Smilin Assassin
08-16-2005, 04:25 PM
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Lewis: Pollack holdout selfish
By Mark Curnutte
Enquirer staff writer
Bengals coach Marvin Lewis is disappointed that the team's top draft pick, David Pollack of Georgia, has not signed a contract.
GEORGETOWN, Ky. - For the second time in five years, the Bengals' first-round draft pick is likely to miss all of training camp.
The holdout of linebacker David Pollack reached Day 19 and claimed its 20th and 21st practices. Two remain.
Defensive end Justin Smith signed the day before the regular-season opener in 2001.
After initially declining, Marvin Lewis talked openly Monday about his disappointment with Pollack's holdout.
"I didn't think he would hold out this long," Lewis said. "I think we have fought very hard to eliminate some of these kinds of actions, and it is a shame that it has occurred.
"We have guys who have chosen to be here, and we've eliminated selfishness that occurs. If that's what it comes down to, a dollar here a dollar there, they're on the wrong football team."
Lewis has dramatically changed the culture of the football team since being hired as coach in January 2003.
"And this football team will never, never be guided by one guy, or we won't be a very good team," Lewis said. "We will not be compromised by one player or one person. And that's not going to change.
"We have fought very hard over these three years to establish that, and it's important to the guys (players) who sit in these chairs every night that we do not change that. It's been proven around the league. It's what wins in this league."
Tom Condon, one of Pollack's agents, did not return three messages seeking comment left at his Kansas City office Monday.
Lewis said the club has given a great deal of ground to Pollack and his agents.
"At some point, a player must make a decision - enough is enough - and it's time to play football," Lewis said.
Just three of 32 first-round picks remain unsigned. Second overall pick Ronnie Brown, a running back, signed with the Miami Dolphins. The only other picks unsigned are No. 4 running back Cedric Benson of Chicago and No. 6 cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones of Tennessee.
Pollack is the lowest pick, at No. 17, by 11 slots, still out of camp.
In 2004, running back Chris Perry, the Bengals first-round pick, missed 11 days of training camp in a contract holdout. The 2004 second-round pick, cornerback Keiwan Ratliff, missed five days, same as this year's second-round pick, linebacker Odell Thurman.
The Bengals' reputation among many player agents is not good. They are regarded as excessively tight-fisted in negotiations, creating unnecessary ill-will that has damaged some long-term relationships.
Lewis on Monday defended the way the Bengals do business.
"I don't think you can say it's a reputation," he said. "If it is, then that report in that one magazine about agents who hold their guys out the longest, what's that?"
Lewis referred to a report in a recent issue of "SportsBusiness Journal" that showed Condon and partner Ken Kremer of IMG have held-out 13 first-round draft picks since 1995. Agents Eugene Parker and Roosevelt Barnes also have held-out 13.
But Condon and Kremer have far many more first-round picks, 30, than Parker and Barnes, who had 22, the magazine reported. Condon and Kremer's clients have held-out 43 percent of the time. Parker and Barnes' rookie first-round clients - including Perry - have held-out 59 percent of the time.
But agents with far fewer first-round picks since 1995 have much higher incidents of holdouts, according to "SportsBusiness Journal:"
Neil Cornrich, 5 of 6, 83 percent; Jimmy Sexton and Joel Segal both have held-out 7 of 9 (78 percent) first-round clients since '95. Carl and Kevin Poston have held-out seven of their 10 first-round rookies.
"Reputation goes both ways. It's not one-sided. Fair is fair," Lewis said. "As an organization, we're going to continue to learn and grow from these things. We are going to turn whatever perceived negatives into a positive."
Lewis: Pollack holdout selfish
By Mark Curnutte
Enquirer staff writer
Bengals coach Marvin Lewis is disappointed that the team's top draft pick, David Pollack of Georgia, has not signed a contract.
GEORGETOWN, Ky. - For the second time in five years, the Bengals' first-round draft pick is likely to miss all of training camp.
The holdout of linebacker David Pollack reached Day 19 and claimed its 20th and 21st practices. Two remain.
Defensive end Justin Smith signed the day before the regular-season opener in 2001.
After initially declining, Marvin Lewis talked openly Monday about his disappointment with Pollack's holdout.
"I didn't think he would hold out this long," Lewis said. "I think we have fought very hard to eliminate some of these kinds of actions, and it is a shame that it has occurred.
"We have guys who have chosen to be here, and we've eliminated selfishness that occurs. If that's what it comes down to, a dollar here a dollar there, they're on the wrong football team."
Lewis has dramatically changed the culture of the football team since being hired as coach in January 2003.
"And this football team will never, never be guided by one guy, or we won't be a very good team," Lewis said. "We will not be compromised by one player or one person. And that's not going to change.
"We have fought very hard over these three years to establish that, and it's important to the guys (players) who sit in these chairs every night that we do not change that. It's been proven around the league. It's what wins in this league."
Tom Condon, one of Pollack's agents, did not return three messages seeking comment left at his Kansas City office Monday.
Lewis said the club has given a great deal of ground to Pollack and his agents.
"At some point, a player must make a decision - enough is enough - and it's time to play football," Lewis said.
Just three of 32 first-round picks remain unsigned. Second overall pick Ronnie Brown, a running back, signed with the Miami Dolphins. The only other picks unsigned are No. 4 running back Cedric Benson of Chicago and No. 6 cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones of Tennessee.
Pollack is the lowest pick, at No. 17, by 11 slots, still out of camp.
In 2004, running back Chris Perry, the Bengals first-round pick, missed 11 days of training camp in a contract holdout. The 2004 second-round pick, cornerback Keiwan Ratliff, missed five days, same as this year's second-round pick, linebacker Odell Thurman.
The Bengals' reputation among many player agents is not good. They are regarded as excessively tight-fisted in negotiations, creating unnecessary ill-will that has damaged some long-term relationships.
Lewis on Monday defended the way the Bengals do business.
"I don't think you can say it's a reputation," he said. "If it is, then that report in that one magazine about agents who hold their guys out the longest, what's that?"
Lewis referred to a report in a recent issue of "SportsBusiness Journal" that showed Condon and partner Ken Kremer of IMG have held-out 13 first-round draft picks since 1995. Agents Eugene Parker and Roosevelt Barnes also have held-out 13.
But Condon and Kremer have far many more first-round picks, 30, than Parker and Barnes, who had 22, the magazine reported. Condon and Kremer's clients have held-out 43 percent of the time. Parker and Barnes' rookie first-round clients - including Perry - have held-out 59 percent of the time.
But agents with far fewer first-round picks since 1995 have much higher incidents of holdouts, according to "SportsBusiness Journal:"
Neil Cornrich, 5 of 6, 83 percent; Jimmy Sexton and Joel Segal both have held-out 7 of 9 (78 percent) first-round clients since '95. Carl and Kevin Poston have held-out seven of their 10 first-round rookies.
"Reputation goes both ways. It's not one-sided. Fair is fair," Lewis said. "As an organization, we're going to continue to learn and grow from these things. We are going to turn whatever perceived negatives into a positive."