Football

• The New England Patriots follow draft prospects on Twitter as part of the scouting process [Quick-hit thoughts around NFL & Pats].
• Particular focus on item 7. Will the players stay unified during the lockout? [Ruling in favor of NFL, lockout extension set up key June decision]
• The Houston Texans have more players on Twitter than any other team [Twitter sense for NFL players].

Baseball

• The Rays have 12 of the first 89 picks in the 2011 Draft and 10 of the first 60 [Rays readying to make most of Draft bounty].
• Agents have a vested interest to fight implementation of a slotting system [Sides dig in for battle over slotting in draft].
• Boras says that Eric Hosmer will have his own market [Boras shoots down idea of Royals locking up Hosmer].

Basketball

• Eric Goodwin makes sure to mention his previous work with LeBron and Dwight [Kevin Durant's Marketability On The Rise].

Sports Business

• PAFI stands for the Professional Athlete Franchise Initiative [Sports agents team with PAFI to prepare clients for career transition].

Shabbat Shalom: Friday Wrap-Up (5/20/2011) from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Football

• 6% of players suffered at least 1 concussion in 2010 [NFLPA Injury Report Finds Increases During 2010 Season].
• All about Steinberg Party XXV [Steinberg still host with most].
• A lot of praise for Bob LaMonte [Vikings coach Leslie Frazier, agent Bob LaMonte make a good team].
• The perfect majority owner of a future LA franchise? [The grooming of Casey Wasserman]

Baseball

• Nello Gamberdino’s representation of Canseco is no joke [Why One Baseball Agent Is Taking A Chance On 46-Year-Old Client Jose Canseco].
• Boras throws out the acquisition cost argument [Scott Boras Explains Jayson Werth's 7-Year/$126 Million Dollar Deal With The Washington Nationals].

Sports Law

• Fill out your own and get it framed [2011-12 National Letter of Intent].

Action Sports

• This article makes it seem like there is no lack of  endorsement opportunities involving mainstream brands for those at the top [At X Games, Battle for Sponsors Is Also Fierce].

Shabbat Shalom: Friday Wrap-Up (2/4/2011) from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Football

• It does seem as though a lot of underclassmen are deciding to leave early this year [Rookie wage scale could prompt more underclassmen to leave school].
• I’m not so sure that there is nothing wrong with a player agent also representing a GM in the same sport [Let the agent wars begin]

Hockey

• Paul Krepelka says they are “taking things slow and keeping it low key” [Hockey agent gets his shot at McCarthy].

Baseball

• The MLBPA has determined that Boras Corp.’s loans to Edward Salcedo did not break rules in place at the time [Union finds no rule-breaking by agent Scott Boras].
• High ranking baseball officials seem to not be as convinced [Selig Is Said to Be Unsatisfied With Union’s Stance on Boras].
• Baez has signed 53 players to professional baseball contracts [Fraud charges for Victor Baez after he allegedly lies about ages of players from Dominican Republic].

Basketball

• Leon Rose – the family man from Cherry Hill [Shot Caller].
• Len Elmore believes that the best way to combat agents, runners and misleading advisers is through information and education [Inside iHoops].

Shabbat Shalom: Friday Wrap-Up (1/7/2011) from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Basketball

• Not in the article, but apparently Marbury did not have a signed contract with his former CBA team [Ex-NBA player Marbury switches teams in China].
• Looking forward to seeing what becomes of Sportsality [Keyon Dooling Talks Business].
• 6’3 at 11-years-old, but it still doesn’t feel right [Baylor Offers a Scholarship to 8th-Grader Adrian Moore].

Baseball

• A minor-league posting system for non-protected players [Something to think about from Scott Boras].
• Keith Law defends Scott Boras’ loans to Edward Salcedo [Boras playing by baseball's rules].
• A few statements from agents Barry Axelrod and Barry Meister [Baseball Asks Union for Explanation on Loans by Boras].

Football

• Terry Watson called an anonymous General Manager a coward [Agent speaks out regarding crticism of Cortland Finnegan].

Hockey

• A prospective Buffalo Sabres owner is the co-owner of a sports agency [Terry Pegula's WNY Sports Connection].

Shabbat Shalom: Friday Wrap-Up (12/2/2010) from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Back in March, I wrote about Cleveland Indians’ outfielder Shin-Soo Choo switching from Octagon to Scott Boras, and his impending service in the South Korean Army.  As a South Korean-native, the 28-year old Choo was slated to spend two years in the national Army before reaching 30.  However, after winning the gold medal in last week’s Asian Games with his national team, South Korea has rewarded Choo by rescinding his military requirement.

The Indians and Boras are definitely winners alongside Choo in this decision.  Shin-Soo is one of the Indians best talents, and his stock is certainly rising.  Last year Choo hit .300 and 90 RBIs (top 15 in the American League in both), and 22 homeruns and stolen bases.  Indians manager Manny Acta called Choo “one of the best players in the majors right now.” For Boras, taking the risk that one of his rising stars will have to spend two years in the military, away from the game, has paid off.  Unlike many other Asian players, Choo did not play professional baseball outside the United States.  After being selected as the MVP in the 2000 World Junior Baseball Championship, Choo signed a contract with Seattle Mariners.

New Indians GM Chris Antonetti has said that working out a long-term deal for Choo is a team priority.  Choo made $461,100 last season, and is eligible for salary arbitration before the start of the 2011 season.  His contract has three more years left on it, but Boras will certainly work to get a substantial raise for his client via arbitration, and look towards a lucrative, possibly long-term deal for Choo.

Choo Staying For Good, Boras Wins Out from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Baseball

• The aforementioned Patchett and Scherer appear on this list [Minor League Free Agents 2010].
• Some journalists may overstate team concerns about players represented by Scott Boras [Be skeptical of “Team X is wary of Scott Boras” articles].
• Teams don’t want to lose top picks [Why Most Type A Free Agents Won't Sign Right Away].

Basketball

• The college dropout is acting pro se [Lamar Odom Seeks Tax Deduction For NBA Fines and Fitness Fees].

Football

• Would the Securities and Exchange Commission be a better than the Federal Trade Commission in enforcing agent laws? [NFL Agents Getting a Bum Rap: An Interview With Priority Sports' Kenny Zuckerman]
• Pennington’s 2010 salary jumps from $2.5 million to $5.75 million [Dolphins QB Chad Henne tries to remain upbeat after surprising switch to Chad Pennington].

Sports Business

• The joint venture will be called IMGX [IMG in Brazilian Sports Joint Venture].
• Calling it an “NLI” really makes it sound so much more innocent [The National Letter of Intent Sucks!].

Shabbat Shalom: Friday Wrap-Up (11/12/2010) from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Football

• The 9 largest agencies represent about 671 players [Agents, by the numbers].
• Under Armour continues to expand into new territory [Tom Brady Steps Into Under Armour].
• I keep wondering: What about the other 3 wire transfers? [Blake-agent transactions came during UNC tenure].

Basketball

• A mock dialogue to present the issues [Your NBA Labor Negotiations Primer].

Baseball

• Decent partial client list, no? [Boras Well-Positioned For Offseason]
• Tim Dierkes attempts to shed some light on arbitration [Mike Napoli And The Arbitration Process].

Sports Business

• No more cash flow problems for Creative Artists Agency [CAA Sells 35% Minority Interest To TPG: Lovett Says "This Strategic Partnership Marks New Start For Agency’s Future"].

Sports Law

• Add the state of Ohio to the list of states starting to take their athlete agent laws more seriously [Sports agents placed on notice].

