They sign an athlete to a big, new contract. Reporters want to know how big and how much. They insist the salary is confidential. Pat Quinn said once when he was GM of the Vancouver Canucks. They're hired help.
People start rumours just for the hell of it.
Once, we interviewed athletes who were working stiffs just like us. Once, I wrote a book called Forgive Me My Press Passes. I thought it was a joke.