What do Deion Sanders, Michael Crabtree and Dez Bryant all have in common? Aside from the fact that they’ve all eaten dinner at chateau de Primetime, they’re all clients of super agent Eugene Parker.

What do Mike Jenkins, Chris Houston, and Shawn Springs all have in common? They’ve all fired super agent Eugene Parker.

Actually, Maximum Sports Management, which is comprised of Parker and Roosevelt Barnes, has been fired more than 15 times since 2005.

You all set, fellas? How come these dudes keep leaving you?

By most accounts, Parker and Barnes work tirelessly for their players. Their client list coupled with their long and distinguished career is more than enough proof that they do a lot right (I mean, at the very least Parker knows how to dress for success). Still, when guys have been fired by that many clients in that short a timeframe, it’s obvious they’re doing a few things wrong as well.

Unless you interview all of those players, along with Parker and Barnes, you won’t get a clear picture of what led to those firings. Athletes get rid of their agents for all kinds of reasons. Some logical, some ridiculous (shouts to Andre Smith). In either case, the firing indicates that for some reason, the athlete and the agent weren’t a match.

Parker and Barnes aren’t the only hyper-successful agents bleeding clients though.

Creative Artists Agency is widely regarded as the most dominant force in the game. Their client list is bananas. They represent Peyton and Eli Manning, Adrian Peterson, Mario Williams, Patrick Willis, and Antonio Gates among many others. They’ve got a team of agents who are superstars in their own right and every year the draft classes they land are the envy of the industry. Needless to say, the bank accounts of the agents over there aren’t in danger of being overdrawn.

With everything they’ve got going for them, every NFL athlete should jump at the opportunity to have CAA represent them, right? Perhaps, but any athlete interested in being represented by Condon and Co. should probably ask this question:

CAA, with so much going for you, how in the world do you get kicked to the curb so often?

Since 2005, the agents that work at CAA have been fired more than any other group in the industry. They’ve been axed by at least 20 of their athletes in that time, including Thomas Jones, Michael Clayton, Will Allen, Roy Williams, Marc Colombo, Antrel Rolle, and Julius Jones.

For an early first round guy, even with those firings, you’d be out of your mind not to consider them. For guys falling out of the second round, you might want to give another agency some thought.

At CAA, you’d be buried on a depth chart stacked with 1st rounders. You have to realize that no matter how many times an agent tells you you’re his top priority and he’ll do everything in his power to keep you happy, he’s about his business. The guys over at CAA aren’t any different. If you sign with them and they have ten players who earn them more dough than you, you can’t really be salty when you end up on the b-list.

You know how it goes; it’s like the girl who’s only dated athletes but tells you she’s not with you because you’re on the squad. “I’d be with you if you worked at a gas station baby.” C’mon son! You have to know, as soon as that ACL pops she’ll be wearing your teammate’s jersey. Don’t fall for the okie-doke. Like any agent, she’s going to do what’s best for her. So to circle back to the original question – shouldn’t every NFL athlete jump at the opportunity to have CAA represent them – in the words of Borat, maybe “not so much for you.”

Let’s be clear. I’m not picking on these guys. Lots of agents have been fired by a higher percentage of their players than the folks at CAA and Maximum. The fact that these two firms had more clients fire them than most agents ever get hired by, is more a testament to their position atop the industry than an indictment on their ability to hold their clients down. Both agencies are strong options for elite NFL prospects.

Having said that, the ultimate goal is to get athletes to realize that even the sexiest agencies out there have issues that need to be analyzed carefully. Athletes would be wise to dig as deep as possible into the backgrounds of the agents pursuing them before signing an SRA.

And players, take my word for it, just asking the agent why they got fired doesn’t fly. Newsflash, these guys make a living being slick and a lot of them will sell you a dream if you let them. Just keep in mind, everyone’s going to spin the story to fit their own needs. At the very least, make sure you get both sides.

Call the NFLPA and ask questions about your prospective agents. How many times has agent X been fired? How many times has he been brought up on disciplinary charges and why?

Ask the agent every one of these questions, record the answers, then ask some more.

Knowledge is power and the devil is in the details. You can never have enough information on the people who will be handling the business side of your career.

Don’t listen to me though, take it from Hov, who’s earned a few bucks in his career:

Men lie. Women lie. Numbers don’t.

RBs

1.      RB Adrian Peterson ~ Minnesota Vikings = Entering his 3^rd season, Peterson is the best tailback in football and if he can improve his blocking he will be on the field even more. One of 5 players ever to rush for 3,000+ yards in his first two seasons, expect his first 1800+ yard season this year, he’s only 24 and still has room to improve.