Shabbat Shalom: Friday Wrap-Up (10/8/2010) from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

The NCAA became interested in the matter.  A University of Kentucky employee basically told Paxton that he would have to sit out from playing and would lose his financial aid if he refused to meet with NCAA investigators for a violation that the NCAA would not disclose.  Paxton held his ground, and ended up playing a year of Independent Baseball prior to being selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft.  Paxton still has not signed with the Mariners, but he is unaffected by the August 16 deadline, and has until a week prior to next year’s draft to come to an agreement with the club.

The main reason that I am discussing this matter is because of something I recently read in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Pirates general manager Neal Huntington and scouting director Greg Smith were among the Pirates representatives expected to sit down with agents Randy and Alan Hendricks in Houston to work toward a deal to sign second-overall selection Jameson Taillon. The Hendricks brothers are based in Houston, and Taillon comes from The Woodlands about 25 miles north.

Internet reports intimated that a deal was reached already, but the parties involved wouldn’t attempt to meet in private if such reports were based in fact.

Does it not sound as if the Post-Gazette is implying that the Hendricks brothers negotiated directly with the Pirates?  How is this any less conclusive than what The Globe and Mail wrote about Boras and Beeston?  The fact of the matter is that in this case, it has no consequence.  Tallion signed for a $6.5 million bonus, so it does not matter whether the Hendricks brothers were considered advisors or agents – Tallion is skipping school for the time being and will never attempt to play college baseball.

But what if the Pirates had caught wind of the article?  Might the club have used it against Tallion as leverage in their negotiation?  That is probably a stretch, and way too competitive of a negotiation style to use against someone you want to be the future face of your franchise.

Another point to note is that just because a couple papers have reported about two distinct events does not mean that advisors talking to club personnel is a rarity.  It is just rarely reported.  My guess is that a majority, if not all advisors of players selected in the first round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, had some sort of direct communication with the teams that selected their clients.  The NCAA might want to think otherwise and continue to threaten its antiquated “no-agent” rule, but in the end, the players need competent assistance, and there are very few advisors who would deny that to them.

The Continuance Of Advisor/Club Communication from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Who knows, you might just end up being an NBA General Manager or some other high-level executive within an NBA franchise.  You no longer have to be a former player, scout, or coach to get the high-level NBA job that many people dream of having.

Guys like Rich Cho, Lon Babby, David Kahn, and Jason Levien have changed the game in the NBA executive ranks, and I think the trend of hiring people with legal experience will continue.  And then there is the stat wiz, Daryl Morey, who does not have a legal background, but did graduate from M.I.T. (which has to count for something, right!).  In the future, will we see names like Joel Segal (Hofstra Law School), Tom Condon (Baltimore Law School), Ben Dogra (St. Louis University School of Law), Scott Boras (McGeorge School of Law), David Falk (George Washington University Law School), Arn Tellem (University of Michigan Law School), and Dan Fegan (Yale Law School) enter the mix of candidates for team executive position openings?

Sports Agents With Opportunities In The NBA from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Baseball

• Scott Boras makes the list, but Tom Van Riper spells his name wrong [The Most Disliked People In Sports].
• A few deals will be made between 11:50-11:59 p.m. on August 16 [The Deadline For Signing Draft Picks].

Football

• Agent for Maurice Jones-Drew and Matt Forte, amongst others [Q&A with Sports Agent, Delaware State Alumnus Adisa Bakari].

Basketball

• Falk has faith in Ted Leonsis [Agent David Falk jabs the late Abe Pollin to prove feud with Wizards is now over].
• My must read of the week [William Wesley in the spotlight].
• Making a case for agents to tell some players to wait on signing a deal [Chinese Brands, Less Money Make Shoe Game More Complex].

Golf

• What do you think IMG is taking percentage-wise on Tiger’s deals? [Tiger's Lost Endorsements Cost IMG $4.6 Million Last Year].

Sports Business

• Listen to my friend Rand Getlin speak candidly about colleges [not] making efforts to comply with NCAA rules [How Much Money Will NCAA Sanctions Cost USC and Could They Have Been Prevented?].

Shabbat Shalom: Friday Wrap-Up (6/25/2010) from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules