Nick's Collingwood Bulletin Board

I don't see any supporters turning on Cloke because of this saga, the ones bagging him have done so for years

The fact is he wants the 5th year, only reason they are playing hardball with money is they want the 5th year of the contract, Pies say yes to a 5th year at the money they are offering and its signed tomorrow

Why is the club so against offering 1 more year when a shorter contract will cost them more out of the cap?

eddiesmith wrote:I don't see any supporters turning on Cloke because of this saga, the ones bagging him have done so for years

The fact is he wants the 5th year, only reason they are playing hardball with money is they want the 5th year of the contract, Pies say yes to a 5th year at the money they are offering and its signed tomorrow

Why is the club so against offering 1 more year when a shorter contract will cost them more out of the cap?

You're wrong there Eddie. I've been a long time fan of Travis and I rate him just behind Buddy as the best power forward in the game. I also don't hold it against him to be bargaining hard for a decent contract. However, going public about the negotiations and referring the the club as 'they' made me want to throw up. Also, given the length of the negotiations, he has had ample opportunity to either accept the very generous offer of (reportedly) $750-800,000 pa over 4 years. Of course he could get more elsewhere, but it would still make him one of the very top paid players in the game. He should now show some loyalty to Collingwood by accepting, what is, without doubt, a very lucrative offer. If he is determined to pursue his 'market rate' then he should try his luck elsewhere. Our club can't allow the single minded pursuit of money by one player to damage the team ethos in the lead up to the finals.

As apart from him playing 'dead' for the rest of the season at worst? Might not be any finals glory then...

Never forget what made us a current powerhouse. Eddie brought the strength belief and the vision, Mick brought the team ethic beyond all else, and Bucks brings the will and way. If an individual does not buy into this culture, then they can become a cancer to the club's future. Buy in Cloke and be set in this great club for a great life, or sell out and walk alone.

sq3 wrote:Give him a 24 hour - take it or leave it option - Pies weill know exactly where they stand and then look after other players.

Travis is no Lebron James and LBJ is not the highest paid player in the NBA.

Lebron James is going to make $17.5 million next season in salary and you are correct that this will only make him the 12th best paid player in the league (Kobe will make $27 mill and then about 10 others between 17 and 20 mill). The most Lebron James could make if he took the absolute most he is allowed to take is about $19.5 million (about the same as Carmello). So LeBron agreed to a $2 million discount (around 10%). Bear in mind he also makes about 40-50 million a year in endorsements. So he is going to make 67 million next year instead of the 69 million he would have made if he didnt agree to take less money. I think that is about a 3%. #% of squillions is a fair bit dififerent to asking someone to take a 30% discount on not very much.

Feel very sorry for Travis. I'll guaranty you the poor lad is very happy to take a discount off his market price to be at collingwood. 10-15% seems pretty generous to me. People on this site (like beast who said $700k for 4 years) actually want him to take a 40% discount. If you had to name the beast you'd call it an Ass!

I would leave it until after the GF - if he plays a key role in our flag then pay him what we can...

Collingwood should offically say we want him and will leave contract negotiations unitl after the season has finished - focus should be on footy this seasn - we are a real chance to win a flag! Better for BUcks and Cloke and the team.

What's the rush? Media speculation - who cares?

Visdom wrote:Never forget what made us a current powerhouse. Eddie brought the strength belief and the vision, Mick brought the team ethic beyond all else, and Bucks brings the will and way. If an individual does not buy into this culture, then they can become a cancer to the club's future. Buy in Cloke and be set in this great club for a great life, or sell out and walk alone.

Perfect summation.

Clokes form is all I am worried about.

rocketronnie wrote:

RudeBoy wrote:

eddiesmith wrote:I don't see any supporters turning on Cloke because of this saga, the ones bagging him have done so for years

The fact is he wants the 5th year, only reason they are playing hardball with money is they want the 5th year of the contract, Pies say yes to a 5th year at the money they are offering and its signed tomorrow

Why is the club so against offering 1 more year when a shorter contract will cost them more out of the cap?

You're wrong there Eddie. I've been a long time fan of Travis and I rate him just behind Buddy as the best power forward in the game. I also don't hold it against him to be bargaining hard for a decent contract. However, going public about the negotiations and referring the the club as 'they' made me want to throw up. Also, given the length of the negotiations, he has had ample opportunity to either accept the very generous offer of (reportedly) $750-800,000 pa over 4 years. Of course he could get more elsewhere, but it would still make him one of the very top paid players in the game. He should now show some loyalty to Collingwood by accepting, what is, without doubt, a very lucrative offer. If he is determined to pursue his 'market rate' then he should try his luck elsewhere. Our club can't allow the single minded pursuit of money by one player to damage the team ethos in the lead up to the finals.

As apart from him playing 'dead' for the rest of the season at worst? Might not be any finals glory then...

he hasnt been doing this?
this is his idea of showing us hes worth the money?

yin-YANG wrote:I would leave it until after the GF - if he plays a key role in our flag then pay him what we can...

Collingwood should offically say we want him and will leave contract negotiations unitl after the season has finished - focus should be on footy this seasn - we are a real chance to win a flag! Better for BUcks and Cloke and the team.

What's the rush? Media speculation - who cares?

fine, but dont save the cash for him, sign up the others, or we WILL lose someone. at least one.

..and he may go anyway.

Cam Mooney summed it up today on radio- "this long drawn out saga has got to be distracting for both Cloke and the Pies, it could be destabilising the whole team. He really should sign now, hes playing ducks and drakes now." Amen to that.

Won't be long now. Both parties much closer to agreement. Right now he's about $1.10 to be at the pies next year.

Shouldnt old man Cloke be more concerned about his health, a crook ticker, than more and more money for his lad. ? The cemetery is full of rich bastards, ya cannot take it with you. !

Anyone know how we can transfer this onto that elusive contract?

I hope the club tells him to piss off right now.

I don't care what offer he accepts, I don't want him at our club. He and his old man are bad news. When I saw him go on TFS and talk about how he had been offered in the vicinity of $1 million pa over 5 yrs from Freo and then commented that he had mates at Carlton and knew Swann their CEO, I wanted to puke.

Now we know that Bucks had advised him not to go on TFS. He went on because he got paid. He put himself before the interests of the team. This guy is behaving like a complete individualist. As I've said previously, I don't bemoan him negotiating hard for a good deal, after all it's his livelihood. However, he's not a tennis player or a boxer, he's part of a team, and this requires him to demonstrate some balance in his pursuit of money, for the good of the team. $750,000 pa over 4 years is more than he should get to stay at Collingwood.

As this soap opera drags on and on, it is doing damage to Collingwood. I can't forgive him for that. What's more, if we cave into his greedy demands, we risk unravelling the whole team spirit as other players salaries or spots on our list will become jeopardised. It would also send a signal to other players that they can hold our club to ransom and we will cave in.

To Travis - it's pathetic that you have allowed your moronic old man to destabilise your career and our club's Premiership hopes, just to satisfy his and your greed and ego. You could have become a football legend and had a legion of fans for the rest of your life. Sadly you may well end up being an object of pity. You had it all, but you blew it.

The bottom line is I don't care whether you reach a deal with the club now, I don't want you in the team. Piss off and play for Freo, the Dees or Carlton.