But I think the real world you and I live in is a bit different from the real world of an NFL Pro Bowler. I think the Bills are doing the right thing by standing firm and I think it is clear that they aren’t going to back down (at least not while Peters isn’t showing up to camp). That said, contracts are broken and renegotiated all the time. It isn’t totally crazy for Jason Peters to be convinced that a hold-out will get him a bigger contract, especially since it has happened so many times before around the NFL.

I believe the Bills have even admitted that he is underpaid, but said they wouldn’t consider renegotiating his contract untill he showed up to practice. That tells me that whenever he finally shows up, the terms agreed to in his original contract might go right out the window. (You hear that Peters? IF you show up?) It sounds like the Bills are willing to compromise: show up to work and we’ll talk about the contract.

Peters is taking a bad gamble here, but I wouldn’t call it dishonorable. If I thought a hold-out would earn me some extra cash, I’d do it. But I’m pretty sure I’d just end up out on the street. So instead, I might just ask nicely for a raise and see what happens.

My point is, I don’t think that Peters is wrong to want a better contract. He’s just going about it in the wrong way—a way that could compromise the Buffalo Bills 08 season and stunt his own career.

Mr. Peters, I don’t like the fact you aren’t in camp trying to help my beloved Bills make a playoff run, but I understand. I equate your contract situation with that of the cell phone provider. Say you agreed to a 2 yr. contract with X Cellular in order to upgrade to a phone that had text messaging at your current rate. Weeks later, Y Cellular offers you a deal that gives you a free top of the line phone with text messaging, internet and free incoming calls. Would you not want to terminate the original contract with X Cellular to get the better deal with Y Cellular?

I don’t get the correlation.

You as a teacher have a union. If you feel like you should get more personal days or that it is unfair that you can’t take a personal day during the first week of school, you should take it up with your union. Your union should also protect you from making 40% of what the other teachers at your school make.

The NFL players also have a union and they have colectively bargained with the NFL. Turns out, players can hold out during training camp at the cost of 15,000 dollars a day. Peters has every right to do what he is doing. His contract technically allows him to hold out from camp.

You simply can’t compare your job to Peters’ either. Supply and demand are at work here and there are a limited number of offensive tackles as talented as Peters. Sorry, but teachers are a dime a dozen and your school can replace you a lot easier than the Bills can replace Peters. That is what makes him different. That is what makes him special.

I had a job at a pizza place a few years back while I was going to college. I was one of a few workers who could work on monday, wednesday and friday mornings one winter. The pizza place had two workers there every monday and wednesday and and suddenly one of the three people who could work those mornings broke his collar bone. I was stuck in a situation where my boss couldn’t fire me because there was nobody willing or qualified to work on those monrnings other than me. It was unfair, but I showed up late whenever I wanted for 6 months and cracked a beer every day at noon. My boss was clearly unhappy, but he put up with it because I did a decent enough job and because he didn’t have a choice but to keep me around. Things are rarely fair. Welcome to the real world.

We will leave on our trip early tomorrow morning, so I may not be around for a couple of weeks. My dad is not a computer guy and has no Internet access, not even dial up. I am hopeful that a neighbor has some wireless that I can steal signal from. I may try to check in later, but if not, I hope you all have a great couple of weeks. Go Bills!!!!

You love your comparisions. I’m not totally sure this one works, but o.k. you’re a better man then Peters.

Mine start tomorrow. Well, technically, they started today when I ran one of them. The boredom begins in earnest tomorrow morning. Your analogy is a bit closer to reality than Kaisertown might believe. In the exact same situation I could tell my school that I just wouldn’t be there. Because I hold three highly sought after certifications the school really can’t afford to fire me. (Even if they did I’d have another job before the end of the day.) Yes, they could be pissy about it and-naturally-not pay me for the days I wasn’t there. However, at the end of the day my skill set is unique and hard to replace. The league has mandated that the only real punishment is the threat of a fine for NFL players who fail to report to camp. Peters has lots of cash (unless he has a weakness for strippers and midgets) and he knows the team will not cut him. His unique skill set allows him to act in a manner which would get someone without his skill set fired….or cut, as the case may be.

I’m in your corner my man; my sister is a teacher in a low rent district. I hear stories that would make some folks cringe.

If you need updates, what about text messages? I’m sure there are a few of us here who would be more than happy to send you some updates via the cell phone..

Again – safe travels.

I tried to post to this one, too, but it apparently got lost in the shuffle. Any thoughts, Brian? Not sure what happened…

Before i was def against giving into peter’s demands for a new contract. but as we get closer to the season i just dont care about his methods any more i just want him on the field. he’ll make the bills a better team. i just want to win this season and if the bills can get him to play then do whatever it takes. we need him.