Yes, there has been a lot written about Michael Crabtree, the last unsigned first round draft pick from the April, 2009 NFL draft. The outstanding wide receiver from Texas Tech had a stress fracture in his foot surgically repaired before the NFL draft and was unable to workout for teams before the draft. Because of the injury Crabtree was selected later in the first round than he would have liked. (We have a saying though, "Reality is what reality gives you.”) Reality gives you an injury- you have to deal with it. The San Francisco 49ers of today are not your Father's 49ers from the Bill Walsh era of the 1980's. Instead of having Walsh, John McVay and Eddie DeBartolo calling the shots, they have the likes of DeniseYork and Paraag Marathe. Today the 49ers (like much of America) have a much stronger grip on their wallet than they did in the 1980's or 90's.


                What's the return policy on this thing?

Crabtree is represented by attorney Eugene Parker. Parker, a graduate of Valparaiso (Indiana) University School of Law, was an undergraduate at Purdue University, where he was an outstanding basketball player, and was part of the group of players at Purdue nicknamed the "Soul Patrol". Parker has been a certified agent with the NFLPA since 1988.

To make a long story short, the Crabtree camp felt that being the 10th pick in the draft did not necessarily mean that Crabtree should be slotted for the money that a tenth pick would get, particularly when the Oakland Raiders selected a wide receiver, Darrius Heyward-Bey, who many felt was not the equal of Crabtree ahead of him. The Crabtree brain-trust was looking for better money. Meanwhile, the 49ers went with the reality theory- that you were the tenth player selected not the seventh player or anything above that. So we have an impasse.

When you have an impasse, negotiators look to find any leverage they can get. Usually teams go down their list of threats they can use. For example, the 49ers recently said they will start taking money off the table. Meanwhile, the Crabtree camp hasn't resorted to“he is going to become an actor or wrestler” just yet. They have the threat that Crabtree will sit out the year and go through the draft again. Don't bet on that happening. One way or another it will get done over the next few months.

For greater depth, here's a good link that covers the story in detail: