It turns out that Reynolds’ statements have not only put him in the doghouse with regards to homosexuals, but also at least one of his now former clients.  Yesterday, Michael Russo of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that Andrew Brunette fired Reynolds and Uptown Sports Management due to the whole Avery fiasco.  Brunette his hired Don Baizley, an attorney at Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP, as his new agent.

Brunette signed a 3-year, $7 million deal with the Minnesota Wild in 2008.  As Russo notes in his Tweet, Brunette is a potential free agent.  Rough time for an agent to lose his millionaire client.

On To The Next One: Andrew Brunette from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Very sad to read Sean Avery's misguided support of same-gender "marriage". Legal or not, it will always be wrong.

May 9, 2011 3:38 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@uptownhockey

Uptown Sports

To clarify. This is not hatred or bigotry towards gays. It is not intolerance in any way shape or form. I believe we are all equal...

May 9, 2011 5:22 pm via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

@uptownhockey

Uptown Sports

But I believe in the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman. This is my personal viewpoint. I Do not hate anyone.

May 9, 2011 5:26 pm via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

@uptownhockey

Uptown Sports

Usually we cover athletes using social media for wrong reasons.  This time it is an agency Tweeting without care about how those Tweets will affect its brand.  Realize that Reynolds’ Tweets do not only affect his reputation, but that of his company and his clients.  Others may be less inclined to work with a company that Tweets such statements.  Competitors of Uptown Sports may use such Tweets against the agency in future recruiting battles.

Reynolds’ Tweets were made in response to the following video:

Todd Reynolds Will Not Be Representing Any Homosexual Hockey Players from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Easter has passed, Mother’s day is almost here, and the sun is finally starting to shine. These traits are definitely characteristics of the end of a hockey season. This year has been a one-of-a-kind for us at VSM Hockey. Plenty of things have happened, good and bad, but all of them were necessary in order to allow us to grow, evolve, and to eventually reach our own goals.

These last couple of weeks have been all about touching base with scouts and teams about next season, preparing off-season planning for our guys and meeting up with them in order to recap the last season.

One of our junior players is gaining interest from NHL teams. I had a real productive discussion with an NHL scout about him, and he confirmed that they are very interested in drafting him. He now has 3 teams interested in either drafting or inviting him, so things are extremely positive!

Our pro’ goalie just arrived home, so I had the chance to go and grab a meal with him. We discussed his last season and planned for the upcoming season. All in all, we are very satisfied with the year he had and expect him to continue to progress tremendously. I truly believe that we will see him in the NHL in a couple of years. He possesses a mental attitude and strength that very few can even comprehend.

Great news for our midget player; he has been listed as a first rounder for the upcoming QMJHL draft. He had a strong season as he played in the Canada Games and at only 15 was the pillar on defence for his midget team. Our job will be to get him ready to make the jump up to Juniors as quickly as possible.

So for now, it’s telephone and gym time!

Aiming For The Top! – Episode 12: The End of Another Season from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

• Mike Danton considered his agent, David Frost, as a father figure.
• Danton was placed in jail for hiring a hitman to kill David Frost.
• Frost was charged with 12 counts of sexual exploitation.
• Frost was arrested for using Mike Danton’s credit card to pay a gas bill.
• Frost was told to stay away from the Phoenix Coyotes training camp and Adam Keefe, who’s brother was once represented by Frost.
• Danton’s attorney was charged with unauthorized practice of law.
• Frost was cleared of  the sexual exploitation charges.
• Prison officials described Danton as a “model inmate” and “an incredible asset.”

Then Danton was granted full parole and claimed that he never actually hired the hitman to kill Frost, but instead wanted the hired assassin to kill his father.  And Frost…he changed his name to Jim McCauley.

ESPN to the rescue.  This Tuesday, May 3 (7 p.m. EST) ESPN E:60 will present “The Mike Danton Story.”  It will include an interview with David Frost (let’s stick with that name instead of McCauley).  This is the first time that Frost has been interviewed by the media about this story in 7 years.

ESPN E:60 Will Focus On Mike Danton’s Strange Relationship With David Frost from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Life is about ups and downs. If life was always easy, how would one appreciate anything? How would one grow and evolve? It is through difficult situations that a person can assimilate the new environment and demands, then adapt and become better and stronger.

The last 2 weeks have been all about ups and downs at VSM Hockey. From health and family problems, to injuries, to conflicts, VSM has seen it all!

A couple of weeks ago, our pro’ goalie was on fire! He had the pole position with his new ECHL team and was dominating. Winning his first 4 games, he then fell from his high, losing the fifth. Things went down from there: pulled groin in practice the next morning. This annoying little injury would prevent him from playing the next 5 games. He had worked hard all season in order to get a shot at #1 with the ECHL team, and just after finally earning it, injury strikes! That’s the way she blows mate, as many fisherman would say.

I feel that the constant communication between he and I is truly a key factor. Having guided him through the last 3 years of his career, I understand how he feels in certain situations and how he reacts. I spent most of my time on the phone with him trying to guide him in the right direction. The important thing for him was to see this situation in a positive light, even though his first reflex was to think disaster. Life is all about perceptions. Instead of seeing this as a deception and negative, I tried to bring him to see it as an opportunity. A chance to work on making sure his body is full of energy for the playoffs, a chance to learn more about the way his team plays and a chance to become even stronger mentally.

Man, this kid is a beast! He can certainly get down on himself, but he picks himself up so fast and gets back to what he needs to do, it is truly impressive. So, as the story goes, he comes back from injury and wins a big game. Life is what you make it!

So back to ups and downs. This year is a very trying year for VSM, as we have let go many players and business partners. From the outside, this might look negative to certain people, but sometimes it is a due process. One thing that has been very pleasant is to be able to give more attention to players who truly deserve it. Bigger is not always better, so for all of you young and aspiring agents, do not worry about the number of players that you represent, make sure that you simply represent a few and that you give them your 100%!

Until next time.

Aiming For The Top! – Episode 11: Ups and Downs from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

The newest college hockey league will initially be composed of six of the current Big 10 members, including Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin.  None of the schools left out, including Purdue, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, and Northwestern, currently have D-I hockey teams.  Theoretically this means that the door could now be opened for five new teams to enter the D-I ranks.  Considering that each of the schools without hockey teams currently have either, or in some cases both, a competitive D-I football team or D-I basketball team, and that these programs generally end up “funding” less prominent hockey programs, it is not unreasonable to think these schools could add a sheet of ice to their athletic facilities.  Even in a tight economy, technically it wouldn’t be that hard for a school to come up with the roughly $5 million it takes to fund a complete D-I hockey program for a year.

What does this mean for college hockey as a whole?

A Big 10 hockey league could spell trouble for other NCAA hockey leagues, as several of them will be cherry-picked to create the new league.  For example, the WCHA would lose Wisconsin and Minnesota.  However, the CCHA could be dealt the biggest blow as Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State would all be departing to join the new league.  Certainly none of these leagues would necessarily want competitive teams to leave, but both will still have enough teams left to sustain a decent schedule with both leagues having more than eight teams left after the various teams leave.

On the other hand, a Big 10 hockey league would almost surely be one of the  most competitive on the market.  While this year seems to be down year in the national polls for the future Big 10 teams, as only two of the five teams currently in existence are in the top 25, many of these schools are perennial powerhouses in college hockey.  Collectively the teams will have won 23 NCAA men’s championships, including Michigan with 9 (tops in the NCAA), Michigan State with 3, Minnesota with 5, and Wisconsin with 6.  When it comes to recruiting, there is no doubt the success of the league will play a role in a player’s decision to attend one of these schools.

What are your thoughts?  Will Big 10 hockey be more competitive than any other league in college hockey?

Big 10 Hockey, Here We Come from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Life is short and fragile. One never knows when it may end. This is why it is important to live every day in the present moment and not get too caught up in the past and the future.

This past week has been very saddening! Our G.M. lost his 20 year old daughter, as she passed away at too young of an age…

I have been deeply affected by this. Michel (our GM) and I have grown very close ever since he joined VSM. I consider him a colleague but I also consider him as a friend and even a mentor. When he called be me last Wednesday morning, I was expecting his call; but not for this reason. So, needless to say, I was in total shock. It is so ironic how suddenly so many things in our “day to day” simply become insignificant. Let me rephrase that; we suddenly realize how some things are simply insignificant. I would not wish what happened to Michel and his family on my worst enemy and I feel their loss as if it was my own. So, please take a minute here to reflect… reflect on your commitment to becoming a better person, a better son or daughter, or father or mother. Reflect on your dealing with family, friends, coworkers, clients and competitors. Unless we all strive to become better, we are all winding down a road with no real destination… (1 minute pause).

As Woody Allen would say, “life goes on”. So back to our duties! Our pro’ goalie is doing great since going to the ECHL. He started off with 4 straight wins. His confidence is back and he seems to be out of his mini mental slump. I had a good chat with him last week before his 4 games streak and I could feel that he was really going to step up. We talked last night and he was pretty pleased. Of course, being the champion that he is, he was actually disappointed because he lost the fifth game and said he did not play too well. 5 games in 8 nights, “c’mon kid, don’t be too hard on yourself!” But, that is part of his personal makeup that has allowed him to get where he is despite all of the challenges he has faced. The team is playing 4 games in only 5 days, and he is starting every game. He tweaked his groin a little bit in practice yesterday, but I just gave him a protocol that will keep him going. Part of going through such a grueling pro’ season is managing pain, so that it does not become an injury. I’m excited to see how he performs this week. Pain and fatigue will definitely be a factor, but we have provided him with techniques and knowledge to help him get through this!

That is it for this week, as you can all surely understand. I will be back next week with some updates on some exciting projects we are working on.

Until next time, stay strong, and put some time aside for family, friends and all the little important things in life!

Aiming For The Top! – Episode 10: Life is Short from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

This last week, just like all the others, has gone by way too fast! My time was spent mostly trying to make first contact with a couple of elusive prospects and following up with players with whom we have already had rapports with. It is a slow and tiresome job, but just like anything else, perseverance mixed in with patience, hard work and faith are the key to long term success!

Last Friday, Michel Leclerc (our G.M.) and I spent the afternoon with Gary Lalancette, VSM’s mental coach. Gary is an amazing individual and professional, who combines a lot of modern science with non-traditional techniques in his coaching of our athletes. He focuses mostly on the athlete’s vital energy, a concept very common and well-known among Asians (the Chinese call this Chi). He teaches athletes how to be in touch with their emotions, rather than trying to always control them, simply guiding them and teaching them to use their true power. He also focuses a lot on visualisation, breathing techniques and regeneration. Gary is definitely a major competitive advantage for VSM, the work that we are doing with him is at the avant-garde of hockey player development.

On the pro’ side of things, I am relieved to say that all is well with our goalie. He ended up in the ECHL and is quite happy. This has been a real test for him, and he is learning to live in the present and not worry about the future. This can really serve as a lesson to everyone in the hockey world, especially players and agents. We often worry so much about what is going to happen or could happen that we forget to appreciate and live in the moment, which is ultimately detrimental to performance and happiness. My message to our goalie is that everything happens for a reason. Changing teams 3 times in 2 weeks despite a standout rookie season is not the end of the world! He does not control any of the trades and call-ups that caused all this. It is essential that players learn how to focus solely on what they control and not worry about the rest. I feel that this situation was and is a necessary learning experience for him and that in the long run, it will serve him well in his quest to reach the NHL!

Also, we have been spending time working out the logistics of our summer development program for our players, scheduling and reserving ice time, gym time, coaches and specialists, etc. This is a very time consuming practice but it is necessary in order to not waste time in the summer and make sure that our guys get all the development that they can ingest. Let’s not forget, the essence of VSM is development! No matter how many NHL players other agencies have, I guarantee that we are the best equipped to help a junior or midget player become an NHL’er. I also feel that we are the best equipped to help prolong a pro’ player’s career. Imagine adding 3 years on a players’ career. How many agencies can claim to have that expertise? None that I know of! I am working hard to have the chance to prove this in the not too distant future, as even though my confident and sometimes misperceived arrogant demeanour may be a mouthful to some, I am always willing to back up what I am saying with concrete actions! I believe very deeply in the work done at VSM and my passion is unquestionable!

Finally, I wanted to talk a bit about the NHL trade deadline. As a fan, I am a bit disappointed to see that there were not many transactions. However, as a thinker and philosopher, I am quite pleased. I feel that making too many trades at this point of the season can be very dangerous in terms of a team’s dynamics. Relationships are very important when considering the whole team concept, and making changes can be difficult. Also, I am reminiscent of loyalty. I feel that this is a key human value, unfortunately often forgotten in today’s society. Many will argue that this is part of business, but I disagree. I run two successful businesses and I guarantee that without loyalty, we would not be where we are today!

I encourage players, agents, general managers and owners to remember what makes us essentially who we are, and loyalty is a foundational principle. Yes, money is a determining factor in the hockey business, but it does not have to come at the expense of loyalty and honesty. I am horror-struck when I see players who have spent most of their careers with one organisation, leave and sign with another, for a couple hundred thousand dollars more. You see, money cannot be the only factor when calculating the risk involved with switching teams. You have to re-gain the trust of your new coach, management, team mates and fans. As the saying goes, “the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence”. When I advise a player, money is definitely taken into consideration, but so are many other factors. What is the point of making more money if you end up being unhappy with your new team, or city.

Even worse, what happens if you do not manage to get in their good graces? A player whom I knew, had spent the last 4 years of his career with an NHL team, say for example, Calgary. He was appreciated by the coach, management, players, fans and he loved the city. His role on the team was well known and stable. With the guidance of his agent, he ends up signing with San Jose during his free agency. The crazy thing here is that he signed with San Jose for only $350,000 a year more than what Calgary was offering. So instead of signing a 2 year 1.6 million dollar contract with his team, he left for a 2 year 2.3 million dollar contract. Seems like the right move? Wrong! He ended up in San Jose, with a coach who ended up not liking his style of play. Within 3 months, he went from being a regular 4^th line faceoff specialist to a 5^th line press box specialist. San Jose bought out his contract at the end of the season. That was it for him… see he was not a superstar, so there were tons of guys able to fill his spot. At the young age of 28, that was the end of his NHL career. He ended up playing another 5 years in Europe… ending his career prematurely due to a back injury. So, this very tragic story shows that money cannot be the sole factor when considering signing with one team or another. Advising a professional hockey player in regards to his career is a very delicate and demanding job; it necessitates logic and quite a bit of planning and thoughtful thinking! Do you guys get my point here? Please feel free to answer; I think it is a great point of discussion, I would like to find out everyone’s opinion on this subject.

Aiming For The Top! – Episode 9: Trade Deadline from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Hello everyone! After a great trip to Halifax, I am back home in Quebec City, at least for a short period of time. I am always on the road, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!

The trip to Halifax was a ton of fun. Instead of flying, Michel (our G.M.) and I decided to drive. This was an excellent choice. We both like driving, so it was an easy choice for us. I see long road trips as a great occasion to relax, brainstorm and sightsee. Not to mention listen to some good music and mingle a little bit with the locals (especially when you stop at a Tim Horton’s, the favourite gathering place in small towns!).

Once in Halifax, we got to spend time with Don MacAdam, our V.P. of representation. This is always fun as Don is, in my eyes, a legend! Just listening to his experiences and stories is a trip. Plus, we got to chat over some famous Maritimes fish ‘n chips and beer. What a life! Now, we were not only there for fun, we actually spent most of the time in the rink, watching games, meeting with coaches and scouts.

Prior to coming to Halifax, one of the readers of this site contacted me. Since he is from Halifax, we had the chance to meet up with him and have breakfast. It was truly a great meeting as he is an exceptional young man whom I feel will do well in whatever endeavour he takes on – he would be a perfect fit for VSM! You gotta love maritimers, such warm and friendly people.

Hockey-wise, it was great to see team Quebec win the silver medal. One of our players was on that team and he was ecstatic. The team played well throughout the tournament. One thing that was surprising was the B.C. team. They shocked Ontario in the semi-finals and then went on to beat Quebec in the finals. Although they were not the strongest team, they were led by a powerhouse first line! The best game I saw by far was a shootout shocker between Alberta and Quebec, the latter team winning of course. You guys should have seen Alberta’s defence, all studs!

On a side note, our ride back to Quebec was an interesting one. It was raining so hard in New Brunswick, we had to pull out our top notch driving skills thanks to many periods of aqua-planning…I’m glad we got back in one piece!

Back to the Tim Hortons piece. If you have never been to Canada, you would be amazed at the amount of Tim Hortons along the transcanadian highway. What is even more interesting is they are all full of people, at any time of the day. If you ever feel lonely or tired, you know where to stop, truly Canadian! If I ever get out of the agency business (which will not happen any time soon), I am definitely going to buy a Tim Hortons. C’mon, how can you say no to free doughnuts and coffee (me laughing sarcastically)?

A couple of days ago, I had an extremely positive chat with a potential first round NHL draft pick from Sweden. I am hoping that we have the chance to show him and his family the full extent of what we have to offer, as I am confident that we can help him like no other agency. This reminds me… when people meet me, they quickly realize that I am a very confident and passionate person. Sometimes, I can get carried away because I so strongly believe in our agency and our services. This can occasionally be perceived as arrogance, and I truly apologize to all of you who perceive this that way, maybe you will get a chance to know me and learn just how humble I am. If I can give advice to up and coming agents, do not worry to much about this. If you want to succeed in life, especially at a young age, you will definitely piss some people off. As my parents always said: “If you want to make an omelette, you have to break eggs”. So, get out there, get aggressive, and don’t be afraid to break a few eggs. As long as your intentions are pure, life with guide you in the right direction!

Finally, I am really happy that our pro’ goalie situation is now fixed. His AHL team found him another team in the minors, and he will be back on track in no time. This kid is a true champion. I wish that all of you have the chance one of these days to work with such an exceptional young athlete!

Till next time, I’ll be in the kitchen or in the rink, breaking some eggs and making some real good omelettes!

Aiming For The Top! – Episode 8: Back in the Mix? from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Now with the announced total of nearly $90 million already in the bank, one has to wonder, what exactly does it take for a school to get a respectable and instantly competitive D-I hockey program off the ground?  I thought I would take a look to see some of the areas that these two donations will be spent on.

1. Coach Salary – Since the mid-1990s, the NCAA has been prohibited from setting a coach’s salary.  For a team that will likely compete against other Big 10 schools, Penn State will likely shell out somewhere between $200-$350k per year for a successful D-I head coach.  For a low-end round number, we’ll use $225k per year, plus assistants at $125k each.  Bringing our coaching total to $475,000 per year.
2. Equipment – As a former equipment manager for a D-I program that competed in a very competitive NCAA hockey league, I can say that this budget will usually total anywhere from $50k per year to over $150k per year.  We’ll use $125,000 as our estimate.
3. Facilities – While the precise spending calculation in building an new arena is left up to the school, even the NCAA has characterized some of facilities as “extravagant.”  Despite this, one equation is usually clear: extravagant facilities get great players to come play, great players equals a better team, and a better team equals more fans wanting to pay to enter.  Penn State will certainly go over the top in many areas by NCAA standards, but how often do you get to build a new arena anyway?  For the sake of round numbers, we’ll use the approximation of a Pennsylvania newspaper of $70 million (the paper estimated between $60 and $80 million).  When you amortize that over the life of an arena, for say 30 years, that is roughly $2.3 million per year.
4. Scholarships – Each NCAA D-I hockey team may offer 18 scholarships, which range from a full-scholarship covering costs for all four years to a variety of partial scholarships.  Thanks to the handy calculator on Penn State’s website, I was able to calculate the cost for a non-Pennsylvania resident that will attend the business school in pursuit of a Bachelor’s degree while living on campus, which comes out to $38, 352.  For the sake of round numbers, we’ll use $38k, when multiplied times 18, that is roughly $684,00o per year in scholarships.
5. Recruiting – Can you really put a price tag on recruiting the best players in the country, and sometimes the world, to play for a new D-I hockey program?  We will.  That price will be $60,000, based on this great chart budget already prepared by the University of Minnesota-Moorhead, when it proposed D-I hockey in 2008-2009.

That all adds up to a grand total of  $3,644,000 per year.  When you add on the cost of a women’s program of $2.4 million per year, which I got taking the cost of the men’s program divided by 1.5 (a ratio I determined using the Moorhead summary above), that brings the total to roughly $6 million per season, or roughly $3.5 million less than what Alex Ovechkin makes in a single season.  The Moorhead estimate was closer to $2.5 million per year, but that included a substantially cheaper arena (closer to $27 million) as well as using different tuition costs.  I also left out several other costs that Moorhead included in its estimate, such as advertising, team travel (a big cost), and other athletic department supporting positions that would need to be created.

That means, barring no return on Pegula’s donation to the program as well as no other income from the teams, Penn State will be set financially for roughly 14.5 years to operate its hockey program.

It will certainly be exciting and interesting to watch this young team come together as Penn State Hockey’s coaching staff will likely be announced within the next six months in order to get a start on the recruitment process.  For the other schools, such as Illinois and Indiana,  looking to join what will almost certainly be called the Big 10 college hockey league, the bar has just been set.

Penn State Hockey Gets Another Donation from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules