Slow news in the summer, <2 weeks until the first game!:woohoo:woohoo

Just read this on ESPN

http://espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp12/story/_/id/8285546/desean-jackson-philadelphia-eagles-give-full-effort-2011

I have a love-hate relationship with Desean Jackson. On one hand, he is easily one of THE most electrifying Cal player I have seen live, but on another hand he does a lot of dumb things. But in the end, its still OUR Desean Jackson.

Though to put it in perspective, imagine seeing your co-worker, who is 1/2 as productive, makes at least twice as much as you. I don't know if I can sit there and not complain about that either.


I know many on this board feels similarly. Love the man? Hate the man?

Can't wait for the actual games to start

My Philadelphia Eagle fan friends love to rag on DJ for his antics. I'm sure to hear about this article.

Arcadiabear;841926139 said:

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Just read this on ESPN

http://espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp12/story/_/id/8285546/desean-jackson-philadelphia-eagles-give-full-effort-2011

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I read your title and thought you were talking about "our" last season with Desean.

Wouldn't Desean have been smarter to get an insurance policy against career ending injury rather than dogging it? At least don't tell Philadelphia fans you were dogging it!

Note to Desean:

When crossing the goal line, act like you've been there before.

In player intros on televised games, remember that you went to Cal. Long Beach was your high school.

Football is a TEAM sport. Holding back to set up negotiations is a joke.

Talk to Aaron Rodgers about how to represent.
:gobears:

It's too bad.

DeSean is re-inforcing the image of a self-centered punk.

What a maroon. A talented maroon. But what a maroon.

Still proud to call him a Cal bear, particularly with his contributions to charity.

Arcadiabear;841926139 said:

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Slow news in the summer, <2 weeks until the first game!:woohoo:woohoo

Just read this on ESPN

http://espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp12/story/_/id/8285546/desean-jackson-philadelphia-eagles-give-full-effort-2011

I have a love-hate relationship with Desean Jackson. On one hand, he is easily one of THE most electrifying Cal player I have seen live, but on another hand he does a lot of dumb things. But in the end, its still OUR Desean Jackson.

Though to put it in perspective, imagine seeing your co-worker, who is 1/2 as productive, makes at least twice as much as you. I don't know if I can sit there and not complain about that either.


I know many on this board feels similarly. Love the man? Hate the man?

Can't wait for the actual games to start

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He basically played up to his salary back then. I think he had every right to be upset considering the Eagles were going around signing Vince Young and Steve Smith but not giving him the contract that he wanted and deserved.

retrospekt;841926159 said:

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Still proud to call him a Cal bear, particularly with his contributions to charity.

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I tend to think this way too. I love his charity work...especially with the anti-bullying platform. I also LOVED watching him play at Cal. I don't even mind the showboating stuff.

What really bothers me about DeSean are stories like this. All that other stuff (showboating, contract holdouts, etc.) is understandable, but he should never quit. Do you think Jerry Rice ever quit or took plays off?

If he wants to be considered as one of the all-time greats, he needs to play like one. Hopefully, he matures.

StillNoStanfurdium;841926160 said:

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He basically played up to his salary back then. I think he had every right to be upset considering the Eagles were going around signing Vince Young and Steve Smith but not giving him the contract that he wanted and deserved.

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More than wanted and deserved, the contract that was PROMISED to him by the Eagles if he quickly ended his hold out (which he did) from the abbreviated camp, shortened due to the OWNER IMPOSED lockout (including refusal to pay salaries agreed to in the contracts). Once Vick was out, the Eagle's season was over, and Desean would have been stupid to get injured with no contract in place for 2012. It would have cost him $tens of millions, maybe more depending on the extent of any injury.

UCBerkGrad;841926180 said:

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I tend to think this way too. I love his charity work...especially with the anti-bullying platform. I also LOVED watching him play at Cal. I don't even mind the showboating stuff.

What really bothers me about DeSean are stories like this. All that other stuff (showboating, contract holdouts, etc.) is understandable, but he should never quit. Do you think Jerry Rice ever quit or took plays off?

If he wants to be considered as one of the all-time greats, he needs to play like one. Hopefully, he matures.

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I have a sneaking suspicion that he is not the first nor the last player to give less than 100% on the football field. I find it funny people are so eager to bag on him when a large percentage of posts on this board were probably made while on the job, whatever it may be.

The only issue I have is him flat out stating it. Not a particularly wise PR move.

retrospekt;841926188 said:

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I have a sneaking suspicion that he is not the first nor the last player to give less than 100% on the football field...

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..and that is why I am tickled sh*tless that Randy Moss is a 49er and not a Raider anymore. Now when he is pouting he can pull his "butter fingers" routine on Hairball.:cheer

Irishbear;841926150 said:

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Note to Desean:

When crossing the goal line, act like you've been there before.

In player intros on televised games, remember that you went to Cal. Long Beach was your high school.

Football is a TEAM sport. Holding back to set up negotiations is a joke.

Talk to Aaron Rodgers about how to represent.
:gobears:

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On Sunday Night Football two years ago Rodgers gave his college as "Butte City College." Why the double standard?

Desean did not hold back to set up negotiations. He originally held out of camp (standard practice for those who have out performed rookie contracts), but because the camp was shortened (due to the owners lockout and refusal to pay negotiated salaries) Desean agreed to come to camp when the Eagles promised to have a contract within the next month. Instead the Eagles went out and signed a bunch of free agents for big bucks and stiffed Desean on his promised contract. Desean was set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season. Once Vick went out with injury, and the Eagle's season was over, Desean held back to avoid a career-ending or just next contract reducing injury.

The Eagles were screwing over a fellow Cal guy, one of our biggest stars, but instead of having his back "Cal fans" instead attack him. Great fans.

I dont begrudge him. It's a business plain and simple.

I would do the same. Like anyone else protecting his health is also protecting his means of a living and for those he supports too. Protecting your assets is a smart and fair decision.

This isn't news. He's admitted it all along. But since people have short memories, this will be treated like something new and scandalous.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/09/30/desean-jackson-says-his-main-goal-is-to-stay-healthy/

I'm not much of a DeSean Jackson fan, especially because there so many other great Bears to root for (Nnamdi, Rodgers, Fujita, and Forsett are my favorites), but I am in DeSean's camp on this one. The Eagles should have shown good faith by renewing his contract a year ahead of time. He simply wasn't making enough money for the size of his contribution and the amount of risk that a small receiver takes every time he goes into the middle.

The news is that he admitted it which is honest because it was obvious. Seems like it didn't matter to the Eagles that much.

freshfunk;841926200 said:

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I dont begrudge him. It's a business plain and simple.

I would do the same. Like anyone else protecting his health is also protecting his means of a living and for those he supports too. Protecting your assets is a smart and fair decision.

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It's business? I'll tell you what business is. The fundamental promise an employee makes to his employer by accepting the employment and the paycheck is to put forth his/her best efforts. If you are not willing to do that then don't accept the employment. To do otherwise is dishonorable. The problem is that I am not sure the concept of honor exists anymore.

I did not read the OP's link so I express no opinion about DJ's situation. Randy Moss, however.......

Can't say this helps bolster my impression of Desean. I met him once at the CKC DC, and he came off like your stereotypical arrogant jock with a massive ego.

Now, Marshawn on the other hand has got to be the most down to earth person ever. Heck, the times I've bumped into him he seems like the happiest person on the planet.

honestly, i wouldn't blame him for protecting himself with the contract that he had last year. After that massive hit that took him out, why would he risk injury before getting that contract and preserving his career? He knows his limits, he knows how hard it is to get that contract in the NFL...and he was definitely shafted by the eagles before this year.


I'm sure we knew all long he was playing it safe, but that doesn't change my opinion of him. in the end, the eagles saw no issue with him and offered him a new contract. Rather see him do this and play more years in the league than to go balls out and get severely injured before he got paid the amt he deserves

calumnus;841926199 said:

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On Sunday Night Football two years ago Rodgers gave his college as "Butte City College." Why the double standard?

Desean did not hold back to set up negotiations. He originally held out of camp (standard practice for those who have out performed rookie contracts), but because the camp was shortened (due to the owners lockout and refusal to pay negotiated salaries) Desean agreed to come to camp when the Eagles promised to have a contract within the next month. Instead the Eagles went out and signed a bunch of free agents for big bucks and stiffed Desean on his promised contract. Desean was set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season. Once Vick went out with injury, and the Eagle's season was over, Desean held back to avoid a career-ending or just next contract reducing injury.

The Eagles were screwing over a fellow Cal guy, one of our biggest stars, but instead of having his back "Cal fans" instead attack him. Great fans.

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Interesting that Rodgers would say he attended "Butte City College" when he attended Butte College. With Desean, I think it is the sum of the parts that comes under criticism.

Desean may have been screwed over by Eagles, I don't know all the facts. But to admit in public that you did not hustle? Wow. A for honesty, but not very smart.

bearister;841926210 said:

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It's business? I'll tell you what business is. The fundamental promise an employee makes to his employer by accepting the employment and the paycheck is to put forth his/her best efforts. If you are not willing to do that then don't accept the employment. To do otherwise is dishonorable. The problem is that I am not sure the concept of honor exists anymore.

I did not read the OP's link so I express no opinion about DJ's situation. Randy Moss, however.......

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Sorry, but I totally disagree. There is nothing about business that says you have to put forth your best effort. Maybe that's your personal take on it but there is nothing that legally says.

Legally, he's under some contract that has certain obligations he must meet and translate into monetary incentives. There's likely nothing in the contract that says he must "try his best." Such a clause would be impossible to enforce.

There's risk on both sides of the ball which is why contracts are created out of negotiations and performance-based incentives are written into them. The player risks not having a contract extended and looking poorly to other potential employers. The team risks not getting their money's worth.

Capitalism and competition make it fair such that the team can choose not to renew their contract and hire someone to replace him. This is true regardless of whether he underperforms or outperforms that which is expected of him.

In my eyes, what's fair is that employees perform at the rate they are being paid. After all, that is their compensation. Why should employees perform their best if employers are purposely paying them below market?

At least DeSean is telling the truth, unlike Jeff "I was just washing my pickup" Kent did when he broke a bone in his wrist while popping wheelies on a dirt bike.

DeSean is going to give you what he is -- he's not going to make an image just for the public that's not what he's like in real life.

calumnus;841926199 said:

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The Eagles were screwing over a fellow Cal guy, one of our biggest stars, but instead of having his back "Cal fans" instead attack him. Great fans.

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Yup. Agree 100%. I for one still think of Desean as one of the very best players our program has put into the NFL and hope he gets the payday he deserves.

Well, d'oh. He's made it all but clear from the get go that he wasn't going to risk his career earning power on a $400,000 single-season contract.

freshfunk;841926232 said:

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Sorry, but I totally disagree. There is nothing about business that says you have to put forth your best effort. ....

In my eyes, what's fair is that employees perform at the rate they are being paid. After all, that is their compensation. Why should employees perform their best if employers are purposely paying them below market?

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I suppose I was speaking about how I view things under my personal code of honor. I went back and read the link:

"Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson told ESPN's Lisa Salters that he didn't give a full effort last season because he didn't want to get injured before signing a new contract."

I can't say I blame him for that but under my code I would share that information with my employer so that they could make an informed decision about whether to play me or not. I still don't think it is honorable to accept a job thinking you are underpaid and then secretly deciding you are only going to give a half assed effort. Don't take the job unless you are willing to fully commit. Maybe you have solved the mystery of why very few people seem to perform their jobs properly anymore. Maybe they are all very talented people but they think they are underpaid so they are only giving partial effort.

maroon? You're calling him a color?

bearister;841926278 said:

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I suppose I was speaking about how I view things under my personal code of honor. I went back and read the link:

"Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson told ESPN's Lisa Salters that he didn't give a full effort last season because he didn't want to get injured before signing a new contract."

