I already reported on Sexton’s signing of Memphis Defensive Tackle Dontari Poe.   The NFL’s College Advisory Committee, provided Poe his Draft grade (2nd round) prior to Poe signing with Sexton and entering his name into the 2012 NFL Draft.

More recently, Sexton signed former Alabama running back and Heisman Trophy Finalist, Trent Richardson.  I will let the video below do all the talking.

Heisman Finalist Trent Richardson Signs With Jimmy Sexton (CAA) from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Dontari Poe

While Poe admits that the decision to leave Memphis after his Junior season was the most difficult decision of his life, at least the player made an informed decision.  After Collegiate Sports Advisors visited Memphis to set up its Professional Sports Counseling Panel and informed Poe and his family about the NFL’s College Advisory Committee, Poe submitted his information to get his draft grade.  He received his grade (2nd round) prior to signing with Sexton and entering his name into the 2012 NFL Draft.  Many scouts believe that Poe could actually end up being a 1st rounder.

Memphis Defensive Tackle Dontari Poe Signs With Jimmy Sexton from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Late last night, Neil Stratton of InsideTheLeague.com broke a story that certainly kept me awake for a while.  The headline alone, which reads, “A super-agency goes supernova and in its place arises an even bigger agency,” made me anxious to click on the link and consume Stratton’s content.  I was not disappointed with the result.

Stratton wrote that multiple sources confirmed Jimmy Sexton’s departure from SportsTrust Advisors, and that he will be joining Creative Artists Agency (CAA).  CAA Football is currently run by agents Tom Condon and Ben Dogra.  Former defensive end Trace Armstrong represents a variety of coaches, including Urban Meyer.  Sexton represents both players and coaches.  He will be able to improve an already extremely strong CAA Football division.

If InsideTheLeague’s report is accurate, that means SportsTrust Advisors was a very short-lived experiment.  It was the brainchild of Sexton and Pat Dye, Jr., who merged their two respective companies, Athletic Resource Management (ARM) and ProFiles Sports, Inc.  Combined, the two entities represented a total of more than 40 coaches and 100 football players.  In the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft, SportsTrust Advisors had three clients selected: Julio Jones (#6 overall to the Atlanta Falcons), Christian Ponder (#12 overall to the Minnesota Vikings), and Cameron Heyward (#31 overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers).

Things to watch:

• How this affects CAA’s ability to recruit players (they were already very strong at it).
• Whether Tom Condon and Ben Dogra both continue their employment at CAA.
• Which SportsTrust clients leave with Jimmy Sexton and which of them stick with Pat Dye, Jr.
• How potential clients will react to the change.

Report: Jimmy Sexton Leaves SportsTrust Advisors To Join CAA from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

A couple of days ago, Cincinnati Bengals website editor Geoff Hobson wrote,

[Andrew] Whitworth has recently signed estimable veteran agent Pat Dye, now a partner with the powerhouse firm of Jimmy Sexton.

The name of that firm is SportsTrust Advisors, which was created by the merger of Sexton’s Athletic Resource Management and Dye’s ProFiles Sports.  In addition to gaining Cincinnati Bengals left tackle Whitworth, SportsTrust also recently added defensive end Stephen Bowen of the Dallas Cowboys to its client roster.  Just prior to adding Bowen, SportsTrust lost a big client in Peyton Hillis to Kelli Masters of KM Sports.

My notes indicate that Andrew Whitworth was represented by Stephen Colson, who was with Prestige Sports Management when Whitworth was drafted #55 overall in the 2006 NFL Draft.  Colson later became a part of Guardian Sports Agency.  As far as I understand, Whitworth remained with Colson until he recently left to sign with Pat Dye of SportsTrust Advisors.

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

Stephen Bowen is a 6’5, 306lbs defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys. While the five year veteran has spent all his time in the NFL in Dallas, he spent the rest of his life in New York. Bowen went to high school in Dix Hills, NY before playing football at Hofstra University.

Bowen did not start a single game in his first three years in the NFL, but started two games in 2009 and nine games in 2010. His numbers do not blow anybody away – in 2010, Bowen only had 1.5 sacks, 22 combined tackles, and 1 deflected pass (which came in the last game of the regular season). However, in the world of representing athletes, Bowen is seen as someone who has potential to increase his output, and someone that many agents would love to have the opportunity to represent.

Bowen had been represented by Willis & Woy, but recently made the switch to SportsTrust Advisors. A little over a week ago, we covered Peyton Hillis’ Leaving SportsTrust Advisors for Kelli Masters of KM Sports. While Bowen does not make up for the loss of such a respected running back, it is an addition that Pat Dye, Jr., Jimmy Sexton, et al. should be happy about.

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

1. Carolina (2-14) - QB Cam Newton ~ Auburn - Agent: Bus Cook, Tony Paige, Chitta Mallik (B.C. Sports/Perennial Sports)

2. Denver (4-12) - LB Von Miller ~ Texas A&M - Agent: Athletes First

3. Buffalo (4-12) - DT Marcell Dareus ~ Alabama - Agent: Todd France

4. Cincinnati (4-12) - WR A.J. Green ~ Georgia - Agent: Creative Artists Agency

5. Arizona (5-11) - CB Patrick Peterson ~ LSU – Agent: Patrick Lawlor (Galaxy Sports)

6. Atlanta (13-3) [via trade with Cleveland] - WR Julio Jones ~ Alabama - Agent: SportsTrust Advisors

7. San Francisco (6-10) - DE/OLB Aldon Smith ~ Missouri – Agent: Creative Artists Agency

8. Tennessee (6-10) - QB Jake Locker ~ Washington - Agent: Athletes First

9. Dallas (6-10) - OT Tyron Smith ~ USC - Agent: Lock, Metz, and Malinovic

10. Jacksonville (8-8) [via trade with Washington] - QB Blaine Gabbert ~ Missouri - Agent: Creative Artists Agency

11. Houston (6-10) - DE J.J. Watt ~ Wisconsin - Agent: Creative Artists Agency

12. Minnesota (6-10) - QB Christian Ponder ~ Florida State – Agent: SportsTrust Advisors

13. Detroit (6-10) - DT Nick Fairley ~ Auburn - Agent: Brian Overstreet (E. Overstreet Sports Management)

14. St. Louis (7-9) - DE Robert Quinn ~ North Carolina - Agent: Carl Carey (Champion Pro Consulting)

15. Miami (7-9) - OG/C Mike Pouncey ~ Florida - Agent: Lagardere Unlimited

16. Washington (6-10) - DE Ryan Kerrigan ~ Purdue - Agent: Athletes First

17. New England – from Oakland (8-8) - OT Nate Solder ~ Colorado - Agent: Athletes First

18. San Diego (9-7) - DT Cory Liuget ~ Illinois - Agent: Tony Fleming (Impact Sports)

19. New York Giants (10-6) - CB Prince Amukamara ~ Nebraska - Agent: Todd France

20. Tampa Bay (10-6) - DE Adrian Clayborn ~ Iowa - Agent: Blake Baratz (The Institute for Athletes)

21. Cleveland (5-11) [via trade with Kansas City] - DT Phil Taylor ~ Baylor – Agent: Peter Schaffer (All-Pro Sports)

22. Indianapolis (10-6) - OT Anthony Castonzo ~ Boston College - Agent: Creative Artists Agency

23. Philadelphia (10-6) - OL Danny Watkins ~ Baylor - Agent: Lock, Metz, Malinovic

24. New Orleans (11-5) - DE Cameron Jordan ~ Cal - Agent: Octagon

25. Seattle (7-9) – OT James Carpenter ~Alabama – Agent: Priority Sports

26. Baltimore (12-4) - CB Jimmy Smith ~ Colorado - Agent: Drew Rosenhaus

27. Kansas City (10-6) - WR Jonathan Baldwin ~ Pittsburgh - Agent: Priority Sports

28. New Orleans (11-5) - RB Mark Ingram ~ Alabama - Agent: Lagardere Unlimited

29. Chicago (11-5) - OT Gabe Carimi ~ Wisconsin - Agent: Gary Uberstine (Premier Sports)

30. New York Jets (11-5) - DE Muhammad Wilkerson ~ Temple - Agent: Chad Wiestling (Integrated Sports Management)

31. Pittsburgh (12-4) - DE Cameron Heyward ~ Ohio State - Agent: SportsTrust Advisors

32. Green Bay (10-6) - OT Derek Sherrod ~ Mississippi State - Agent: Bus Cook

Notes

• Creative Artists Agency (Tom Condon and Ben Dogra) led all agencies with 5 players selected in the first round.  Most impressive about that fact is that all 5 players were selected before pick 24.  4 of those players were selected before pick 12.  In 2010, CAA represented 6 first round players on Day 1 of the Draft.
• Athletes First had the 2nd most picks with 4 players going in the first round.  Their drafted players were also selected in the top portion of the first round.  All 4 of their clients selected in the first round were taken before pick 18.
• SportsTrust Advisors, the new company created out of the merger of Pat Dye, Jr.’s ProFiles Sports Inc. and Jimmy Sexton’s Athletic Resource Management (ARM) had the 3rd most players drafted in the first round.  Julio Jones, and especially Christian Ponder, went higher than many had expected.
• A lot of familiar names on the list.  This year, the coming out party is for Patrick Lawlor of Galaxy Sports (representing Patrick Peterson).  Last year, Joe Haden was selected two spots later than Patrick Peterson was drafted this year.  Haden’s representative, Malik Hafeez Shareef, was also a brand new competitor for the large agencies to follow.

2011 NFL Draft Round 1 Picks (Player/Agent) from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

A few weeks ago, Rachel Baribeau of the Tuscaloosa News had a long conversation with Jimmy Sexton of newly formed SportsTrust Advisors.  Baribeau got a hold of Sexton at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.  I strongly consider you to read the interview in its entirety.  The Q&A that interests me the most is the following:

Q: You recently merged with ProFiles, (agents) Pat Dye Jr. and Bill Johnson. Tell us about that process.

