Gunzlingr
01-18-2003, 08:26 AM
CINCINNATI -- Linebacker Takeo Spikes thinks his time in Cincinnati is over.
The emotional leader of the Bengals' defense said in a phone interview late Thursday that he hopes the team lets him become a free agent rather than forcing him to stay for one more year.
Spikes' contract is up, but he expects the team to use its franchise or transition tag to keep him.
"I don't want a tag on me,'' said Spikes, who has turned down interviews since midseason. "I feel like my time is done. I did all I can do. I did all that I owed not only to them, but to myself.
"I just want to win. I just want to compete. That's my whole objective. I don't look at the time I spent in Cincinnati as wasted time. I just want to go somewhere to compete and win.''
more (http://espn.go.com/nfl/news/2003/0116/1494113.html)
The emotional leader of the Bengals' defense said in a phone interview late Thursday that he hopes the team lets him become a free agent rather than forcing him to stay for one more year.
Spikes' contract is up, but he expects the team to use its franchise or transition tag to keep him.
"I don't want a tag on me,'' said Spikes, who has turned down interviews since midseason. "I feel like my time is done. I did all I can do. I did all that I owed not only to them, but to myself.
"I just want to win. I just want to compete. That's my whole objective. I don't look at the time I spent in Cincinnati as wasted time. I just want to go somewhere to compete and win.''
more (http://espn.go.com/nfl/news/2003/0116/1494113.html)