Linebacker Mike Singletary has his mind on playing the New York Giants, not striking. That`s why he didn`t fly to Washington for Tuesday`s meeting among National Football League player reps to approve a strike date.
”I`m not going to Washington because this game is very important to me, this team is very important to me,” stressed Singletary Monday. ”This is a big game for us, and I think it`s a big year.
”Tuesday is a work day. It`s where I get my edge. I look at more film and get an extra day. When Tuesdays don`t go well, my week doesn`t go well.
”I can call them in Washington and say whatever I have to say. I feel I`m representing the team that way.”
Singletary said he doesn`t intend his absence from the union meeting to be a message that the Bears would rather not strike.
”Whatever happens, the 45 guys on the Bears are going to decide as a team what we`ll do,” Singletary said when asked if the Bears would play through a strike. ”We`ll do it together.”
Singletary said Bears President Michael McCaskey relented in a meeting the pair had last week over a $1,000 offer the team had been making to players they waived. The money committed these players to play if there`s a strike.
”I talked with him about the Bears staying together and how I don`t want the players to separate,” Singletary said. ”He said that he`d respect that and back off a little bit. He wouldn`t pressure guys to do that.”
So now the $1,000 remains available if a waived player wants it. But the Bears are no longer bringing it up to those players.
