1B4IDie Posted June 14, 2012 Posted June 14, 2012 (edited) Meh...it's actually kinda funny to watch these two girls (Belicheat* & Coughlin) kick and scratch and pull each other's hair! Ballard's 1-yard TD catch with 17 seconds to go ends a NE* 20-game win streak at home (Foxboro*) last November, then NJ beat NE* in the SB. In an extremely petty move by a guy* already well -stocked at the TE position, Belicheat* sees an opportunity to tweak Couglin's nose by taking a guy who can't play a down this season, and becomes an RFA when the season ends. The Patriots are well-stocked at tight end with Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, but Bill Belichick has made these types of unconventional moves before. Belichick scoffed at the notion he broke some unwritten rule about claiming an injured player. “First of all, there aren’t any unwrittens,’’ Belichick said in New England. “Any time you put a player on waivers, you know there are 31 teams out there that can take him if they want him. We all know that.” Ballard, 24, caught 38 passes last season, was a revelation for the Giants and wanted to stay. He arrived at the Giants facility on Tuesday figuring he’d cleared waivers but was informed that the Patriots claimed him at 3:50 p.m., 10 minutes before the waiver deadline. “Obviously he built a reputation here, he’s very close with the guys here, the staff, the team,’’ tight end Travis Beckum said, “and I think if he could have picked he would have picked to stay here, but that is not how the NFL works.’’ (link - NY Post) Would be a real pisser if the Giants signed him back next Spring! (Personally, I loved it when Buddy and Chan grabbed NE* 5th-round pick - Marshall TE Lee Smith - off waivers last season just before Belicheat could sign Smith to the NE* PS!) GO BILLSSS!!! "I expect to be undefeated...I expect to win every game." - Chan Gailey 19 and 0 baby!!!! Ballard gets caught in the mix on this. Now he has to change his whole medical staff and rehab program. Pats rehab program usually starts at the unemployment line, so Good luck to Ballard on this mess. Edited June 14, 2012 by Why So Serious?
RyanC883 Posted June 14, 2012 Posted June 14, 2012 (edited) This is a stretch. hope this tread dies. Why do people continually post on threads that they hate the topic. If you don't like it, leave. Most likely he picked him up thinking that he can sign him when Hernendaz leaves. (can't imagine them spending top TE money on two TE's.) Edited June 14, 2012 by RyanC883
NoSaint Posted June 14, 2012 Posted June 14, 2012 Exactly what I was thinking; he's probably broken hearted. It's one thing to change teams for a better opportunity, but he's unlikely to ever play for the Pats and now loses his connection to the Giants while rehabbing his injury. Disagree. Though probably not happy, he will get reps if he's good. They schemed well to get those guys in packages (see Hernandez in the backfield) not to mention the inevitable injuries along the way. I think you could also see oddball formations with 3 TEs where he is the traditional role, and the other 2 can go from goal line to 3 wr formations without subs
GG Posted June 14, 2012 Posted June 14, 2012 This is similar to how we got tasker. It isn't cheating. Not quite. Different rules at the time. Houston tried to sneak Tasker through the waiver wire back onto its active roster (don't remember the exact rule.) People tried to sneak active players through waivers all the time, and there was player movement when a team paid attention to the waiver wire. Giants OTOH, needed to put Ballard on waivers before they could claim him back & put him on IR for the 2012. There's some quirk in the rule that mandates Giants to have Ballard on the regular roster before he can be put on IR. The Tasker move is similar to what Sabres did with Ellis a few years back.
KD in CA Posted June 14, 2012 Posted June 14, 2012 Disagree. Though probably not happy, he will get reps if he's good. They schemed well to get those guys in packages (see Hernandez in the backfield) not to mention the inevitable injuries along the way. I think you could also see oddball formations with 3 TEs where he is the traditional role, and the other 2 can go from goal line to 3 wr formations without subs Anything is possible, but he went from the presumptive 2013 starter in NY to the #3 guy in NE with zero chance of ever being the #1 guy. Plus, he'll hardly be forming close relationships with his offensive teammates in NE since he won't step on the field until next spring.
nucci Posted June 14, 2012 Posted June 14, 2012 He was released by the Giants and put on waivers. Like many have said, no story here.
Never NEVER Give-up Posted June 14, 2012 Posted June 14, 2012 Much ado about nothing. Coughlin was just being frank voicing his disappointment in losing Ballard via a calculated risk of sneaking him through waivers. GM Jerry Reese echoed those sentiments. For a reporter to ask BB if he violated any unwritten rules is laughable and makes that reporter look like a rank amateur. The question for whomever picked up Ballard was - Do you wnat to carry him on IR for a full year? BB's answer is yes. TE is a major part of their attack now - this is not a dumb move, especially if Hernandez isn't happy with playing 2nd fiddle. Heck this is EXACTLY how the Bills pilfered Jack Kemp from San Diego and Steve Tasker from Houston!! To a lesser extent it's how we got Merriman - but it's taken him at least 2 years AND SanDiego was finished with him. There are probably other examples, but I cannot think of them right now. Not quite. Different rules at the time. Houston tried to sneak Tasker through the waiver wire back onto its active roster (don't remember the exact rule.) People tried to sneak active players through waivers all the time, and there was player movement when a team paid attention to the waiver wire. Giants OTOH, needed to put Ballard on waivers before they could claim him back & put him on IR for the 2012. There's some quirk in the rule that mandates Giants to have Ballard on the regular roster before he can be put on IR. The Tasker move is similar to what Sabres did with Ellis a few years back. Sounds the same to me, but I agree -
Gugny Posted June 14, 2012 Posted June 14, 2012 If the Bills did this, there would be 16 threads saying NIX IS A GENIUS. I understand how most people hate the Patriots and anyone associated with them, but come on ... there's nothing wrong with this at all.
cody Posted June 14, 2012 Posted June 14, 2012 Giants OTOH, needed to put Ballard on waivers before they could claim him back & put him on IR for the 2012. There's some quirk in the rule that mandates Giants to have Ballard on the regular roster before he can be put on IR. Why didn't the Giants just put him on IR? If they wanted him on IR, why waive him at all?
BuffaloBillsMagic1 Posted June 14, 2012 Posted June 14, 2012 It sucks most for Ballard. Pats really don't have a need for him, but he is sort of in limbo... They'l sign him then trade him back to G men or some other team for a 4th rounder or better.
Dragonborn10 Posted June 14, 2012 Posted June 14, 2012 It sucks most for Ballard. Pats really don't have a need for him, but he is sort of in limbo... Why does is it suck for Ballard? By the Patriots claiming him off waivers he keeps his salary and current contract. The only reason the Giants waived him was to get him at a lower salary.
Optometric Insight Posted June 14, 2012 Posted June 14, 2012 He was released by the Giants and put on waivers. Like many have said, no story here. Quite the contrary. Anything involving the Pats* is a story.
GG Posted June 14, 2012 Posted June 14, 2012 Why didn't the Giants just put him on IR? If they wanted him on IR, why waive him at all? I'm not fully up to speed on the new rules and I don't think that Giants were allowed to put him on IR at this time. He had to be on their 90-man roster until August and then go on IR? I don't know the exact reason. Giants could have kept him on the 90-man roster and cut a no name rookie, but they gambled that no one would claim a player who won't see the field until 2013. They lost the gamble. Still, for Patriots to pull this move does smack of sleaziness, because Ballard won't contribute at all until 2013. That's why it's different than the Tasker case, because Tasker wasn't injured when he was put on waivers.
Buftex Posted June 14, 2012 Posted June 14, 2012 Why does is it suck for Ballard? By the Patriots claiming him off waivers he keeps his salary and current contract. The only reason the Giants waived him was to get him at a lower salary. I don't know all the specifics about Ballard, but it just seems like he kind of got caught up in a battle of "gamesmenship" between two coaches, who have a bit of a rivalry, at this point. Don't know how much more money we are talking about, but my hunch would be, if a guy is injured, he would feel a lot better knowing, when healthy, he will be returning to a situation where he was pretty successful, rather than one wher he is not likely to see a lot of playing time. And, for all we (and Ballard) know, the Pats could just cut him at any point, when they are depleted at another spot... nothing wrong with what the Pats did, and I realize it is all part of the sport...
KD in CA Posted June 14, 2012 Posted June 14, 2012 I'm not fully up to speed on the new rules and I don't think that Giants were allowed to put him on IR at this time. He had to be on their 90-man roster until August and then go on IR? I don't know the exact reason. Giants could have kept him on the 90-man roster and cut a no name rookie, but they gambled that no one would claim a player who won't see the field until 2013. They lost the gamble. That's what I gathered from reading the papers. They didn't want to use a spot on their 90 man roster for the entire training camp.
Meathead Posted June 14, 2012 Posted June 14, 2012 plenty of reasons to hate the cheaters. this aint one of em
Beerball Posted June 14, 2012 Posted June 14, 2012 This is similar to how we got tasker. It isn't cheating. Kemp too?
Best Player Available Posted June 14, 2012 Posted June 14, 2012 Still, for Patriots to pull this move does smack of sleaziness, because Ballard won't contribute at all until 2013. That's why it's different than the Tasker case, because Tasker wasn't injured when he was put on waivers. Zero sleeze. Merriman and the Bills knew his injury history when he was signed after clearing waivers 2 years ago. Plus Merriman is payed a Kings Ransom too cheerlead. Ballard's salary is I've heard around 700k this year. Chump change in the NFL for a guy with potential. No one uses TE's like Bealicheat. I don't get the big deal on this? If the Bills did this, there would be 16 threads saying NIX IS A GENIUS. I understand how most people hate the Patriots and anyone associated with them, but come on ... there's nothing wrong with this at all. Exactly!!
NoSaint Posted June 14, 2012 Posted June 14, 2012 Zero sleeze. Merriman and the Bills knew his injury history when he was signed after clearing waivers 2 years ago. Plus Merriman is payed a Kings Ransom too cheerlead. Ballard's salary is I've heard around 700k this year. Chump change in the NFL for a guy with potential. No one uses TE's like Bealicheat. I don't get the big deal on this? Exactly!! Merriman was a bit different as the chargers actually wanted to waive him. In this case the giants pulled a pretty standard issue "don't screw us and we won't screw you" roster move for this time of year. I won't condemn BB for claiming him but am not surprised that some GMs would be frustrated or there would be raised eyebrows.
BuffaloBillsSD Posted June 14, 2012 Posted June 14, 2012 Merriman was a bit different as the chargers actually wanted to waive him. In this case the giants pulled a pretty standard issue "don't screw us and we won't screw you" roster move for this time of year. I won't condemn BB for claiming him but am not surprised that some GMs would be frustrated or there would be raised eyebrows. In a billion dollar game, where you can be dropped at any time, there is no "don't screw us and we won't screw you". If anyone but NE had done this no one would have cared. This thread is solely based upon the hatred Bills fans have for NE. It is old and pathetic at this point.
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