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[yazoo]

Originally Posted by palmettosc

Electronic times always will and always have been slower than hand clocked times. Plus with the new draft "slotting" there really isn't that much variance between the higher and lower price paid for any given draft pick. Please remove your tinfoil hat.

You are forgetting the signing bonus. There is a very large difference in the signing bonus based upon when you are drafted:

“The general rule, is that the majority of these contracts are going to look pretty identical, except for the amount of a signing bonus a player receives.” The size of a rookie’s signing bonus depends upon where he is drafted and this is one area in which an agent can successfully negotiate higher earnings for his client. “The amount of the signing bonus is negotiable. We operate under an unofficial sliding scale system,” Slough said. Thus, the number-one NFL Draft pick will receive a higher bonus than the second pick, and so on.

....

Truthfully, there’s not a lot of negotiation in rookie contracts anymore for agents. Your job really becomes focusing on the time leading up to the draft and getting through the draft process.

The Structure of NFL Rookie Contracts

The agent's most important job is to get his or her client into a higher draft slot. Am I wearing a tin foil hat meaning that my theory is completely irrational and bizarre? No, I think there is a basis for where I am going with this idea. Moreover, the way corruption in our system works it is entirely a plausible theory. Sapp, or more importantly, the people making up the "official" times, could be making a very nice little side money.

Finally, did you read the article? The electronic time is being suppressed. The official time is not the same as the actual recorded electronic time clocked by the player.

[palmettosc]

Originally Posted by yazoo

You are forgetting the signing bonus. There is a very large difference in the signing bonus based upon when you are drafted:



The Structure of NFL Rookie Contracts

The agent's most important job is to get his or her client into a higher draft slot. Am I wearing a tin foil hat meaning that my theory is completely irrational and bizarre? No, I think there is a basis for where I am going with this idea. Moreover, the way corruption in our system works it is entirely a plausible theory. Sapp, or more importantly, the people making up the "official" times, could be making a very nice little side money.

Finally, did you read the article? The electronic time is being suppressed. The official time is not the same as the actual recorded electronic time clocked by the player.

Everyone's times are lower, not just our guys. You're upset about our guys times being lower, yet not acknowledging that it is happening all around. You're also ignoring the value of pro days and individual workouts. Obviously agents are trying to get the best deal for their clients, but when everyone is engaged in it it becomes a level playing field. Any "side" money would be extremely short sighted on anyone's part. You have to deal with the same teams over and over along with player's switching agents and new player's coming in every year with various ties. No one should risk derailing a future negotiation when you've got to deal with the same people every year.

[Cockadoo]

Originally Posted by palmettosc

Everyone's times are lower, not just our guys. You're upset about our guys times being lower, yet not acknowledging that it is happening all around. You're also ignoring the value of pro days and individual workouts. Obviously agents are trying to get the best deal for their clients, but when everyone is engaged in it it becomes a level playing field. Any "side" money would be extremely short sighted on anyone's part. You have to deal with the same teams over and over along with player's switching agents and new player's coming in every year with various ties. No one should risk derailing a future negotiation when you've got to deal with the same people every year.

What your saying might make sense if the margin of error between hand and electronic was consistent and had less discrepancies between the errors. Some guys were only .02 off of hand and electronic and others were .3. That's a very big discrepancy. So basically all you can draw from this conclusion is that no one knows exactly how fast someone is. What you are saying is true as far as having everyone involved. But you can have an agent or a scout (anyone who is paid per player drafted) trash talk or give false analysis of certain players to have their own players move up in the draft which equates to more cash in the pocket.

[b381l]

I still don't get why everyone's times aren't just put on the board based on the electronic timing....machines are better than humans....if teams want to use their own hand held watches, who cares.