap! I didn't figure that out already.

[NamVet4]

DAILY RUMOR MILL

Once again people, why do you think they title their article this way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Etymology: Middle English rumour, from Middle French, from Latin rumor clamor, gossip; akin to Old English rEon to lament, Sanskrit rauti he roars
1 : talk or opinion widely disseminated with no discernible source
2 : a statement or report current without known authority for its truth
3 archaic : talk or report of a notable person or event
4 : a soft low indistinct sound : MURMUR

Good grief !!!

[MoeRedskins]

wow, the more I read the football rumor page, the more I start to think that a group of monkeys are just sitting around listening to the radio and repeating what has been said. I make a motion that no more rumors from this so called rumor mill become threads because they are a waste of everybodies time. Oh, I just read of their rumor mill that cancer is now good for you.

[skins111111]

yawn!!!!!!! can't see me loosing any sleep over it