This type of structure and fiscal discipline is long overdue for this franchise. Signing one or two players to huge contracts never translated into the desired effect. Give Grier credit for staying the course over these first few days and avoiding the temptation of overspending. Nobody said it would be easy, but it's the only way to get younger and better, the only way to escape the depths of mediocrity.

We heard the talk early on. Now we're seeing it in motion. Can it test our patience? No doubt about it. You see so many great players signing enormous contracts this time of year and there has to be a tinge of jealousy. But it is the big picture that should overshadow everything else, the big picture that is the basis for every decision Grier and his staff have made. I say: Isn't that refreshing?