A: We’ve talked about it for years. We were probably the top two sports agencies in the deep South. We competed a lot against each other, had a lot of the same type clients. We just felt like it was something that would help us grow the business more in merging and bringing our practices together. We discussed it seven or eight years ago and never really got around to doing it.

Over the last year, Pat and I had long discussions about it. In November (2010) we consummated the deal. We’ve got 13 players in this draft so far, so it’s been very successful. There is a good synergy with us and the players and coaches. A lot of the football players are from the Sun Belt, lets face it. It puts us in a good strategic place to hopefully be very successful in this business.

There is no arguing that the deep South produces a large amount of talent and that individually, Sexton and Dye Jr. were a part of what could easily be considered the top two agencies in that region.  I think what concerns some agents is the line regarding the synergy between the newly merged entity, the players, and the coaches, and what kind of conflicts are created by having all of those entities under the same roof.

The other Q&A that I believe is noteworthy relates to Sexton’s belief that agent discipline should start and stop with the NFLPA.

Q: Should the NFL have something to do with policing agents?

A: That’s where it’s always been. We operate at the union’s leadership. They’re the ones that certify us, they’re the ones that govern us, they’re the ones that discipline us, they’re the ones that basically control the business. That’s what they do, so that’s where it would all probably start and stop.

This is an approach that I have not heard much of at all.  It seems to suggest that the threat of having your NFLPA Contract Advisor certification revoked or suspended would be enough of a deterrent.  Last I checked, the NFLPA send send an agent to jail.

Looking Back To Jimmy Sexton’s Interview At The Senior Bowl from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

• Jimmy Sexton – Co-Founder, SportsTrust Advisors
• Tom Condon – Football Agent, CAA
• Rick Smith – Agent, Priority Sports
• Mark Levin – Director of Salary Cap and Agent Administration, NFLPA
• Ray Anderson – VP of Football Operations, NFL
• Julie Roe Lach – VP Enforcement, NCAA
• Rachel Newman Baker – Director of Agent, Gambling and Amateurism Activities, NCAA
• Stacey Osburn – Associate Director of Public and Media Relations, NCAA
• Mike Slive – SEC Commisioner
• Larry Scott – Pac-10 Conference Commissioner
• Multiple Pac-10 Athletic Directors
• Pat Haden – Athletic Director, USC
• Dave Roberts – VP Athletic Compliance, USC

I believe the most forward thinking idea proposed by Haden at the Summit was to hire a recent graduate “to act as an ombudsman who can be a counselor and be viewed as independent.”  If Haden and other Athletic Directors want this particular plan to be effective, they will have to choose someone for each campus who is close enough with the players to gain access when appropriate, but cannot be afraid to report violations.  Furthermore, I think the last thing this person would provide is newfound trust between student-athletes and school administrators.  How can a department claim that someone it employs is also independent?  Instead, the new ombudsman may further the divide and cause student-athletes to become more wary of administrators’ motives.  However, I agree that something must be done to curb violations, and this particular idea may be a good starting point.  Haden also talked a bit about using “extenders.”

Dave Roberts also talked about the use of “extenders” to help educate players.  And he recognizes that the education needs to occur at a very early stage.

Talk is great.  Actions are better.

University of Southern California’s Agent Summit from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

No issue when they are negotiating a contract for Phillip Merling, a Miami Dolphins players, and Sexton/Dye are also Bill Parcells’ agents?  What about working on a deal for Calvin Pace or Tony Richardson while they have Rex Ryan as a client?  On top of the issues surrounding conflicts of representing both sides who are at least some part of a negotiation, there are questions regarding coach clients potentially giving preferential treatment to their agents’ clients over other agents clients and/or providing any type of help to their agents in the recruitment of new clientele.

These conflicts are not only a concern with SportsTrust Advisors.  Many other agencies represent NFL team executives, including head coaches, and NFL players.  This dual representation is currently permitted by the NFLPA as long as there is full disclosure of all entities represented to each client.  But should it be allowed in the future?

The NBA takes care of the aforementioned potential conflicts by forbidding agents from representing coaches and players.  The NFLPA should do its due diligence and seriously look into adopting similar regulations to root out conflicts of interest.

The NFL Should Look Into The NBA’s Conflict Of Interest Regulations from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Baseball

• Casey Close was one of 10 members inducted [U-M Alum Close Enshrined into Cape Cod Baseball Hall of Fame].
• While we are on the subject of Casey Close.. [Derek Jeter's agent Casey Close says Yankees public hardball with shortstop is 'baffling'].
• Named to the adjunct faculty at Marquette University Law School [Bud Selig: law school professor].
• A lot of older guys were not offered arbitration [Teams offer arbitration to just 14 of 29 “Type A” free agents].

Football

• Questioning why Jimmy Sexton was included on the panel [Is NCAA’s Agent For Change Completely Insane?].

Golf

• I find it interesting that Steinberg commissioned a study that involved polling of a certain target demographic to determine when it was the right time to start talking business again [A Year Later: Tiger's Agent Opens Up].

Recruiting

• It’s a lot more complicated than just starting to pay student-athletes a salary [Pay college athletes? No].

Shabbat Shalom: Friday Wrap-Up (11/26/2010) from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules