The 49ers and Giants are getting used, the Niners more than the Giants.
San Francisco teams used to be the users. Now they're the usees.
Kurt Warner is using the 49ers to get a better offer from the Cardinals. The Niners, to their credit, are open to talking to him. They need an upgrade at QB and Warner is an upgrade. But I don't believe Warner wants to leave the Cards, a better team than the 49ers, a team with better receivers. I also don't believe Warner wants to be the hand-off-to-the-back guy in a primarily running offense. Warner is using the 49ers.
Same goes for Manny Ramirez and the Giants, although the Giants are merely onlookers in the Manny Circus, haven't jumped in all the way. Ramirez wants an obscene amount of dough from the Dodgers and the possibility of Giants' interest gives him some leverage.
Don't expect Ramirez on the Giants. It's more likely he will make the deal with the Dodgers. Be honest. Ramirez would make the Giants a better team. But he'd be another Bonds figure, a me-firster and, worse than Bonds, he has a reputation for quitting on his team. If the Giants have a chance at him that would be a tough equation to work out -- Manny's value vs. his selfishness. Good luck.
"Usees" seem to tend to be teams that make bad decisions, or have a reputation for making bad decisions regarding trades, acquisitions, signings etc. The key decision maker seems to determine whether a team will be a user or usee, for instance Doug Wilson for the Sharks(user), Bill Walsh for the Niners(when they were users), and Brian Sabean for the Giants(usee). Just a humble opinion. Good post Lowell.
NO CHANCE TIMES TWO -- Neither Warner nor Ramirez will play for a local team. As Mr. Cohn notes, they are using locals to whipsaw their current employers into paying them more. What is so discouraging is not that effort--employees play off one possible employer against another all the time--but why two enterprises supposedly operating at a professional level would bite. And maybe the operative phrase there is, "supposedly operating at a professional level."
WHEW!! Just left Matt's Blog where GeoMak and Candy are having a typing Marathon showing to everyone their ignorance of football! Now to enjoy some knowledge written about football from a journalist in the know!
I agree entirely Lowell and think the part in your Blog about Warner will be proven right.
First, why would Warner come to the 9ers at his age and with an offense that he'll do nothing but hand off!
Second, the 9ers proved last year they don't have the personnel to block for a QB who is immobile, quick release or not (see JTO.)
Maybe money beats all else. In this day and age that seems to be the bottom line. But Warner doesn't seem the type to want to just handoff to a running back like Mr. Sing wants.
If he's smart he's just playing the Yorks against the cheap Bidwills! Cheap against cheap! Pretty sad!