Strahan calls Giants treatment of Umenyiora 'flat-out robbery'

Former-New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan found out what the team is paying his current protege Osi Umenyiora and thinks his friend is way "underpaid."

"To be honest with you, it's flat-out robbery," Strahan told The New York Post.

"If it were me, I would have sat at home and I wouldn't have played," said Strahan.  "That's just me.  I've threatened to do that in my time and I ended up getting what I wanted.  Osi's a different mindset than.  I'm probably a little more, 'I don't care what people think.'"

What Strahan seems to forget is that the last time he held out for more money, he piled up over $500,000 in fines and penalties.  When Strahan did return, he didn't get the increase in his $4 million salary.

Umenyiora was unhappy with the contract he signed in 2005 and— earlier this month— agreed to a restructuring that will pay him about $7 million this season— up from $3.975 million— before he becomes a free agent.

For Strahan to criticize a jump in pay like that is kind of funny— especially if Umenyiora seems content.

"For him, it works out, he's going to be fine, he's going to play well," Strahan added.  "If he played well under the previous situations of being unhappy to being somewhat happy now, I'm sure he'll do great."

Still, Strahan thinks his old teammate should have taken a harder stance with the Giants.

"He just didn't take advantage of it at the times when he should have," said Strahan.  "I think Osi has a good heart.  He expects for people to do as what he would do, you expect people to treat you the way you expect to be treated.  Sometimes in the game of business it doesn't work out that way and you have to understand it as a player sooner rather than later."

Umneyiora lost his starting job in 2011 to rising star Jason Pierre-Paul but still had 12 1/2 sacks in 13 games.

It sounds like Strahan might have an ulterior motive for for Umenyiora's bigger paycheck.

"I think he'll play well and I think next year, contract-wise, will be a big year for him and I can get a loan from him," he joked.

Only Strahan— one of the most popular Giants players ever— might get away with criticizing the organization after a touchy situation had already been settled.