Interestingly, before hiring Drew Rosenhaus, LenDale did not actually have an agent.  The NFLPA lists his agent as Christopher Brantley of ASM Sports, but according to Brad Biggs of the National Football Post, Brantley is not an NFLPA certified advisor.  Thus, had LenDale not picked up Rosenhaus or another NFLPA certified advisor, he would have had to negotiate his next contract all by himself, which is something that most NFL players are not prepared to do (Daunte Culpepper and Ricky Williams are two of the few players who has attempted to negotiate their own deals).

ASM Sports is known for its strong basketball client list that includes Chauncey Billups, Donyell Marshall, Marreese Speights, and dozens of other talented players.  Andy Miller is the popular name behind the company, but most likely you have also heard of VP Justin Zanik.  I cannot find any information regarding the company representing professional football players, which makes me wonder how LenDale connected with Brantley in the first place.

When Crabtree eventually signed with the San Francisco 49ers and held a press conference, Parker was nowhere to be found.  Perhaps it is because there is no way to justify such a long holdout when your client accepts an offer that was on the table months ago.

So the Crabtree saga is done…for now.  Time will tell if the 49ers wasted a 1st round pick or not.  But what about this Dez Bryant story?  You know, the Oklahoma State football player who was ruled ineligible for this past weekend’s game (and possibly the entire season) after lying to the NCAA about going to Deion Sanders’ house and training at his facility?  Yeah, he even wrote about it on his Facebook page.

Deion has been training players for the NFL through his company, Prime U.  Pushing cars looks like a big part of the program.

Okay so Dez Bryant gets busted for talking with Deion Sanders…where does Parker come into the picture?  As the Tulsa World reported,

[Deion] Sanders resides in the Dallas area and is associated with sports agent Eugene Parker. As an NFL player, Sanders was Parker’s client. [Dez] Bryant admitted to participating in a training session with Sanders at a Dallas-area gym and to having dinner at Sanders’ home.

Oy vey.  Are we looking too far into the connection, or is there credence to all of this?  Apparently Sanders had a strong hand in Crabtree’s holdout, so perhaps Deion is an intricate part of Parker’s arsenal.  Crabtree, like Bryant also worked out at Prime U.  For now, Parker’s name is not involved in the Dez Bryant issue; however, I am sure that the last thing the agent wants at this point is his name in the media because of any possible connection.  At least Sanders is going to bat for his former agent.

“Eugene has nothing to do with this,” Sanders said in a telephone interview. “Eugene don’t do that. He’s never been in this situation.”

Darren Heitner: You are coming close to 20 years of negotiating deals for NFL players. Which period in that long term was your most enjoyable, and why?

Jack Bechta: Probably 1993 through 1998. In ‘93 I had a 2nd-rounder (OL Todd Rucci), a 3rd-rounder (OL Earl Dotson), and a UFA (CB Curtis Buckley) who all went on to be very successful. That was my breakout year, and the next several years were fun because I had the business somewhat figured out. Rucci became a very close friend, and in that period I signed guys like Tim Dwight, Adam Treu and Todd Washington, all of which I grew very close to because my clientele was still small. A few of these guys would live with me in the off-season, and we would travel together to places like Tahoe, Australia and Mexico. Good times!

Darren Heitner: You have negotiated over 200 NFL Contracts. Which one or two were the most creative deals, what were the creative terms, and how did you go about placing those terms into the contract?

Jack Bechta: For Todd Rucci in 1993, he was one of the first players ever to have a voidable clause in his contract under the new CBA. Also, I once had a weight clause in Dotson’s contract. If he reported under 320, he would get $100k bonus. We used it to make a make up a gap. I told Earl the number was 315, so he made it every time.

Darren Heitner: You are one of the brave few agents who has the courage and time management skills to represent talent and blog about it. How do you manage the load?

Jack Bechta: It’s pretty easy, actually. I try to keep my blogs to about 500 words, and I just write about current events and things I know well once or twice a week. Writing has actually made me a better agent, because I now pay attention to every single piece of information in the blogosphere and on our site. I am more informed than I ever have been. I also like educating young people, players and parents on the inner workings of the industry. A lot of agents try to make this business mystical, and I try to demystify it and make it more professional.

Darren Heitner: What benefits do you and your clients get from your regular postings at NationalFootballPost.com?

Jack Bechta: I won’t use NFP as a tool to help myself or my clients. However, they will benefit by getting some national exposure when I write about them.

Darren Heitner: You played college football. How has that helped you relate to clients? Has it helped you in your representation of athletes?

Jack Bechta: I understand what it’s like to go to camp, stay in shape, get hurt, get concussions, get a job, lose a job and be a rookie and a vet. A coach once told me there are football players, and there is the rest of the world. I feel I am in a unique fraternity. Although I played at small Texas A&M, we were big on football pedigree. We had 3 to 5 guys go pro the years I was there, including Hall of Famer Darrell Green. Gene Upshaw was an alum and visited a few times. Basically, it helps me tremendously. I can talk the language, and I am never starstruck.

Darren Heitner: How bad is client stealing amongst NFLPA certified agents? What can be done to curb the practice of client stealing?

Jack Bechta: It’s pretty bad. When a good player nears the doorstep of free agency, the wolves start to circle. So far the NFLPA has done very little to stop it. The problem is they need the player to turn in the wolf, and they won’t do it. I wrote a little bit about a client of mine who was approached by another agent in one of my NFP articles.

Darren Heitner: What’s your beef with Leigh Steinberg all about?

Jack Bechta: I don’t have a beef with Leigh. I actually respect him as a marketer, as he was the first agent to play to the media. However, I have little respect for the latter part of his career because I know some things that are downright disgusting relating to his behavior as a person and an agent. To this date I believe the rookie deal he did for Bledsoe in 1993 exponentially set the stage for rookie contracts today. Unfortunately, i know too much. I am rooting for him, though, to over come his addiction problems, especially since my father was an alcoholic. He’s a pioneer, and I wish him well, but I also tell it like it is.

Darren Heitner: How many years were you in this business before you started earning a profit? What kind of expenses go into being an agent?

Jack Bechta: It took me about 5 years to become a full-time agent. But things were different then. We didn’t have to pay for training, room and board, so my business has always been profitable. A beginning agent will need about $100k to get started.

Darren Heitner: I could not help but notice that you list your high school G.P.A. and class rank on your company website. What’s that all about?

Jack Bechta: I’m not sure, actually. I like to let people know what part of the country I am from. I treat my website like a resume, and college football players are only 4 or 5 years removed from high school, so they can relate. You can never give too much info about yourself – people want to know who you are.

Darren Heitner: What advice would you give to those in their early twenties who want to break into this industry?

Jack Bechta: The #1 rule is: Don’t be naive. This is the most competitive business on the planet. If you want to hear more of my thoughts on this topic, I’ve actually written quite a few posts over at NFP. “Cracking the Agent Business”, “Two Paths to Becoming an Agent”, and “Becoming an Agent Part Two”.

Darren Heitner: Anything else you would like to add for our readers?

Jack Bechta: The sports world can always use more hard working professionals who have the best interest of the players in mind!

Yesterday, Shonn Greene signed a 4-year deal with the New York Jets.  I am not a Jets fan and never followed the former Iowa RB closely, so why am I even bringing this up?  It’s because I also happened to come across an excellent post yesterday, concerning the structuring of NFL player contracts for those selected in Day 2 of the draft (rounds 3-7).  Shonn fits that category, as he was selected in the 3rd round of the 2009 NFL Draft, even though many expected the Doak Award Award winner to be off the boards a day earlier.

Anyway, Greene’s 4-year deal is unsurprising.  According to J.I. Halsell, who wrote the post linked to above, the Jets are one of twenty-five NFL teams who give their Day 2 draftees 4-year contracts.  The other seven teams, offer their Day 2 draft picks 3-year contracts.  It’s good to know which teams offer which types of contracts if you plan on representing any players who have a chance of going rounds 3-7.  Halsell notes the following teams as being the 3-year offerors: Arizona, Baltimore, Detroit, Kansas City, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, and Saint Louis.

Halsell goes on to talk about salary escalators in the last year of rookie contracts, and how they differ depending on if it is a 3-year or 4-year contract.  This is an area where the agent and team can negotiate terms.  Keep these things in mind as you start to see more and more Day 2 players signed to their respective teams.

