Asante: No surprises

I've always been a fan of Asante Samuel. He disappointed me terribly with his recent comments to the effect that he expected to remain with the Patriots because he loved playing here, the team loved him, etc. He made bizarre, apparently disingenuous and contradictory comments throughout the article that made we wonder where he thought he'd been playing all these years. He indicated he wouldn't settle for less than top dollar, but that he believed that on a scale of 1-10 his chances of remaining with New England were a 10. This smacks of a player dedicated to going to whoever will pay him top dollar but wants to be able to claim he wanted to stay. Asante, if you want top dollar because this is your first chance for a big payday, just say so. Don't insult us with ill-advised comments. I wish you the best.

Let him go. He is not as good as he thinks he is. Just another greedy NFL player.

We all hope you will return to the Patriots. The fans think alot of you and you work well in this defense. Also, you have had excellent teachers here. We don't expect a home town discount we all think you deserve a good pay day and the Krafts will offer it to you. We know you are also aware of other players who have left and not done very well. These same individuals also stated they wished they stayed. How many million does it take to be comfortable?

"you work a lifetime to be in this situation"....interesting. You don't work a lifetime to be in the situation of being a Super Bowl champ, but to be in the position to "get paid", as we all know is his main priority.

This is why I know he won't return to the Pats, and all I have to say is good riddance. He was a very good playmaker for the Pats, but never a Ty Law-like shutdown corner. Law would have been covering Burress. I enjoyed his pick-6's, but I can't say that he'll be a former Pat that I'll root for, a la Willie Mac, Andruzzi, Patten, Branch, or Givens. He's gonna be in the Vinatieri category.

Beat it Assante- If you caught that easy ball, we would have won the Superbowl

Maybe it's me, but I thought I heard "Already Gone" by the Eagles (no, not the ones from Philly) playing in the background...

Bye Bye Asante....you'll be 'gettin' paid' and dancin somewhere else next year.

To Asante.....don't let the door hit you in the azz on the way out. Someone will overpay for you and wind up hurting their team's salary cap structure....which will mire them in mediocrity or worse for years to come. But at least you will be able to look at your bank statement while playing for a perennial loser.

See you in Jets land Assante. A top CB dosn't let the SuperBowl winning interception go through his fingertips! Go and get paid somewhere else.

Dont let the door hit you where the good lord split you. Asante you thrived in the patriots system I seriously doubt that you will do the same elsewhere. Somewhere down the line Tom Brady will burn you baby.....

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one. What happened to Branch, Milloy, Law, Vinateri, and everybody else who left, thinking they were individual superstars and not the product of a team. The Patriots are a team, and honestly, I've enjoyed watching home grown talent make the big plays. If Gay and Hobbs are healthy, we have a very good tandem coming back, and who knows what the deal is with Eugene Wilson, but when healthy, that guy can flat out play. And what is the deal with the folded arms and his head raised to the sky, when he picks a ball, like he is a direct descendant of the Football Gods? PLEASE!!! If that were the case, the football Gods would have blessed him with the Superbowl clinching interception. Show me the money? Show me the big time play, selfless attitude and desire to be part of a winning team, not some primadona. Good Riddance!

The Pats do a good job of evaluating talent versus salary, I don't feel that the team will come anywhere near paying him what other teams will.

maybe Asante should have focused more on catching that football with a minute left then his pay day...

Asante go join the other CB's that have come and gone through NE and wanted the big $$$ your not getting it here. I really hope you go to the Jets and join Fat Mangini but keep in mind and the fact that Moss will burn your azz time after time
next year

He's really not a team player, certainly not a Patriot, just a draft choice with enough talent to wear a Patriot uniform. The Pats will be a better team without the baggage he brings with him.

It's been a fun ride, but it's clearly time for Asante to move on. Law and Milloy were better players who wanted huge salaries and got them elsewhere, and Asante will be no different. It aggravates me to no end... when Asante came out he was an unknown, unproven nobody and thanks to a COMBINATION of his hard work AND the amazing coaching skills and defensive schemes of the Patriots staff, he has risen to prominence - and will now leave, taking those skills and abilities he learned here, with him.

Rarely are Patriots cornerbacks "on an island" by design in the Patriot's defensive scheme. We'll see how good Asante really is when he is asked to match up against the leagues best receivers 1 on 1, for 16 games, with another, inferior defense. Good luck Asante, it was fun watching you play but it will be even more fun watching Randy Moss torch you next year.

Are there any sane Patriots fans that will accept the realization that Asante Samuel gave the team an opportunity to sign him last offseason? If the Patriots did, they might have one of the best cornerbacks in the league in their secondary for the next several years.

Patriots fans expect the player to take less guaranteed money in a sport where the next play or next game could be your last. Imagine that, a career-ending injury at age 28. You've got to get what you can get.

But I'm not surprised because Patriots fans like to say In Bill We Trust. So whatever the coach decides is fine by me. Well, someone once said having blind loyalty in your leader will get you killed. Ponder that, Patriots fans.

Asante- greedy guys like you are what gives players a bad name. You're financially set for the rest of your life- why not take a page from the Brady playbook and take less to play for an annual contender? Yeah, right. If that's all you care about, good riddance. You're overrated anyway (see N. Clements). Maybe you can follow D. Woody to Detroit, get your way-overvalued contract, and be a bottom feeder for the remainder of your career. See how much fun it is playing for a losing team. Cocky, greedy bastard.

Wow, No love for Asante who has been one of the best corner backs in the league for the past two season. Yes he probably should have had the interception but Rodney had a chance and so did Merriweather on the last series to make an interception. Please don't let that cloud your judgment on how much this guy meant to the team. I love how everyone wants him to turn down the big contract but if another company offered you double what you are making now there is no way you would turn it down and stay with your current company. And please don't give me the excuse he is going to make enough money no matter where he signs. Just because his job pays a lot better then most of ours does doesn't mean he should not take top value.

have fun in oakland.

He wasn't covering Burress b/c Hobbs & Asante play sides. I never quite understood why this is though -- makes it pretty easy for the other team to put their best receiver on Hobbs.

I agree, I think it takes nerve to ask for such a large amount of $$ when you did drop the ball during the superbowl....I think he cost us the game! He can take his greedy azz elsewhere....and we won't be hearing much about him....peace Asante.

He's got his rings and probably forgot about his drop right after the superbowl. Money will make you forget. Here's to finishing your career buried on mediocre teams, just don't let anyone hear you complain about wanting to be on a winning team in the future. $$

Bye, Bye, I have always felt Samuals has been an average but lucky coner back. He has to larn how to tackle to get paid the big bucks.

You guys are out of your mind.........Asante is a solid player and we need him. I don't blame him for wanting more money. Hobbs is terrible.

See you later Asente. You are not as good as you think you are. You are not the best corner in the league. You are not in the same league as Law, Clayborn and Mike Haynes. Asente you are a par above an average CB.

Hope you get your money elsewhere. Patriots should not pay him anywhere near what he wants.

ridiculous. guy won you several super bowl rings. he doesnt deserve to get paid?? no matter what people say, i bet 90% of the people on this site would take the money. give the guy a break

WOW! I'm really going to miss that stupid little crossing your arms around your chest thing. You didn't come through in the big one and you don't deserve to be paid as much as Nate Clements. You are replaceable!

this breaks my heart but yeah
I guess if money is everything to him, he will end up with a very large contract on a very crappy team and never have a winning season again

the ball bounced off your hands... it bounced off your hands.... the 19-0 ball bounced off your hands... if you want top dollar, catch the 19-0 ball...

After the Super Bowl, Asante said in an interview that he 'should have jumped a little higher for that interception'. Apparently, he has no problem 'jumping a little higher for more money in the market'. Therefore, let him 'jump ship'.

Go, go, go. I've heard enough about this. I agree with much of what I've read here in that you'll end up getting paid a lot of money but will likely never win a superbowl with another team. Maybe I'd think differently had you done your job and caught that easy ball in game 20. The Patriots don't need selfish players!!

I do not blame any Football player from getting the most he can get , primarily because there are no guaranteed contracts. The game is violent and you can get injured at any time and then you get cut. It's suprising when I read comments that the player is greedy. Now Baseball and Basket ball players maybe greedy because they make much more and have their contracts guaranteed . Lets compare Ted Bruschi who signed his contract 4 or five years ago worth about 3 million a season and at the time he signed he was a big part of their defense. Now compare him to say a Jason Varitek (decent hitter slows at the end, good chemistry guy, decent defense, Leader like Bruschi) makes 10 million a year guaranteed. So as much I would love to see Asante here, I would tell him to go get as much as he can.

WOW, I can see that Patriots fans are turning into Red Sox nation and no nothing about the game of football. Anyone who thinks he cost us the Super Bowl needs to go to Football 101. To say the guy is mediocre is crazy. Is he a top 5 corner NO, but he is by far the best corner on this team. The difference between this guy and Milloy/Law is those guys were passed their prime, Asante is coming into his. Was the drop bad, yes, but to analyze this guys career on one play is ludicrous. Most of you guys should head down to Fenway Park and you can fit in with the rest of the yahoos.

Hey Assante. Good luck. Great work.

The folks around here never left a job for a big raise. They're contented middle class blowhards who hold athletes to a standard they do not hold themselves to. Kraft just stuck it to these fans to a tune of a $20 Million Ticket Price increase in 1 year, yet these mindless souls adore this guy.

Doesn't this message board erase any doubt that leaving is the right thing to do?

I'll bet where ever you go--people may even be thankful for an 18-1 season. Just a little bit

Asante good luck, If I were You I would go to the west coast and play in the sunshine.

Alonzo Shavers is a Titan among player Agents!

The next contract Shavers negotiates will be his first.

Who the hell is Alonzo Shavers

A$$ante...when the $uperbowl was on the line, you failed. "Get paid." Are you serious! How about "Get [the hell outta here!!]"

I agree with #25, it's fans like you that make me embarrassed to be a Pats fan sometimes. We create stars, they want to get $$, we move to the next project. Get use to it and stop insulting a player every time he leaves. Samuel has made plenty of key plays in playoff games for us, get over the drop people.

My two cents . . and that's all its worth: Belichick must resign for the good of the game

My two cents . . . and that's all its worth: the NFL and the New England Patriots must lean on Belichick to resign. To me, it’s obvious he and that team had been cheating all these years. The repercussion of this is far greater than Michael Vick, whose actions were off-the-field and incidental to the substance of the game itself. Belichick needs to put the matter behind him for the good of the NFL because, sooner or later, all people are going to see what happened: the Patriots cheated. “You can fool all of the people some of the time, and maybe you can fool some people all of the time, but you can’t fool all people all of the time.”

The more people come to realize the brazeness of what Belichick did, the more people will see the NFL as just another clown act, like world wide wrestling. By not resigning, Belichick is putting the NFL in a position it cannot get out of, which, in turn, further blotches the name and integrity of this sport. What’s that bind? Obvious: the NFL drops the boom on Vick but not on Belichick, when the latter’s offense was and is far worse to the game.

The crux of my argument is whether Belichick had been cheating or not. If you believe Belichick cheated, and that the cheating had been as pervasive as it had been, then the necessary steps are obvious. If you believe Belichick had not cheated, or maybe his cheating was akin to a “white lie” (bad but not that harmful), then, sure, Belichick deserves a pass. But, how many people can reasonably say Belichick had not cheated, and the level of cheating was beyond a “white lie”?

The longer Belichick clings to his position, the more people will question the integrity of the game, as well as the integrity of Tom Brady and the Super Bowl wins of the New England Patriots. All of this can be “cut off at the pass”, so to speak, if Belichick resigns.

SEE YA LATER ASANTE! NICE INT IN THE SUPERBOWL THAT YOU DROPPED THAT WOULD HAVE SOLIDIFIED 4 in 7...we dont need ya!
Peace Out!

If you are someone who has watched Patriots games on a concistant basis, you would have seen many, many, many examples of Asante not being afraid to hit somebody and being a well above average tackler at the corner position. He is an excellent ball hawking corner and is well prepared and schooled which puts him in position to be at top of league in interceptions.
Dan C. (Palm Bay, FL) - get a clue... the patriots DO NOT put corners on specific receivers, Asante plays right side always whether Burress is there or not and he burned Hobbs you fool. Real easy for someone from Palm Beach to be looking down on someone for not going after more $$ and 'play for a contender' instead, please.
Patriots will find someway to over come once again and good luck to Asante whether he comes back or not. He is a NASTY cornerback and deserves whatever he gets.
I wonder if any of you yahoos blaming a Super Bowl lose on Asante missing an interception have every attempted to catch a football from a legit QB in your lives and if you did how many drops you had.

you people are ridiculous. we'll miss Asante when we have to watch Hobbs and Chad Scott chase down Reggie Wayne next year. You guys are all pinkhat type fans

Alonzo Shavers has never negotiated an NFL contract before !

Alonzo Shavers has ONE NFL Client - Asante Samuel.

Alonzo Shavers is a JOKE!

Good Luck Asante. Hope you like Detroit.

As much as I hate to see Asante leave but most of you guys are a bit too hard on him. Greed exists among all of us and we would act more or less the same at that situation. We don't know how much he wants or who's interested but if he does go he should be smart to go to Dallas,greenbay or pitt. Those 3 teams I see are very good contenders that wouldn't mind a top CB. I would miss asante but never got why he couldnt cover buress and let hobbs cover - he cant be on the other side of the field?

Later Asante, you will be as good as all the other DBs that left here... Law did... oh, nothing really, well Milloy... oh wow, yeah... well... uh... at least you will be a rich loser.

Asante should be paying the pats for allowing him to play there...and teaching him. Lets see how fun it is playing for a 1-15 Dolphin team. As far as im concerned he aint worth $#!% after missing a gift thrown to him by Eli. Just another Lawyer Milloy and Ty Law. They are a dime a dozen. SIGN MOSS!!!!!

Gee, wish I could drop the championship/record breaking pass at my company, and ask for more money. Aint life Grand!!!

Is Asante a good/great corner back?? Yeah....prob somewhere around there. He is not a shutdown CB in the mold of Law or Bailey though. Forget about the dropped pick that would have ended the game.....how about the TD he gave up to Rice on the drive before that......a guy that had 4 catches on the season. I am tired of listening to a guy claim he should be paid $10 mil a year and then watch him line up 10 yards off a guy and give up plays in front of him repeatedly. Good luck elsewhere......when teams are afraid to throw at you and you get 5-10 picks a season....then I will say you deserve whatever you get.

BOO ASANTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You people are out of your minds. This is one of the top cornerbacks in the league and if he signs elsewhere will be sorely missed. Regardless of one drop in the SB, the Patriots cannot easily replace his talent level. Hobbs is a no. 2 corner and Gay (if they re-sign him) is a nickel corner. Though I can understand for cap reasons the Pat's not wanting to pay full market value (and market value is defined as what he can get on the open market), Asante is 100% right in trying to "get paid." The average career of an NFL player is 3 years. If you call him greedy then you better call yourself a hypocrite because every person in the message board would go after the big pay day.

The coaching staff lost the super bowl not Asante Samual. The Giants came with blitzes on almost every play and it took your coaching staff 3 1/2 quarters to finally figure out how to beat the pass rush. Samual drops a pick that was thrown high and he's the scapegoat? So much for your TEAM concept. You people bashing him are some of the biggest hypocritical whiners I have ever come across in my life. I started watching and following the Patriots this year because I am a huge Randy Moss fan and now I can honestly say I wish he would pack up and leave too cause you don't deserve him or Samuals on your team.

you guys make me sick i dont even feel like im a patriots fan anymore you guys are getting on asante just because he wants to get pay, he is already a bad corner, he already didnt do anything for the pats
now remember that he had 10 INTs last season He had 6 this season he madeu guys go undefeated when he picks 2 INTs in the philly game
if he wasnt that good why QBs were throwing more on hobbs side
that was not his fault you didnt win the super you OL was horrible Rodney harrison miss an INT and he was the one who was on that dude when he cut the ball on the 25 yard line to set up the winning touchdown for the G man and remember that your DL couldn't sack eli manning when it means the most. so why don't you wish asante good luck and thank him for the past seasons.

The Pats won't cave and give him Nate Clements $$$
Oh by the way Nate, how's San Fran workin out for you.

Samuel is a very good CB but is NOT one of the elite 2-3 CB's. He is a legend in his own mind. The Pats will replace him with someone that can do just as good a job as he can. Watch him sign somewhere else and bomb out badly.

Hey he seems like a fine fit for being a part of the Patriots organization aka CHEATERS.............

Wait till Belecheat is suspended for a year and you have Dom Capers running the team....Baahahahahhahaha...............CHEATERS.........

The Pats kicked in the $$$ to see how far we could go with Samuel this year and found out that it was just figertips short.

Time to give someone else a chance.

SeeYa, Asante

Guys, why are you hating on him? The man wants to get paid first and foremost, exactly what we all want when we go to work.

Hey Asante, Please go to one of our competitors.... like the JETS... Take up their salary cap space with your slightly above average skills. I hope they give you Nate Clements Money so they won't be able to sign anyone else.

Asante:

Being in the top tier of your profession takes alot more than talent and interceptions - it also takes mental toughness. I believe your average in that department and I think you know that too. Grab your dough and run, I guess you've earned it. But don't turn back and make comments-it will come back to haunt you.

assante wasnt the only reason the pats didnt win. if you applied the logic exemptified on this board then the o-line and coaches should be cut as well. the only way the pats d can even be a little effective is with a shutdown corner. hopefully the pats can make up for his loss. oh nfl fan get lost ur on the pats message boards saying the same bb must go crap. go worry about ur own team if you had one. oh im getting tired of red sox fans bringing there "blind devotion" to the team. i liked being a pats fan more when yall had the yankees to hate so much.

He's the opposite of Moss, got the ring now wants the money. We can talk about greedy football players all day. I still think most of us would do the same thing. Money rules a lot our lives and these guys are surrounded by people making outrageous amounts of cash so they see the possibility and go for it. It's all timing to be at the height (or perceived height) of your game and a free agent at the same time. You think Beckett wishes he was a free agent this season? So go Asante, hope you get all you want, thanks for the INT's. I wonder how different the comments would be if he had made that catch?

To answer some of the ignorant posts I have seen on here....posts like "if you were offered double your salary you would leave"....

Since when are we talking about Asante "doubling" his salary ? Here is why people get sick of hearing about players drooling at dollars....

What we are talking about is a difference in guaranteed money. Asante would get paid here....and paid very well. What fans get ticked at is a player saying he wants to stay then taking 22 million of guaranteed money over, let's say, 18 million of guaranteed money. So there is no "doubling" of money going on. For players it's a matter of pride it seems. They want to get paid more than the next guy or their poor little feelings get hurt. Tell me....is there really any difference between 22 million and 18 million guaranteed dollars ? Or even 17 or 16 million for that matter. In all cases you would have more money for you and your family than you could hope to spend for the rest of your lives. And that's not even taking into consideration if you invest a lot of it astutely.

Just once I want to hear a player say he wants the money. Period. Don't feed the fans and the media about how you want to stay with the team so much that it will break your heart to leave....yadda yadda yadde. At least if you were honest I would have more respect for you.

Top notch CBs do not win Super Bowls. The Patriots put a value on each position and I am sure that CB is not high on the list. Just look around the league at the teams that used a big chunk of their salary cap to sign a "shut down" CB. Where are those teams now ? Answer....almost the same place they were in before they wasted a lot of money.

Yet if Asante stayed he would still get paid....and paid handsomely. Just like he was paid this past season when he made nearly 8 million dollars.

He just won't get overpaid here.....and I don't have a problem with that.

Asante gave the Patriots some great years while getting paid below market value and going through the franchise tag drama. Now it's time for him to get paid.

John B, if you want to be taken seriously you can't butcher the english language like that. Take a second to read what you write. Samual is an above average ball hawking cornerback. He is not nasty and most likely will not deserve what he gets. Also the comment about yahoos not being able to catch a pass is completely irrelevant. Asante Samual wants to be paid top dollar for being the best. Well I'm sorry to tell you I have probably watched many more patriots games than you ever have (every game since 1983), and if he is unable to play well when it matters what good is he? The regular season does not matter, the playoffs matter, and Asante Samual was not very good in the playoffs. You claim to watch the games, well go back and watch the playoffs games against the Jags, Chargers, and Giants. And yes I'm sorry to say, he should have made the interception on the Giants last drive in the super bowl. That is his job, to make that catch in that situation. He makes that catch the Patriots win the super bowl. He didn't, the Patriots didn't, and I really wouldn't have wanted him back either way. It would be a really bad investment. Disagree with me? Fine, whichever crap team he signs with, follow his progress and watch to see him cash his paychecks and ride into the sunset. Oh, and John B, please make me a list of all the players who have left the patriots in the last 6-7 yrs. and gone on to great success with their new teams. I'll be waiting for your list, thanks.

he is a good cover guy, but hita like a chick !

Why is it that so many people are so mean spirited when it comes to a player trying to make what they can...they are just trying to get 'what the market will bear. There is nothing morally or ethically wrong with that. I would do the same thing. The money is there..the owners have it, and it is the players who bring that money to the owners..so it's a matter of who ends up with that money..owner or player. Do you think Bil Gates or Warren Buffet, or Robert Kraft, would do anything for less than 'what the market will bear'?

top notch elite players make plays when games are on the line...we would be 4 time super bowl champions if he was a top notch elite player hell get paid anyway but it wont be here

Kraft gives away millions of dollars. Buffet and Gaites give away Billions. They give more than they have too.

I agree with #63 - Gary. He could be well paid here too. Maybe not top dollar, but still millions. Brady, Moss, Bruschi, Seau... take less so the team can be better. If you grab too much of the salary cap then they can't get you good teammates, and you ain't nothing without good teammates.

Nice catch BUCKNER! If you caught that ball 19-0 is a reality. Put Ty Law in that same situation (Super Bowl on the line with an easy catch) and he catches it 1000 out of 1000 times. Good luck with the JETS next year.

Count me in with the folks on Asante's side ie no guaranteed contracts, one play doesn't lose the superbowl, but I sure wish the O-Line could have done more. Besides, what no one around Boston wants to admit is that was a good Giants defense we faced.

Thanks for the memories Asante...

It's a little arrogant to be sitting here saying "godd riddance" about losing one of the Patriots' top defensive players, especially when you imagine what New England's defense will be like without him playing corner.

But that said, it always bothered me that Samuel couldn't adjust to playing left corner, which led virtually every NE opponent to match up their best WR against Ellis Hobbs in 2007. A truly great cornerback makes that transition with ease, so throwing $80 million at Samuel seems to be unwarranted.

I agree that Asante should have made that pick to secure the Super Bowl for the Pats, but, if he did make the pick, he would probably have asked for even more money.

Good luck where ever you end up Asante

Asante it would absolutely behoove you to come back to N.E., just look at the most recent high-profile CB free agent from last year (Nate Clements). He thought he was the greatest thing since the invention of the wheel. He had a grand total of 4 ints, after his career-year in Buffalo. Asante is a great cover corner, but should have had at least two picks in the 4th qtr (in the last five mins for Pete's Sake!) of the Super Bowl alone. No idea what he was thinking when the ball went through his hands on the TD that made it 14-10! So, go on to Cincy or some team that is league's away from a title and anxious to (over) spend for a defensive back! His best chance to win is in N.E., but then again maybe Bill B. is doing the right thing by not giving in. He earned this hefty pay day, but have some pride and go back to N.E. and finish it off next year! U. of Kansas CB (Aqib Talib), you will be the next Patriot, or maybe you trade for Pacman! No, really!

I'm certain not a single poster in this thread has walked into his boss's office and offered to take a 15% pay cut as a "home town discount" or "for the good of the the team". Greedy? If we weren't all greedy no one would play the lottery. So let's just cut the cr_p.

I've enjoyed watching Asante develop into a top notch football player, and I have no problem with anyone anywhere who choses to get the maximum market value for his services (as long as it's legal). The NFL and th players union structured the salary cap as to give any star player maybe one big payday in his career. If it's Asante's turn for the gold, then do what you have to do and best of luck to you.

#65 Post by "Steve Grogan":

"Asante Samual was not very good in the playoffs"

Are you insane?

Not counting this season, he has been OUTSTANDING in the playoffs. Look at the whole body of work, please.

Asante has helped win Superbowls for the Patriots. I wish him the best if he leaves.

See ya! By the way nice catch.

good bye asante... hello, mr merriweather.

The best thing about him is his name. Should have caught that ball. He looked like Rece Caldwell in the AFC Championship game last year. Where's he now?

I agree. He didn't catch the ball on THE most important game of the season.. he will fail once he leaves NE.. just like, Branch, Givens, etc.

There's always the fan who thinks he's a bigger man because he can relate with the "business end" of the game and the player who is prepared to cash in.

This fan is the one who should pack his own bags and move on with the free agent du jour.

Sure Asante is a great asset to the team, and if he wanted to stay, the patriots would pay him more money than he could have dreamed of in his wildest fat money freams(in fact, he made enough last season to live fat the rest of his live) But he wants every last penny. So the true fan, the fan who loves his team and the players who have pledged loyalty to it, says"See ya Asante, thanks for the memories." Now. lets talk about the draft and Brandon Merriweather.

I agree with Grogan. Asante is an above average player. I do not think he is a great player. Great players make great plays when the game is on the line. When it mattered most, he didn't do his job. The ball was in his hands that would have solidified the 07 Patrriots as the undisputed greatest team to ever play the game- 19-0, but he dropped it. The last time I felt this bad about a play a Patriot player was involved in was in 76 or 77 ( I forget which year, it was so long ago ) in a playoff game against Oakland when the Ref made a bad call that put the Raiders on the one yard line. The Raiders scored and won the game, and went on to win the Superbowl. We would have went on to win that Superbowl if it weren't for that bad call. But in this case I don't have a ref to blame, just Asante for not making the biggest play of his life when it mattered the most. I won't miss him.

c ya assante

work on your ball catching in the offseason

you should be embarrassed for dropping the pass eli threw right at you

only ring you're going to get elsewhere is in your bathtub

I like most Pats fans want Asante to stay. We cannot go into next year with hobbs, gay, and scott as our top three. We need a bonified corner, and i wish Asante was that guy, but many of you people just don't know what your takin about. First off, Asante should get his big contract if that is what he wants. Everybody on this board would do the same thing. So don't kill the guy. He's taking advantage of a weak market, even though he is not worth what he wants, but more power to him. The Patriots will find a way to get a corner, but Asante is as good as gone. You've done a lot Asante- helped us win 2 Superbowls, so best of luck to ya.

...I always thought Asante was more luck than skill...not that it's a bag thing, cause it isn't. It's just that luck eventually runs out. Let some other team mortgage everything on him while their quarterback is on his back. Wait and see...mark my words...some team will pay the price but on Super Bowl Sunday that team will be watching like 30 other teams on TV...which is Ok as long as Asante gets paid.

Samuel is a poor man's Deion Sanders. Good hands. Good instincts. But can't hit worth a lick. And refuses to tackle.

Not worth the dough. And he could care less about NE.

Good riddance.

Asante is irreplaceable. He is just too good in what he does. I don't have to mention how many times he as come up with game changing plays for the Pats and there are very selected few who can do things like he does. If we lose him getting to another Superbowl is going to be hard. I hope he stays but I doubt he will.

leaving on a JET PLANE .... don't care if you ever come back again.. BTW what's this rumor about a former Patriot (Drew Bledsoe) ratting out BB and the 18-1 patriots about films in 2000?

And they think that the grass is always greener, just ask Lawyer Malloy, Ty Law, Damien Woody. Who has left the Pat's and gome to bigger and better things??

Asante, think of this, Bill Buckner let the world series winning out roll through his legs and was run out of town. You let the winning Super Bowl interception slip through your hands and you want top dollar. Have fun playing for the Dolphins you have nothing to lose there!

Primo players MAKE the critical plays. Asante admitted he could have jumped higher (and presumedly made the interception) therefore his lack of effort at the end of the game for all intents and purposes ultimately DID cost the Patriots the Super Bowl. He is a very good CB but too many times (and can only play one side of the field besides!) he has shown not to be a shutdown CB. My math therefore says he does not deserve the $$ he will be asking for. The business decision has to be not to pay what he will likely be asking. Time to cut the cord with this prima donna.

Are you people serious??? You just can't live with the idea that all these players are not just interested in the Patsy's. This guy is a decent player, not a great player, but to him the Patsy's are just another team. LIVE WITH IT!

Asante, Good Job in 2007 and it's too bad you Blew a chance to be a Hero.
Good luck with your NEW Team and I am sure you will Miss N/E and the PATS as they Travel down the Road to another S/B. This time they will Win it all.

The way I look at it if Samuel wants to leave for the big payday he can go. I'm fine with the team putting money into more important areas because with the exception of Champ Baily their really isn't any shutdown corners anymore and Asante has played like a top corner on the Pats. He also only plays one side of the field and usually doesn't shut that side down even though he feels he should be paid shutdown corner money. I wouldn't pay Asante the 8 million plus money a year cause I personally don't think thats where his value's at on the Pats. The Pats would probably give him 5 million which is where I think his value is at cause I feel he is just a good corner and not great. You can argue that he's had 16 interceptions the last 2 years and that he's been a top corner but Terrel Buckley had similar numbers years back consecutively but everyone knew T Buck wasn't that good and wasn't paid like it cause he could be beat . While Asante doesn't get beat for many touchdowns he gets beat for catches and I think if you wanna be paid like a shutdown corner you should play like a shutdown corner and Asante ain't a shutdown corner cause shutdown corners don't get beat unless it's by the NFL's best recievers. Asante gets beat by Above avg. recievers so It'll be great to see how good he really is when he is left on a island on a bad team cause the team he likely lands on will overspend and have to match him up on the other team's best reciever with little help for him. Time will tell if Asante is a product of the system which I think he is. The thing that bugs me about his comments is he wants to stay but also says he'll go where he gets top dollar. I think if he really wanted to stay he'd stay while making a good money instead of making a mega deal. Everything I read that he says basically tells me it's all about the money cause if it wasn't he would stay on a winner and be happy to compete for more superbowls in a system he's flourished in while still making good money. I won't be upset whereever he goes since I know that their is a good chance that he could be in a similiar situation like Clements and play on a below average team for years and never get to the big show again. Someone had a comment about Bruschi making less money wasn't smart but I'll bet you he would do the same thing again cause he's been on great team that compete's every year for the superbowl and he's happy here while still making good money to live comfortably. The difference from Bruschi and Samuel is one of them plays for the love of the game and to win while the other goes where the paper is. I hope Samuel gets the money that he wants and chances are he will but I wouldn't be surprised if his career went downhill like another big payday corner named Larry Brown. Good Luck Samuel cause chances are you'll need it.

To jj was not his (his meaning Samuel) fault you didn't win the super you OL was horrible Rodney Harrison miss an INT and he was the one who was on that dude when he cut the ball on the 25 yard line. For your info Rodney took a pay cut this year.Play the jump ball miracle catch play a hundred more times and Rodney breaks it up 99. he actually did this one. And one more thing (YOU didnt win the SB YOU OL was horrible) This means YOU a troll GO HOME

hey red sox fans assante isn't buckner cause the pats already had 3 rings going into sb 42. please go somewhere and gripe about the yankees and get over the 86 world series. u won 2 world championships in the last 4 years but i forgot u live to whine so thats not good enough.

Most blame Asante for the dropped interception in the Super Bowl. My indictment of Asante is regarding the "Helmet Catch". As the pass from Manning to Tyree is traveling 42 yards in the air, Asante is barely jogging towards the ball and when the ball first touches Tyree's hands it appears that Asante is only about 5 yards away. Why wasnt he hustling, running towards the ball. He could have been the 2nd tackler in that knocked the ball loose.

Also, Harrison has his left hand full of jersey. He is looking right at the ball being wedged against Tyree's helmet. Why didnt he just punch up with his left hand to jar the ball loose. So many what ifs.

Samuel blew it in the super bowl. He could have written his own ticket, and he chocked. When you want to get paid top dollar you need to make that play. GO GET PAID somewhere else, and end up like Milloy.
You'll never be in the super bowl again or pro bowl game. YOu CHOKE!

The guy made $7.79 million last year. That is not chump change and he's gonna get a little more than 9 million, Contracts are not guarenteed anyway, is a million more a year worth not having a chance to win it all every year. Players drafted by New England take for granted the chance to go to the Super Bowl every year. Go talk to Marino he thought that he'd be there every year. Consider yourself lucky Assante that you were drafted by the Patriots. Go get that extra half million a year after taxes and agent payouts.

Well, butterfingers, I guess you gotta eat?!?! LOL, best wishes, dirtbag.

10 Year 100 million? Who do you think you are Samual? You're definately were not a shut down, Super Bowl winning interception, cornerback. You and Rosenhoser can take it somewhere else. Maybe you can enjoy your millions next season with the Jets as you struggle to make 500, or better yet, the Falcons were Milloy's carreer went to die. I do recall a certain player named Moss who gave up MILLIONS to come and play for a championship team...oh wait we aren't the champs, someone let an interception slip through their fingers....

Asanti will hit the free agency the way he'll hit rock bottom. He either intercepts the ball or nothing. He's good but even Ty Law who lossed a step is just as good right now and so if teams want to over pay for a good player then so be it. Any team that signs him will be doing the Patriots organization and the fans a favor cause once you spend or waist the money it limits the rest of that teams spendings on another position.And as for Asanti "he's greedy and has made it known especially by holding out last season and me personally I would have left him out last season....