by Scott Benson, Patriots Daily Staff
September 7, 2009
First of all, I guess it doesn’t surprise me much that the NFL media’s reigning drama queen, Peter King, found someone to tell him that Richard Seymour was “angry” over yesterday’s shocking trade to the Oakland Raiders.
Doesn’t that seem like a natural reaction to you? Somebody calls you on the phone and says “you live in Oakland, CA now, and oh, by the way, you’ll now play a lame duck season for one of the worst run organizations in the NFL” and you’re not phased?
I guess not in Peter King’s world, where players usually skip down a yellow brick road when they’re traded, unexpectedly, eight days before a season in which they figure to contend for a Super Bowl. So, Seymour’s displeasure? It’s a story.
Anyway I guess it’s not King’s fault that everybody else picks up the story and runs with it, fast. Yes, I guess any hiccup is news given the enormity of the trade, but is Seymour’s alleged “anger” that surprising? It’s certainly not unprecedented. Yet Mike Florio is now casually mentioning Seymour’s “refusal to play for the Raiders” and the possibility of him sitting out this season. Patriots Insider, a part of the Scout.com network, is apparently telling people that Seymour will end up with Scott Pioli in Kansas City for – you guessed it – a second round pick. Is Vrabel getting thrown into this one too?
Certainly Raiders coach Tom Cable would clear things up. Mike Reiss, who told us he would be sprinting to the finish, has the link:
“We have attempted to make a deal. There are some issues still between him and the Patriots that are being worked out. Hoping that will be resolved as quickly as possible. We know that the player wants to be here, but we have no control really over those issues. That’s really all I’m going to talk about it for now.”
Huh what now?
First, take a look at this (third one down). Doesn’t this seem more like attempting a deal?
Second, as Reiss has updated, Patriots officials have said they’re not aware of any complications regarding the deal.
Third, I’d imagine there are issues between Seymour and the Patriots.
- Trade me if you like, but to Oakland? You fuckers!
- Can I get paid for this?
Two-time holdout Seymour has never been shy about looking for a buck, so is there a shakedown for the road going on here? I’m the last guy to understand – or case about – the nooks and crannies of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, so at this point he could have his hand out a final time – maybe with good reason – and I wouldn’t know the difference.
Or maybe this doesn’t have anything to do with the Patriots – is Richard actually holding back because he’s holding out for a longer commitment… from the Raiders?
That’s an even wilder theory than the one that has him going to the Chiefs.
E-mail Scott Benson at scott@patriotsdaily.com
Postscript: The Patriots have released Greg Lewis today. He will be replaced on the club’s 53 man roster by RFA safety Bret Lockett, who was waived by Cleveland. The release of Lewis and tight end Alex Smith means that the Patriots have relinquished fifth round picks in both the 2009 and 2010 drafts for players who produced absolutely nothing for them.
Patriots Daily 
Will Cable punch Seymour in the face? No. But if I were Seymour, I think I’d probably need a day or two to get my head together before flying out to play for the silver and black.
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Maybe Seymour isn’t sure where to pick of Legion of Doom style spiked shoulderpads. They’re required Raiders wear.
Has the media told us how trading Seymour within their division is a favor to Josh McDaniels and Scott Pioli yet? Everything else Belichick has done this offseason was supposedly a favor to either of those 2 guys.
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Basic rule of thumb, if Peter King says he is hearing “something” or declares that “something” will happen, the exact opposite happens. This rule has never failed. Never.
On an unrelated note, in his most recent column on SI, King defends Favre’s cheap-shot, bush-league block as a great act of sacrifice by Favre to bring his team together and get his teammates to like him. What a douche.
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Wait ’til Big Sey finds out that the “new guy” has to wipe up the inside of Al Davis’s crypt every night.
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Here’s a possibility, even though it’s remote:
1) Seymour is distraught at the idea of spending even an hour with the Raiders and his at-first threats turn to a pleading, of sorts.
2) The Pats and Seymour come to an agreement on a deal to keep him in New England at a cap friendly number (with loads of incentives thrown in to make up the difference)
3) Seymour wriggles out of the trade with Oakland, saying something along the lines of “I’ll turn up week 1, but you won’t see me make another tackle on the field after that”
4) The Raiders balk, tell the Pats to go to hell, and BB/Kraft go into a “tizzy” about making up with Seymour.
5) 2-3 weeks later, Seymour and Pats announce a long term, cap friendly contract. “I never wanted to leave, and the fact that I held out twice before, threatening not to play, well, that means nothing now, this is where I want to retire”
The only possible flaw in my logic is 1) He’s already traded (duh) and 2) Would this be tampering?
Cheers
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