How Long Will Osi Hold Out?

Osi Umenyiora is a great player and one of the most important pieces to the puzzle of the Giants’ championship team. He is a necessity on the defense and his skill level is among the best in the entire league.

But, like many others players in professional sports today, Osi feels that he is underpaid and is currently holding out in a standoff that could last the entire off-season and possibly threaten the beginning of exhibition games and regular season games, though we all hope it does not go that long.

Umenyiora signed a six-year, $41 million contract on December 23, 2005. Sure he has emerged as arguably the best defensive end in the NFL, but the man did sign a contract for what he felt and what the Giants felt he was worth at the time. Now, after winning the Super Bowl, he feels that he is not being paid well enough and will throw off the Giants off-season plans and focus because he is so selfish that the salary he legally agreed to is not high enough.

This part of professional sports is disgusting and not only because Umenyiora is being as childish as many others in the league and the other three major sports, but because he will get a raise from the Giants because they can’t afford to have him sit out.

Yes it would be ideal for the Giants to say, “Ok, Osi, sit out, we won’t pay you and you won’t play because we own your rights,” but we all know sooner than later the G-Men front office will open their pockets and pour more money into the bank account of Umenyiora with the possibility that hey, he might even do this same stunt again in the future.

If you don’t want a long-term deal, don’t sign it. If you think that maybe you will be worth more in a season or two, take a one-year deal, and risk injury and not having an income. But, if you do take less money for more years, take your ridiculous salary, play the game, go home to your amazing girlfriend (pictured above), and wait until you are a free agent to start whining.