NFL: Disenchantment at Halas Hall

[cigaretteman]

On the first day of Bears training camp at Olivet Nazarene University last month, I bumped into Lance Briggs outside a dorm and playfully put up my dukes.

We kidded about his offseason boxing regimen in Arizona but both of us knew that day there was a different kind of fight for which he was bracing.




A fight Briggs never really thought he could win. He picked it anyway.

Briggs realized he has zero leverage asking the Bears for a raise. General manager Jerry Angelo essentially told Briggs he has three years left on his deal so shut up and play, and the linebacker will. Next February perhaps Angelo will call Briggs' bluff and be more inclined to trade a 31-year-old linebacker for a third-round draft pick from a team willing to pay Briggs. But two weeks before the season-opener he understandably was in no mood to ponder the future of a player who already has won the football lottery.

Briggs has even less public support. Bears fans priced out of games in this economy can't relate to someone making $3.65 million playing football wanting more money. Who else wished the Bears could just give Briggs a new Lamborghini to see if that would suffice?

No dummy, Briggs expected both adverse reactions. But I think Briggs turned up the volume on his contract battle anyway because, to him, the fight involved much more than just another pro athlete feeling underpaid. He brought attention to a potentially deeper issue not as easy to ignore for management.

Fair or not, Briggs believes he represented a growing number of teammates unhappy with the way the Bears organization deals with players. To hear some insiders other than Briggs describe morale at various times this preseason, the Bears could become the first NFL team to use the Disenfranchised Tag for players.

It really doesn't matter if it's true. If players go to Halas Hall every day believing they are unappreciated then inevitably, eventually, it affects them. A player thinking about his contract is more prone to mental lapses. They're not football robots.

A new phenomenon, this isn't. From at least the playing days of Mike Ditka to the '85 Bears through the Urlacher Era, standout Bears players have groused about the front office. The connection between complaining and winning or losing depends on the source and the season. But in the context of 2011 as the Bears try to repeat as NFC North champions, Briggs' gripes at least are worth noting for a team that traditionally doesn't handle success well.

Chicago Bears: Disenchantment at Halas Hall - chicagotribune.com

 

[Rural]

Briggs spent most of yesterday getting beat up on ESPN, if that does him any good.

 

[bostrem00]

:biglaugh:

 

[CykoAGR]

As a life long Bears fan I hate to hear this. I have a hard time determining who is worth what, all pro-athletes seem to be overpaid but are the Bears players less overpaid than other teams players?
Maybe, its hard for someone like me to tell.

It wouldnt come as a huge shock to me though because in my opinion the Bears front office is less than stellar in most categories. They have a horribel track record in the draft. Especially on the offensive side of the ball. HORRIBLE!! They seem to be able to find lower round players that are good value but man their 1-2nd rnd pick history is awful.

Hester, Knox, Urlacher and Briggs are good. They have other players who have flashes of brilliance but then either fade away or get hurt and never return to form.

I keep hoping that they will get over the hump but they may have given away too much to get Peppers and Cutler.

 

[Rural]

They gave Briggs a huge contract with the money mostly front-loaded onto the first few years. Now that those years have gone by, the money is suddenly no good. He's not going to get sympathy very many places.

 

[heyguy85]

They gave Briggs a huge contract with the money mostly front-loaded onto the first few years. Now that those years have gone by, the money is suddenly no good. He's not going to get sympathy very many places.

Couldn't agree more. Rashaan Salaam :skeptical: