Let's not get crazy with Biak. That guy has burned me in two different fantasy seasons because of injuries. I think a lot of teams are going to regret not drafting O. Smith. That guy is good and I think he is built for the pro game. He's got a great line in front of him and I hope he is still available when I pick in about round 5 or 6 because I will snag him. Biak is a ploy to try to get O. Smith, Chapman and Moe all riled up and working harder. I heard they were going to talk to Cecil Collins to see if he could get a work release program and I have it on good authority that Terry Allen has been drinking his ensure so he could be up for the job too!
"You using the whole fist there doc?" - Irwin M. Fletcher
Smith isn't trying to hold the Vikings hostage with a fat contract. He wants to get signed so he can get in camp and contribute. He knows if he has a holdout it will dramatically affect his season. He has stated this several times.
The Vikings primary focus was on signing K-Dub. With him signed, the Vikings will look to lock up EJ and Onterrio. I'd say Onterrio signs by the end of this weekend.
Incentive clauses are likely the last few obstacles for getting Smith signed.
The meek ain't gonna inherit $#!%....'cuz I'll TAKE IT!
...and a little update on the situation:
_____________________________________________________
MANKATO -- The Vikings celebrated Friday when first-round draft pick Kevin Williams put his signature on a five-year contract and reported to training camp on time.
They were upset, however, when fourth-round pick Onterrio Smith rejected a revised contract proposal and appeared headed for an unprecedented holdout Friday night.
Smith, among the tailback candidates to replace injured starter Michael Bennett, is believed to be seeking escalators that would pay him close to first-round money should he win the starting job.
_____________________________________________________
UH-OH! Looks like things are going to be a little bumpy, which could SERIOUSLY hurt Smith's chances. Tice is already pissed off, and looks at it like Onterrio has already missed 15 days of practice (has something to do with rookies and unsigned players not being able to practice until they graduate or finals are taken, which made Onterrio miss 14 previous days). If Onterrio misses much more time, he will be declared a non-starter to start the season, and be in Tice's doghouse. If Chapman and Moe do well, Smith may never get much of a chance.
Onterrio and Moe were both drafted in one league, leaving the #1 RB on the Vikings depth chart a Free Agent. I took a flyer on Doug Chapman, and you might want to think about it if he is on your wire. He could be the starting RB on one of the top rushing teams last year, and whose O-line is better this year. Moe will likely get the goal line love, but Chapman could still be a viable back-up, possibly a serviceable 2nd or 3rd RB.
The meek ain't gonna inherit $#!%....'cuz I'll TAKE IT!
Onterrio should take a page from Larry Johnson's playbook and be humble. LJ said something along the lines of "I haven't done anything on an NFL field yet so I don't have the right to ask for $$)
O's agent should be turned to glue. When O is 28 and out of football he'll realize that starting RB jobs in the NFL don't come around all that often...
take your 2 year, 2 mil deal...put in a clause that if you hit 1100 with 8 Tds in your rookie year that the deal becomes a 4 year-16 mil deal with a 5mil signing bonus and be happy...
Well, apparently Onterrio (or his agent) came to his senses and APPARENTLY has signed. I see nothing in print yet, but I have a Vikings source who confirms he is now signed.
The meek ain't gonna inherit $#!%....'cuz I'll TAKE IT!
It sounds like negotiations were going smoothly this morning, and Vikings officials were hopeful to have Smith signed and participating in the afternoon practice. Negotiations stalled.
Smith is looking for 'escalators' that will pay him first round dollars if he becomes the starting RB. That is not sitting well with Tice and Co. Tice is baffled, and a little miffed at this 'outrageous' demand. Smith has said all the right things up until this point. His agent is apparently taking an unprecedented stance.
There is no way the Vikings will part with 1st round money for a 4th round draft pick. Thie Vikings are historically financial responsible, and this will create a precedent they cannot live with.
Onterrio owners should be very worried right now. Once again, if Chapman is on your wire and you have a scrub to cut loose, grab Doug. He is #1 on the Vikings depth chart. A Smith holdout cements in that spot for at least a few games. The clock is ticking very quickly for Onterrio.
The meek ain't gonna inherit $#!%....'cuz I'll TAKE IT!
I stand by what I said earlier...if Onterrio were smart, which he seems not to be at this point, he would sign whatever deal the Vikings offer with the exception that he should make it a 2 year and not 3 year deal.
His value will be much higher than any other back taken in this draft due to the fact he KNOWS he's going to be featured at some point this season if he's as good as he thinks he is. Then when he goes FA or is named the Franchise Player he'll see big bucks sooner than anyone else. It's a built in escalator clause which will net him more cash than any deal that Condon can put together.
Problem here is the Condon is being really greedy because if O flops on the field he won't see much by way of his commission.
O...get yourself a new agent...Condon is planting you in the ground like a turnip
From vikings.com.
RB Onterrio Smith Signs
Sunday, July 27, 2003
The Minnesota Vikings announced today that the team has signed 4th-round RB Onterrio Smith. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Smith, the 105th overall selection in the 2003 NFL Draft, finished with 2,199 yards with 19 TDs on 419 carries (5.2 avg.) during his two seasons at Oregon. He ranked second in the Pac-10 and 14th in the nation in rushing in 2002, finishing with 1,141 yards and earning All-Pac-10 honors. Smith was an All-Pac-10 second-team selection in 2001 when he ran for 1,058 yards on 175 carries (6.0 avg.) and 7 TDs. He played in eight games at Tennessee in 1999 before transferring to Oregon. Smith was a teammate of Vikings’ WR Keenan Howry at Oregon.
The Vikings have signed all seven of their draft choices from the 2003 NFL Draft.
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by Johnny Ballgame » Thu Jul 24, 2003 11:28 am 
