The New York Jets force the New England Patriots to Plan B







The border war has been raging for decades. Bill Parcells versus Bill Belichick, Steve Nelson versus Pat Leahy, Bill Parcells versus Pete Carroll, Bob Kraft versus Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick versus Eric Mangini, Bill Belichick versus Leon Hess, and Bill Belichick versus Rex Ryan are a few that come to mind. There have been plenty of players who have played on both teams, most notably Curtis Martin.

It was 1998 when New York Jets head coach and general manager, Bill Parcells put the vice grips on the New England Patriots' organization. Bill was able to force the hands of Patriots' management with contractual demands that stole third year running back, Curtis Martin from their team.

The "poison pill" was a clause in the contract that stated Martin would become an unrestricted free agent after one-year if the Patriots matched the offer and it would have forced New England to pay a $3.3 million roster bonus that would have compromised their salary cap. Under these conditions, the Patriots did not match the offer.

The 1983 Boston Celtics were prepared and waiting when the New York Knicks attempted to wrest all-star forward, Kevin McHale from its team. Any team in the NBA that was under the cap at the start of the 1983 offseason was allowed to spend however much money that they wanted until the end of the 1983-84 season.

KnickerBlogger:
Future Hall of Famer Kevin McHale was a restricted free agent during the 1983 offseason, and the Knicks were highly interested in him. Since the Celtics could spend as much money as they pleased, they signed three Knick free agents to offer sheets, center Marvin Webster (a great shotblocker), Forward Sly Williams and, most importantly, point guard Rory Sparrow, who had been a revelation for the Knicks after coming over from the Hawks for Scott Hastings.

This made it so that the Knicks literally could not sign McHale to an offer sheet, and he ultimately re-signed with the Celtics for roughly four years/$4 million. The Celtics succeeded in putting the Knicks into a salary cap funk that they would be stuck in for a few years.

I have faith that the New England Patriots will respond to the missile sent by New York Jets' owner, Woody Johnson.


Paul Murphy is a freelance writer from New Hampshire.

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