2.      RB Maurice Jones-Drew ~ Jacksonville Jaguars = Jones-Drew had  down year last season rushing the football but posted career bests in receptions (62) and yards (565) while posting 14 total touchdowns, all with a depleted offensive line. With the selections of OT Eugene Monroe & OT Eben Britton, the signing of LT Tra Thomas, and RB Fred Taylor leaving town now is Jones-Drew’s time to shine. Expect 1,300+ yards on the ground with another 13-15 total touchdowns.

3.      RB Matt Forte ~ Chicago Bears = Expect a lot more of the same from one of the most versatile backs in the league. As a rookie last season Forte posted 1,700+ total yards and 12 total touchdowns. With QB Jay Cutler coming in town there will be less attention on him and by all accounts these numbers will improve significantly.

4.      RB DeAngelo Williams ~ Carolina Panthers = Williams hit his 3 year mark in the league last year and showed why he was one of the most decorated college football players in NCAA history while at Memphis. He averaged an amazing 5.5 yards a carry which was Barry Sanders like. He also had 18 rushing touchdowns alone, 20 total. Don’t expect the same touchdown numbers, but something very similar from this explosive, dynamic tailback.

5.      RB Michael Turner ~ Atlanta Falcons = Atlanta’s offense and QB Matt Ryan’s success largely was credited to Turner’s consistency running the football. Matt Ryan will have more freedom in the offense this year which could take some touches away from Turner. Nonetheless, Turner had 1,600+ yards on the ground with a 4.5 average, which was very good. He isn’t a threat in the passing game what so ever (only 6 receptions last season) but will get you plenty of yardage and goal line carries.

6.      RB Marion Barber ~ Dallas Cowboys = Marion the Barbarian would be the most intimidating back in football if it weren’t for RB Brandon Jacobs in N.Y. He battled through injuries last season and if healthy this year, which he should be, could be a guy who gets 15+ touchdowns on the ground alone. His pass catching ability is very underrated as well. He needs to limit his fumbles, but I think being healthy will quell a lot of his doubters.

7.      RB Chris Johnson ~ Tennessee Titans = Johnson is blazing fast and a threat to score every time he touches the football. With his lack of size and the drafting of RB Javon Ringer, don’t expect more than 250 carries, but his average will be stellar like last year (4.9) and his touchdowns (9) should go up a couple as well.

8.      RB Clinton Portis ~ Washington Redskins = “Pops” is still one of the best all-around backs in the NFL. Last season he had 1,700+ total yards and 9 touchdowns. The TD numbers should improve significantly. He will be 28 on September 1^st, so he still has young enough legs to get another couple 1,500+ yard seasons on the ground and 10 plus touchdowns. I expect him to be the force that drives the Redskins team this season.

9.      RB LaDainian Tomlinson ~ San Diego Chargers = LT had a down year last season yet still gained 1,500+ total yards and scored 12 touchdowns. This guy hardly ever fumbles, and I’m not buying he’s fallen off. His work ethic will take him into the hall of fame one day, as well as a 1,400+ year on the ground and at least 15 touchdowns.

10.  RB Steve Slaton ~ Houston Texans = Slaton was a guy who never should’ve slipped in the 2008 NFL Draft. He was an incredible college player who is 5′9″ 203 with some of the best vision there is. He ran for 1,282 yards, caught 50 balls for 377 yards, and 10 total touchdowns in his rookie season. Expect all these numbers to go up this coming season.

Sleepers

1.      RB Rashard Mendenhall ~ Pittsburgh Steelers = This guy seems to be an afterthought for the casual fan after LB Ray Lewis broke his leg early in the year last season with an absolute kill shot. This guy was a horse in college who will get the goal line carries in Pittsburgh, as well as half the carries. At 5′10 225, “Delicious” will have every opportunity to show why he was a first round draft pick in 2008 and I expect him to come through tenfold.

2.      RB Knowshon Moreno ~ Denver Broncos = Under new Head Coach Josh McDaniels running backs will have a major role in the offense. Moreno is going to be used in every way imaginable, and with his versatility, explosiveness, hands, blocking ability, and agility he is not only my pick for OROY, but a 1,300+ total yards and 10+ touchdowns is well within reach for the rookie out of Georgia.

3.      RB Larry Johnson ~ Kansas City Chiefs = Johnson is not much of a sleeper by many accounts, I am putting him on this list just as a reminder not to forget how great of a player he is, especially when happy. He has been quiet lately in his requests for a trade, and with a new QB, Head Coach, GM, and offense, the tailback will be counted on for yards as much as anybody. The new regime in KC could ignite this former back to back 1,700 yard rusher.

4.      RB Michael Bush ~ Oakland Raiders = Bush is 6′1″ 245, and will be the primary goal line back in Oakland’s offense as well as the counterpart to RB Darren McFadden. Bush last season in spot duty had a 4.4 yard average on only 95 carries including a 27 carry 177 yd. 2 TD performance in week 17. His talent could go a long way in the NFL, and Oakland has one of the most dynamic rushing attacks in football, watch out for him and/or McFadden to burst onto the scene next season with a 1,000+ yards on the ground.

