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The game of semantics played by Darrelle Revis on Thursday was bizarre. The cornerback was sending mixed messages.
For a guy who said he was “cool” with his contract in early May, he sure didn’t seem that way on Thursday.
Revis was asked repeatedly if he was going to show up for training camp on July 26..
“I don’t know,” Revis said. “That’s what I’m telling you, I don’t know. I’m getting ready for the season.”
Revis got agitated.
“Here we go with the contract questions,” Revis said. “I’m here and I’ll be playing.”
But since he continually refused to say he would show up for camp, he got exactly what he deserved when the questions continued.
“Playing”? What does that mean? Not much. If he doesn’t show up in Cortland, than how is he playing? Training camp is a lot more important than OTA’s, and he’s not committing to that. And the last time he held out, in the summer of 2010, he pulled a hamstring, and the injury was a problem all year.
“If something’s lingering, you will find out. If something lingers, you’ll find out. It’s going to be written. It’s going to be in the paper. I’m telling you, I’m getting ready for the season. Whatever happens in the future happens. I just said that four or five times. Didn’t I say that?”
Like I said yesterday, he had no right to get frustrated with the media, and I’m generally not a defender of the media. Why should they stop asking him holdout questions, since he won’t rule it out? They shouldn’t.
The PR department gives the writers a limited amount of time with Revis, as far as I’m concerned every question should be about a potential holdout. That is the story, and a big one.
Revis and his camp see weakness in Mike Tannenbaum and Woody Johnson, who are desperate for a winning season this year. Desperate. The Giants winning the Super Bowl last year crushed them.
Johnson is also feeling the pressure of a lot of unsold seats, especially in the upper bowl.
As the old expression goes, “follow the money.” Look at all the changes on the business side this off-season – three VP’s gone – Matt Higgins, Thad Sheely and now Robert “Bobby” Parente.
Johnson knows he needs to win this year to help sell all that ticket inventory.
As for Tannenbaum, if the Jets have their second disappointing season in a row, who knows what might happen to him.
So the last thing they need is a holdout from their best player.
Revis and Neil Schwartz can sense the blood in the water here, and are looking to take advantage of it.
For months, the Revis camp has been floating the term “band-aid contract” about the deal the cornerback signed in the summer of 2010.
Revis’ agents have made it known, to any beat writer who will listen, that they viewed that four-year deal, as more of a two-year “band-aid” deal.
The Jets don’t agree, and if Schwartz (or Feinsod) continue to provide writers with off-the-record background, I hear the team intends to fight back, with their own off-the-record background.
Revis got the $16 million a year he was looking for in the first two years, but this year it dips to $7.5, so his camp thinks it’s time to re-negotiate.
The Jets don’t want to do that now. They would rather wait until next year. And honestly, with the $7.5 Revis is scheduled to make this year, the first three years of the contract average $13 million a year, which is more than fair. No cornerback is making more than that now.
But Revis and Schwartz intend on taking advantage of Mike and Woody.
Let’s see if the GM and owner have the fortitude to stand their ground.
The Revis camp clearly doesn’t think they will.
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