Familiar with the saying, "They bigger they are, the harder they fall?"

For Pittsburgh Steelers left guard Alan Faneca, the bigger they are, the louder they cry.

Faneca, a six-time Pro-Bowler, has had a recent spat with his employer, expecting a contract re-negotiation now that he is entering the final year of his contract.

Faneca signed a $25.6 million deal back in 2002, but did renegotiate it at some point to help the Steelers slip under the salary cap.

While that was big of Faneca, 30, his recent attitude has been very poor, lashing out at the organization in the public eye.

Granted, it would be in good faith for the Steelers to keep their word, that he would be taken care of when his time had come for a new contract. Even in the recent talk for a contract, the offer supposedly wouldn't make Faneca one of the top 10 guards in the league.

While that may be disappointing, $4.375 million for his final year is nothing to sneeze at. It's not like he's earning the league minimum.

The part that I find upsetting is that Faneca wants the security of a new contract in case he would suffer a major injury. That thinking serves Faneca's interests the best, but what about the Steelers, the team that signs the paychecks?

The contract isn't the thing in the NFL. It's all about the signing bonus.

Faneca wants a new contract to get that hefty, multi-million signing bonus (say, $15-18 million). Now, if he gets hurt in training camp or during the first season, it's the Steelers who get burned.

Faneca could still enjoy that big signing bonus, but the Steelers will take a hit on the salary cap (which does run through the length of the contract) plus know they lost all that money.

If Faneca feels shortchanged, by all means, he has that right. But to lash out like a three-year-old, missing a morning practice at the recent mandatory mini-camp, then sulking to the afternoon session, is wrong.

Faneca was upset in the off-season when the Steelers did not choose assistant coach Russ Grimm as the new head coach to replace Bill Cowher.

Faneca has two options: to hope the Steelers will still renegotiate his contract before the start of the season or play out his final season and sign that big contract elsewhere.

Either way, the crybaby approach won't work with the Steelers. Remember "Franco who?"

If the bridges are already burned, they could trade Faneca this summer and get draft picks in return. Or ride it out this year, then wish him the best.

With nine years in the league, Faneca still has some good seasons left. But at some point, great offensive linemen like Tony Boselli and Jonathan Ogden lose their steam.

Still, Faneca should take the high road, finish out his contract and move on with another team or with his life's work. Just ask Franco.