Shedding no tears for ‘Toine
Posted on July 7th, 2009 – 12:14 PMBy Mark Craig
Some NFL/non-PGA Championship thoughts during a gleeful summer spent thinking more about the arrival of Rich Beem than Brett Favre …
. Let me preface this one by saying I think the world of Antoine Winfield. I’m in an NFL notes network for writers and each year around the Pro Bowl announcement, there’s a call for players who have basically spent a career getting hosed out of the Pro Bowl. For years before Winfield finally made it into the Pro Bowl, the first name out of my brain was always, “Antoine Winfield!”
He’s the league’s best tackler and one of the best and most dependable players the Vikings have. However …
I’m having a hard time accepting the argument that the Vikings have to extend his contract or it’s some kind of crime against humanity.
Have we forgotten just how HUGE Winfield’s current six-year, $34.8-million deal was back when he signed it? Have we forgotten that he got $12 million up front? Better yet, have we forgotten that his salary this year is $6 million? It’s not like he got to the end of this great deal and there’s only a few hundred grand left to scrape by on.
Winfield should just play the season, play it well and get your money next spring. It’s what a lot of Pro Bowl-caliber players do each and every season.
The only explanation as to why Antoine wants the money now is he’s 32. Well, if that’s the case, then wouldn’t it seem logical that the Vikings would see that as a reason to hesitate? Winfield didn’t have to sign for six years. He could have found himself a five-year deal.
Winfield isn’t going to hold out. It would cost him too much money and, at 32, he doesn’t have the time to hold out.
The best solution would be for Winfield to put in another Pro Bowl season and test the open market like he did five years ago.
. I’ve gotten some emails expressing shock over the tragic news of Steve McNair. Actually, the first one on Saturday simply said, “McNair! Can you believe this?” I had no idea what I was supposed to not believe. I thought maybe he was coming back. Sadly, McNair had been killed.
As for the shock, no, I wasn’t shocked. And that has nothing to do with McNair.
Nothing shocks me anymore. NOTHING.
Seriously, how many things have to happen before some of us — particularly the media, I suppose — wake up and realize athletes don’t live in this neat little Fantasy Land that some of us want to believe, and even help create.
Let’s all grow up. Accept that athletes play a meaningless game for our amusement, enjoy it and stop acting like we know who they really are.
If you need a visual, go to YouTube and search for O.J. Simpson/White Ford Bronco. I’m not sure exactly when I realized nothing would ever shock me again, but it was probably around the time 15 years ago when the Juice led police on that 50-mile, low-speed chase on I-405 in Los Angeles. O.J. sat in the back seat with a gun to his head while his buddy, Al Cowlings, drove. By the end of the chase, the entire country, if not the world, was watching it unfold on live TV.
Yep, I suppose that was the tipping point for me.
25 Responses to "Shedding no tears for ‘Toine"
Quality person, awesome player get him signed for the super bowl run…4 year deal
Winfield is doing what all players do when their contract has only one year to go. Let everyone know they are unhappy, skip OTA’s. and scream for a new deal. I agree with Jeff, give him a 4 year deal. Winfield keeps himself in shape and has at least 4 good years left. On top of that he is invaluable in the locker room, a great leader. I’m more concerned with resigning him than with signing Favre. Get this deal done and let’s get this season started.
“Let’s all grow up. Accept that athletes play a meaningless game for our amusement, enjoy it and stop acting like we know who they really are.”
This is the best line I have read in the STRIB Sports pages EVER. It can be applied to Steve McNair, Winfield, or Favre.
Bravo Mr. Craig.
“Let’s all grow up. Accept that athletes play a meaningless game for our amusement, enjoy it and stop acting like we know who they really are.”
This is the best line I have read in the STRIB Sports pages EVER. It can be applied to Steve McNair, Winfield, or Favre.
Bravo Mr. Craig.
I’ll second that. I love watching sports. I do. But there’s a bigger world out there. It’s entertainment and nothing more.
For a notes writer your not very knowledgable. EVERY player wants to get extended in the last year unless they are unhappy with their team, He is a team player, wants to stay here long term and wants the assurance(as much assurance as a non gurenteed contract is) Remember Javon Walker a couple years ago? Wanted to get extended, they wouldnt he blew up his knee and was never the same. He is just doing whats best for him.
Now lets talk about the emotional outpouring for some creepy singer who could dance…………CNN etc all Jackson all the time…….Meanwhile thousands of kids are coming home from Irag without limbs
I agree!!! The money they make is insane anyway!
“Let’s all grow up. Accept that athletes play a meaningless game for our amusement, enjoy it and stop acting like we know who they really are.”
This is the best line I have read in the STRIB Sports pages EVER. It can be applied to Steve McNair, Winfield, or Favre.
Bravo Mr. Craig.
I’ll second that. I love watching sports. I do. But there’s a bigger world out there. It’s entertainment and nothing more.
BUT WITH WINFIELD it’s a different story…its not like A.Bolding crying about the contract he signed and wants to make more money….. WInfield wants to stay here and just wants a new contract.
I’m sure any of you moved to a new place to work and found out that you might not have a job there in a year you might be a little nervous and be looking for security also…He just wants to know if he is goin gto be here or not! IT’s not about the money but his family! SIGN HIM!!
Interesting comparison about McNair to the OJ Simpson story. It seems to say “If I can’t have you, no one can.”
That seems to be what happened in both cases, we’ll never know.
Well written article. We live in a society that propels people into god like status that do not deserve the billing just because they play a game well. Media does create the hype but the masses drive what the media writes about. Mr. Craig your article was refreshing and candid…Winfield is an outstanding player but I, like you, am not worried about anyone who earns 6 million for 20 games a year. If he walks there are hundreds more that will take his place.
Umm, Mark…who bears primary responsibility for putting athletes on pedestals? It’s you, the Media!! (Not you particularly, but the media as a whole). Just because some guys spend 4 hours a year building a playground doesn’t make them humanitarians, but you’re all out there when it happens with your notepads and cameras. Even in this column, you state “I think the world of Antoine Winfield”. OK, so are you intending to convey the message that he’s a saint? And should I then not be shocked when you later tell me something negative about him as a person?
I’ll bet he gets a deal signed once Brett Favre’s deal becomes public. I am totally dreaming here, but maybe - just maybe the Vikings will sign Bret, milk that publicity - then sign Antoine and milk that. All done to build positive public momentum going into the season. Then again - they may have no plan!
I bet Vikes are offering up a high paying 2 year deal, but Winfield wants 4. Just give him 3 years (2+this year) for something like 22 mil. so it would be 16 mil for 2 year extension.
Mark,
I think you woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. As TeamWin stated, the reason he wants a new contract is because he wants to stay in MN - he’s entering his last year, and *EVERY GOOD PLAYER* in this league that wants to stay with the team they’re with looks for a new deal going into their last year.
He hasn’t caused a circus about this whole thing, he never went public about the contract negotiations until recently when he felt that he was had to based on the organization’s comments. He’s been as professional as professional can be about this whole thing. And he’s not asking you to cry for him, either. I found this post to be superfluous, self gratifying, and unnecessary.
Winfield is NOT an awesome player - all wrong. Can’t cover - too many stupid Vikings fans overrate him - keep it up, so he gets paid more. He tackles and hits, but covers like crap - below average on balance; end of story, and every x-player/analyst knows it (and says it).
I agree that resolving this issue is at least as important as Favre.
No point in beefing up the offense and then blowing a hole in the defense.
“Let’s all grow up. Accept that athletes play a meaningless game for our amusement, enjoy it and stop acting like we know who they really are.”
This is the best line I have read in the STRIB Sports pages EVER. It can be applied to Steve McNair, Winfield, or Favre.
Bravo Mr. Craig.
I agree, but not with just sports, people need to put down the people magazines and stop watching shows like TMZ and concern themselves with their own lives! Enjoy the movies, tv shows and sport games, but let the people live their own lives. Great point Mr. Craig!
I say two year deal, 36 is too old for him to be hitting people the way he does.
that was well said. these athletes do play a meaningless game, and get paid millions of dollars to basically keep themselves in shape.
First of all, the Vikings already had a bottom-three backfield WITH Antoine Winfield and Darren Sharper AND a QB who WASN’T the NFL’s all-time leader in interceptions. Now Sharper is a Saint, Winfield is on his way out the door and the reigning INT king is on his way to a starting QB role as a Viking. Birk is gone. I know Cook was bad, but now we got two rookies on the O-line. The real kicker is what becomes of the NFL’s #1 rush defense with the Williams Wall serving a 4-gamer? Prepare for third in the NFC North … if even that.
ESPN is tossing out the idea of Marvin Harrison joining the Vikings. On its Insider page, above Harrison’s mug, it says “Two HOFers to Vikes?” Any truth to this. Harrison makes sense, especially if that dude from Mississippi shows up in Mankato.
Let me see if I can add anything of value - “nohandle”, dude - why bother? There are so many holes in your comment I have to assume you’re from Wisconsin. As for Marvin H - there have been rumblings for a couple weeks - I think it might prove out to be true - as the organization is putting “ALL” their eggs in this season. Why not? If we live in a what have you done for me lately society - win now! or die trying.
Oh by the way - yep, I’m a fan - I drank the cool-aid back when Fran was at the helm. Been to Pittsburgh’s Heintz field, seen their trophy’s - would like to see one here at the Vike’s new stadium.
No Handle clearly has no handle on the situation. Suggesting we might finish behind the Lions? Laughable.
OK, Mark. In the Division, remember Javon Walker, WR for the Packers a couple years ago? Wanted a rewrite after 2 years of a 3 year pact. Didn’t get it. ( a contract is a contract) He sulked himself into a trade to Denver. After getting himself involved in late night rumbles in a “Club” alley with murder wrapped around it, never any more from Walker. How about the Packers McKenzie? Demand denied. Went to N.O. Nowhere to be found. Antoine needs a new agent to keep his feet on the ground between plays!
As for Brett, I will quote him..”Football…it’s just a game.” He’ll play as long as he thinks he can deliver and there is a team who needs a guy who thinks and plays like he does. If the Vikes are lucky enough to land him, they’ll have the help they need without having a Chinese fire drill in the 4th quarter again!
[…] Craig of the Star Tribune has no sympathy for Antoine […]
Newspaper Subscriptions
eEdition
RSS
Newsletters