Bush: Contract "must meet our expectations" (1 Viewer)

[Tommy Collins]

Bush to Saints: 'We have to have a fair offer'

By Len Pasquarelli

ESPN.com

Although he reiterated his intention to be in his first NFL training camp on time, New Orleans Saints first-round draft choice and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush delivered a not-so-subtle message to Saints officials over the weekend:

Negotiations are a two-way street, and it's time for everyone to take the on-ramp to the bargaining table.

"I'm a competitor and a football player, and so, yeah, naturally, I want to be in camp on time," Bush told ESPN.com. "My goal is to be in there and to start doing my part to bring a Super Bowl championship to New Orleans. That's what I want. But I have an agent and I have faith in Joel [segal] to handle that end of things for me. … [And] he knows we have to have a fair offer, one that meets our expectations."

Reggie Bush

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Bush will likely command No. 1-level dollars despite going No. 2 in the draft.

The comment wasn't so much a repudiation of the stance Bush took during the Saints' recent minicamp as it was a clarification of those remarks.

At the minicamp May 13-15, Bush said it is "very important" to have his contract completed before training camp opens, and he noted that he apprised Segal to do "whatever it takes" to accomplish that goal.

"I don't want to get caught up in holdouts and things like that," Bush said at minicamp. "I think it is important to start off on a good foot and a good note -- not only with the team, but with the city."

Bush over the weekend did not back away from those remarks, which garnered disproportionate national attention, given that they were typical of what most rookies would say if queried about contract negotiations.

"In terms of my [desire] to have my contract finished and to be at camp on time, nothing has changed [from minicamp], not at all," Bush said.

But contract negotiations often get in the way of training camp reporting dates, as evidenced last summer when 23 of 32 first-round selections missed at least one day of camp practice because of contract impasses, and the Saints and Bush's representative have yet to commence bargaining. And so Bush's desire for an on-time camp arrival still must be reconciled by dollars and sense.

Other than allowing that he wants a contract which is "fair for everyone involved," Bush did not address in detail his financial expectations. But it is fair to assume that, as the second overall choice in the draft, Bush will seek a deal that approximates, and perhaps in some ways surpasses, the six-year, $54 million contract that the Houston Texans awarded defensive end Mario Williams, the draft's top pick.

After spending much of the weekend in Los Angeles at a league-related trading card photo shoot, Bush flew back to New Orleans on Sunday to resume working with Saints veterans in organized team activities. He said he is looking forward to being able to return to the practice field. The strained left hamstring that he sustained during the initial workout of the rookie minicamp is healing well, and Bush estimated he will be back on the field in about a week.

The former Southern California star, who never missed a college game because of an injury and who had never encountered even slight tightness in his hamstring, conceded he was stunned by the experience.

"I mean, I said to myself, 'What is this?' because I'd never had anything like it before," Bush said. "Really, I couldn't believe it. I was in a little bit of shock for a few minutes, like, 'My body has never let me down like this before.' But it'll be fine. It feels so much better already. And I appreciate the way the Saints have handled it and all the treatments the trainers have done with me. I'm just about over it but, I'm grateful that everyone has been so understanding and cautious with the thing."

Bush said he benefited from taking "mental reps" during the minicamp sessions, and he lauded first-year coach Sean Payton and his staff for keeping him focused, but Bush reiterated he is anxious to log some "live" snaps. At the rookie sessions, Bush made it through the first practice and then participated mostly in walk-through drills. Even with his curtailed workload, Saints coaches agreed that Bush's feel for the game and the grace and facility with which he does things were impressive.

Bush called his reception in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans, where he has been embraced by fans as the savior of the Saints franchise, "overwhelming," and Bush said he intends to expand upon the charitable endeavors he has already begun in the city. Of his ongoing battle to wear his familiar uniform No. 5 in the NFL, he noted that the decision is out of his hands and that there is nothing new to report. There could be a resolution of the uniform matter this week, with owners scheduled to meet in Denver on Tuesday.

Perhaps because he has yet to work with the veterans in on-field drills, Bush said the speed of the game, the biggest difference nearly every rookie cites in making the transition to the NFL, hasn't really affected him. And he has been able, he emphasized, to stay on top of the mental aspects of the New Orleans offense, which was relatively rudimentary during the rookie minicamp.

"So far, except for the hamstring, so good," Bush said. "I know there's still a lot more to come, but I think I'm doing a pretty good job with the playbook. I just want to get out there are starting [applying] all of this mental stuff to the field. To me, that's what being a competitor is all about."

 

[Sopranos]

Well #2 money is what is fair. he will have to deal with it.

 

[Bri]

the CBA has a pay scale for rookies and Bush is gonna have to accept that. I never cared for rookies that hold out and always thought several others felt the same way. I hope he understands that.

GL to the Saints. I had thought Mario going first would confuse this and now with them selling so many tix...wow it could be a difficult mess

 

[Obie Wan]

the CBA has a pay scale for rookies and Bush is gonna have to accept that. I never cared for rookies that hold out and always thought several others felt the same way. I hope he understands that.

GL to the Saints. I had thought Mario going first would confuse this and now with them selling so many tix...wow it could be a difficult mess

NO was stupid not to have a deal in place with whoever they picked at #2.After Houston signed Williams, NO should have burned the midnight oil to get a deal in place.

 

[3C's]

"I don't want to get caught up in holdouts and things like that," Bush said at minicamp. "I think it is important to start off on a good foot and a good note -- not only with the team, but with the city."

Translation: If they don't pay me what I'm asking, I'll holdout. But I don't want the fans to be mad at me. It's just business. It's what's fair.

 

[dgreen]

So, absolutely nothing different here than any other top pick?

 

[3C's]

So, absolutely nothing different here than any other top pick?

Pretty much.

 

[GroveDiesel]

the CBA has a pay scale for rookies and Bush is gonna have to accept that. I never cared for rookies that hold out and always thought several others felt the same way. I hope he understands that.

GL to the Saints. I had thought Mario going first would confuse this and now with them selling so many tix...wow it could be a difficult mess

NO was stupid not to have a deal in place with whoever they picked at #2.After Houston signed Williams, NO should have burned the midnight oil to get a deal in place.

I believe only the first team is allowed to actually have a deal in place before the draft.

 

[Sweeper]

I think that Bush has handled himself well since the draft and, if anything has set an example of rookies should behave.

This kid has been a professional and he seems, at the least, to be reasonable in his expectations for a contract.

This is all opinion and part of this opinion is that this guy wants to play and wants to be part of this team and his new community. To me, he seems sincere and only wants "a fair deal" and I have not seen or heard anything that leads me to believe that he has or will be anything but professional.

 

[Payne]

I'm hoping this drags on forever.

:deuceowner:

 

[TeamDingo]

the CBA has a pay scale for rookies and Bush is gonna have to accept that. I never cared for rookies that hold out and always thought several others felt the same way. I hope he understands that.

GL to the Saints. I had thought Mario going first would confuse this and now with them selling so many tix...wow it could be a difficult mess

NO was stupid not to have a deal in place with whoever they picked at #2.After Houston signed Williams, NO should have burned the midnight oil to get a deal in place.

I believe only the first team is allowed to actually have a deal in place before the draft.

That is my understanding as well.The #1 pick is signed. The #2 pick in 2005 was at the same position (RB RBrown) it seems to me Bush is pretty well slotted with what he can make as a rookie. He will have plenty of opportunity to make money in his career. He shouldn't be trying to wring every penny ( or in this case $100,000) out of his rookie contract.

 

[P Boy]

Who would've expected this?

 

[JAA]

I meant to say this in the other thread, but I think Bush's approach to "Get me in camp at any cost" is pure genius. Buch can now continue to say a deal isnt done because NO is dragging their feet. Bush can say he and his agent are doing everything in their power to make this happen and the only reason it hasnt is simply due to not receiving a "fair" offer.

 

[Chase Stuart]

the CBA has a pay scale for rookies and Bush is gonna have to accept that. I never cared for rookies that hold out and always thought several others felt the same way. I hope he understands that.

GL to the Saints. I had thought Mario going first would confuse this and now with them selling so many tix...wow it could be a difficult mess

NO was stupid not to have a deal in place with whoever they picked at #2.After Houston signed Williams, NO should have burned the midnight oil to get a deal in place.

I believe only the first team is allowed to actually have a deal in place before the draft.

That is my understanding as well.The #1 pick is signed. The #2 pick in 2005 was at the same position (RB RBrown) it seems to me Bush is pretty well slotted with what he can make as a rookie. He will have plenty of opportunity to make money in his career. He shouldn't be trying to wring every penny ( or in this case $100,000) out of his rookie contract.

Do you think New Orleans should try to wring every $100,000 out of Bush's contract?In general, I don't think people sympathize withe employers trying to win at the margins rather than the employees. Most likely, the extra couple of million is worth more to Reggie Bush than to Tom Benson.

New Orleans was looking way under the salary cap before the draft as well.

I'd expect a holdout, and eventually Bush will make about 12% more than Ronnie Brown.

 

[saintfool]

he'll get paid #1 money, especially because he is worth #1 to the franchise at this point. mike vick gets paid a lot of money because he raises the team profile. bush will do the same thing. his impact on the franchise right now surpasses what happens on the field at this point.

 

[TeamDingo]

the CBA has a pay scale for rookies and Bush is gonna have to accept that. I never cared for rookies that hold out and always thought several others felt the same way. I hope he understands that.

GL to the Saints. I had thought Mario going first would confuse this and now with them selling so many tix...wow it could be a difficult mess

NO was stupid not to have a deal in place with whoever they picked at #2.After Houston signed Williams, NO should have burned the midnight oil to get a deal in place.

I believe only the first team is allowed to actually have a deal in place before the draft.

That is my understanding as well.The #1 pick is signed. The #2 pick in 2005 was at the same position (RB RBrown) it seems to me Bush is pretty well slotted with what he can make as a rookie. He will have plenty of opportunity to make money in his career. He shouldn't be trying to wring every penny ( or in this case $100,000) out of his rookie contract.

Do you think New Orleans should try to wring every $100,000 out of Bush's contract?In general, I don't think people sympathize withe employers trying to win at the margins rather than the employees. Most likely, the extra couple of million is worth more to Reggie Bush than to Tom Benson.

New Orleans was looking way under the salary cap before the draft as well.

I'd expect a holdout, and eventually Bush will make about 12% more than Ronnie Brown.

Not sure we disagree to much.I also at this point expect a holdout ( probably a long one ending late Aug around the 3rd preseason game) and I expect Bush's salary to be pretty much determined as ( you say 12% that seems about right) a % raise over what Ronnie Brown received last year.

Tom Benson is pretty unsympathetic but if there is a hold out he will be viewed more sympathetically than Bush. That may be unfair but it's what will happen, at least nationally.

The extra millions might not be worth more to Benson but they are worth some thing to the organization.

To me it's pretty clear where the salary will end up, in my opinion it's in Bush's interest to get into camp whether he gets 11.9% or 12% or 12.1%. Which is easy for me to say cause it's real money.

I think he thinks NO is obligated to give him the money that HOU wouldn't. And that is why he will likely end up as the unsympathetic one.

 

[P Boy]

Wow. Are some of you dilusional.

Bush is going to hold out for #1 money that he screwed himself out of when he couldn't get a deal done with HOU. HOU had a legit offer on the table, by all accounts paying Bush more that Williams got. But Bush didn't like that and wanted way too much money. Fine. HOU passed because of his outlandish demands. That meant Bush was now a #2 pick, not a #1. There's no way he's going to get #1 money, and he'll likely get much less what he would have gotten from HOU in the first place.

How can you all not see the character problem that is Reggie Bush? His family benefited greatly because he swung a deal with a promotional firm to get large $$$ while he was still playing college ball, he could give a flying flip about what happens to the USC program & his former teammates because of his scamming, he talked & acted himself right out of the 1st pick overall, and now he wants 1st pick $$$ even though it was he & his agents only that have themselves to blame for not getting #1 scratch. Wait until he plays a couple of years and if he has even a modicum of success - I think we're going to see T.O. revisted.

Good luck Bush owners. I'll stay far, far away from this prima donna that looks to be a part time RB, thanks.

 

[diesel7982]

As usual, PFT has a great article about this.

SEGAL SETTING REGGIE UP FOR A HOLDOUT?Agent Joel Segal has a problem. His highest-profile client, Reggie Bush, knows that he can't afford to come off of as greedy regarding the extent to which his guaranteed football money exceeds $20 million, since many of the Loozianans who'll be cheering from him come September are still pooping in plastic pots. But Segal is at the same time notorious for not doing a first-round deal until his client is bracketed by the packages paid to the player in front of him, and behind him.So with Bush recently declaring that he doesn't want to be a holdout, Segal is doing his best to foment a little resentment between Reggie and the Saints.In a spoon-fed interview to ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli (who only beats the bushes after dropping a cheeseburger into them), Bush lays the foundation (perhaps unwittingly) for a contract rhubarb by proclaiming that, while he doesn't want to miss training camp, "we have to have a fair offer, one that meets our expectations."So which is it, Reg? Because whether the offer is "fair" and whether it "meets [your] expectations" are two very different propositions.Also included in Pasquarelli's article is a suggestion that Bush wants to start the process of negotiating his contract now. The only problem with this statement is that it isn't attributed to Reggie as a direct (or indirect) quote.Our guess is that the concept of premature negotiation was planted by Segal, who knows full well that the Saints aren't inclined to sign Bush any time soon. First of all, teams typically don't have the kind of cash flow in May or June that is necessary to support the issuance of big checks. This reality applies even more forcefully to the Saints, who are run by one of the cheapest owners in all of sport. Second, most teams prefer to push the process of signing draft picks into July, with work beginning in earnest after the annual celebration of an nation-building exercise that turned out far better than our current efforts in that regard.What does Segal gain through this approach? It makes it easier for him to argue to Bush that the team isn't participating fairly and adequately in the process. "Reggie," Joel might say in the near future, "we made it clear to the Saints that we want to work something out now, and they're dragging their feet."It also might make it easier for Reggie to win the looming P.R. battle if a holdout ultimately is required, since Reggie can then supply a stream of sound bites supporting the notion that it was the team, not Segal, that forced the holdout by delaying the commencement of the process by two months.Our advice to the Saints? Call Segal's bluff. Send him a letter inviting him to the table right now, and say all the right things aimed at making Bush believe that the team is willing to work hard in the short term to get a deal done. In response, Segal will sputter. He'll stall. He'll freeze. Because there's no way in hell that Segal will allow Bush to do a deal until Vince Young inks a contract at No. 3 with the Tennessee Titans.Why, you aks? Because Segal is sufficiently insecure about his ability to negotiate a solid deal that he'll be paralyzed by the fear that Young will end up getting a better contract than Bush despite being picked one spot lower.The other intriguing dynamic at play here is that, while Segal is most likely willing to tolerate a holdout, Bush's marketing agent, Mike Ornstein, most likely isn't. If Bush misses time and then loses the P.R. war, his potential for off-field earnings will take, at a minimum, a short-term hit. And that, in turn, will affect Ornstein's booty.Our guess is that, for now, Segal and Ornstein are on the same page as to the approach. Things will get very interesting, however, if the Saints react by making objectively "fair" offers, since it most likely will prompt Segal to stick his head in the sand.

 

[P Boy]

As usual, PFT has a great article about this.

SEGAL SETTING REGGIE UP FOR A HOLDOUT?

Agent Joel Segal has a problem.  His highest-profile client, Reggie Bush, knows that he can't afford to come off of as greedy regarding the extent to which his guaranteed football money exceeds $20 million, since many of the Loozianans who'll be cheering from him come September are still pooping in plastic pots.  But Segal is at the same time notorious for not doing a first-round deal until his client is bracketed by the packages paid to the player in front of him, and behind him.

So with Bush recently declaring that he doesn't want to be a holdout, Segal is doing his best to foment a little resentment between Reggie and the Saints.

In a spoon-fed interview to ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli (who only beats the bushes after dropping a cheeseburger into them), Bush lays the foundation (perhaps unwittingly) for a contract rhubarb by proclaiming that, while he doesn't want to miss training camp, "we have to have a fair offer, one that meets our expectations."

So which is it, Reg?  Because whether the offer is "fair" and whether it "meets [your] expectations" are two very different propositions.

Also included in Pasquarelli's article is a suggestion that Bush wants to start the process of negotiating his contract now.  The only problem with this statement is that it isn't attributed to Reggie as a direct (or indirect) quote.

Our guess is that the concept of premature negotiation was planted by Segal, who knows full well that the Saints aren't inclined to sign Bush any time soon.  First of all, teams typically don't have the kind of cash flow in May or June that is necessary to support the issuance of big checks.  This reality applies even more forcefully to the Saints, who are run by one of the cheapest owners in all of sport.  Second, most teams prefer to push the process of signing draft picks into July, with work beginning in earnest after the annual celebration of an nation-building exercise that turned out far better than our current efforts in that regard.

What does Segal gain through this approach?  It makes it easier for him to argue to Bush that the team isn't participating fairly and adequately in the process.  "Reggie," Joel might say in the near future, "we made it clear to the Saints that we want to work something out now, and they're dragging their feet."

It also might make it easier for Reggie to win the looming P.R. battle if a holdout ultimately is required, since Reggie can then supply a stream of sound bites supporting the notion that it was the team, not Segal, that forced the holdout by delaying the commencement of the process by two months.

Our advice to the Saints?  Call Segal's bluff.  Send him a letter inviting him to the table right now, and say all the right things aimed at making Bush believe that the team is willing to work hard in the short term to get a deal done. 

In response, Segal will sputter.  He'll stall.  He'll freeze.  Because there's no way in hell that Segal will allow Bush to do a deal until Vince Young inks a contract at No. 3 with the Tennessee Titans.

Why, you aks?  Because Segal is sufficiently insecure about his ability to negotiate a solid deal that he'll be paralyzed by the fear that Young will end up getting a better contract than Bush despite being picked one spot lower.

The other intriguing dynamic at play here is that, while Segal is most likely willing to tolerate a holdout, Bush's marketing agent, Mike Ornstein, most likely isn't.  If Bush misses time and then loses the P.R. war, his potential for off-field earnings will take, at a minimum, a short-term hit.  And that, in turn, will affect Ornstein's booty.

Our guess is that, for now, Segal and Ornstein are on the same page as to the approach.  Things will get very interesting, however, if the Saints react by making objectively "fair" offers, since it most likely will prompt Segal to stick his head in the sand.   

Wow. Very, very

 

[NoFBinLA]

As usual, PFT has a great article about this.

SEGAL SETTING REGGIE UP FOR A HOLDOUT?

Agent Joel Segal has a problem.  His highest-profile client, Reggie Bush, knows that he can't afford to come off of as greedy regarding the extent to which his guaranteed football money exceeds $20 million, since many of the Loozianans who'll be cheering from him come September are still pooping in plastic pots.  But Segal is at the same time notorious for not doing a first-round deal until his client is bracketed by the packages paid to the player in front of him, and behind him.

So with Bush recently declaring that he doesn't want to be a holdout, Segal is doing his best to foment a little resentment between Reggie and the Saints.

In a spoon-fed interview to ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli (who only beats the bushes after dropping a cheeseburger into them), Bush lays the foundation (perhaps unwittingly) for a contract rhubarb by proclaiming that, while he doesn't want to miss training camp, "we have to have a fair offer, one that meets our expectations."

So which is it, Reg?  Because whether the offer is "fair" and whether it "meets [your] expectations" are two very different propositions.

Also included in Pasquarelli's article is a suggestion that Bush wants to start the process of negotiating his contract now.  The only problem with this statement is that it isn't attributed to Reggie as a direct (or indirect) quote.

Our guess is that the concept of premature negotiation was planted by Segal, who knows full well that the Saints aren't inclined to sign Bush any time soon.  First of all, teams typically don't have the kind of cash flow in May or June that is necessary to support the issuance of big checks.  This reality applies even more forcefully to the Saints, who are run by one of the cheapest owners in all of sport.  Second, most teams prefer to push the process of signing draft picks into July, with work beginning in earnest after the annual celebration of an nation-building exercise that turned out far better than our current efforts in that regard.

What does Segal gain through this approach?  It makes it easier for him to argue to Bush that the team isn't participating fairly and adequately in the process.  "Reggie," Joel might say in the near future, "we made it clear to the Saints that we want to work something out now, and they're dragging their feet."

It also might make it easier for Reggie to win the looming P.R. battle if a holdout ultimately is required, since Reggie can then supply a stream of sound bites supporting the notion that it was the team, not Segal, that forced the holdout by delaying the commencement of the process by two months.

Our advice to the Saints?  Call Segal's bluff.  Send him a letter inviting him to the table right now, and say all the right things aimed at making Bush believe that the team is willing to work hard in the short term to get a deal done. 

In response, Segal will sputter.  He'll stall.  He'll freeze.  Because there's no way in hell that Segal will allow Bush to do a deal until Vince Young inks a contract at No. 3 with the Tennessee Titans.

Why, you aks?  Because Segal is sufficiently insecure about his ability to negotiate a solid deal that he'll be paralyzed by the fear that Young will end up getting a better contract than Bush despite being picked one spot lower.

The other intriguing dynamic at play here is that, while Segal is most likely willing to tolerate a holdout, Bush's marketing agent, Mike Ornstein, most likely isn't.  If Bush misses time and then loses the P.R. war, his potential for off-field earnings will take, at a minimum, a short-term hit.  And that, in turn, will affect Ornstein's booty.

Our guess is that, for now, Segal and Ornstein are on the same page as to the approach.  Things will get very interesting, however, if the Saints react by making objectively "fair" offers, since it most likely will prompt Segal to stick his head in the sand.   

Interesting. When Bush came out with his statement this weekend I thought it sounded more like his agent backtracking than him by himself.

 

[saintfool]

Wow. Are some of you dilusional.

Bush is going to hold out for #1 money that he screwed himself out of when he couldn't get a deal done with HOU. HOU had a legit offer on the table, by all accounts paying Bush more that Williams got. But Bush didn't like that and wanted way too much money. Fine. HOU passed because of his outlandish demands. That meant Bush was now a #2 pick, not a #1. There's no way he's going to get #1 money, and he'll likely get much less what he would have gotten from HOU in the first place.

How can you all not see the character problem that is Reggie Bush? His family benefited greatly because he swung a deal with a promotional firm to get large $$$ while he was still playing college ball, he could give a flying flip about what happens to the USC program & his former teammates because of his scamming, he talked & acted himself right out of the 1st pick overall, and now he wants 1st pick $$$ even though it was he & his agents only that have themselves to blame for not getting #1 scratch. Wait until he plays a couple of years and if he has even a modicum of success - I think we're going to see T.O. revisted.

Good luck Bush owners. I'll stay far, far away from this prima donna that looks to be a part time RB, thanks.

link?

 

[P Boy]

Wow.  Are some of you dilusional.

Bush is going to hold out for #1 money that he screwed himself out of when he couldn't get a deal done with HOU.  HOU had a legit offer on the table, by all accounts paying Bush more that Williams got.  But Bush didn't like that and wanted way too much money.  Fine.  HOU passed because of his outlandish demands. That meant Bush was now a #2 pick, not a #1.  There's no way he's going to get #1 money, and he'll likely get much less what he would have gotten from HOU in the first place.

How can you all not see the character problem that is Reggie Bush?  His family benefited greatly because he swung a deal with a promotional firm to get large $$$ while he was still playing college ball, he could give a flying flip about what happens to the USC program & his former teammates because of his scamming, he talked & acted himself right out of the 1st pick overall, and now he wants 1st pick $$$ even though it was he & his agents only that have themselves to blame for not getting #1 scratch.  Wait until he plays a couple of years and if he has even a modicum of success - I think we're going to see T.O. revisted.

Good luck Bush owners.  I'll stay far, far away from this prima donna that looks to be a part time RB, thanks.

link?

One of many reports on the net regarding this. Google yourself & see if you can prove otherwise.LINK

Williams signed a six-year contract worth $54 million. The deal includes $26.5 million in bonus money, an increase of about 10 percent over the $24 million in bonuses in the six-year, $49.5 million contract that last year's top selection, quarterback Alex Smith, signed with the San Francisco 49ers.

Bush had rejected a similar contract proposal from the Texans and was seeking an increase of closer to 20 percent over the bonus money in Smith's deal, said a source familiar with the negotiations, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the financial terms of the agreement had not been announced when he spoke.

 

[Dancing Bear]

New Orleans can only give him so much $ [wherever the maximum exists, it is real], and it will not be good enough for Reggie Bush. The signs are all there. IMHO, he will end up holding out and will likely not even touch the football a single time this year in live action.

His comments and actions are contrived and calculated manuevers, which basically show him as a slick street con-artist, IMHO. Apparently he has some fooled ... There is nothing professional about any of this.

Reggie Bush was a tremendous part-time collegiate RB and an outstanding return man. Unless the NFL changes the rules, it is now much easier to get around the return man and minimize the likes of Dante Hall and Reggie Bush. That leaves him as a part-time RB behind one of the best in the league [Deuce].

From 2003 to 2005 Dante Hall's return yardage per punt has dropped by nearly 60%! His ranking among his peers has dropped from 1 to 20! His return yardage on kickoffs has dropped as well and his ranking among his peers has dropped from 4 to 14!

I don't wish him any ill fate, but his future relies on him finding the right combination of performing to his ability and his ability to promote his performance once he has achieved some things. Right now his perception of this balance is askew, and it could very well be his demise.

He could very easily end up like O-Line prospect Tony Mandarich. Hype, hype, and more hype. Where is Tony now?

 

[NoFBinLA]

I happen to be a big Bush supporter (insert joke here) but his psuedo-retraction bothers me a bit.

Here's hoping cooler heads prevail and they (Bush & NO) can work out something that is fair to all sides and gets him into camp sooner than later.

 

[cstu]

You won't find many Deuce owners complaining about this.

 

[saintfool]

Wow. Are some of you dilusional.

Bush is going to hold out for #1 money that he screwed himself out of when he couldn't get a deal done with HOU. HOU had a legit offer on the table, by all accounts paying Bush more that Williams got. But Bush didn't like that and wanted way too much money. Fine. HOU passed because of his outlandish demands. That meant Bush was now a #2 pick, not a #1. There's no way he's going to get #1 money, and he'll likely get much less what he would have gotten from HOU in the first place.

How can you all not see the character problem that is Reggie Bush? His family benefited greatly because he swung a deal with a promotional firm to get large $$$ while he was still playing college ball, he could give a flying flip about what happens to the USC program & his former teammates because of his scamming, he talked & acted himself right out of the 1st pick overall, and now he wants 1st pick $$$ even though it was he & his agents only that have themselves to blame for not getting #1 scratch. Wait until he plays a couple of years and if he has even a modicum of success - I think we're going to see T.O. revisted.

Good luck Bush owners. I'll stay far, far away from this prima donna that looks to be a part time RB, thanks.

link?

One of many reports on the net regarding this. Google yourself & see if you can prove otherwise.LINK

Williams signed a six-year contract worth $54 million. The deal includes $26.5 million in bonus money, an increase of about 10 percent over the $24 million in bonuses in the six-year, $49.5 million contract that last year's top selection, quarterback Alex Smith, signed with the San Francisco 49ers.

Bush had rejected a similar contract proposal from the Texans and was seeking an increase of closer to 20 percent over the bonus money in Smith's deal, said a source familiar with the negotiations, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the financial terms of the agreement had not been announced when he spoke.

From a NOLA article..."When the Texans passed on Bush last week to take Williams, the defensive end from North Carolina State, the NFL draft grapevine buzzed with word that Bush's "signability" was the reason.

Reports had surfaced in the days leading up to the draft that Segal initially sought $30 million in guaranteed money from the Texans, who reportedly contacted Williams the next day.

Houston general manager Charley Casserly squashed rumors about "signability" in an interview this week on ESPN radio.

"I have been asked the question: 'Did signability enter into this? Was this a money decision?' Absolutely not," Casserly aid. "We made a statement that signability may be an issue. That's a negotiating statement on our side. You're negotiating with two people. They make negotiating statements on their side.

"The reality is both sides (the Bush and Williams camps) agreed to $54 million. Both sides wanted a signing bonus of over 26-and-a-half (million dollars), and we didn't want to pay (more than) 26-and-a-half. Thursday morning (before the draft), we felt it was time to make a decision. We wanted to have an honest shot to sign the player we were going to choose before the draft. We thought we needed 48 hours to finish the negotiations.

"We thought that was fair. (Coach) Gary (Kubiak) and I sat down on Thursday morning and independently came to the same decision. (Houston owner Bob McNair) was in New York. He signed off on the decision."

Segal said the Heisman Trophy winner will participate in the Saints' three-day rookie camp. "

 

[P Boy]

Let's see if we can figure out how far apart Bush & NO figure to be.

Williams signed a 6 year, $54M contract with $26.5M in bonus money. Bush & Co. are already making noises that they want #1 pick money, so figure Bush is looking for a similar deal.

Ronnie Brown @ 1.02 signed a $29.4M deal 6 year deal, with a $18.85M in bonus money.

Bump Brown's numbers up by 10% for the sake of argument and normalcy in the NFL, and you get a NO offer of $32.34M with a $20.75M bonus.

That would leave Bush & NO about $22M apart in contract, and $6M apart in bonus money. Let's not forget that Bush was allegedly trying to hold up HOU for 20% more than Alex Smith got either, rather than the 10% they offered Williams.

$22M/$6M bonus is a long, long ways apart - especially with an owner with a reputation for cheapness like Benson and an arrogant little pissant like Bush involved.

 

[Dancing Bear]

 

[saintfool]

Let's see if we can figure out how far apart Bush & NO figure to be.

Williams signed a 6 year, $54M contract with $26.5M in bonus money. Bush & Co. are already making noises that they want #1 pick money, so figure Bush is looking for a similar deal.

Ronnie Brown @ 1.02 signed a $29.4M deal 6 year deal, with a $18.85M in bonus money.

Bump Brown's numbers up by 10% for the sake of argument and normalcy in the NFL, and you get a NO offer of $32.34M with a $20.75M bonus.

That would leave Bush & NO about $22M apart in contract, and $6M apart in bonus money. Let's not forget that Bush was allegedly trying to hold up HOU for 20% more than Alex Smith got either, rather than the 10% they offered Williams.

$22M/$6M bonus is a long, long ways apart - especially with an owner with a reputation for cheapness like Benson and an arrogant little pissant like Bush involved.

Why is everyone convinced he is getting 1.2 money? He'll get something very close to 1.1 money but, likely more money guaranteed, to offset the perceived diminished value at 1.2. Benson may be cheap but he's not above paying good money for a player (see Deuce, Brees, Horn, etc contracts) either.

 

[pettifogger]

Let's see if we can figure out how far apart Bush & NO figure to be.

Williams signed a 6 year, $54M contract with $26.5M in bonus money. Bush & Co. are already making noises that they want #1 pick money, so figure Bush is looking for a similar deal.

Ronnie Brown @ 1.02 signed a $29.4M deal 6 year deal, with a $18.85M in bonus money.

Bump Brown's numbers up by 10% for the sake of argument and normalcy in the NFL, and you get a NO offer of $32.34M with a $20.75M bonus.

That would leave Bush & NO about $22M apart in contract, and $6M apart in bonus money. Let's not forget that Bush was allegedly trying to hold up HOU for 20% more than Alex Smith got either, rather than the 10% they offered Williams.

$22M/$6M bonus is a long, long ways apart - especially with an owner with a reputation for cheapness like Benson and an arrogant little pissant like Bush involved.

Good post. This is what I never understood at the time of the draft -- it seemed that Houston had offered $54m/$26.5m bonus money to Bush and he refused, holding out for an extra $1.5m/$2m in bonus money. I understand that athletes want to make the most money possible, and sometimes it's just competition for bragging rights over the top contract, but who would let a $1.5m/$2m difference dictate the result the way Bush did?

He is going to get tons of money in promotional deals. Had he taken the Houston offer he still would have been the highest paid player in the draft, and could easily have made up the difference in endorsements.

 

[Bad_Mo]

I think if the Saints give him what the #2 pick should get, plus a house for his family, the deal gets done and the movers can make their way from CA to LA.

 

[Hobbes]

Let's see if we can figure out how far apart Bush & NO figure to be.

Williams signed a 6 year, $54M contract with $26.5M in bonus money. Bush & Co. are already making noises that they want #1 pick money, so figure Bush is looking for a similar deal.

Ronnie Brown @ 1.02 signed a $29.4M deal 6 year deal, with a $18.85M in bonus money.

Bump Brown's numbers up by 10% for the sake of argument and normalcy in the NFL, and you get a NO offer of $32.34M with a $20.75M bonus.

That would leave Bush & NO about $22M apart in contract, and $6M apart in bonus money. Let's not forget that Bush was allegedly trying to hold up HOU for 20% more than Alex Smith got either, rather than the 10% they offered Williams.

$22M/$6M bonus is a long, long ways apart - especially with an owner with a reputation for cheapness like Benson and an arrogant little pissant like Bush involved.

I guess New Orleans could argue that they didn't realize that Reggie would want #1 money when they took him....of course they would be the only ones not to make that realization. The bottom line is that they took him knowing that signability was going to be an issue. If they are not willing to negotiate with him on that basis (i.e. 50 million plus) then they will look like even bigger dumbasses for taking him in the first place.

 

[T Man]

Wow.  Are some of you dilusional.

Bush is going to hold out for #1 money that he screwed himself out of when he couldn't get a deal done with HOU.  HOU had a legit offer on the table, by all accounts paying Bush more that Williams got.  But Bush didn't like that and wanted way too much money.  Fine.  HOU passed because of his outlandish demands. That meant Bush was now a #2 pick, not a #1.  There's no way he's going to get #1 money, and he'll likely get much less what he would have gotten from HOU in the first place.

How can you all not see the character problem that is Reggie Bush?  His family benefited greatly because he swung a deal with a promotional firm to get large $$$ while he was still playing college ball, he could give a flying flip about what happens to the USC program & his former teammates because of his scamming, he talked & acted himself right out of the 1st pick overall, and now he wants 1st pick $$$ even though it was he & his agents only that have themselves to blame for not getting #1 scratch.  Wait until he plays a couple of years and if he has even a modicum of success - I think we're going to see T.O. revisted.

Good luck Bush owners.  I'll stay far, far away from this prima donna that looks to be a part time RB, thanks.

link?

One of many reports on the net regarding this. Google yourself & see if you can prove otherwise.LINK

Williams signed a six-year contract worth $54 million. The deal includes $26.5 million in bonus money, an increase of about 10 percent over the $24 million in bonuses in the six-year, $49.5 million contract that last year's top selection, quarterback Alex Smith, signed with the San Francisco 49ers.

Bush had rejected a similar contract proposal from the Texans and was seeking an increase of closer to 20 percent over the bonus money in Smith's deal, said a source familiar with the negotiations, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the financial terms of the agreement had not been announced when he spoke.

From a NOLA article..."When the Texans passed on Bush last week to take Williams, the defensive end from North Carolina State, the NFL draft grapevine buzzed with word that Bush's "signability" was the reason.

Reports had surfaced in the days leading up to the draft that Segal initially sought $30 million in guaranteed money from the Texans, who reportedly contacted Williams the next day.

Houston general manager Charley Casserly squashed rumors about "signability" in an interview this week on ESPN radio.

"I have been asked the question: 'Did signability enter into this? Was this a money decision?' Absolutely not," Casserly aid. "We made a statement that signability may be an issue. That's a negotiating statement on our side. You're negotiating with two people. They make negotiating statements on their side.

"The reality is both sides (the Bush and Williams camps) agreed to $54 million. Both sides wanted a signing bonus of over 26-and-a-half (million dollars), and we didn't want to pay (more than) 26-and-a-half. Thursday morning (before the draft), we felt it was time to make a decision. We wanted to have an honest shot to sign the player we were going to choose before the draft. We thought we needed 48 hours to finish the negotiations.

"We thought that was fair. (Coach) Gary (Kubiak) and I sat down on Thursday morning and independently came to the same decision. (Houston owner Bob McNair) was in New York. He signed off on the decision."

Segal said the Heisman Trophy winner will participate in the Saints' three-day rookie camp. "

Even if money was the reason, there is no way that the Texans would say they picked Williams over Bush for monetary reasons. They have to say they picked the best player on their board.IIRC, the wire accounts said that the Texans made an offer to Bush and they responded by saying they wanted a 20% increase over what Alex Smith -- a QB -- got. With that, they then decided to not even call Bush back and instead contacted the agent for Williams and said he was their guy.

If I was BEnson, I would put the pressure on Bush. He says he doesn't want to hold out. The NFLPA says that 20% increase per draft position is what the players should get. So offer Bush a 20% increase. It is still less then what Bush wanted from the Texans and I believe it is less then Williams received as the #1. bush would be hardpressed to say it isn't "fair" - especially with all the problems New Orleanians are facing. He would ruin any goodwill he is trying to create.

 

[P Boy]

If I was BEnson, I would put the pressure on Bush.  He says he doesn't want to hold out.  The NFLPA says that  20% increase per draft position is what the players should get.  So offer Bush a 20% increase.  It is still less then what Bush wanted from the Texans and I believe it is less then Williams received as the #1.  bush would be hardpressed to say it isn't "fair" - especially with all the problems New Orleanians are facing.  He would ruin any goodwill he is trying to create.

Thank God for a great league that you AREN'T Benson. What you are suggesting would screw up drafts for years to come. Every #2 pick from this year forward would demand the same deal the #1 pick got - or close. At very worst they'd demand a 20% increase of what Bush got this year incrementally forward.You'd see massive holdouts as the #3 picks and a bit lower would start jockeying for their "fair" share.Bush made his own bed. He was offered a great deal for a guy who shakes out as a part time RB and a kick returner - a better deal than a guy who was projected to be a franchise QB last year got, but being overtly greedy as he clearly has shown his character to be he decided to play chicken & lost.He cost himself millions with his stupid behavior. Now he's about to embark on draft chicken stupidity part II. I say more power to him & let's see exactly how much money he can flush right down the toilet before he even plays 1 down in the NFL.Let's make this very clear what he has done - Bush has already pissed away more than twice as much money as a average American worker will make cumulatively in their entire life time. That was money he literally had in his pocket. Should we talk more about Bush's intelligence and character?

 

[Vicktimized]

Bush haters out in full force I see....

The guy's asking his endorsers to do something to help NO, has already donated $$ to multiple causes in the city, has said all the right things...

And because he said "He wants a fair offer", he's apparently "not going to play a snap this year"?! "Has an attitude problem"?!?!

Riiiiiiiigggggght.

 

[P Boy]

Bush haters out in full force I see....

The guy's asking his endorsers to do something to help NO, has already donated $$ to multiple causes in the city, has said all the right things...

And because he said "He wants a fair offer", he's apparently "not going to play a snap this year"?! "Has an attitude problem"?!?!

Riiiiiiiigggggght.

If hating blatant stupidity is being a Bush hater in your mind, then label me as such. He's thrown away money he already had in his hands - millions - and he'll never get it back, or the time value on that money, which is worth millions more if he manages to live to what is retirement age for 99.9% of us.Let's just see how this shakes out. If he's man enough to recognize his mistakes so far and manages to sign a fair contract for a #2 pick and get into camp on time, I'll gladly eat crow - though that still doesn't alleviate him of the stupid tag for all the money he would have lost - which he could've done a hell of a lot more good with for NO if he were so inclined and not pandering to a devastated city like he has been so far in order to gain some negotiating leverage (like his #5 jersey ploy). I'd say the odds of that happening are extremely long right now, IMO, by all the evidence present so far.

 

[Chaos]

One thing sticks out as a BIG problem for Bush and the Saints.

If we accept as fact that HOU offered 20% more than Alex Smith contract and Bush & Co. turned it down, what possible offer at the #2 spot would they take???

