PFT take on King Carl v Saban
CHIEFS, FINS NEED A FACE-SAVER With the Chiefs and cornerback Patrick Surtain in agreement on a long-term deal, the only obstacle to consummation is the fact that Surtain is still the property of the Dolphins. And the two teams have their heels dug in tighter than a six-year-old who's been asked to kiss Auntie Moustache. The Fins want a second-round pick and won't budge. The Chiefs will give up a four. And won't budge. A reasonable person might look at this situation and conclude that a third-rounder will get it done. But reasonableness goes out the window when marble-headed guys like the Nicktator and King Carl are at the bargaining table, even if the Chiefs had a third-rounder which they could trade (which they don't, due to the John Wellbourn trade). So, as one league insider 'splained to us, the two sides will need a way to create the impression that they got that they wanted (or more) without giving up anything of consequence. A superficial meeting in the middle, in order words, likely won't be enough. Instead, it will require some creativity, possibly introduced through an intermediary. Perhaps the deal happens with a fourth-round pick now and a conditional second-rounder in 2005, based on Surtain's playing time or picks. Then, it's a win-win -- if the Chiefs end up giving up more down the road, it's only because Surtain has exceeded expectations in K.C. Either way, stubbornness simply won't git 'er done. A second-round pick is too much for a guy whom the team has written out of its plans for the future. A fourth-round pick, however, is too low, given that the Pats gave up a third-round pick a month ago for Duane Starks. Even though the stakes are slightly different, the psychological realities at play here are no different than the stare-down in which Kennedy and Kruschev engaged when the Soviets started shipping certain oversized cigars into Cuba. Whether the issue is the location of a 28-year-old cornerback or the destruction of a multimillion-year-old planet, hard-headed men would rather do stupid than be perceived weak. So a resolution to this one is hardly a no-brainer, and it will require a solution that enables both Saban and Peterson to persuade themselves (and, more importantly, others) that they got the better end of the bargain.
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