April 24, 2007 – The TRO was not enough.  Henkel was accused of getting illegal kickbacks for signing LaDanian Tomlinson to particular deals.  Commercial bribery and theft were the felony charges based on the accusation.

This Monday, Henkel pled guilty to two misdemeanor counts of criminal deprivation of property, which will enable him to avoid going to jail.  Back in 2007, I wondered if Adrian Peterson and Lorenzo Booker would stick with the guy who had a bad rap sheet.  It seems like keeping clients has not been an issue for Henkel.  He also apparently represents Steve Smith, Chad Pennington, and Wes Welker.

“The owners allowed the agents to beat their rear ends,” Mortensen said Wednesday on Mike and Mike In The Morning.  Mortensen went to proclaim, “The rookie salary cap issue is a brilliant public relations stunt by the NFL. It’s not like owners will take care of veterans if rookies had a cap. There’s $400M available now for that. Why should rookies like Jake Long and Matt Ryan be punished? Owners are asking to be saved because agents beat them in negotiations.”  He is clearly calling out the managers for starting this issue and helping it progress and only now complaining about it.

Chris later talks about how he believes these college players deserve the money they are making in the NFL because they proved their worth by playing and dominating college football.  He claims that because football is more physically demanding than basketball and baseball it forces the athletes to go through several years of college in preparation for the NFL.  NBA and MLB lottery picks usually do not stay in college for as long as the NFL’s top picks.

Although I see his logic, I believe that all sports are physically challenging in different ways and that the top picks in each sport have worked hard to reach the level they are at.  There is always going to be picks that do not pan out the way the teams hoped they would, but that is athletics.  If the kid is picked in the top five or ten in the draft and the team spends millions on him, you can bet that same team did their homework and knows everything about the kid, from his jump shot to his first kiss.  Or at least I’d hope they know a lot about the athlete they are drafting.

I believe that these athletes, even the one and done college players, deserve every penny that they are signing for.  These athletes have trained their entire life for this moment, and with one play can get injured and lose all that they have worked for.  The athletes deserve the guaranteed money in their contracts and some (like LeBron, Adrian Peterson and many others) have made a huge impact on their teams and actually deserve the large salaries they have received.

Although we watch these stars on T.V. and it may seem like only a game, this is their life and their jobs.  They have to support themselves and their families just like individuals who work in an office or teach at universities.   These athletes can only play their sports for so many years (10-15 at the most), unlike someone who can work as a teacher or businessman for 30-40 years, and as we know, these athletes often make poor financial decisions (Gambling With Your Career).  There are also many others looking to help these athletes lose their money effectively.  According to the Toronto Star, filing for bankruptcy is a tradition for NBA players, as 60% go broke five years after they retire.  This shows,that not only do these athletes need the money but also they need to find agents to help manage the millions that they are now earning.

I believe that rookie salaries are extremely high right now especially when compare them to the wages veterans who have played in the league and proved themselves for many years receive.  However, do not blame the rookies for having great “ambassadors of quam” to represent them.  Blame the managers and people in the front office for not paying you (veterans) higher salaries.  These veterans should talk to their agents and put pressure on them and the teams they represent.

• Look forward to VitaminWater commercials featuring LeBron James and Purple Jesus [Coca Cola Switches Drinks On Lebron, Adds Adrian Peterson].
• JaVale McGee, a standout Sophomore center from Nevada, is no longer a collegiate athlete after signing Roosevelt Barnes to represent him in this summer’s NBA Draft [Breaking News: JaVale McGee Enters Draft, Hires Agent Roosevelt Barnes].
• While I was getting a nice tan during Spring Break, Chad Burkart was busy covering the IMG World Congress of Sport in California [7th Annual IMG World Congress of Sport Conference hits the West Coast].
• Ricky Williams, Edgerrin James, and Troy Polamalu rejoice: You are allowed to rock your long dreds outside of your helmet for at least another year [Hair length proposal delayed until May; defensive helmet radios approved].
• Leigh Steinberg continues on his mission to make sports green. He is now working on forming a project called the Sporting Green Alliance [Mega-agent wants whole sports world to go 'green'].
• Is Canseco going after A-Rod in his new book because A-Rod would not leave Boras to join Canseco when he was trying to start up as a sports agent? [Payback].
• Before Jenn Sterger became the famous Cowgirl, she wanted to be a sports agent [Jake (gladly) Takes on Jenn Sterger(FSU Cowgirl and Beautiful Rays fan)].

This week, we brought back one of our best columns: Interview With The Agent. Check out Samyr Laine’s interview with soccer agent, Max Eppel, by clicking on the Featured tab on the right sidebar.