West Ham Online

"Free agency started last night and was pretty crazy some huge money being spent. Osweiler getting £18m a year for the Texans, leaving the Broncos without a QB, Giants have spent a fortune on good but not great players, Oliver Vernon has more guaranteed money than JJ Watt. lots more deals but cant be bothered to list them all."

"Yeah, they are the two big examples - but they date back to 2005 and 1983. I remember when I was in the States speaking to a sports journalist about the draft process. He said what usually happens at pre-draft/interview stage is the young QB and his representatives would make it clear if they had no intention of joining a specific team - and explain why. That way, most teams sniffing around that player would get a feel for whether there is going to be a problem before the draft. In the case of Elway, which goes back to 1983, the pre-draft process was not as advanced as now, and the Colts were just unwilling to bend on the best player in the draft (yes, sorry all fans of Marino, Kelly, O'Brien and Blackledge!). They wanted the best young player in the game no matter what - and I don't blame them. So they ended up trading picks, a back-up quarterback and linemen for Elway. Technically speaking, Elway was actually drafted by the Colts - and then traded away to Denver. Eli Manning was a similar situation: he'd made it clear he was never going to play for the chargers, so the west coast outfit cut a deal with the Giants and took Philip Rivers instead. Here's a bit of trivia for you, though: as part of the pre-trade discussions over Elway, the Colts discussed taking an under-performing existing NFL starter in exchange for Elway and some picks. That under-performing NFL starter was Joe Montana from the 49ers. The deal never came off and Joe kinda' went on to better things..."

"And Jim Kelly And Bo ""Knows"" Jackson (Always the remember the fluorescent t-shirt I had with his slogan on it.) Some lesser know ones came over to us in the CFL years back but they have had an agreement with the NFL for a while now."

the 2 i remember reading about were Eli Manning refusing to go to San Diego when drafted because apparently his Dad told him to. And Elway refusing to join the colts and instead saying he'd go and play baseball if they selected him.

"I guess you get a lot more of it once players are under contract and then hold out for more. Unfortunately, it's primarily about the money for many players in the NFL. Not all, but many. A major reason why so few players refuse to be drafted by specific teams at the actual draft is because a) they generally make that clear in pre-draft talks/interviews and b) rookie contracts are partially structured/capped to equalise the cash across the league by position. QB is an exception, obviously."

I'm surprised there hasn't been more players who have refused to play for a team they've been drafted to. (that makes sense!)

"To round-up the aftermath of the Jets' absolute meltdown on trade deadline day... All three of the big names shopped around the NFL for high picks ended up staying: Jamal Adams (s), Robbie Anderson (wr) and Lev Bell (rb). Yet all three were clearly shopped around - Adams to the Cowboys, Bell to Chiefs and Anderson to Giants and others - by our incompetent, juvenile and frog-eyed head coach and his patsy GM. Adams, the team captain and talisman, was furious that he'd been shopped and said he had never wanted to leave. Then Gase's patsy GM, Joe Douglas, who has been as anonymous as Jack the Ripper since taking over, gave a press statement clearly stating that he was not shopping anybody around, including Adams. Which was patently untrue - the Cowboys had already revealed they were in talks about an Adams trade. So add bare-faced liars to Gase and Douglas's resume. Honestly, if you were purposefully trying to act in a way that lost you games, alientated your fan base and pissed off your key players - then the way Gase and Douglas have acted since taking over would be the blueprint for that in the NFL. But, incredibly, they are actually trying to win games and hearts. They are just deeply, massively, catastrophically out of their depth. Like a couple of over-excited teenagers who think that because they've played football manager they can coach a Premier League team. They have no talent, no management skills, no playbook, no business sense and no morals. Fucking kick these two time-wasters straight out the door and bring in some adults. At least the Fish are actually trying to tank. We're just incomprehensibly incompetent. Apart from that I've had a good week."

I'm surprised more players over the years haven't refused to play for a team they've been drafted to. I suppose money talks though.

"never seen anyone openly tanking to the level of the Fins, The colts the year Manning got injured was the last time a team properly tanked in the ""suck for Luck"" campaign, Just think it makes sense for teams who are going nowhere to try and get draft capital for some of the players who are nearing the ends of their contract and are not going to be extended. What would really make me laugh is if Tua refused to go to the dolphins when they take him number 1 overall"

As long they don't require a 2 point conversion

Nonsense. The Fish would at least take the Monarchs into overtime. ;-)

"If we're being honest, the jets and fins dont actually need to throw any games as they couldnt even beat the london monarchs at the moment."

"So here we go: eight weeks of utter horseshit, bile, vitriol, self-interest and false promises - and to no avail because it won't fully resolve the key issue. But enough about the Jets' failure to sack Gase - what about the UK's general election? Boom-tish! I thank you...I thank you...no, really...you guys...you're the best audience...I couldn't do it without you..."

Seems like a better idea Irons. The encouragement to absolutely thank produces amusing results but surely it can't be what competitive sports are about.

"Hermit Road 10:27 Tue Oct 29 Why other North American sports have a draft lottery, with placing giving you weight but does not absolutely determine your place."

"I wouldn't mind, at least the Fish have been trying to tank. Until today, we (Jets) have actually been trying to win. Gase is just such an unmitigated clusterfuck as head coach that we've still achieved a 1-6 record. Incidentally, what's the recent common denominator between the Jets and Fish? Give you a clue - he doesn't have a clue..."

It's definitely a massive flaw in the draft system where teams at some point are encouraged to do as shit as possible.

Jets and Fins having a tank off. Their games to come are going to be hilarious - Darnold and Fitzpatrick having an interception competition.

Breathes sigh of relief as Dallas miss out on trade for Jamal Adams...

"This attempt at a clear-out by the Jets today, ahead of the trade deadline (Williams already gone but Adams, Bell and Anderson all in talks with other teams) is a shit attempt by Gase and his patsy GM to save their jobs. They know that if they ship out our best players for high draft picks, then they have an ""excuse"" for tanking the season and going 1-15 or 2-14 or so. My guess is that they are thinking that will get them a second season - the idea that they will claim ""well, we had to trade our best guys mid-way through our first year: they wanted to go"". It's pathetic and the owners should see through it and sack the pair of them immediately. Gase is 1-6 having tried his ass off - he just isn't good enough. He's a walking disaster. Couldn't care less if we still end up without the players (although Adams staying put would be great) - but at least we'll have a shot of ending this utter nonsense with Gase and starting afresh under a half-decent coach."

"Hermit - we had the cameras at the Jets years ago, and it didn't make a blind bit of difference. Which just goes to show that ""cancer"" is our normal state of affairs! ;-)"

Apparently the Eagles are the subject of All Or Nothing this season so no wonder things are going pear-shaped. That programme is a cancer.

Last thing the Eagles need is a RB. Howard is putting in the yards and Sanders looks good with Sproles still around too. The Birds should be focusing on the O Line and the secondary.

"Apparently the Bell-to-Eagles thing is bullshit based on a misreporting. So we might still have a running back, at least."

"I don't think we, the Chiefs, are prepared to cough up what the Jets are asking for Bell. Although our running game could really do with some help, what we really need is a run stuffing LB or S."

"Way things are going at the moment, next year's draft order is going to be... 1. NY Jets. 2. NY Jets. 3. NY Jets. 4. NY Jets. 5. Miami. 6. Cincinnati. ... 32. Patsies."