Holdout: I Seen It In My Mind

Ah, self-less humbleness in action

In April, many NFL teams were under the impression that Michael Crabtree was “a diva”.  The Crab Man’s camp was shocked.  He’d been a model citizen at Texas Tech, where he routinely ignored the bright lights and distractions associated with Lubbock.  But, something in his team interviews must have set off alarms with NFL coaches.  Alarms like the ’we’ll never be able to sign this ego-maniac.’  It sounds like this. 

Crabby’s advisor has come out and told the media that his boy is ready to sit out the entire season and re-enter the draft if the 49ers don’t pony up the dough and pay him like the Top 5 pick that he is.  There may be some confusion here because he was drafted 10th, but rest assured, if team’s weren’t so enamored with more valuableother players, Crabtree would’ve been the 1st pick.  He simply wants a contract that conveys San Francisco’s understanding that he’s the greatest wide receiver that’s ever played the game.  And, to his credit, he was the 2nd wide-out taken in the draft and he has never been on the field for an NFL snap.  Obviously, the Brinks truck was delayed or he’d be Scrooge McDuckin’ in a pile of money right now. 

Crabtree’s agent has said that the threat of sitting out the year was made without his knowledge and that’s not how he operates.  He then, in the same breath, starts talking about how far apart the Niners and Crabtree are in negotiations, so it seems he’d like to make the same threat without actually having to make it.  The question then is, would Crabtree really sit out an entire year and re-enter the draft, something nearly unheard of in the modern era.  For an answer to that question, I tried to go to a couple of sources who would have a valid opinion.  Maurice Clarett and Mike Williams each sat out of football for a year after trying to enter the NFL Draft early.  Unfortunately, they were unavailable for comment as one is in prison and the other is too fat to move.  But, if I may speak for them, I think they’d give ol’ Crabby the thumbs up. 

Editor’s Note: Here is a column from the San Francisco Chronicle’s site from just after the draft.  It includes quotes from Mike Leach and Mike Singletary concerning Crabtree’s diva reputation.  Knowing what we know now, it’s a pretty good read.  Certainly better than anything you’ll read here.

Tags: football, Michael Crabtree, NFL, San Francisco 49ers

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