The end of the 2009 NFL season will allow a number of solid football players to hit the open market. Usually, in the last year of players’ contracts, that player will play hard and put forth a great deal of effort in order to receive a substantial contract the following year. This year, however, some of the big names in the league are not showing teams that they are worth big pay days.

PFTV reported on Braylon Edwards‘ sloppy season and how his year has fallen apart five weeks in. Other players such as Shawne Merriman, Demarcus Ware, and Terrell Owens are having pretty sub-par seasons so far.

After the Brady Quinn failure in Cleveland, Braylon Edwards hoped that Derek Anderson would hit him with some passes……fail. Then, as if his 0 catch game against the Bengals was bad enough, he allegedly punched LeBron James’ friend after the game at around 2:30 AM (this case is still being looked at). Let’s see if he can earn a big pay check using Mark Sanchez’s arm.

Merriman’s troubles started with his injury last year; after returning and looking forward to a promising season, he was arrested on domestic violence charges (this case was tossed). In my eyes, Merriman is still a solid football player – he is only 25 and has a lot of years ahead of him if he can rehab properly. However, his 8 total tackles in 4 weeks has failed to prove me right.

You can blame Terrell Owens’ mediocre season on Trent Edwards (otherwise known as Captain Checkdown), or you can blame it on Buffalo’s solid running game this season, or you can blame it on whatever you’d like. With 8 receptions for 158 yards and 1 touchdown, T.O. has not impressed me this season and to be honest, I have no clue where he could end up next season.

Demarcus Ware has only 16 tackles and 1 forced fumble so far this season. Not horrible, but not good for someone looking to score big in the “cha-ching” department. Manny Lawson of the 49ers has 23 tackles so far and Patrick Willis has 37 tackles, 2.5 sacks and 2 interceptions (Willis is a MLB, though).

It’s all about performing in the NFL. If these guys don’t clean up their acts and get their heads in the game, they will be left with less cash than guys like Derrick Mason, Ronnie Brown, Pierre Thomas and Darren Sharper, who are all playing exceptionally well.

My colleague Douglas Sanders with The Sports Link introduced me to the new service, which strives to make it easier for athletes to connect with their fans by providing “text only once, but update fans everywhere” convenience.  If an athlete sends a text message to MogoTXT, MogoTXT can automatically forward that message to the athlete’s fans on MogoTXT, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and all other websites.

Terrell Owens, Shane Battier, Chris “Beanie” Wells, Santonio Holmes, Jordan Farmar, and even Mr. Holdout, Michael Crabtree, are on board, along with many more athletes and rising journalists.  Some entities use the service more than others.  T.O. is updating the world on his life almost every second of the day…Beanie Wells, not so much.

In addition to providing ease and convenience to athletes, MogoTXT is able to aggregate the fans of an athlete that are located on several different websites into a single large audience to enable the athlete to achieve critical mass much faster for purposes of fan relations, marketing, advertising, etc.  The theory is that the service will empower athletes and their agents to strike better endorsement deals by enhancing athletes’ reach and providing marketing data.

MogoTXT can also facilitate revenue generation for athletes and their selected charities by working with athletes and their agents to feature desirable ads and clickable links to additional content and ads at the bottom of the athletes’ text messages before these messages are displayed on MogoTXT and also distributed to fans on all of the major social networks.

And for the Yao Mings and Kobe Bryants with huge international appeal, MogoTXT can also translate the messages into foreign languages on a near real-time basis.

Best of all, the service is free for its clients and their fans.

Football

• From $20k per year to $2 mil per year…quite a jump…especially when Starter is the endorser [Cowboys QB Tony Romo signs apparel endorsement deal].
• Name that sticks out to me: Alex Smith [NFL - Highest Player Salary Cap Numbers For 2008 Season - Top 25].
• Gain an endorsement and get to call yourself Chief Mayhem Officer at the same time?  Win-win situation [T.O. Is Chief Mayhem Officer].

Basketball

• A new Carnival of the NBA has been released.  Our story on Joel Bell and Michael Beasley is included [Carnival #60: The Brotherhood of the Traveling Blogs].
• A former Gator gets his contribution on [Gift from NBA's Mike Miller makes magazine list].
• Good times to represent a point guard [Points Made: Point Guards Today Can Dish and Swish].

Olympics

• Speedo took down a giant [Nike Pulls Out of Olympic Swimwear Battle].

Soccer

• An interview with our boy, Max Eppel [Agent Talks Soccer In America].

Baseball

• My hometown’s fans really need to start showing some support [Marlins rank last in attendance … again].
• You think the Marlins have anything to do with this? [MLB Will Pull in $6.4 Billion in 2008]

Johnson recently commented that he wants to be traded and is unhappy with QB Carson Palmer.  It all started a couple years ago when Ocho Cinco attempted to restructure his contract.  Since then, he has constantly complained to the Bengals organization and has even mentioned being traded several times.  He has tried the Rosenhaus tactic of holding out and not showing to training camp, as Vinson recently discussed.  He threatened to remain on the sideline this season, and then came down with a sprained ankle right as camp started.  Johnson stopped complaining for a day, showed up to camp, and the Bengals said they would “talk” to him about his contract at the end of this year.  Great move by the Bengals to shut Chad up for this season, or at least shut him up regarding contractual issues for the time being.

