What the Fock? Pats release Milloy!

This morning when I got home from work I decided I would take a breather.

However, around 10:30 a.m., my sports world exploded with emails and phone calls about the sudden release of Lawyer Milloy.

I myself had found out through a mutual friend who thought he was reading an ESPN misprint on their "Bottom Line" report.

I jumped on the home station, and had emails from all of those I know, it had been confirmed that Milloy was gone.

Most people knew he was my favorite player on the team, and some of them know where it stems from.

Milloy played with heart and soul for this team from day one of training camp back in 1996, and I knew he was going to be a talent back then.

In 1997, the Pats went to the Super Bowl and lost to Green Bay. Milloy went to the Pro Bowl in Hawaii for the rookie All Star Game and this is where I first met Milloy.

I had got to the hotel where I was staying and stepped from my limo. Milloy was there with a player who at this time forget. He remembered me from camp, and my seats at the stadium, and then introduced me.

As I spent time floating around the resort ,I ran into Milloy several times, and we even had a hilarious moment with an Asian autograph seeker and RB Eddie George.

As time went on I would see him outside the stadium after games, and give that "nod" brothers do, or just say "what up" as he seemed to always stop for the autograph seekers while most of the time his family patiently waited.

So hearing of his release like this was somewhat a surprise, even after his performance last season.

It's funny because I had touched base with a local radio personality through emails who is a HUGE fan of Milloy's. She was concerned about his status when they brought in Rodney Harrison from San Diego.

Papers had reported Milloy was going to be possibly be traded, but I had informed her that there was no way this team was going to let Milloy go before Tebucky Jones. I knew Jones was as good as gone, and at that time I was right.

Then, I explained to her the possible scenario of what could happen if Milloy didn't want to be a stand up guy and renegotiate his contract when the time came. I told her he would be gone. I didn't foresee that because I thought he was a stand up guy, and he may still be.

So before I jumped into this piece with my emotions on a sleeve I did my homework, and tried to figure out why this happened this way. So, we'll begin with the reason Bill Belichick gave at his press conference:

"Well, the salary cap accounting changes from the period of when it begins in March, at the beginning of the league year, where it's a top 51 accounting to the start of the regular season where every player and every contract counts. The accountings are different. That certainly has an impact on this situation."

Are you trying to say there was no one else this team could have been released to keep Milloy here? Bull! At this time the cap is not an issue. The Pats are below the cap, if it was a cap issue then they were looking ahead about two years when Milloy's contract would have made an impact to the cap.

In October of 2000, Milloy resigned with the Pats. A seven-year deal that would have paid him $40 million, and at that time he took home a $9 million signing bonus.

After hitting the big payday, Lawyer could have relaxed, but he didn't. He continued his smash mouth style of football, and put his heart into what he got paid for, and that was knocking WR's heads in the dirt, which he did, all the way into the Super Bowl against the Rams.

Last year was a different story. His numbers were way down; sacks, tackles, and interceptions, and Milloy was probably frustrated. With team's weakness being defending the run, Milloy never got much time near the ball unless the opposing RB's got past the defensive line. This was a big whack to his "bonus" numbers, and hurt him statistically.

Some people may accuse Milloy of not being a team player because he didn't want to restructure his contract, but it would have been the third time he had done it.

In 2001 he restructured his contract to where most of his salary was changed into bonus money lowering his cap hit.

Then September 12th, 2002, he restructured his contract a second time and they converted about $2 million of his salary into bonus money. This was at a time where he was no longer the highest paid safety in the NFL.

That same day, Tampa Bay's safety, John Lynch, extended his contract for $24 million over five years, and he walked away with a $5.6 million dollar signing bonus. A contract that his agent said -- blew Milloy's existing contract out of the water.

Here's how they matched up with my numbers coming from USA Today's NFL Salary Base.

Lawyer Milloy

Year Base Salary Signing Bonus Other Bonus Total Salary Cap Value

2002 $525,000 $1,975,000 $106,000 $2,606,000 $1,982,206

2001 $705,611 $0 $103,200 $1,765,017 $1,765,017

2000 $450,000 $857,100 $54,800 $1,361,900 $1,361,900

John Lynch

Year Base Salary Signing Bonus Other Bonus Total Salary Cap Value

2002 $1,000,00 $0 $751,530 $1,751,530 $2,694,863

2001 $1,000,000 $0 $652,240 $2,583,573 $2,585,373

2000 $1,500,000 $1,308,300 $501,200 $3,309,300 $3,309,300

So, could this be what led to his departure behind closed doors?

If that is the case then CB Ty Law may be headed down the same road, but he is still here and I'm not getting into him right now.

Milloy is gone without any kind of market value in return. This is what bothers me the most because the Pats just gave away three draft picks to get NT Ted Washington, linemen Corbin Lacina and Jamil Soriano. Lacina was recently cut.

Why would you let a four-time pro bowler just walk away?

Now it reminds me of OL Bruce Armstrong who tried to strong arm the Pats into a new deal as his career was winding down. The Pats were ready to release him, and he realized that no team out there was going to touch a winding down player for big cake. So he came back to the team with his tail between his legs just as Ted Johnson did last season.

This could be the same issue with Lawyer Milloy. There aren't many teams out there who could afford picking up Milloy with the exception of Dallas. So I guess the Pats take the gamble and let him walk. If he doesn't get signed for big money then he may very well be back here somewhat humbled.

Lawyer also may think about it deeper, and realize that the Pats are his best chance to get back to the Super Bowl this year. There is also NO WAY he will end up in the AFC East to play spoiler because none of the teams can afford his demands.

So it's a huge gamble for the team and Milloy who bleeds football, and if he isn't signed by week two, he'll be itching to get back. Hopefully, it will be back here.

As for the Pats coaching staff, what kind of message are they sending the team by releasing players like RB Patrick Pass, WR Dedric Ward and Lawyer Milloy? What does it do to the locker room when guys like McGinest,or Hamilton or Johnson are still here? How about Antowain Harris or Chis Atkins who will probably see more time now that Milloy is gone?

*I'd like to give thanks to my man Miguel for providing the most up to date info at his site Miguel's Pats Salary Cap Info Page.

Comments, email me at Sinista1@msn.com.