And what does this say about Bush's team? Even if they get Mario Williams money, that is still a far cry from what they turned down. When this is all said and done it should go down as one of the biggest mistakes by an agent/advice team

 

[thayman]

New Orleans can only give him so much $ [wherever the maximum exists, it is real], and it will not be good enough for Reggie Bush. The signs are all there. IMHO, he will end up holding out and will likely not even touch the football a single time this year in live action.

His comments and actions are contrived and calculated manuevers, which basically show him as a slick street con-artist, IMHO. Apparently he has some fooled ... There is nothing professional about any of this.

Reggie Bush was a tremendous part-time collegiate RB and an outstanding return man. Unless the NFL changes the rules, it is now much easier to get around the return man and minimize the likes of Dante Hall and Reggie Bush. That leaves him as a part-time RB behind one of the best in the league [Deuce].

From 2003 to 2005 Dante Hall's return yardage per punt has dropped by nearly 60%! His ranking among his peers has dropped from 1 to 20! His return yardage on kickoffs has dropped as well and his ranking among his peers has dropped from 4 to 14!

I don't wish him any ill fate, but his future relies on him finding the right combination of performing to his ability and his ability to promote his performance once he has achieved some things. Right now his perception of this balance is askew, and it could very well be his demise.

He could very easily end up like O-Line prospect Tony Mandarich. Hype, hype, and more hype. Where is Tony now?

Yes yes yes....I know you despise Bush for all his giving $$ to the needy and stuff.....what scum he is!!! But if you don't think Bush will touch a football in the NFL this year in live action, what odds are you offering?? I'll take that bet in a heartbeat.

 

[cscmtp]

i'll bet anyone $100 that Bush DOES take a snap this year. No way he sits out. Hell, i bet he's playing in the season opener.

 

[P Boy]

Yes yes yes....I know you despise Bush for all his giving $$ to the needy and stuff.....what scum he is!!!

You do know that Reggie didn't donate that money, don't you? Adidas donated the money through Bush. Not one dime of that $50,000 came out of Bush's pockets, but I do notice that he's standing up in public to take credit for it.

 

[T Man]

If I was BEnson, I would put the pressure on Bush.  He says he doesn't want to hold out.  The NFLPA says that  20% increase per draft position is what the players should get.  So offer Bush a 20% increase.  It is still less then what Bush wanted from the Texans and I believe it is less then Williams received as the #1.  bush would be hardpressed to say it isn't "fair" - especially with all the problems New Orleanians are facing.  He would ruin any goodwill he is trying to create.

Thank God for a great league that you AREN'T Benson. What you are suggesting would screw up drafts for years to come. Every #2 pick from this year forward would demand the same deal the #1 pick got - or close. At very worst they'd demand a 20% increase of what Bush got this year incrementally forward.You'd see massive holdouts as the #3 picks and a bit lower would start jockeying for their "fair" share.

Bush made his own bed. He was offered a great deal for a guy who shakes out as a part time RB and a kick returner - a better deal than a guy who was projected to be a franchise QB last year got, but being overtly greedy as he clearly has shown his character to be he decided to play chicken & lost.

He cost himself millions with his stupid behavior. Now he's about to embark on draft chicken stupidity part II. I say more power to him & let's see exactly how much money he can flush right down the toilet before he even plays 1 down in the NFL.

Let's make this very clear what he has done - Bush has already pissed away more than twice as much money as a average American worker will make cumulatively in their entire life time. That was money he literally had in his pocket. Should we talk more about Bush's intelligence and character?

First off, I am not a BUSH hater or lover. But the facts are:1. Ronnie Brown signed what is considered to be a poor contract last year. The Braylon Edwards deal the Browns signed for the number 3 overall is considered the deal that will cause the holdouts. THe Saints are somewhat lucky that they can argue that they should work off the #2 deal given to a runningback.

2. THe salary cap increased by 20% which is where the NFLPA came up with the recommendation to agents that they should seek a 20% increase. DO I think this is too much, YES, but it should be the absolute ceiling - except of course if you are Reggie Bush and you argue for #1 money because that is what you think is "fair".

3. REggie Bush can be a great marketing tool for the Saints - like it or not. He brings value to the franchise (he may not be worth it on the field, but he has brought a semblance of credibility to the Saints).

4. BEnson is considered by most a cheap owner. He will ot win a PR battle with Bush if the final decision makers are the fans.

5. Bush reportedly was offered the same base offer as Mario WIlliams, but indicated that he wanted not only the $54 million over 6 years, but also 28 million guaranteed. Williams ultimtely agreed on $26.5 million guaranteed. That is when the Texans decided that with both players rated the same, they would rather deal with Williams. (McNair wanted the #1 signed before the draft). Willliams essentially got a 9% increase over Alex Smith's contract last year in both salary and guaranteed money.

So if you are BEnson, knowing that Bush does more for your team, knowing that the Brown contract is a GOOD ONE for the Saints to work off of, and knowing that it would take almost 40% increase over Ronnie Brown's deal for Reggie Bush to even get the number he was considering from the Texans, it is a good PR ploy to offer Bush 20% increase. Or at least start off at 13-15 %.

Football is a business. Bush the player may not be worth it. But with the intangibles, if he helps put "buts in the seats", he is. Especially if you are a small market team, rebounding from a devastating natural disaster with approximately 50% of your population from a year and a half ago.

Brown signed a 5 year deal worth $31-34 million depending upon if Brown met certain incentives. $19.9 million was guaranteed. That would mean with a 20% increase Bush would get something between $37.2 million to $40.8 million with $24 million guaranteed. If he held out for more, he will be seen as the primadonna some say he is - and he will lose the "higher ground" which as of this point he has - like it or not.

If he was the consensus #1 which most say he was, this is not crazy. And, it should avoid a hold out.

In any way, if, after sifting through all the Bush hate, your point is that Bush's antics cost him millions and should - I AGREE. Under my scenario it would still cost him $2.5 million guaranteed and about $10 million over the life of the contract. (Since it is a 5 yr versus 6 yr deal).

 

[thayman]

Yes yes yes....I know you despise Bush for all his giving $$ to the needy and stuff.....what scum he is!!!

You do know that Reggie didn't donate that money, don't you? Adidas donated the money through Bush. Not one dime of that $50,000 came out of Bush's pockets, but I do notice that he's standing up in public to take credit for it.

Damn right he deserves credit. He also got Hummer to give a dozen or so Hummers to the NOPD. He's also giving 25% of all his jersey sales to Katrina relief. He is using his position as an high profile athlete, and public figure to get more donations, and $$ into the city. How is this a bad thing?? How does this contribute to being "low character"? Does he get something out of it? Of course it does, it buys him good will with the city. You can make the exact arguments about any player/celebrity, that does anything for any charity ever.

 

[inca911]

Having Deuce gives the Saints the option to play a bit of hardball on the salary issue. Bush is working to endear himself to the community to give him some leverage in return.

Just wondering, Bush's donating 25% of jersey sales = how much money?

 

[P Boy]

Yes yes yes....I know you despise Bush for all his giving $$ to the needy and stuff.....what scum he is!!!

You do know that Reggie didn't donate that money, don't you? Adidas donated the money through Bush. Not one dime of that $50,000 came out of Bush's pockets, but I do notice that he's standing up in public to take credit for it.

Damn right he deserves credit. He also got Hummer to give a dozen or so Hummers to the NOPD. He's also giving 25% of all his jersey sales to Katrina relief. He is using his position as an high profile athlete, and public figure to get more donations, and $$ into the city. How is this a bad thing?? How does this contribute to being "low character"? Does he get something out of it? Of course it does, it buys him good will with the city. You can make the exact arguments about any player/celebrity, that does anything for any charity ever.

I just wanted it understood that Bush isn't actually giving the $50,000 or the 12 Hummers - they are being donated by corporations through Bush so that the corporations enhance Bush's marketability.Bush most probably had little to nothing to do with the donations, other than approve the use of his name in association with them. You are aware of that, aren't you?

 

[thayman]

Having Deuce gives the Saints the option to play a bit of hardball on the salary issue. Bush is working to endear himself to the community to give him some leverage in return.

Just wondering, Bush's donating 25% of jersey sales = how much money?

Last update I heard was 15,000 jersey sales so far. So a jersey is $75 I think. So that's $1,125,000 25% of that is $281,250 and counting.......

 

[P Boy]

Having Deuce gives the Saints the option to play a bit of hardball on the salary issue.  Bush is working to endear himself to the community to give him some leverage in return.

Just wondering, Bush's donating 25% of jersey sales = how much money?

Last update I heard was 15,000 jersey sales so far. So a jersey is $75 I think. So that's $1,125,000 25% of that is $281,250 and counting.......

Bush is donating 25% of HIS portion of the royalties of jersey sales. That's hardly $18.75/jersey as you are so incorrectly averring here.Geez, some of you are trying awfully hard to get this guy cantonized & he hasn't even signed a contract to play in the NFL yet.

 

[thayman]

Yes yes yes....I know you despise Bush for all his giving $$ to the needy and stuff.....what scum he is!!!

You do know that Reggie didn't donate that money, don't you? Adidas donated the money through Bush. Not one dime of that $50,000 came out of Bush's pockets, but I do notice that he's standing up in public to take credit for it.

Damn right he deserves credit. He also got Hummer to give a dozen or so Hummers to the NOPD. He's also giving 25% of all his jersey sales to Katrina relief. He is using his position as an high profile athlete, and public figure to get more donations, and $$ into the city. How is this a bad thing?? How does this contribute to being "low character"? Does he get something out of it? Of course it does, it buys him good will with the city. You can make the exact arguments about any player/celebrity, that does anything for any charity ever.

I just wanted it understood that Bush isn't actually giving the $50,000 or the 12 Hummers - they are being donated by corporations through Bush so that the corporations enhance Bush's marketability.Bush most probably had little to nothing to do with the donations, other than approve the use of his name in association with them. You are aware of that, aren't you?

OK so let me get this straight. You think Bush deserves no credit whatsoever, of getting corporations to donate things? He is useing his marketability to leverage much needed help to a stricken area. It sure didn't seem like Adidas or Hummer was going to give anything, until Bush came along. You do understand that don't you??

 

[thayman]

Having Deuce gives the Saints the option to play a bit of hardball on the salary issue.  Bush is working to endear himself to the community to give him some leverage in return.

Just wondering, Bush's donating 25% of jersey sales = how much money?

Last update I heard was 15,000 jersey sales so far. So a jersey is $75 I think. So that's $1,125,000 25% of that is $281,250 and counting.......

Bush is donating 25% of HIS portion of the royalties of jersey sales. That's hardly $18.75/jersey as you are so incorrectly averring here.Geez, some of you are trying awfully hard to get this guy cantonized & he hasn't even signed a contract to play in the NFL yet.

Ahh I did not know that it was his portion, thank you for clarifying. So he is donating so that is a pitiful $4.68 times 15,000= $70,200 of HIS money. Oh and that number is still going up......What an ### this Reggie Bush is he should be donating alot more of his personal money, in fact he should be considered scum of society until he finds a way to give 200% of his contract back to the needy.....

 

[P Boy]

OK so let me get this straight. You think Bush deserves no credit whatsoever, of getting corporations to donate things? He is useing his marketability to leverage much needed help to a stricken area. It sure didn't seem like Adidas or Hummer was going to give anything, until Bush came along. You do understand that don't you??

I understand that Bush is essentially a bystander in corporation effort to boost his esteem in the public eye, given that he has signed contracts with these corporations and they have seen his value diminished by his & his parents' in scamming free rent & $100,000 from a promotional company illegally while still playing at USC, as well as his #2 position in the draft because of his greed.There's nothing wrong with that - the corporations paid huge jack, I'd imagine, before the draft to get Bush on board with them, and they are protecting their investment while trying to boost his public image. That's what they're supposed to do, and that they take full advantage of high profile opportunities to do so is exactly what they should be doing - as they have done here. The great thing is that needy organizations gain from this.But please don't be so naive to think that Bush orchestrated or was any kind of a driving influence on any of this. If you are, we may as well stop arguing, because I'll never convince you that Bush isn't ready for a halo over his helmet yet, and you'll never convince me that I can ignore all the evidence that Bush has a very questionable character and is out only for himself - and that this flaw in his character is likely to play out in his NFL career - if it ever gets underway, that is.

 

[P Boy]

Having Deuce gives the Saints the option to play a bit of hardball on the salary issue.  Bush is working to endear himself to the community to give him some leverage in return.

Just wondering, Bush's donating 25% of jersey sales = how much money?

Last update I heard was 15,000 jersey sales so far. So a jersey is $75 I think. So that's $1,125,000 25% of that is $281,250 and counting.......

Bush is donating 25% of HIS portion of the royalties of jersey sales. That's hardly $18.75/jersey as you are so incorrectly averring here.Geez, some of you are trying awfully hard to get this guy cantonized & he hasn't even signed a contract to play in the NFL yet.

Ahh I did not know that it was his portion, thank you for clarifying. So he is donating so that is a pitiful $4.68 times 15,000= $70,200 of HIS money. Oh and that number is still going up......What an ### this Reggie Bush is he should be donating alot more of his personal money, in fact he should be considered scum of society until he finds a way to give 200% of his contract back to the needy.....

How do you get that his portion of the royalties is 25% of $18.75? Do you have a link as to what percentage his roylaties are on each jersey? I'd bet it's a lot less than you think, since the NFL controls all of its jersey sales.