ESPN’s Bipolar Look At Osi Umenyiora’s Contract Negotiations

Let’s just say this first: yes, Osi Umenyiora deserves a big ol’ contract. A nice one. Gold-rimmed and caviar-crested.

However, let’s analyze both sides of the argument. As good as Umenyiora is, does money ruin your personal performance? And, if it does, should it?

ESPN’s Ashley Fox provided us with a bipolar look at Osi’s situation with the New York Giants:

“Sometimes, you just have to pay a man. Take a flyer. Stray from the course. Make a man whole… New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese needs to end this imbroglio with Osi Umenyiora and pay him.”

Good. Nice. Concise. Fair eeeeeeeeeeeenough. It makes sense, and at least Fox isn’t pretending that it’s just about the money. It’s about respect, right?

“A lack of money equals a perceived lack of respect.”

Yeah! See? Kind of…

“Playing under market value for approximately $600,000 so ate away at Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson last season that it rendered the speedy wide receiver a nonfactor. It consumed him and doomed him. Money. Respect. They go hand in hand.”

Whoa, wait a minute. Is that really fair? Yes, money can equal respect, and you’d hope that your employer shows you respect for a good season, or a good few seasons, which is what Osi is lining up for.

But, doomed him? Is that what DeSean told you? Was the $600,000 the real reason for Jackson’s struggles, or was it that the entire Eagles’ roster was a mess? Because, you know, it looked more like the latter.

We’re all for treating your assets, er, players with respect, but should we really be coddling them? Should we really be making excuses for them? After all, these guys do get millionses of dollars, and while you always want to be paid what you deserve, it’s a tad ridiculous to pretend than contracts and bills are ruining your game.

You lost us, Fox. You lost us.