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		49ers charge Jets for tampering with Crabtree By David Zizmor September 21, 2009

	SANTA CLARA--How does an NFL team find out another team has committed tampering? While the New York Daily News is not divulging any sources they say that the Jets have been in contact with the 49ers wide receiver rookie 10th round draft pick Michael Crabtreee whose still holding out for more money and has not been back with the 49ers since the pre season started back in early August. NFL Network's Dieon Sanders has went on record saying that the Jets have pursued Crabtree and that Crabtree has heard from the Jets who want to play highest bidder. When Neon Dieon goes public and says another team has tampered with another team's player like Michael Crabtree and said that other teams were willing to offer Crabtree a lot more money. This kind of talk makes the 49ers sit up and take notice and say, "hey whats going on here." Last week the 49ers team owner Jed York told the press "we want to sit down with Michael Crabtree and (agent) Eugene Parker, we would like to sit down and try and straighten things out." York makes no bones he wants Crabtree on this team but to date a week and a half later Parker and Crabtree have not met with York. So this is the next step, the 49ers have heard these rumors that Sanders threw out there and the 49ers have done some investigating on their own and according to the 49ers they believe the Jets have some how contacted Crabtree or Parker and told them that they were willing to trade for him and that they would be willing to sign him and pay him a lot more. The 49ers who have charged the Jets with tampering and the Jets have vehemently denied the charges and demand proof from the 49ers that they have committed tampering. The Jets also are asking what sources, telephone records, and witnesses the 49ers may have that would lead them to believe that they've pursued Crabtree behind their backs. As 49ers fans know if your guilty of tampering that rule number one it's not allowed and number two it means the Jets will be fined and they will probably forefit a draft pick and number three it really does for the 49ers essentially eliminates that option for Crabtree. Right now all Crabtree can do is sit there, his object is to sign with the 49ers or just sit there. If he's just sitting there the only way he can have any leverage is if he makes the 49ers think there are other teams who want him or are willing to pay him a lot of money if he sits out the entire season. That way if Crabtree sits out the entire season he can say, "I can sit out the entire season" and go back to the draft and the Jets will pick him and they will pay him $30 million per say. The Jets can get dinged for tampering and the Jets don't want the appearance of that because it's a big no no and that essentially pushes the Jets out of it because if the Jets do in fact sign Crabtree next year to $30 mill that would almost prove the 49ers accusations were correct. So by the 49ers making this formal complaint on Monday with the league office the 49ers are thinking the Jets and any other team for that matter are out of the equation for Crabtree. It's really a pressure tactic by the 49ers by the way they need Crabtree to give them a chance to sit down in a face to face meeting and Crabtree and his agent Parker who might be pulling the strings right now. They didn't respond they didn't meet with the 49ers or refused to meet with the 49ers. This is the next step because while doing this the 49ers essentially eliminated any team from signing Crabtree to a really really big contract that they seem to be looking for. So concluding this is the 49ers way of trying to get Crabtree and Parker back to the negotiating table so they can sign him. One thing that people tend to forget is that while this whole situation has gone on for awhile and longer than anyone wanted the simple fact of the matter is is the 49ers thought highly enough of Crabtree to make him the number ten pick in the draft. David Zizmor covers 49ers football each week for Sportstalk Radio