I can't say I blame him for that but under my code I would share that information with my employer so that they could make an informed decision about whether to play me or not. I still don't think it is honorable to accept a job thinking you are underpaid and then secretly deciding you are only going to give a half assed effort. Don't take the job unless you are willing to fully commit. Maybe you have solved the mystery of why very few people seem to perform their jobs properly anymore. Maybe they are all very talented people but they think they are underpaid so they are only giving partial effort.

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Being that Desean was drafted, it's not like he exactly had the freedom to pick and choose what kind of contract he was getting from what employer.

StillNoStanfurdium;841926282 said:

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Being that Desean was drafted, it's not like he exactly had the freedom to pick and choose what kind of contract he was getting from what employer.

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Exactly, name another two-time All-Star, especially not drafted in the first round, that played out his final year under his rookie contract?

Green Bay redid Rodgers' contract in October 2008, the first year he became a starter after he was little more than a bench warmer for Farve. He had two years left on his rookie contract (which was at least first round money). That is what quality organizations do.

buster99;841926226 said:

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Interesting that Rodgers would say he attended "Butte City College" when he attended Butte College.

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Uh, Ok, Rodgers said "Butte Community College"--does that invalidate my point? He did not say "Cal" yet Desean is the only one people here harp on.

In the same game Desmond Bishop said "San Francisco City College."

calumnus;841926306 said:

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Uh, Ok, Rodgers said "Butte Community College"--does that invalidate my point? He did not say "Cal" yet Desean is the only one people here harp on.

In the same game Desmond Bishop said "San Francisco City College."

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As I said before, it is the sum of Desean's actions that gets him grief. Not saying it is fair, but it is what it is.

Brainsmile;841926280 said:

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maroon? You're calling him a color?

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Maroon = Moron...made famous by Bugs Bunny and other comedians...

FiatSlug;841926151 said:

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It's too bad.

DeSean is re-inforcing the image of a self-centered punk.

What a maroon. A talented maroon. But what a maroon.

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Desean was being paid peanuts for his electrifying plays. Given his size, he is very well aware that he can suffer a career/life ending injury at anytime. To understand that he has to survive one season to secure his family's welfare, and thus play more carefully is absolutely the responsible thing to do. You can argue that he let his team down in doing this, but I will argue that management let down the team by not locking him in earlier.

Oh Well!!

bearfan;841926330 said:

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Desean was being paid peanuts for his electrifying plays. Given his size, he is very well aware that he can suffer a career/life ending injury at anytime. To understand that he has to survive one season to secure his family's welfare, and thus play more carefully is absolutely the responsible thing to do. You can argue that he let his team down in doing this, but I will argue that management let down the team by not locking him in earlier.

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2 sided coin. The Eagles definitely treated Desean poorly. But similar to the Olympic badminton players, Desean could have disguised his tanking a little better. :p

This is a big non-story. Jackson caught 58 passes for nearly a thousand yards last season playing probably 80% of the games with Senor Inaccurate Vince Young throwing 25% of them (and Vick was only a bit better). Teams barely punted to him for most of last year, just like in 2007. That doesn't seem like he was dogging it and tanking the season, just that he couldn't be as much of a contributor.

I actually like DeSean admitting this. Shows a new flash of maturity that he's coming clean. I hope he's taking the LeBron route this season and has a year to remember.

bearister;841926278 said:

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I suppose I was speaking about how I view things under my personal code of honor. I went back and read the link:

"Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson told ESPN's Lisa Salters that he didn't give a full effort last season because he didn't want to get injured before signing a new contract."

I can't say I blame him for that but under my code I would share that information with my employer so that they could make an informed decision about whether to play me or not. I still don't think it is honorable to accept a job thinking you are underpaid and then secretly deciding you are only going to give a half assed effort. Don't take the job unless you are willing to fully commit. Maybe you have solved the mystery of why very few people seem to perform their jobs properly anymore. Maybe they are all very talented people but they think they are underpaid so they are only giving partial effort.

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Out of curiosity, does your employer require you to work normal business hours? If so, do you let them know that you are posting on Bearinsider during the day so that they can adjust your salary accordingly?