Mike Brown Article on ESPN.com

[GIDP]

Im talking more guaranteed money here instead of just some fake figure that will never be earned most likely.

and how it is now the Bengals said the ship has sailed on the slotting system. I agree with them. Smith is useless for at least half the season most likely now. Why should the Bengals pay him for a full season when he held out and is now just going to be on the bench. Both sides are to blame but I put nothing past Smith considering how crappy he and his agent have handled everything.

Keels has been trying to use media outlets to pressure the bengals. I tend to think he has a reason for this other than just being a nice guy. Its obviously a ploy. I trust him about as much as I trust Mike Brown.

[WMR]

All of that may be true but the fault still lies with the Bungles and Mikey Boy.

You've got 100 million invested in a QB and you finally do the right things on draft day and you DON'T GET YOUR FRANCHISE TACKLE SIGNED?????

Just utter incompetency, plain and simple.

[Highlifeman21]

Originally Posted by WMR

All of that may be true but the fault still lies with the Bungles and Mikey Boy.

You've got 100 million invested in a QB and you finally do the right things on draft day and you DON'T GET YOUR FRANCHISE TACKLE SIGNED?????

Just utter incompetency, plain and simple.

Do you think Smith is a franchise tackle, though?

[GIDP]

Originally Posted by WMR

All of that may be true but the fault still lies with the Bungles and Mikey Boy.

You've got 100 million invested in a QB and you finally do the right things on draft day and you DON'T GET YOUR FRANCHISE TACKLE SIGNED?????

Just utter incompetency, plain and simple.

I dont know how the Bengals are sole to blame here.

[LoganBuck]

Originally Posted by Highlifeman21

Do you think Smith is a franchise tackle, though?

Offensive Tackles picked in the Top 10 better be. Otherwise they are millstones around your neck.

[WMR]

Originally Posted by Highlifeman21

Do you think Smith is a franchise tackle, though?

I don't know... like LB said, you gotta plan for him being just that at this point since you drafted him with a top 10 pick.

[WMR]

Originally Posted by GIDP

I dont know how the Bengals are sole to blame here.

How long have you been following the Bungles?

There's a reason that crap like this is always happening to them.

[LoganBuck]

Originally Posted by WMR

How long have you been following the Bungles?

There's a reason that crap like this is always happening to them.

+2

:deadhorse

[GIDP]

Originally Posted by WMR

How long have you been following the Bungles?

There's a reason that crap like this is always happening to them.

No doubt but im still not going to put all the blame on the Bengals. Plenty of teams have hold outs. Just going off what Smith has shown us in the past I have no doubt that hes likely just as shady.

[LoganBuck]

Originally Posted by GIDP

No doubt but im still not going to put all the blame on the Bengals. Plenty of teams have hold outs. Just going off what Smith has shown us in the past I have no doubt that hes likely just as shady.

From Joe Reedy's Blog

Alvin Keels arrived and departed from Cincinnati on Sunday without a deal for first-round pick Andre Smith. Keels met for four hours with Katie Blackburn and Mike Brown where no progress was made in getting the offensive tackle signed.

Sunday marked the 24th day that Smith has gone unsigned and he is one of two first-round picks who remain unsigned, along with San Francisco’s Michael Crabree, who was the 10th pick.

The Bengals last offer to Smith was five years at the base at $28 million and a maximum of $33 million. That’s lower than the contract for last year’s sixth pick, the Jets’ Vernon Gholston (base of $32.5 million) and this year’s seventh pick Oakland’s Darrius Heyward-Bey (base of $38.25 million).
With Smith unsigned, many are now looking at the holdout lasting to September or longer. Justin Smith, the Bengals’ first-round pick in 2001, was out for 51 days while Ricky Hunley was unsigned by the team in 1984 before his rights were traded to Denver in midseason.

From Alvin Keels' Twitter

Leaving Cinci. Not any closer on a deal for Andre Smith. Mike Brown says "the ship has sailed on the slotting system".

[GIDP]

I really appreciate Alvin Keels letting us know his side of the story. Hes such a nice guy for being so open.

[LoganBuck]

Originally Posted by GIDP

I really appreciate Alvin Keels letting us know his side of the story. Hes such a nice guy for being so open.

It is a new day. Doesn't make it right or wrong.

[GIDP]

Originally Posted by LoganBuck

It is a new day. Doesn't make it right or wrong.

Twitter from an agent is just a easy way for propaganda to reach the masses. Hes not going to tell us anything about what hes actually trying to ask for. My whole stance is we have no idea what the truth is and I can assume that what ever Keels says isnt remotely close to being the whole truth.

[bucksfan2]

Originally Posted by GIDP

Im talking more guaranteed money here instead of just some fake figure that will never be earned most likely.

and how it is now the Bengals said the ship has sailed on the slotting system. I agree with them. Smith is useless for at least half the season most likely now. Why should the Bengals pay him for a full season when he held out and is now just going to be on the bench. Both sides are to blame but I put nothing past Smith considering how crappy he and his agent have handled everything.

Keels has been trying to use media outlets to pressure the bengals. I tend to think he has a reason for this other than just being a nice guy. Its obviously a ploy. I trust him about as much as I trust Mike Brown.

I agree 100%. He is using any method possible to sway fan support behind Smith and against the Bengals. It really shouldn't be that hard, but Keels is overlooking who his client is. I would venture to guess that anybody who follows football knows the eventful pre draft soap opera that Smith went through. In Smith's case it was painfully depicted almost of a daily basis. It is very difficult to garner good will for a client who showed several red flags when the pressure was on him pre-draft.

I think the leverage is starting to swing back to the Bengals. Smith knows that in order to play in the first quarter of the season he needs to get with the team ASAP. The longer he sits out the more wasted season he begins to have. He isn't like a franchise QB, Smith could have come in and started from day 1. Instead it looks like he won't be starting until around game 5. He is not only delaying getting paid, but he is also delaying his second contract.

At some point Smith needs to step in and say to his agent "Get it done". No more 4 hour meetings without anything new coming out of them. No more holdout. No more wasting time and practice. In the end Smith becomes the real loser the longer the hold out extends.

[Screwball]

Didn't Keels say on Hard Knocks they wanted a little over what DHB got from the Raiders, and Katie said they're "not prepared to meet that"?

While it sucks Al Davis is clearly insane, this is how it is. Either pay the man his slot money, or punish the team by not doing so. They're not going to get away with their lowball offer.