After all the bickering and talking by Chad Johnson, are the Bengals finally ready to deal him to another team?  T.O. had a similar problem and image as Johnson does now, but in Dallas, he has shut-up and we have seen a different side of Owens.  Rosenhaus and Owens have taken a different route and attempted to be less vocal (at least less vocal for T.O.).  Owens appears to be a changed man in Dallas.

Terrell Owens used to have this “badboy” image in the media.  Since signing with Dallas, T.O. has toned down his comments and pre-season antics and demands.  He has not stopped his on-the-field antics and still mimics Chad Johnson’s behavior after scoring touchdowns; however, T.O. has not been as vocal off the field.  T.O. even pulled a Jerry Maguire and started crying last year, when he was questioned about “his quarterback”, Tony Romo.  Has Owens gone soft since entering the heat of Dallas or is he getting smarter and shutting up?  Is this a new strategy by Rosenhaus for his clients?

Looking at other players who have piped up, we see that this caused a different reaction in the clubhouse than Johnson’s outspoken style.  Players such as Jeremy Shockey and Jason Taylor have both been traded this pre-season after asking to be traded and talking to the media about being unhappy.  Oddly enough, Shockey is another Rosenhaus Sports Representation client.

Rosenhaus made the hold out scenario famous, and he still is advising his players that holding out is not necessarily a bad tactic.  Although Drew appears to have changed his ways with the media and is not as vocal with the press, he still is getting the job done.  He is now dealing with managers and team officials before going to the media and has showed his clients the green lately.  But why is this not working with Chad Johnson?  Does he talk to the media too much?

Maybe it is time Drew talks to Chad and gives him the speech that Jerry Maguire gave Mr. Tidwell.  If Rosenhaus won’t tell Johnson to shut it for a while and just play, maybe the mutual agreement between the two parties (reviewing Ocho Cinco’s contract after the season) will get the hint across.  Johnson came back from his ankle surgery to practice for the first time on Monday.  Perhaps we will now see a less Chaddy side of Johnson.

• Agents should start making sure their clients are financially responsible [Why Athletes go broke?].
• Danilo Gallinari may want to stick in Italy if he thinks that NY and NJ are full of nice people [Jersey Or Bust].
• The Yankees are not afraid of Boras [Yankees Tap Agent Scott Boras’ Talent Pool In MLB Draft].
• 23rd overall pick, Allan Dykstra, accepted a $1.4 million signing bonus [Padres Agree To Terms With Thier Top Draft Pick, Plan Spending Spree In Dominican].
• T.O. is willing to pay the $769,120 he owes to the Eagles in cash…or even pennies [Terrell Owens to repay Eagles].
• Plaxico thinks he’s undervalued [Unhappy with deal, Burress refuses to practice; Shockey shows up].
• While one Will Smith is hoping to make some good money from Hancock the other Smith has secured himself at least $26 million over the next six years [Smith will receive $26 million guaranteed in new deal with Saints].
• Once Calvin Johnson’s NFL career is up, the PBA will be calling [Johnson rolls in tournament].
• It enhances sex, sports, and soon it will be found to increase your SAT score [Why Viagra is a great workout partner for athletes].

• SBJ loves itself some Octagon [Octagon Named 'Sports Agency of the Year' by Sports Business Journal].
• Busy week for D-Mac…he was out house hunting while his agent secured him $26 million guaranteed [McFadden agrees to six-year, $60 million deal with Raiders].
• Seems like the Cowboys got T.O. at a bargain price [Cowboys give Owens new 4-year, $34 million deal].
• The Bengals locked up a rare diamond in their large rough [Big deal for Big Willie means more than big money].
• WMG’s 2008 NBA roster is starting to look straight-up scary [Augustin hires agent].
• O.J. Mayo expected to sign with Leon Rose next week [Word on the Street: Workouts, Trade Rumors Heat Up].
• Kevin Love is already thinking 401(k)s [The Love of Money].
• Tiger Woods is really, really, really wealthy [SI.com - The Fortunate 50].
• She’s hot, and her wrist is now icy [Ivanovic Signs With Rolex].
• It’s too bad I don’t own Deadspin.com [Top 50 Most Valuable Sports Social Networks According to dnScoop].
• Paul DePodesta has a blog…if you read Moneyball, you know exactly who I am talking about [It Might Be Dangerous... You Go First].

What happens when an agent misses the deadline? In some cases, it may cost the agent his job with that particular client and may mark that agent as one to stay away from for many potential future clients. In this business, one has to be flawless, because there are so many other options for players to choose from.

Take for instance, David Joseph, former agent of superstar and current Dallas Cowboy, Terrell Owens. In 2004, Joseph did not file with the NFL by the free agent declaration deadline, which meant that Terrell Owens, by rule, would not be allowed to be a free agent in the ensuing year and would still belong to the San Fransisco 49ers (even though T.O. did not wish for such a situation). The problem eventually was solved, with the Baltimore Ravens losing out on obtaining T.O., but Terrell Owens finding a new home in Philadelphia. David Joseph, on the other hand, was left without his superstar athlete as T.O. turned to Mr. Ruthless (Drew Rosenhaus).

Poor David Joseph. Not everyone gets to be named “Tool of the Week.”

But miraculously, T.O.’s case is not isolated, as the agent for Dennis Northcutt made the same error in the same year! Still wondering why there are more registered agents than there are football players and why many of them represent 0 clients? Take advantage of the fact that many people become registered agents and poorly represent their clients. Do not be one of those people to forget an important deadline that greatly influences one of your clients.