If the agent said it, is it coming out of the clients mouth?
Brian Urlachers good friend Jay Glazer (he attended the mans wedding) chimed in on the latest turn of events in the middle linebackers bid for more dough Friday.
Glazer, the Fox Sports reporter who wrote a blog with Urlacher last season when he was boycotting media, has a two-minute update over the phone that can be found here. Glazer refutes the Sun-Times report that Urlachers agents have asked the team if they could explore a trade and Urlacher is threatening to retire because of beck and back problems.
The Sun-Times is standing behind Mike Mulligans published report, and if you listen to Glazers report, he certainly leaves the window open that these tactics have, indeed, been a part of negotiations.
“He did say though, `Look, when my agents (Pay Dye Jr. and Bill Johnson) go and meet with the Bears, Im sure they say things in negotiations, Glazer said, speaking about Urlacher. “I dont know whats being said in there. And I dont want to know everything that is being said in there. They fight it out with the Bears. The Bears, Im sure they some things about me. I dont want to know what they say about me half the time. Thats just negotiations. The one thing I do know is Im not looking to retire.
“As far as a trade, he said, `Look, things happen in negotiations. Brett Favre, his agent said it last year, Michael Strahan, he said it to the Giants in the past. He said I dont want to leave Chicago, I dont want a trade. I want to stay here. Do I want a new contract? Absolutely, I want a new contract. I want to be paid especially considering where the market has gone.
Urlacher is threatening to skip out on the mandatory veteran minicamp next month and has already missed the first two weeks of the voluntary offseason program, forfeiting a $50,000 workout bonus in his contract. The former defensive player of the year signed a $56.65 million, nine-year extension in 2003. His contention is he has outperformed his contract in the five years since. While he had a banner year in winning the top award in 2005, and helped lead the Bears to Super Bowl XLI in 2006, he missed seven games in 2004 because of injuries and was inconsistent at times last season when he missed the Pro Bowl for the only time other than after the 04 season.
The most interesting tidbits from Glazer?
*** He doesnt know whether the situation will resolve itself or not, Glazer said.
*** It has gotten ugly at times, Glazer said. Again, Brian said, `Despite how ugly its getting, I dont want out of Chicago,
Its just not good when the U word is being thrown around … ugly.
See Saturdays edition of the Sun-Times for more coverage of Urlachers contract situation.
