PLAYER UNSURE WHY PACKERS NOT GIVING HIM A RING

[Bretsky]

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/123933944.html

Bell uncertain why he's not getting a Super Bowl ring


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By Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel

June 15, 2011 2:02 p.m. |(51) Comments

The agent for Packers cornerback Josh Bell said his client has not been invited to the team's Super Bowl ring ceremony Thursday in Green Bay and doesn't know why.

Bell injured his foot in the team's intrasquad scrimmage Aug. 7 and was placed on injured reserve three days later. He chose to rehabilitate his injury with the team rather than accept an injury settlement and be released immediately.

The Packers aren't expected to bring Bell back once the NFL lockout is over.

"His time there, as part of the organization, he enjoyed it," said Bell's agent, Frederick Lyles. "This is kind of a surprise. It’s unfortunate. I don’t know if it’s an oversight, considering the attention being paid to the lockout. We just haven’t been able to reach them and find out."

The Packers signed Bell to a two-year deal on Nov. 24, 2009 after they lost cornerback Al Harris to a season-ending injury. Bell played in four games for the Packers and played solidly at times, but was best remembered for allowing a last-second touchdown to receiver Mike Wallace in a 37-36 loss to Pittsburgh.

The Packers felt Bell was worth keeping around and brought him back for training camp last summer, hoping he would compete for a nickel or dime position.

The Packers wouldn't comment specifically on Bell not receiving a ring.

"We haven’t discussed those details publicly," club spokesman Aaron Popkey said. "We feel it’s an internal matter out of respect for everyone involved."

Super Bowl ring distribution is the club's domain and isn't governed by the league. The league does reward Super Bowl bonus shares and anyone on the active roster, injured reserve and practice squad receives one.

When told of the Packers' response that they would not comment on Bell, Lyles said, "I'm not surprised."

Bell probably isn't the only player who was with the Packers in 2010 who didn't get a ring. Others who spent a short time on the team and weren't on the roster for the Super Bowl are not likely to get rings either.

It's possible, however, that Bell is the only member of injured reserve who won't receive a ring.

"The thing is he’s a part of the team no matter how you look at it," Lyles said. "He was injured playing. He’s still a part of the roster."

[MadScientist]

Seems odd, but perhaps the Packers just forgot about him. When his name was mentioned, my reaction was 'Who?'

[Patler]

Seems odd, but perhaps the Packers just forgot about him. When his name was mentioned, my reaction was 'Who?'

Since he was on IR and chose to stay in GB all season, its hard to believe it was just an oversight.

The article mentions that they offered him an injury settlement, which he declined. Thus, he was there by his choosing, not the teams' desire to keep him. He had broken his foot in early August. The Packers apparently felt he could have been cleared to play medically at some point during the season, thus they offered the injury settlement. Broken bones are often 6-8 weeks. If that's what this was, the Packers ended up paying him salary for 3 months when he could have accepted the injury settlement and looked for another team to sign with. Even at minimum salary, that's a lot of money.

They must have figured he wouldn't have made the team anyway, they don't want him back next year, he took a couple hundred in salary from the Packers on IR when he could have been looking for another team to actually play for (like Blackmon did), so enough was enough. It was within his rights to take the salary instead of looking to advance his career elsewhere, and it was within the team's right to not heap on the windfall he had gotten with a Super Bowl Ring on top of it.

I wonder about some of the players who were on the 53 man roster for only a week or two, like Gordy, Simpkins and Montgomery. I think there were a couple who were on the 53 man roster for just a couple weeks, but were never active for games. I wonder how many of them will get rings.

[Scott Campbell]

Seems odd, but perhaps the Packers just forgot about him. When his name was mentioned, my reaction was 'Who?'

He's the guy that got beat in the corner of the end zone for the game winner during the PIT loss in the 09 season.

[red]

seems like someone just cannot read the writing on the wall. sounds like the packers have done just about everything they can to get rid of the guys, yet he still thinks he's part of the team.

like a GF who still thinks you're still together even though you told her tramp ass to fuck off and never speak to you again, 2 years ago

[Pugger]

Was he just not invited to the ceremony? There is a chance he will be getting a ring but just not today. I'd be shocked if he didn't get a ring seeing he was on the roster last season even if he was on IR.

[Tony Oday]

He deserves a ring

[woodbuck27]

It's likely an oversight.

[Tarlam!]

He deserves a ring

+1

[Little Whiskey]

Maybe they gave his ring to Al Harris instead

[Tarlam!]

Maybe they gave his ring to Al Harris instead

The NFL pays for the better part of 150 rings. 150 rings! Murphy can't give a player that was injured in the mission a ring?

[Scott Campbell]

The players agent is running his mouth. The Packers brass are sticking with no comment. The player refused an injury settlement.

It's not too hard to put together what's going on here.

[Patler]

Just trying to put two and two together here:

He hurt his foot in the family night scrimmage, the first weekend of TC. A broken bone, so maybe a 6-8 week recovery time? That would have taken him 2-4 weeks into the season. The Packers offered an injury settlement, which would have allowed him to sign with another team and continue his career where he might have an opportunity to play. The Packers apparently had no interest in retaining him. Instead of accepting that, it appears he decided to "milk" the team for a full year salary, maybe 13-15 weeks worth after he was healed? (Just a guess on my part). Will Blackmon was in the same situation. He accepted an injury settlement and signed a few weeks into the season with the Giants. He, too, could have refused and stayed on IR.

Bell did nothing wrong, but may have used a situation to his advantage in getting a full year salary guaranteed rather than trying to continue his career with another team. He had no future with the Packers, they made that clear.

If my suggested scenario is even somewhat close to accurate, I can understand why the team felt enough was enough and didn't give him a ring.

This is one of the reasons why the proposal that has been discussed for a limited term IR designation makes sense.

[Tarlam!]

Good points SC and Patler. The agent statement, though, is no matter how you look at it, he was on the roster. If that's true, well then...

[Scott Campbell]

Good points SC and Patler. The agent statement, though, is no matter how you look at it, he was on the roster. If that's true, well then...

An injury settlement is basically the team asking you to go away quietly and paying you for your trouble. The Packers aren't going to further reward Bell for not taking the settlement. I expect that most teams would do the same.