I guess I'm in the minority here and don't think its a big deal. EG isn't the first guy to miss a mandatory training camp, he won't be the last. He's still got ~10 mil of guaranteed money left on his new deal that goes through 2023. If it matters, he's not shy about showing videos of himself keeping in shape on his social media/twitter. And even if you pass anything Nagy/Pace say as intentional misdirection--they both said they're disappointed he wasn't at mandatory minicamp but both expect him July 27th when training camp start. Trevathan also said when interviewed that Goldman will be ready to play at training camp's start. I don't see Pennel as a sign they're sure/unsure about Goldman so much as depth at NT/competition for Khrys Tonga. The Bears are Pennel's 5th team going into his 7th season in the league, so I'm not fooling myself thinking he's anything special, and currently, there are better choices available who are also cheap if they needed an immediate starter in an emergency at NT like Beau Allen, Snacks Harrison, or Domata Peko, or Jurrell Casey. I get its still the time between the draft and actually football where fans still have positive thoughts and don't know who sucks yet and doesn't, but let's remember that Tonga is a 7th rounder and the likelihood of 7th rounders making the team, even the practice squad are low. And Nichols/Hicks are the other 2 guys who can play NT but I'm betting Desai prefers them at 5 tech.
Dline just following on from the chat on the main board this week, what do you think the moral connotations are of a player getting paid millions of $, AND who's just had a year off, deciding he cant be arsed with something like a mandatory minicamp? Given he and his family and now financially secure for generations to come thanks solely to us, the fans, aren't we morally allowed to expect best effort here. If this was the "real world" and you were being paid in your job but decided you just weren't going to work today 3 days straight im pretty sure there would be consequences to that...
Loved this draft pick at the time and have been a fan of Goldman's potential/play pretty much from the get go. In the Goldman v Amos contract debate a few years ago i was always firmly in Goldman's corner. My team name of Goldman Sacks complete with photoshopped Goldman Sachs logo is one of the all-time great creative FF works. So there's no hate here. But this shit is seriously not cool. I said a few weeks ago, after a year off Goldman's poop butt really should've been in voluntary camp. Mandatory minicamp however is not even a topic for discussion. Literally. This is bullshit. I actually thought perhaps his ass had been planted on the couch so long he'd gotten fat and wasn't in shape to participate in minicamp(still not an excuse inofitself, they have bikes on the sidelines), but pat saying he's apparently in shape makes me feel a little better on that front i guess. But any way you slice it this looks bad. Goldman is on seriously good money, even more so for his position, that comes with responsibilities and this aint living up to them. At this stage with things covid is quickly turning into excuse making territory. Get jabbed. Get your family jabbed. Its not June 2020. FWIW i think Goldman will turn up to TC and hopefully the rust on his play will get knocked off quick. It feels like a player getting paid and getting lazy tho. Don't like it.
Don't know if this dude is full of shit or not, so I'll be half full. I'll feel better when EG shows up July 27th
Seems very believable. He's not holding out cos he's already one of the highest paid players on the team. The covid excuse holds no water either imo. Vaccine is widely available now, but even if it were about covid in some way, a close family member extremely vulnerable to it or something, that prob would've come out as the reason by now. Nagy is very protective of his players whenever he can be from the media, if it was covid related he would've said so to shield Goldman. But the exact opposite happened. Nagy basically called Goldman out publicly. Saying he had no permission to skip minicamp and he's disappointed is, by Nagy's standards, saying this absence is bullshit. Player got paid, player got lazy. Really hope he doesn't start stealing gamechecks during the season. One bum doing that on the DL is more than enough.
In other news tho, absolute stand up guy, and for many of us one of our all-time fav Bears players, Peanut Tillman just got enshrined in the Louisiana Sports HOF. Total champ. https://www.chicagobears.com/news/tillman-enshrined-in-louisiana-sports-hall-of-fame Been a long time since i've linked an article from propaganda central.
I agree with Ev's assessment of Goldman above, and was essentially trying to say the same. There's no reason that I can think of for Goldman not to be with the team. And the way the team has reacted tells me they don't feel entirely comfortable with it, either. To me, this is a separate issue from that conversation. We have no idea if Goldman is holding out for a better deal. As far as I know, he's just absent, and absolutely shouldn't be. Considering he just got a new deal before COVID, and has been out since, I doubt it's a contract issue.
Let’s not over-analyze this. Apparently Eddie Goldman is a selfish, lazy c-u-n-t. No room on the team for those types.
I know, but only because you are choosing to view the relationship between player and team in very narrow terms, terms that suit your point of view it must be said. Personally i don't care much for debates about moral superiority between players and owner because generally speaking i support neither. I support the team. But if you're going to bring up the subject buddy, and not seem biased, its only fair to acknowledge the different facets that go into it. The moral aspect of teams being able to just terminate a player's contract at any time is a debateable one. But this absolutely cuts both ways. Players also have moral responsibilities to the team/fans to show up to mandatory team activities and to give best effort at all times. Given what players make that should be the bare minimum requirement, yet in the case of the latter i couldn't list the number of times players have got paid and stopped giving a shit cos it would shut down the site. I wasn't gonna call you out on the main board debate you were having re this, and im not calling you out now, but it seemed a reasonable talking point given such a relevant Bears example with Goldman.
Your drunk posts used to be pretty good value. This is just boring, bitchy nonsense. Sabbatical didn't do you much good did it.
I hear what you're saying, and it's a valid discussion. I'll always welcome it. The context for the main board discussion was the idea that players have an obligation to show up while under contract no matter what - that the very principle of a hold out is wrong. I disagreed with that. I support a player's ability to use what leverage is available to them to obtain better compensation for themselves. So my stance is, on principle, I'll never hold it against a player if they're holding out for a new contract. Specific to this case, I don't see how that's what Goldman is doing - he got a new deal recently and didn't play last year. So, yeah, I think he should be in camp. Of course, none of know what's going on. If it turns out that he has a daughter who's been in and out of the hospital, for example, then absolutely I support him in putting that situation over an OTA. And if it turns out that he is holding out for a new deal, I won't be mad at him for it. I'll disagree that he should get a new deal given the reasons above, but I won't disagree with his right to do it. I'm also not a fan of "moral" debates. I only brought it up at the time because there are a number of fans from other teams that I've discussed with in the past, and their position did basically come down to some odd moralistic stance that I never understood. To me, the owners typically have the power and leverage - when players try to exercise some of their own, I don't hold it against them as a general rule. I might disagree with whether or not they deserve a new deal, but I don't disagree with them trying to get one. I'm trying to think of the last time that scenario happened, though... can't recall off top of my head. Maybe when Briggs was upset about his contract late 2000's, but I don't think he actually held out, did he? Anyway, point being: I don't know what's going on with Goldman, and unless there's a good reason that comes out behind it, I think he should be with the team. If it does turn out that he's trying to get a new contract / more compensation, I won't be upset at him for doing it, but I will disagree that he deserves it. I hope that helps. Early AM here, so no idea if that was coherent.
Let me add this quote Muhammad Ali a guy my father loved but It was certainly one of the things we differed in opinion as Ali was too much Bravado for me but I agree with Ali when he said: "Looking at life from a different perspective makes you realize that it's not the deer that is crossing the road, rather it's the road that is crossing the forest". I don't know what's going on with Goldman as it's quite possible he's still freaked out about this Covid thing. While that may seem silly and insignificant at this point to us, it still may be real to him. I refuse to pass judgment on something or someone without knowing the full scope of the circumstance.
Very coherent! And thanks for the extra context. It sounds like the couple of pages i saw was maybe the continuation of something longer that you've been discussing with others so i'm extra glad i kept my nose out now tbh. Re holdouts, i can't go as far as you on that. I accept the principle of holding out in most circumstances, but cart blanche is something im not on board with at all, i don't think that serves anyone but players, oftentimes ones who have already done very well for themselves and really are beyond the financial security excuse. An example i would point to is Stefon Diggs, who signed a 5year mega extension with the Vikes then barely more than a year later was bitching for a trade. To me, that is unacceptable on numerous levels. Again that word "morals", but if you commit to a team for that length of time(and happily accept the massive upfront signing bonus!!) then i believe you owe it to them and the fanbase to stick around longer than a year. That is bullshit. It really serves no one but the selfish player, it certainly doesn't serve the fan who's spent their hard earned money on that player's merch, which btw is grossly overpriced to begin with. Players holding out for tenuous reasons really do nothing for us the fans, personally i just don't get why you would want to put the principle of holding out over us, especially when ultimately it is we who fund the whole damn thing. That said, there are times when i do support players holding out. To give a Bears example if ARob had decided he was holding out all offseason i would've totally understood that decision. He's done everything and more to deserve an extension and the way Pace has handled the situation, for nigh on 2years now, has just been a domino train of fuck ups imo. To bring it back round to Goldman, there's just no way this thing with him is a holdout for money and if it was it would be a really bad look for him imo. He's already hugely paid, with the year off he has no recent production to point to. There just isn't a leg to stand on re that. Its not money. Re this specifically, i agree with you in theory, i just doubt its the reality. Nagy always gets the players backs when he can, if the reason was something like you suggest i really don't think he would've made the public comment he did. I also think the truth would've come out about it one way or the other. Now IF it did turn out to be a reason like this then i think that does create more room for understanding towards Goldman. I also think it raises questions about Nagy's handling of things. The way its played out really one side has to have erred. Either its Goldman for bouncing a mandatory activity, or its Nagy for an unnecessary callout. But given his track record of supporting his players im def giving the HC the benefit of the doubt on this one.
Have you ever asked why no information re the circumstance has come out? If there are all these mitigating circumstances why have we heard none of them? Anything generally covid related would prob have Nagy trying to shield him. Society is so anxiety obsessed these days the guy could come out and say he has a fear of needles and he'd still garner sympathy. The fact we've heard no other explanation whatsoever when these days there's always what if tweet waiting in the wings means the circumstance is probably already played out. He couldn't be arsed with mandatory minicamp, he got a reprimand, everyone moves on hoping he's at camp. Great quote tho tuna, liked that.
...or he could just keep to himself and not appear weak. I see this behavior every day, perhaps he's not seeking any sympathy whatsoever. Attention probably isn't sought after either, but it's something in his position he can't avoid.
