Since the mambo king finished on Dancing With the Stars, he’s been in L.A. New Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said last week, “I know that Jason is not going to be at any (offseason training activities). “I know that Jason will not be at any minicamps. I know that right now Jason is not going to be at training camp.” This week, at a charity golf tournament in Iowa, Taylor was asked about his perceived wildcat strike. \"Who said that? I've been in L.A. and so far removed from it. I'll deal with that later. I'm going to head back (to Florida) today for the first time in three months. ... We'll worry about football in the near future.” Looks like a failure to communicate between the soon-to-be-34-but-still-very-good Taylor and the new Dolphins regime headed by Sparano and overlord Bill Parcells. Parcells is an old hand at this “new sheriff in town” act. Expect an air-clearing and resolution before camp.";
spt_Curran_NFL_Gripes[i++] = new Array("","Chad Johnson","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Vandermark%2C%20Brett/Curran_NFL%20gripes/johnson.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Doug Pensinger", "Getty Images", "358", "264", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_Curran_NFL_Gripes[i-1].body = "2. Chad Johnson, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Ocho-Cinco’s gripe isn’t money. He just doesn’t want to play for the Bengals. Ever. Again. But the Bengals are old hands at dealing with players who don’t want to play for them. And their stance is that, if Johnson doesn’t want to play for them, he won’t play anywhere. It’s already messy and figures to get messier when the dog days of August arrive and Johnson realizes he’s really trapped. ";
spt_Curran_NFL_Gripes[i++] = new Array("","T.J. Houshmandzadeh","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Vandermark%2C%20Brett/Curran_NFL%20gripes/Houshmandzadeh.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Otto Greule Jr", "Getty Images", "358", "233", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_Curran_NFL_Gripes[i-1].body = "3. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Houshmandzadeh hasn’t been at any of the Bengals offseason workouts and is expected to stay away until he gets a bump in pay. He’s entering the last year of a four-year deal and is supposed to make $2.525 million this season. Said Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer of his two wayward wideouts, “You'd hope that a guy like Chad and a guy like T.J. would be here helping guys out and trying to make the team better.”";
spt_Curran_NFL_Gripes[i++] = new Array("","Brian Urlacher","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Vandermark%2C%20Brett/Curran_NFL%20gripes/Urlacher.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Jonathan Daniel", "Getty Images", "350", "278", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_Curran_NFL_Gripes[i-1].body = "4. Brian Urlacher, MLB, Chicago Bears
Urlacher showed up for the Bears mandatory mini-camp Friday. He’s down in the mouth about the nine-year, $57 million deal he signed in 2003. Lesser players are making more. His arrival signals two things. One, he’s going to try and \"high road\" his situation. Two, he’s going to protect himself from having the Bears go after already-paid bonus money that Chicago could try and recoup if Urlacher holds out.";
spt_Curran_NFL_Gripes[i++] = new Array("","Jason Peters","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Vandermark%2C%20Brett/Curran_NFL%20gripes/Peters.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Rick Stewart", "Getty Images", "358", "256", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_Curran_NFL_Gripes[i-1].body = "5. Jason Peters, LT, Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills left tackle is a rising star among offensive linemen. His salary isn’t rising at the same rate, however. Set to make a base of $3.25 million this year and having three years remaining on his deal, Peters is skipping Bills’ OTAs and a holdout could loom. Peters came into the league an undrafted rookie and got a pay bump in 2006 but – for a player who made his first Pro Bowl in 2007 – that deal already looks obsolete with plenty of time left on it.";
spt_Curran_NFL_Gripes[i++] = new Array("","Matt Birk","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Vandermark%2C%20Brett/Curran_NFL%20gripes/Birk.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "David Sherman", "Getty Images", "358", "242", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_Curran_NFL_Gripes[i-1].body = "6. Matt Birk, C, Minnesota Vikings
The longtime Vikings center is in the final season of a lengthy deal but he’s staying away from OTAs because of dissatisfaction with his salary. Again, the market’s shifted since Birk (a six-time Pro Bowler) signed his deal seven years ago. This offseason, Jeff Faine signed a six-year, $34.6 million deal with $15 million guaranteed in Tampa. But Birk’s situation isn’t as (seemingly) bleak as others. Take Peters, for instance. He’s got three more years at below-market wages. Birk has one if the Vikings don’t get something done.";
spt_Curran_NFL_Gripes[i++] = new Array("","Greg Ellis","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Vandermark%2C%20Brett/Curran_NFL%20gripes/Ellis.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Ronald Martinez", "Getty Images", "358", "239", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_Curran_NFL_Gripes[i-1].body = "7. Greg Ellis, OLB, Dallas Cowboys
Ellis’ is a different case. He showed up for OTAs but then bailed because he was upset with the number of repetitions he’s getting in practice. Anthony Spencer, the heir apparent to the 33-year-old Ellis, started getting more time in practice this week. According to reports out of Dallas, Ellis doesn’t trust the Cowboys contention that they’re trying to preserve his body in the offseason. The Dallas Morning News reports that Ellis has a bonus clause in his contract (renegotiated last year) that kicks in only if he appears at 85 percent of the team’s offseason workouts and attends mini-camps and training camps. ";
spt_Curran_NFL_Gripes[i++] = new Array("","Kassim Osgood","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Vandermark%2C%20Brett/Curran_NFL%20gripes/Osgood.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Doug Pensinger", "Getty Images", "358", "212", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_Curran_NFL_Gripes[i-1].body = "8. Kassim Osgood, ST/WR, San Diego Chargers
One of the league’s top special teams players, Osgood wants a role in the San Diego offense. He said in March that he won’t attend passing camps and voluntary workouts if the team has no intention of using him at receiver. And he’s held true to that. Chargers GM A.J. Smith had a classic response to Osgood’s wishes. \"I'm sure after his contract expires his agent will do everything possible to make his client happy by finding a team that wants Kassim as a wide receiver first, special teams (player) second. He will not be traded, and we fully expect him to honor his contract. Kassim has made a career and business decision and I respect that.\"
";
spt_Curran_NFL_Gripes[i++] = new Array("","Paul Spicer","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Vandermark%2C%20Brett/Curran_NFL%20gripes/spicer.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Brian Bahr", "Getty Images", "358", "260", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_Curran_NFL_Gripes[i-1].body = "9. Paul Spicer, DE, Jacksonville Jaguars
Spicer decided to high-road his dissatisfaction with the salary he’ll make in the final year of his deal, appearing at the Jags facility to work out this week after spending the better part of two weeks away from the place. Said the 33-year-old Spicer, \"Nothing changed (with his contract). I moved it out the way and said let me now come in and do what Paul wants to do, and that's get in here with the guys and get out there and get going. As far as Paul Spicer, Paul Spicer is worried about one thing and that's football.\"";
spt_Curran_NFL_Gripes[i++] = new Array("","Will Smith","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Vandermark%2C%20Brett/Curran_NFL%20gripes/smith.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Stephen Dunn", "Getty Images", "358", "263", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_Curran_NFL_Gripes[i-1].body = "10. Will Smith, DE, New Orleans Saints
Still working on his rookie deal, Smith stayed away from OTAs then showed up for the team’s mandatory mini-camp this week. A Pro Bowler in 2006 who had seven sacks last year, Smith will receive at most $3 million in 2008. That’s well below the market for young and productive defensive ends but Smith, like Spicer, is taking the high road.";
// END editorial data