Players that are accepted to the program partake in a three-month, paid internship gaining experience in areas like communications, membership services, legal, and information systems.  Sports marketing internships are also available through the union’s marketing and licensing arm, NFL PLAYERS.  The pros must go through the same application process that students normally go through to get internships, by submitting an application, resume, cover letter, getting recommendations, submitting a writing sample, and a providing a transcript.  The only qualification…candidates must have played at least one full season in the NFL and/or AFL.  Tom DePaso, current Associate General Counsel and a Regional Director at the NFLPA and former NFL linebacker, participated in the internship back in 1984.  Being his first off-the-field work experience, DePaso said that “I would not be where I am today without having had that experience.”

The internship program isn’t the only way that the NFLPA helps out retired players.  The union holds a career opportunity expo as part of the NFLPA Retired Players Convention in Palm Springs.  The most recent one had eight employers in attendance, including New York Life Insurance Company, Prudential, and The Corporate Playbook.  Retired players can network and find out about employment opportunities from the companies in attendance, as well as have on-site interviews in private areas the expo has provided.  This year’s expo marks the fifth year that this aspect of the convention has been held.

In addition to setting up conferences like the career opportunity expo, the union set up a NFL Player Job Board in 2008 as a resource for retired players to find jobs with employers specifically interested in hiring former professional football players.  New Executive Director DeMaurice Smith has taken a proactive role in aiding former players find jobs.  He recently sent a letter to over 1,000 retired players who own their own companies or work for corporations in Florida, Texas, and California asking for help in finding employment opportunities for other retired players by listing their companies on the job board.  According to the NFLPA website, over 50 retired players have already found jobs using the job board.

While other unions like the MLBPA and NBPA help retired players find post-playing employment, the NFLPA’s efforts are even more necessary as the average career length is about two years shorter.  Retired football players have several options and resources to explore.  Agencies like Darren’s Dynasty Athlete Representation offer post-career guidance for their clients, and players often turn to their agents for help and advice when it comes to finding a new job because they have hopefully formed a trusting relationship over the years.  But the NFLPA’s continuous effort to aid athletes after their playing days are over is a noteworthy action for its players.

Former New York Giants superstar, Michael Strahan, is set to co-star alongside Darryl Mitchell in the new comedy series, “Brothers”, which will debut as part of Fox’s new fall lineup.  Strahan will pretty much be playing himself…a former NFL player.  His character will be moving back into his mother’s home after his NFL career ended.  The show also features Carl Weathers, another former NFL player.  This won’t be the former defensive end’s first television experience.  In April he premiered as the new host of Spike TV’s Pros vs. Joes, and joined the team of the FOX NFL Sunday pregame show before last season.  In the past, he has appeared in commercials for Snickers and Right Guard.  He’s also made guest appearances on Mad Money with Jim Cramer, NBC’s Chuck, and Fox News’ Hannity.  Strahan is represented by Maury Gostfrand of Vision Sports Group, LLC.  The sports management and marketing agency specializes in helping athletes and coaches attain jobs in broadcasting, as well as other television and radio opportunities.  Other VSG clients include Kenny Smith, John Kruk and Hubert Davis.

Here is a clip of Strahan on Conan.

Glenn Whipp of the Los Angeles Times recently penned an article questioning where the old days of the NFL’s stars having a presence in Hollywood had gone.  He recalled that several decades ago many prominent players were able to form second careers as actors.  The first to really capitalize on this was Jim Brown, who appeared in the 1967 box office hit “The Dirty Dozen”.  For the next few decades NFLers brought their tough images, or ironic comedies of them, to the big screen.  The list included Bubba Smith, O.J. Simpson, Alex Karras, Howie Long, and many others.  Moving forward a few years, who can forget Brett Favre’s cameo in “There’s Something About Mary”, or L.T.’s appearances in “Any Given Sunday” and the “Sopranos”.  But my all-time favorite is Taylor telling kids not to do drugs in “The Waterboy”.

But I’m sure you’ve figure out by now that there was a business end to this.  Fred Williamson, who most recently appeared as the captain in “Starsky and Hutch”, noted that the economics of the game at that time pushed many players to find other sources of income:

“When we played, with the money you made, you’d better have another career handy.”

So how does this translate to today’s game?  Whipp professes that current players are earning millions of dollars, and have little reason to “moonlight” as actors during the off-season or in retirement.  I think he’s on to something here.  Besides the appearances of Michael Irvin and a few others in “Longest Yard”, I can’t remember the last time I saw an NFL player in a big film.  But the situation is less black and white than Whipp makes it out to be.  Star football players are still making their presence felt in Tinseltown, they are just exploring new avenues.  Rather than the Hollywood scene being completely quiet for athletes, I think TV may be the savior for NFLers looking to extend their brand or earn a little extra cash.  Smith’s and Sapp’s short-lived dancing careers were nothing to scoff at.  I’m sure they got a hefty check for their services.  Moreover, these types of shows will continue to produce new seasons, and recruit more athletes as long as they keep up their ratings.

The answer may be a slotting system, but as NFLPA President Kevin Mawae states, if the players give in on a slotting system, the owners better be giving something back in return. The other major issue I see comes in the debate over what percentage of overall revenue the players should be entitled to. NFL players currently receive roughly 60%, amounting to a total of $4.5 billion each year, leaving owners about $4 billion. Mawae says that no matter what the issues are, the players remain united around Gene Upshaw (has the disunity subsided?).

Some other issues that are being discussed include: G-3 funding for stadiums, better benefits, easier access to treatment for retirees, pensions, bigger salaries, and guaranteed contracts. To be honest, I have always wondered how the owners get away with giving players these fake contracts that have little to no guarantee. Sure, football is a dangerous sport full of major contact on the human body, but shouldn’t that actually play as a strong point for guaranteeing a contract? If a player is going to give his all every Sunday, should he not be compensated for putting his life or future ability to walk in danger? Why do baseball and basketball players have their salaries guaranteed but football players struggle to get a small portion of their contract deemed as “guaranteed money”?

Most likely, the retirement and pension issue will get pushed to the side like it always is, in favor of talking about the sexy issues of revenue sharing and rookie slotting. There are many, including Leigh Steinberg, who will be upset if the NFLPA and the owners push the topic to the back of their agenda.

The workout agreement, which is individually negotiated with the NFL club, provides that if the player sustains an injury in the minicamp he will be covered as if he was injured while performing under an NFL player contract, including the right to medical care and a salary guarantee for injury.

This makes common sense to me if you are a player who got selected in the first or second round and the team is committed to making you a part of its future. But what about an undrafted free agent who is just trying to get a look? In that case, he does not have any bargaining power and demanding a workout agreement may make a team hesitate in giving him a legitimate shot. Obviously, if you can get your rookie client into a minicamp with a workout agreement, you and your boy are better off. Always think about the worst possible scenario playing out and protect your client accordingly.

Choosing an agent, players say, can be difficult because, as former CU guard Brian Daniels of the Minnesota Vikings warned, “They’re all going to tell you what you want to hear.” – Denver Post

[Paul] Lawrence, who lives in Everett, is an agent for Maximum Sports Management in Indiana, and eight players slotted to be picked in the first two rounds Saturday are MSM clients. “I’m almost excited as they are,” said Lawrence, whose agency represents five players expected to go in the first round alone. “These are like my little brothers now. I know what the critics were saying about them and all that they’ve gone through.” - The Daily Herald

“There’s a conflict of interest at the top of the draft,” says Scott Wright, a long-time draft follower who runs the website www.drafthistory.com. Wright’s ire is focused on CAA Sports, which represents three players projected to go in the top eight or nine picks. According to the NFL Players Association, 23 separate agencies represented the first-round class in 2000. By 2007, that number was reduced by just one. This year, though, the number shrunk to just 18 agencies representing the 32 players projected to go in the first round by Scouts, Inc. - Forbes

Drew Rosenhaus begs the Bengals to Free Chad Johnson through a YouTube video. Is this smart to do right before you start talking to teams about your current draft eligible players? Is it ever a smart thing to do? I gotta hand it to Drew, though. He has quite a nice South Florida tan going on.

By the way, with the NBA Playoffs, NHL Playoffs, and NFL Draft all occurring at the same time, it’s easy to forget about other things in life, like your momma! If you still have not purchased a gift for Mothers’ Day, you better get on it. Here is a link to Amazon’s catalog of gifts.