Bleacher Report - Articles by Darren Heitner

Who Wouldn't Sponsor the Super Bowl MVP?

Darren Heitner — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 11:00:39 -0500

The answer to that question gets a little bit blurry when you start talking about the newly crowned Super Bowl XLIII MVP, Santonio Holmes. Sports Business Daily reported that Holmes’ history, which is marked by several criminal incidences, may make it difficult for sponsors to get behind the Pittsburgh Steeler WR.

Here is a brief re-cap of Santonio’s legal problems since being drafted. In May 2006, Holmes was arrested for disorderly conduct in Miami, but the charges were later dropped. The following month, he was arrested in Columbus, OH, for domestic violence and assault. The charges were later dropped in this case as well.

Then his record remained quiet for two years, until Holmes was arrested for possession of marijuana in October 2008. Even with these blemishes on his rap sheet, Holmes has come a long way from being the teenager who sold drugs in Belle Glade, FL.

I think the star receiver is making a legitimate attempt to clean up his image. A Los Angeles Times article from Tuesday noted that Holmes’ goal is to become a better example for the kids that now look up to him.

Holmes is represented by Joel Segal, President of BEST’s football division. I’m sure Segal is up to the task of figuring out how to handle this sticky situation. He was able to overcome the bad press Reggie Bush received after the accusation that he and his family had taken gifts during his tenure at USC, surfaced in the week leading up to the NFL Draft.

Besides, Holmes wouldn’t be the first troublesome athlete that sponsors invested in. Just look at this week’s news and you’ll see that most of Michael Phelps’ sponsors are still backing him even after photos surfaced of the Olympic star smoking marijuana.

As far as I’m concerned football is America’s sport, and Santonio Holmes just earned one of the most coveted awards in the game. I’m confident that some companies will jump at the chance to sponsor the MVP.

The NFL Combine Is Exactly Two Weeks Away

Darren Heitner — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 10:00:02 -0500

Rulon Davis has been invited, Kevin Grant has not. We are happy that Rulon will have another chance to blow away coaches and scouts, as he did at the Texas vs. The Nation game.

We are also not disappointed about Grant, since all signs from his training facility point to him blowing away scouts at the Akron Pro Day, and his trainers have nothing but amazing things to say about Grant’s character.

But onto NFL Combine talk…

The NFL has released its official 2009 NFL Scouting Combine Schedule and List of Players invited. Rulon is in Group Seven, which does not officially report until Feb. 20. Kevin was left out of a very small pool of invited linebackers.

Only 27 linebackers, total, were invited. Of those 27 LBs, a mere 13 of them are ILBs like Grant. Many of the men invited as ILBs have no chance of replicating or beating the numbers Grant is going to put up at his Pro Day.

If you want to apply for Media Credentials for the Combine, click here. I won’t be at the show, but there is always next year! Who do you think will be the Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie of this year’s combine?

Unfortunate News From CBA Headquarters

Darren Heitner — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 14:00:23 -0500

The Continental Basketball Association employs many talented athletes and coaches, and has provided an excellent venue for athletes to show their skill before making a jump to the D-League or overseas for over fifty years.

At the end of 2008, I heard a rumor that the CBA was thinking about folding after not finding enough funding to finance its teams. That worry was eventually put aside, and the 2008-09 season began, with Dynasty clients on a few of the rosters. Yesterday, a press release from the CBA affirmed what many of us feared back in 2008. The CBA needs resuscitation and may be gone for good.

ALBANY, NY (February 2, 2009) – The Continental Basketball Association today announced that they have abbreviated the remainder of the 2008-09 season. The regular season will conclude on February 3. The CBA will then hold a three-game series in Albany with the top two teams in the league standings facing off, the Albany Patroons and the Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry, to determine the 2008-09 CBA Champion.

The CBA Finals will start on Thursday, February 5 with Game 1. Game 2 will take place on Saturday, February 7 and if necessary, Game 3 will be on Sunday, February 8. All games will take place in Albany at the Washington Avenue Armory. Game time for all three games is 7:00 PM EST.

“Due to the ever increasing problems with the economy, the CBA has decided to abbreviate the remainder of the regular season,” stated CBA Commissioner Dennis Truax. “This is the best course of action for the CBA to take at this time. The economy has affected us all and we are now directly seeing the fallout from that. We will be holding an owners meeting during the finals as we look to restructure the CBA and come back next season stronger than ever.”

I thought sports were immune to a struggling economy? Not so much.

This is very disappointing news for my company and many other players and coaches employed by the CBA. In a matter of months, two large “minor leagues” have folded with an ounce of hope that they will return in the future. The Arena Football League and the Continental Basketball Association will be missed this year. Will they ever return?

The Struggling Economy and Its Effect on Free-Agent Signings

Darren Heitner — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:00:35 -0500

Buster Olney of ESPN reported that,

“There is a growing feeling within the industry that the nation’s economic struggles are going to have a major impact on the decisions of some teams. Some executives and agents believe a lot of teams might shy away from long-term obligations knowing that the disposable income of many of their fans might disappear—and disposable income is what the baseball industry relies upon. More clubs may be apt to cut payroll or hold their budgets in place, rather than spend, because of the fiscal uncertainty. Some executives and agents talk about the upcoming off-season and increasingly sound as if they are coastal residents preparing to batten down for an economic hurricane.”

When all is said and done, the current economic climate and its affect on professional sports might be the biggest sports story of the year. While the current recession has not affected the New York Yankees, who spent considerable money on free agents C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Mark Teixeira, it clearly has influenced the decision of other organizations to sign big name free agents.

Take for example Bobby Abreu. Abreu was looking for a contract somewhere in the ballpark of three years at $15 to $16 million per year. Yet Abreu remains unsigned and it appears that he is looking at offers in the range of one to two years at $8 to $10 million per year.

Several other big names such as Adam Dunn, Ben Sheets, Orlando Cabrera, Pedro Martinez, Manny Ramirez, and Jim Edmonds remain unsigned. Teams are hesitant in the current economic climate to spend millions of dollars on players who are past their prime or injury prone.

Even players like Andy Pettitte and Jason Varitek, who initially turned down offers from the Yankees and Red Sox to look for more money, appear to have no other options out there. They will be forced to return to their former teams for a lower salary or to retire (Pettitte has already signed).

It will be interesting to see how this story plays out in 2009. A number of free agents may have to take significant pay cuts or sit out the upcoming season.

It will also be interesting to see how the economic climate affects attendance figures. While the big market teams such as the Yankees, Red Sox and Dodgers should have no problem selling tickets, will fans in Pittsburgh or Kansas City want to spend their hard earned money to watch mediocre teams?

To Sign or Not to Sign, That Is the Question

Darren Heitner — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 10:00:48 -0500

National signing day for football is quickly approaching.

Most top high school players will sign the National Letter of Intent (NLI), a voluntary program now administered by the NCAA, without question.

Marc Isenberg has been arguing that the NLI should either be abolished or rewritten and has put together a piece for SportsAgentBlog.com, seen below.

National Signing Day has become a national holiday for college football coaches, players and especially fans. Recruiting is big business as hope springs eternal. Finally, the process ends and the celebration begins. But first athletes must sign the National Letter of Intent, a horribly one-sided agreement that binds player to the school.

Most top high school players will sign the National Letter of Intent (NLI) without question. After all, this is what to athletes do on National Signing Day. They don’t read the fine print. They don’t consult attorneys. They just sign on the dotted line, put on the school cap and smile for the cameras. I have argued that the NLI should either be abolished or, at the least, rewritten.

Background of the National Letter of Intent

The National Letter of Intent (NLI) is an agreement that heavily favors athletic departments over recruits. Many lawyers believe the NLI is what can legally be defined as a “contract of adhesion,” which is “a standard-form contract prepared by one party, to be signed by the party in a weaker position…who adheres to the contract with little choice about the terms.”

Technically, the NLI is a voluntary program, but unless an athlete is a superstar, he or she does not have market power to dictate terms of enrollment. Sign on the dotted line or risk losing the scholarship offer.

The NLI program was founded in 1964. From 1995 through 2006, it was administered by the Southeastern Conference. From the NLI’s website: “From 1964 to 1973, the NLI rules were very specific, with little flexibility provided to meet the needs of a particular sport…student-athletes failing to fulfill the obligations of an NLI were charged with the loss of two seasons of eligibility in all sports, and few appeals to the rules were ever considered.”

From the athlete’s perspective, the NLI is a bad deal today. And 35 years ago it was even worse.

An interesting dimension of the NLI is the fact that it is written in first-person singular (”I understand that if I do not attend the institution named in this document for one full academic year…I may not represent the latter institution in intercollegiate athletics competition until I have completed one full academic year in residence at the latter institution…”).

First person seems odd because this document was crafted by-and clearly represents the interests of-athletic directors and coaches, rather than the athletes who must abide by the NLI’s onerous terms, even if they later have misgivings or outright regret about their decision to sign it.

In 2001, Dan Wetzel of Yahoo! Sports, then writing for CBS Sportsline, provided an excellent analysis of the NLI. As Wetzel writes, “What is thought to be guaranteed really isn’t. What people believe it represents, it doesn’t. What is meant to be a celebration, should really be a final chance for someone to closely read it.” Sandy Atkins, then assistant director of the NLI, told Wetzel, ”The prospective student-athlete does not have to sign the NLI. The prospective student-athlete chooses to sign it.”

That’s nice—blame the victim.

The notion that the NLI program is voluntary is an absolute crock. It is “voluntary” for only the cream of the recruiting crop. In 2007, the NCAA took over administration of the NLI. Certainly, the more “student-athlete friendly” NCAA would bring the NLI into the 21st Century.

But Dr. Brand, talking like a commissioner representing a group of professional sports owners, said, “We’re just there to reconcile the books. We send out the letters, we collect the information and we turn it over to the schools. So we’re doing the paperwork, we’re not running it.” When it comes to the NCAA, the buck
stops nowhere.

Sports Illustrated writer and CBS college basketball studio analyst Seth Davis also rails against the NLI. He writes:

"When you inform your future employer, they say they are thrilled. Then they ask you to sign a contract. You are told that you will not be able to negotiate, even if you find the provisions overly restrictive. Nor has the document been collectively bargained by a union to which you belong. What’s more, this contract is completely voluntary — you can still have the job even if you don’t sign it.

"But if you sign and something big changes (say, your company gets into legal trouble or the boss you
thought you were going to work for leaves), you can’t get out of the deal unless the company wants to let you out of it. Would you sign? Of course you wouldn’t."

The NLI guarantees a player a grant-in-aid (athletic scholarship), but provides athletic departments with the ability to wiggle out of their commitment (the NLI is subject to the athlete being admitted into the university). Provision No. 19 of the NLI states that players agree they are signing with the school, not the individual sports program, even if the actual recruiting often reflects the opposite.

It is always hoped that athletes factor the school into their decisions, but every dollar-or thousand-an athletic department invests to sign a player signals just the opposite.

Some suggest schools are providing more releases today than in the past, especially after a coaching change occurs. However, for players who want out of the NLI, they remain at the mercy of the school and the new coach. Wetzel’s article quotes several experts. Michael Lee, a partner at Amberg, Firestone & Lee, a firm specializing in the union side of labor law, says this about the NLI:

“A contract is usually, ‘I give you something, you give me something,’ If there is not mutual consideration, it cannot be a contract. In this case, the individual student doesn’t get anything. This is essentially a one-sided pledge…

"[The NLI is] an example of when two parties of extremely unequal bargaining power, which happens between a major public university and a high school kid, come together. The powerful side often takes advantage of the situation.”

Top basketball and baseball agent Arn Tellem:

“Clearly, this is a one-sided document in favor of the institutions. It requires a one-way commitment from the player and not a mutual commitment from the school. There is no commitment to even admit the player to the school.”

Dan Wetzel concluded, “The basic advice for any student or parent about to sign a NLI is to be cautious and to contact the school and explore other options, including retaining an attorney to draft your agreement between recruit and school.”

In reality, one athlete will not change the system. We need dozens of athletes, parents and the media talking about it. Better yet, we need top college prospects to threaten to not sign the Letter…at least not in its current form.

If I had the opportunity to negotiate on behalf of student-athletes, here’s what I would ask to change:

Get rid of the first-person singular. This is an agreement between two parties with obligations on both sides. It should not be called the National Letter of Intent, but something like the National Student-Athlete Agreement.
If a player wants to sign with a particular school, he can make his commitment subject to two coaches that he designates remaining on staff for his freshman year (e.g., the head coach and the coach most responsible for his recruitment).
If a player decides he or she wants to attend another institution due to a coaching change, he may do so without strings attached (e.g., a release stipulating that a player may not attend a specific school).
If a player is offered a scholarship, but is subsequently not admitted as a student, that program would lose a scholarship for one year. The program would also be required to donate the cost of that lost scholarship to the school’s general scholarship fund earmarked for truly deserving students. (Wouldn’t that make coaches think twice about offering a scholarship to an at-risk student?)
If a player who signed an NLI is found guilty of a felony crime, the athletic department and school make revoke the scholarship without penalty.

What do you think? Let me know.

Marc Isenberg, an advocate for athletes, is the author of “Money Players: A Guide to Success in Sports, Business & Life for Current and Future Pro Athletes.” He also writes the MoneyPlayersBlog.com. He can be reached at marc.isenberg@gmail.com

Dynasty Grows to Seven Baseball Clients, Two in Mariners Organization

Darren Heitner — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 09:00:39 -0500

For Immediate Release

Dynasty Grows to Seven Baseball Clients, with Two in the Mariners Organization

Gainesville, FL—[Feb. 3, 2009], Dynasty Athlete Representation, LLC is proud to announce the expansion of its Baseball Division to seven signed clients with the addition of Nick Czyz. Czyz was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in 2008 and just finished his first season with the Pulaski Mariners.

Czyz had a very impressive first year within the Seattle Mariners organization. Besides leading his team to a division championship in the Appalachian League, Czyz was named MVP of Pulaski’s starting pitching staff by Scott Sepich of Scout.com. In 14 games and 57.1 innings of work, Czyz had a 6-5 record and struck out 54 batters.

Czyz went to high school at Blue Valley West in his hometown of Overland Park, KS, before accepting a scholarship to the University of Kansas.

One of the most memorable moments in his young baseball career came in his freshman year, when he started in the Big XII Tournament championship and picked up the win.

Even though Czyz has experienced a ton of success on the field, he is committed to being an educated person outside of baseball. He is currently finishing up his college degree in Economics with a minor in Business.

All of us at Dynasty welcome Czyz to the family.

Contact:
Darren Heitner, CEO
Dynasty Athlete Representation, LLC
954-558-6999
dheitner@dynastyreps.com

2/2/09 News & Notes

Darren Heitner — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 15:00:35 -0500

Bowling

Norm Duke and teammate Liz Johnson won the Don and Paula Carter Mixed Doubles Championship in dominating fashion. Duke called his 31st career Professional Bowlers Association title “the easiest I’ve ever won” and that was because he and partner Liz Johnson were nearly perfect in running away with the Don and Paula Carter Mixed Doubles Championship at the National Bowling Stadium.

Johnson, the first and only woman to advance to the title match in a Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour event, and Duke defeated Jennifer Petrick of Canton, Ohio, and Steve Harman of Indianapolis, 274-180, in the title match to split the $50,000 first prize.

See the full article here: http://www.pba.com/news/feature.asp?ID=1121

1/31/09

No. 8 Marquette (Scott Monarch) (19-2) vs. No. 23 Georgetown

Having taken down yet another of the Big East’s big names, No. 8 Marquette goes into February undefeated in the conference and oozing confidence. The Golden Eagles used a second-half surge to put away Georgetown (No. 23 ESPN/USA Today, No. 25 AP) 94-82 on Saturday—the fifth straight loss for the reeling Hoyas.

The victory leaves Marquette (19-2, 8-0), tied for the conference lead with No. 7 Louisville. Jerel McNeal scored 26 points in perhaps his most complete game of the season, adding 11 assists, six rebounds, five steals and three blocks while committing only three turnovers.

Tennessee Tech (Steve Payne) (11-10) vs. Southeast Missouri (Rodney Hamilton) (3-20)

Daniel Northern had a career high 27 points and a career-tying 18 rebounds to lead Tennessee Tech to a 91-75 win over Southeast Missouri on Saturday. Kevin Murphy also had a career high with 16 points for Tennessee Tech (11-10, 5-6 Ohio Valley), with Frank Davis adding 15 points and Alfred Jones 11 for the Golden Eagles. Kenard Moore scored 21 for Southeast Missouri (3-20, 0-12), Jaycen Herring had 17 and Calvin Williams had 12 points and 11 rebounds.

The Golden Eagles led 11-1 four minutes into the game but went into halftime up by only four, 35-31. Tennessee Tech took command in the first five minutes of the second half by outscoring the Redhawks 23-6 to take its largest lead at 58-37. Tennessee Tech shot 72 percent from the field in the second half.

Louisiana-Lafayette (Robert Lee) (7-14) vs. Florida Atlantic

Florida Atlantic held Louisiana-Lafayette without a double-figure scorer in a 63-47 win on Saturday night, the Owls’ first Sun Belt Conference win of the season. The Owls shot just 39.5 percent from the field (17 of 43) in the win, but the Ragin’ Cajuns (7-14, 4-6) hit 26.9 percent (18 of 67).

Florida Atlantic also hit 25 free throws versus nine for the Ragin’ Cajuns, along with going 4-for-8 from beyond the arc. Louisiana-Lafayette hit just 2 of 38 from three-point range. Louisiana-Lafayette’s Travis Bureau, who came in shooting 41.9 percent from beyond the arc, made just one of his 10 attempts from long range.

Savannah State (Horace Broadnax) (11-11) vs. North Carolina Central (Henry Dickerson) (2-22)

Chris Linton scored 13 points and Savannah State picked up its first road win of the season with a 67-51 victory over North Carolina Central on Saturday night. The Tigers (11-11) won for the first time in 11 games away from home and sent the Eagles (2-22) to their fifth consecutive loss. Savannah State led 29-28 at halftime, but outscored North Carolina Central 38-23 in the second half, going 14 of 24 from the field (58.3 percent).

The Tigers scored 20 of the first 24 points in the second half for a 48-33 lead with 10:17 remaining in the game. Savannah State outrebounded the Eagles 38-18. Jovonni Shuler added 12 points and Arnold Louis scored 11 points and had nine rebounds for Savannah State. Linton also added eight rebounds. Jamar Briscoe led North Carolina Central with 28 points.

Your Thoughts on WAMMA

Darren Heitner — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 14:00:37 -0500

The World Alliance of Mixed-Martial Arts (”WAMMA”) describes itself as “a multifaceted, fan and fighter-forward organization dedicated to promoting the integrity, legitimacy and longevity of Mixed Martial Arts.” [WAMMA's Mission Statement]

They use the phrase “One Belt, One King” to demonstrate the sport of MMA needs one organizing body to rank fighters across promotions (UFC, Affliction, etc.) so the world can know who the real champion is in a given weight class.

So far, the UFC is not playing along, and with no UFC participation, many wonder whether WAMMA can achieve its lofty goals. I’ll be interviewing the legendary Pat Miletich later this week and we’ll talk about WAMMA, these poll results (the poll is below), and many other things. Pat is listed as WAMMA’s Vice President of Fighter & Promoter Relations and he can still kick your ass.

Dokic Strikes It Rich

Darren Heitner — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 13:00:44 -0500

In my previous post, I pointed out that a great showing at a tennis Grand Slam can set you up for the rest of the year. In Jelena Dokic’s case, her quarterfinal showing at the Australian Open may well lead to her an assortment of riches.

In 2002, Jelena was at the top of her game, capturing two titles to add to the three she won the year before. However, by 2003, she was out of the top-100 and was on the verge of quitting the game.

She split from her coach and father Damir around that time, and the strain of the split took its toll on Dokic as she slid down the rankings. Defiant, she decided to return to Australia to resurrect her tennis career. Tennis Australia welcomed her back with open arms and was determined to help her climb back up the rankings.

Despite some mixed results early, Jelena won her way through to the 2009 Australian Open via a playoff. She entered the tournament ranked 187, climbing from the depths of women's tennis. She got no freebies or wild-cards as she earned the right to compete in tournaments she used to dominate.

Dokic powered her way over several high seeds before being narrowly defeated by finalist Dinara Safina. The Dokic-Safina match was the most watched women’s match in Australian Open history, as she captured the attention and hearts of her home fans.

Which leads to the next chapter of her life.

Jelena will re-enter the top-100 after collecting $182,500 for her finish. She was due to enter a $25,000 tournament in Country Victoria but has withdrawn in pursuit of bigger and better things.

Her agency, IMG, has fielded an abundance of offers from companies wanting to form a partnership with Dokic. Prior to the Open, Dokic had no clothes or racket sponsor, with Fila chipping in some free clothes for her to wear despite her contract with them ending in 2003.

Jelena has already added one company to her name, with discount airline Jetstar signing her to a 3 year, $1 million deal. Despite her run only ending last week, she is already appearing in TV ads for the company and will receive free flights.

As for that illustrious clothing sponsor, SFX managing director George Mimis believed if she made the final, she was in line for a package in the vicinity of seven figures, not to mention a six-figure racket deal to top it off.

Despite this not happening, Dokic still connected with Australians, and if her results continue she may just hit these figures with bonuses included. One may think that Wilson will be her choice of racket, as it helped her to her success.

On top of these fundamental endorsements, Jelena’s management has been inundated with offers from women’s magazines offering to publish her story of coming back from the depths of depression to be a Grand Slam quarterfinalist.

One of the offers on the table was $50,000 to wear a logo of a men’s magazine, an offer that management swiftly rejected as “potentially disastrous.”

This just goes to show that a star athlete like Dokic can still be a hot commodity despite the current economic climate.

Which City Most Deserves a Pro Sports Team?

Darren Heitner — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 11:00:08 -0500

Recently debate has heated up regarding bringing a professional hockey or basketball team to Hartford, Connecticut.

Since the Hartford Whalers left the city in 1997, Hartford has been without a major professional franchise. Back in 1999 there was hope that the New England Patriots would move to the city, but that deal fell through. Personally, I think an NBA team in Hartford would thrive.

College basketball is huge in Connecticut with the success of both the UConn men’s and women’s programs. As a UConn law student, I know how hard it is to get tickets to these events. Just think of all the former Huskies playing in the NBA.

A few of the former Huskies in the NBA are Caron Butler of the Wizards, Rip Hamilton of the Pistons, Ray Allen of the Celtics, Emeka Okafor of the Bobcats, Ben Gordon of the Bulls, Charlie Villanueva of the Bucks, Rudy Gay of the Grizzlies, Josh Boone of the Nets, Marcus Williams of the Warriors, and Hilton Armstrong of the Hornets. That’s ten teams right there with former UConn players, not to mentioned future players like Hasheem Thabeet.

Each night one of these teams played in Hartford there would be a packed house. Add that to the big crowds to watch the likes of Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, and Tim Duncan and a NBA franchise in Hartford would thrive.

It appears that it is more likely that NHL will return to Hartford, which I do not think is a great idea. The Whalers proved that a hockey team will not thrive in the city. Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman met to discuss the possibility of the NHL returning to Hartford, but talks have stalled due to Mayor Perez’s recent arrest. While for personal reasons, I think Hartford deserves a sports team. I am curious to hear from others what city you think most deserves a pro sports team.

University of Baltimore School of Law's First Annual Sports Law Symposium

Darren Heitner — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 10:00:51 -0500

What: Symposium: From Rookie to Retirement: The NFL Universe in the New Economy

Where: John & Frances Angelos Law Center. See map.

When: 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009

Speakers/Topics

Trace Armstrong, CAA Sports | Preparing the Rookie: Pre-Draft Prep
Pat Moriarty, Baltimore Ravens & Tom Condon, CAA Sports | Negotiating the Contract and Salary Cap, Now and in the Future
Richard Cass, President, Baltimore Ravens | Luncheon Keynote Speaker
Harold Henderson, NFL Legal Counsel & Richard Berthleson, NFLPA Legal Counsel | The Future of the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement
Andrew Brandy, nationalfootballpost.com & Tony Agnone, EAS | Negotiating the Second and Third Deals
Sarah Gaunt, NFLPA Pension Plan & Doug Ell, the Groom Law Group | NFL Player Benefits: What’s Next?
Howard Skall, CAA Sports & Kristen Kuliga, Agent for Doug Flutie | Player Marketing in the New Economic Reality

Cost: Free. Pre-registration is strongly suggested. To register via email, please contact the Office of External Relations at lawevents@ubalt.edu.

Some Info Leading Up to Today's Big Game

Darren Heitner — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 09:00:19 -0500

Here are some snapshots of the information I received in a press release sent to me by The Nielson Company. The full release is at the bottom of this post.

TELEVISION: Last year’s tilt between the Patriots and the Giants was viewed by a record 97.5 million people nationwide. As expected, the Super Bowl was the most-watched TV broadcast in 2008.
ADVERTISERS: The cost of a 30-second spot in last year’s Super Bowl was $2.7 million. Total spending for the game reached over $195 million. Anheuser-Busch bought the most commercial time (4 minutes total). The highest-rated commercial minute was the Victoria’s Secret spot at 9:44pm, seen by 103.7 million viewers. The most-liked ad was produced by the NFL. The most-recalled ad was produced by FedEx.
ONLINE: Super Bowl advertisers saw a 24 percent jump in Web traffic the day after last year’s Super Bowl. The Pepsi commercial featuring Justin Timberlake gathered the most Internet buzz.
MUSIC AND MOVIES: In the week following Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers’ halftime performance last year, sales of their “Greatest Hits” album jumped 196 percent. Petty’s “Anthology: Through the Years” album jumped 240 percent that same week. Box office sales on the weekend of Super Bowl Sunday show notable decline. The NFL Super Bowl XLII DVD was the #1 selling sports DVD in 2008.
SNACKS AND BEER: The Super Bowl is the eighth-largest beer-selling event each year (right behind Easter). Markets with hometown teams involved in the big game are more likely buy more beer. Potato chips are the snack of choice at Super Bowl parties, but tortilla chips are quickly gaining.
CONSUMER TRENDS: There’s a softer side to football fans. People identifying themselves as avid NFL fans outpaced total U.S. spending in skin care by 74% from 2005 to 2007. NFL fans are also more likely to own hi-tech electronic items than the average adult.
DEMOGRAPHICS: About 138 million adults - or more than 60 percent of the adult population in the U.S. - are NFL fans. The league is slightly more likely to attract fans from higher education and income brackets. Fans are also generally more physically active than the average American.

Shabbat Shalom: Friday Wrap-Up

Darren Heitner — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 18:00:04 -0500

I am back in Gainesville after having spent a couple of days in Tampa. I had some very successful meetings and networking opportunities. The parties were not so bad, either. Anyway, it is good to be back. The past few days have been full of rain and now a cold front is supposed to move in.

Kevin Grant is doing real well training for his Pro Day down in South Florida and Rulon Davis has been busy training hard for the Texas vs. The Nation game, which will be on CBS College Sports at 1 p.m. Saturday. Here are some stories I missed over the past week:

Football

All-Star game performance > Combine performance? [NFL draft prospects putting the final pieces in place]
I’m also a big fan of Larry Fitzgerald…okay, I’ve joined the Cardinals bandwagon [Fitzgerald's Dad Has Him Covered].
Can my synagogue book Kurt Warner to speak to us…please? [Disney, milk marketing deals in line for Cardinals’ Kurt Warner]
Big Ben will be commanding some deals, as well [As Super Bowl nears, advertisers show renewed interest in Roethlisberger].
Troy Vincent vs. Trace Armstrong for next NFLPA Executive Director? [Players favor Vincent]

Bowling

A push for watching bowling on Sundays [Life After Football Pt. 1].

Baseball

A huge win for both sides [Royals lock up young ace Greinke].
$10 million for a guy who has a strong ability to strike out batters [Jimenez, Rockies agree on deal].
I like the buyout clauses [Source: D-backs, Garland agree to deal].

Jan. 30, 2009 News & Notes

Darren Heitner — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 14:00:55 -0500

UIC (Tracy Dildy) (10-10) vs. Green Bay

Wisconsin-Green Bay got an 83-72 victory over Illinois-Chicago in a Horizon League game on Wednesday night.

The Flames led 37-36 at halftime before Green Bay got hot from behind the arc. Ryan Tillema added 18 points for Green Bay (16-6, 8-2), which sank 9-of-14 3-pointers in the second half. Robo Kreps paced the Flames (10-10, 3-7) with 17 points.

Savannah State (Horace Broadnax) (10-11) vs. Allen

Chris Linton scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as each Savannah State player scored in a 77-43 rout over Allen University on Wednesday night.

The Tigers (10-11) went into halftime with a 30-26 lead, but outscored the Yellow Jackets (3-17) by 30 points in the second half. Savannah State shot 80 percent from the field (20-for-25) in the second half—68.1 percent for the game. A dunk by Anthony Jones, who finished with 13 points, put Savannah State ahead 52-33 with 10:17 left.

The Tigers later scored 11 straight points to claim a 73-41 advantage, capped by Tracy Rankins‘ jumper with 2:02 remaining in the game.

Southeast Missouri (Rodney Hamilton) (3-19) vs. Jacksonville State

Jacksonville State snapped a six-game losing streak with a 78-68 win over Southeast Missouri on Thursday. Southeast Missouri (3-19, 0-11) remained winless in conference play and ran its losing streak to 11 despite 23 points from Calvin Williams and 19 from Kenard Moore.

The Redhawks never led by more than two points in the game, and Jacksonville State scored the first seven points of the second half to open up a 39-28 lead. Southeast Missouri got within three points with about 13 minutes remaining, but Jacksonville State pulled away down the stretch.

Tennessee Tech (Steve Payne) (10-10) vs. Eastern Illinois

Eastern Illinois got a 75-58 win over Tennessee Tech on Thursday night. Eastern Illinois never trailed after pulling ahead 2-1 in the first minutes of the game. Eastern Illinois held Tennessee Tech (10-10, 4-6) leading scorer Daniel Northern, who averaged 11.7 points, to six free throws and 0-for-4 shooting from the field.

Tennessee Tech shot 31 percent, and the Panthers outrebounded the Golden Eagles 44-39. Eastern Illinois led 33-20 at halftime. Kevin Murphy led Tennessee Tech with 11 points.

Louisiana-Lafayette (Robert Lee) (7-13) vs. Middle Tennessee State

Middle Tennessee State held off Louisiana-Lafayette 83-76 on Thursday night. Leading 66-52 with 6:19 left, the Blue Raiders (13-8, 7-3 Sun Belt Conference) made 17 of 24 free throws—but no field goals—the rest of the game, but the Ragin’ Cajuns could get no closer than six. Middle Tennessee State was 27 of 36 from the foul line for the game.

The Blue Raiders scored no points in the final 3:52 of the first half, but still led 33-30 at halftime. Courtney Wallace had 15 points, Ryan McCoy 14 and Travis Bureau 11 for the Ragin’ Cajuns.

Reasons to Root for Kurt Warner This Sunday

Darren Heitner — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 12:00:26 -0500

In two days, the Arizona Cardinals will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl. Honestly, I don’t care which team wins. I have no clients on either team, and did not grow up rooting for either of them. However, I think I’ll be pulling for the Cardinals, because of one player. That man is Kurt Warner, who has many interesting stories that were not sexy enough to be asked about during Media Day.

Kurt Warner used to bag groceries. He played in the AFL (which is taking at least a year off) and NFL Europe (which has been absolved) before getting a chance in the NFL with the St. Louis Rams. He picked Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports as his agent because Bartelstein’s name was on the top of a list of approved NFLPA agents (last name starts with “B”). And he has quite a story to tell about how he met his wife:

In a supermarket, Kurtis the stock boy, was busily working when a new voice came over the loud speaker asking for a carry out at register four. Kurtis was almost finished, and wanted to get some fresh air, and decided to answer the call. As he approached the check-out stand a distant smile caught his eye, the new check-out girl was beautiful. She was an older woman (maybe 26, and he was only 22) and he fell instantly in love.

Later that day, after his shift was over, he waited by the punch clock to find out her name. She came into the break room, smiled softly at him, took her card and punched out, then left. He looked at her card, BRENDA. He walked out only to see her start walking up the road.

Next day, he waited outside as she left the supermarket, and offered her a ride home. He looked harmless enough, and she accepted. When he dropped her off, he asked if maybe he could see her again, outside of work. She simply said it wasn’t possible.

He pressed and she explained she had two children and she couldn’t afford a baby-sitter, so he offered to pay for the baby-sitter. Reluctantly she accepted his offer for a date for the following Saturday. That Saturday night he arrived at her door only to have her tell him that she was unable to go with him.

The baby-sitter had called and canceled. To which Kurtis simply said, “Well, let’s take the kids with us.”

She tried to explain that taking the children was not an option, but again not taking no for an answer, he pressed. Finally Brenda, brought him inside to meet her children. She had an older daughter who was just as cute as a bug, Kurtis thought, then Brenda brought out her son, in a wheelchair. He was born a paraplegic with Down Syndrome.

Kurtis asked Brenda, “I still don’t understand why the kids can’t come with us?” Brenda was amazed. Most men would run away from a woman with two kids, especially if one had disabilities—just like her first husband and father of her children had done. Kurtis was not ordinary—he had a different mind set.

That evening Kurtis and Brenda loaded up the kids, went to dinner and the movies. When her son needed anything Kurtis would take care of him. When he needed to use the restroom, he picked him up out of his wheelchair, took him and brought him back. The kids loved Kurtis. At the end of the evening, Brenda knew this was the man she was going to marry and spend the rest of her life with.

A year later, they were married and Kurtis adopted both of her children. Since then they have added two more kids. So what happened to Kurtis the stock boy and Brenda the check-out girl?

Well, Mr. & Mrs. Kurt Warner now live in Arizona, where he is currently employed as the quarterback of the National Football League Arizona Cardinals and his Cardinals are headed for the Super Bowl. Is this a surprise ending or could you have guessed that he was not an ordinary person.

It should be noted that he also quarterbacked the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI.

There seem to be some inaccuracies, but the story is still an amazing read. Kurt met Brenda at a country bar, not a grocery store. They got married five years after meeting, not one year later. Brenda’s son was not born with Downs Syndrome, but did have serious physical infirmities after being dropped by his birth father. All in all, you have a fan in me Mr. Warner.

Tomorrow Is Your Chance To Network with the Pros

Darren Heitner — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 15:00:02 -0500

I am currently in Tampa, have already had some very productive meetings, and plan to head to the Yardbarker/GQ/Jack Daniels party hosted by Terrell Owens tonight. Tomorrow, I will head to an event titled, Network with the Pros. I just received a press release about the event and am happy to pass along the information.

If you will be there, make sure you network with me, whether you consider me a pro or not.

Every year, hundreds gather to “Network with the Pro’s”, an elite networking experience of hand-picked athletes (retired and active), celebrities, and top executives.

Last year’s successful event was at the Wrigley Mansion in Arizona. This year’s event is hosted at and sponsored by Robb and Stucky (International Plaza), The Strand, Budweiser, and Athletes and Executives.

The massive luxury furniture store will close down the entire upstairs and most of its' downstairs areas to make room for custom designed and very private VIP networking rooms, a press room for red carpet interviews, and a 100-item silent auction.

Along with, of course, the classic amenities of gourmet food, drink, and live music.

Hand-picked invitees for the event range from the local up-and-coming executives to the respected local mainstays. But the wow factor for everyone will be the opportunity to network with top level executives and CEO’s from major national and international corporations, including but not limited to Anheuser Busch, M&M Mars, Adidas, Nike, Sports Illustrated, XM, Red Bull, Lear Jet, Marriott, and Raymond James.

Of course, there will also be a fair share of politicians, sports agents, and even Olympic Committee officials coming to tag their piece of the action.

“Business will be done at this event. This is not a shake a hand and lets exchange small talk. The entire event is centered around making connections and making business happen.

"People come to this event every year—fly in from all over the country—expecting to sign deals and start on the path to new negotiations,” says Jenn Greacen, Executive Director of Red Frog, the coordinating host of this years' event.

Pro player sightings will include Hall of Famer John Hannah, whos' charity foundation Fourth and Goal Unites will benefit from the massive silent auction featuring items such as the traditional signed Peyton Manning jersey, a Bruce Springsteen hand-signed guitar, and some exceptionally unusual items like a Tony Hawk-signed skateboard or a Michel Phelps-signed swim cap.

A confirmed 50 pro athletes are registered to attend, including retired local resident Seth Joyner, our own Bucs local Dave Moore, two time Super Bowl Champ Leonard Marshall, and MLB baseball great Curt Shilling.

“What makes this event unusual and unlike any other is the fact that it is not a party. It is held during business hours, you can’t ask to get on the list, you can’t buy a ticket, it isn’t about the food or the glitz or glam, it’s just about business. That’s why our people love it. That’s why everyone wants on the list year after year,” says Alan Anastos, co-founder of Athletes and Executives.

Network with the Pros will take place at Robb and Stucky in International Plaza on Friday, Jan. 30 2009 from 1-5 PM. For security reasons, invitees including press must register in advance at networkwiththeprostampabay and bring proof of ID or press credentials to be granted access.

Pepperdine University School Of Law Symposium On Arbitrating Sports

Darren Heitner — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 14:00:17 -0500

What: Symposium: Arbitrating Sports: Reflections on USADA/Landis, the Olympic Games, and the Future of Sports Dispute Resolution.

Where: Pepperdine University School of Law

When: Feb. 27 from 8:30 am to 5 pm

Panels:

Reflections on USADA v. Floyd Landis
The Olympic Games
The Future of Sports Dispute Resolution
The Perspective of the Press and Public Arbitration

Panelists Include:

Matt Barnett—USADA Lawyer/Barnett & Barnett P.C.
Jeffrey Benz—Arbitrator/AVP
Michael Hiltzik—LA Times
Howard Jacobs—Law Offices of Howard Jacobs
Michael Lenard—International Court of Arbitration for Sport
Richard McLaren—CAS Arbitrator/University of Western Ontario
Matt Mitten—Marquette University School of Law
Maidie Oliveau—CAS Arbitrator/Law Sports
John Ruger—United States Olympic Committee
Mike Straubel—Valparaiso School of Law
Maurice Suh—Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
Maureen Weston—Pepperdine School of Law

Cost: General admission to the event is $95, Pepperdine law school students admitted free, other law school students—$45. Registration link.

For Andy Pettitte, Jason Varitek Waiting Is the Hardest Part

Darren Heitner — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:00:56 -0500

Andy Pettitte waited to sign with the New York Yankees and ended up re-signing with the team for much less than they initially offered him. Instead of accepting a $10 million contract, Pettitte waited and then recently signed a deal for $5.5 million guaranteed.

His agent, Randy Hendricks, put a spin on the deal, saying that with the potential bonuses under consideration, this contract could be worth more than the $10 million previously offered.

Jason Varitek was offered arbitration by the Red Sox, where Varitek would have received at least $10 million. Scott Boras advised Varitek to reject the arbitration offer. Since no other teams have bit the Varitek line, the Red Sox have all the leverage, and are offering a Pettitte-like one-year, $5 million contract with a couple of options.

How long will Manny Ramirez play the waiting game?

Interview with Sam Sheridan, Author of “A Fighter's Heart”

Darren Heitner — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 10:00:15 -0500

As part of a continuing series of interviews with top MMA writers & fighters, Gary Wimsett, Jr., attorney, agent, and president of the MMA Fight Council, LLC, recently engaged Sam Sheridan, author of A Fighter’s Heart and an upcoming book about the mental aspects of fighting, on his personal journey.

The following is a short but interesting glimpse into the mind of the man who’s traveled the globe in search of "the fighter’s heart."

Gary Wimsett:In your book, A Fighter’s Heart, you stated we have a specific responsibility to experience as much life as we can. What haven’t you yet done that you need to do to fulfill this obligation?

Sam Sheridan: A lot of things. A million things. In particular, I need to do some work in Africa or India—relief work. I always wanted to spend a month or six at Mother Theresa’s hospice for the Sick and Dying Destitute, the Sisters of Mercy, or do some writing about the international refugee culture—these huge camps that become permanent institutions and what that means.

Wimsett: Out of the many things you’ve experienced in your life, particularly with respect to your immersion into fighting, what stands out as the one transcendental experience you’d wish for everyone?

Sheridan: I think spending a week at a silent meditation retreat in northern Thailand with no technology, no connections, nothing to do but meditate and think about your own life is a good one. Fighting once in a ring is a good one. Maybe both of those together. Fight first, then go meditate.

Wimsett: Have you made it to [Mount] Everest yet? Do you still plan to go? One of my dreams is to climb Everest, and I get puzzled looks from friends when I mention this. What is it about the “ordeal” that appeals to some of us and not to others?

Sheridan: I’m actually over Everest, at this point. I’d rather do something else—it’s the idea of crowds that kills it for me, waiting in a line at the summit. I’d still go if somebody paid me to, but it’s not on my list anymore. I hate crowds, I hate lines. I’m turning into one of those weird writers who hides in his house and doesn’t talk to people.

Wimsett: I saw you on the Daily Show when you were promoting A Fighter’s Heart. The interview went fine but it made me think that the opposite of fighting is satire.

Sheridan: I’m not sure I agree…although certainly they’re different. They both are about the truth. I guess satire is non-confrontational. It’s a sideways attack, an attack through humor, and fighting is, well, pretty confrontational.

Wimsett: If you weren’t writing for a living, what would you be doing?

Sheridan: At this point, I’d probably be running guns in Africa, or FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) would have killed me because they thought I was CIA when really I was just through hiking Colombia.

Wimsett: What does the sport of MMA look like in five years? Do you anticipate any substantive rule changes?

Sheridan: Nothing major. We’re seeing less groundwork all the time, but that trend may reverse. But there may be, in 10 years, some changes. I think there may be a return to fighting without gloves. Hear me out. I know the gloves make the sport better for strikers, more fan-friendly with more KOs.

But the punishment is brutal and intense. Guys are getting pounded on, because the level and sophistication of the striking has increased tenfold. It’s not like the old days with wrestlers throwing a few haymakers. These guys can hit as hard as pro boxers now, and they can throw combinations.

In 10 years you may see so many banged up older fighters, so many careers screwed up by the damage, that there may be a push to remove the gloves. Because you can’t punch the way Chuck Liddell or some of these guys punch with a bare fist—you’ll bust your hands up.

How are the MMA fans going to react when Wanderlei Silva and Chuck Liddell go the way of Muhammad Ali?

Wimsett: Which current MMA fighter do you most admire and why?

Sheridan: Kenny Florian has made some incredible changes, remarkable growth and improvement. Rashad Evans is having a heck of a year.

Wimsett: Monte Cox has been in the press recently, bemoaning the arrival of agents and lawyers. Should we feel sorry for him?

Sheridan: No. Just for instance—Monte has made more money than Pat Miletich in managing Pat’s guys. I’m all for Monte making money, but shouldn’t the trainer make more than the manager?

Wimsett: What’s the best fight school in the world right now?

Sheridan: There is no best. It depends on the fighter and what he needs, and where he’s comfortable…but either ATT or Greg Jackson’s are the deepest at the moment.

Training partners is sort of the only real clue to MMA performance—but also in big gyms you can get lost in the shuffle. Xtreme Couture is great for some people, a lot of big name fighters come through. But then you have smaller, more isolated "family" type gyms like Sityodtong Boston or MFS.

Wimsett: My company, the MMA Fight Council, thinks that fighters need a strong advocate on their side in the fight business. What are the five most important things the MMA Fight Council could do for fighters in the next two years?

Sheridan: Organize a union, and start laying away money for retirement, because if you think these guys aren’t going to end up punchy you’re crazy. There’s a lot of damage being dished out right now by four-ounce gloves.

Wimsett: Who would you most like to punch, or who do you think would benefit the most from being punched?

Sheridan: I would have liked to seen George Bush fight Saddam Hussein instead of having a war. That would have been cool…of course, Putin (being an ex-Sambo champ, and who’s worked out with Fedor Emelianenko) would have torn them both up.

Wimsett: What’s the best thing Dana White and the UFC have done for MMA? [What's the] worst?

Sheridan: Dana is a huge fan and dearly loves the sport, and of course his passion has been a boon. The UFC has done a lot for MMA, although when they take credit for everything I think they’re stretching it. They also cashed in on an idea whose time had come.

Pancrase started in 1993, too. The worst thing they do is monopolize—trying to retain control when the sport has grown so exponentially. You can’t have it both ways. If the sport is going to be as big as boxing or bigger, you have to have transparency, rankings, a logical progression of contenders. Not just whatever fights Dana and Joe Silva and the Ferttitas feel like watching.

Fighters need at least a 30 [to] 40 percent share of the profits. Isn’t that fair?

San Diego Chargers Look to WMG

Darren Heitner — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:00:42 -0500

The Seattle Supersonics left the state of Washington to relocate the franchise to Oklahoma City only months ago. The move brought a lot of drama, and pain to Seattle fans. Since losing the Los Angeles Rams franchise in 1994, the city of Los Angeles has been shopping for a potential NFL team to represent the large market for some time now. But will that void in LA be filled by the Chargers?

The process of relocating a professional sports franchise is not an easy one. That could be one reason why the Chargers have hired Wasserman Media Group (WMG) to market the team in L.A. and Orange County. That specific market accounts for roughly 30% of the team’s luxury suites and club seats currently in San Diego.

The LA Times has called the move “an initial step” toward relocation. But Chargers Special Counsel Mark Fabiani claimed that the newly formed partnership “has nothing whatsoever to do with the team staying or going.”

Besides being known as one of the leading global sports management companies, WMG’s website also states that consulting is one of the groups areas of expertise.

Specifically it states “WMG works with some of the largest and most successful companies in the world and manages their marketing strategies, develops strategic alliances, and drives innovative programs to elevate their brands.” Does this suggest that WMG will create an alliance between Los Angeles and the Chargers organization?

Could Phillip Rivers and the Bolts be the next franchise to relocate, or is WMG really just located in a great place to help San Diego market its team? San Diego’s success may suggest that this is only for marketing purposes or to bring in more revenue during the tough economic state.

WMG would be a great choice to market any sports team, as WMG represents many of the top organizations and companies in the world including David Beckham’s Los Angeles Galaxy organization, A.C. Milan, many of the English Premiere League teams (Newcastle, Liverpool, Reading, Totenham, Rangers..), and almost every team in the NBA. Although WMG has dealt with many storied franchises, the Chargers would be the first NFL franchise on the client list.

On the other hand, the poor record the Oakland Raiders had the past several seasons could make them more of a candidate for relocation than the Chargers. Owner Al Davis has shown his unpredictability last season, so with Oakland, anything is possible. Maybe changing locations will help the team (Using OKC in the NBA as a comparison, maybe it won’t). Signing Dynasty 2009 Draft Client Kevin Grant to strengthen the Raider defense could be a nice addition as well.

Whose Ball Is It?

Darren Heitner — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:00:51 -0500

'It’s not a catch if you drop the ball."

Have you ever wondered who owns the baseball caught by a member of the crowd after a player scores a home-run? The ball heads for the stand, a mêlée ensues, and eventually one lucky person gets his hands on the ball before taking it home and putting it on the mantelpiece to admire from the armchair for the rest of his life.

I have only been to see one MLB game in my life. It was in 2005, Fenway Park, Boston, Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays vs Red Sox. I always assumed it was the person who takes hold of the ball last that gets to claim legal title to it. You thought the same too, right? Like me, you are wrong.

I was reading an article in a book on sporting justice a few weeks ago and came across a piece on this very topic. In the last day of the 2001 MLB season, Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants hit a record-breaking home-run into the stands. Fans fought like crazy for this "priceless" ball that would be set in stone in the history books forever. Some fans would want the ball for its monetary value, others for its sentimental value. Whatever the reason, that home-run would lead to a very interesting set of incidents.

Alex Popov managed to get his glove to the ball first. He barely held it for a second before being smothered by his rivals. Eventually the scuffle died down. However, emerging with the ball was Patrick Hayashi. All of this was caught on camera. Normally the case ends there, Mr. Hayashi going home a happy man and the others cursing their luck. Not Mr. Popov though; Mr. Popov started a lawsuit to reclaim the ball.

It is pretty obvious that on another day everyone would have gone home happy to have witnessed a record-breaking home-run by the legendary Barry Bonds. However, the article pointed out that a record-breaking home-run by Mark McGwire in 1998 fetched $3.2 million at auction. Can you really blame Mr. Popov for trying his luck?

Mr. Hayashi said he found the ball rolling around on the floor, and with no one controlling it, he believed he should be entitled to keep it. Mr. Popov claimed that he had possession of the ball and that it had been unjustifiably taken from him. The three-week trial at the Californian Superior Court was intense. Four different law professors offered their opinions on what constituted "possession," "control" and other analytical theories. All four views conflicted.

Eventually the judge came to his decision: That both men had an equal entitlement to the ball in law. He based his decision upon the archaic Roman law of "equitable division." The ball would be auctioned and the proceeds shared equally.

Even though Mr. Popov did not assume full control of the ball, he still had a "pre-possessory" right to it. The judge was keen to illustrate that the USA is "a nation governed by law, not by brute force." The eventual sale of the ball earned each party an enormous prize of $225,000. It is a shame, however, that Mr. Popov had to pay legal fees to the tune of $470,000.

Michael Irvin And SPIKE TV Are Looking For WRs and DBs

Darren Heitner — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:00:38 -0500

THIS IS FOR AN UPCOMING REALITY COMPETITION SHOW. THE WINNER WILL BE AWARDED A COVETED SPOT ON THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAINING CAMP ROSTER.

The casting director is looking for elite football athletes whose careers ended on terms other than their own.

Did family, friends, finances or an injury prevent you from achieving your lifelong goal of becoming a pro football player? Kurt Warner was bagging groceries before he became a two-time league MVP and Super Bowl Champion. Vince Papale was tending bar before he walked on the Philadelphia Eagles. Could you be the next professional football player to come out of nowhere?

*You must be at least 21 years of age or at least three years removed from high school and either a wide receiver or defensive back.

OPEN CALL INFORMATION
*Open call lines will start forming 3 hours before the start time. Please do not line up before.

Saturday, January 31st
COLUMBUS, OHIO
Buckeye Hall of Fame Café
1421 Olentangy River Rd.
Columbus, Ohio 43212
10:00am – 4:00pm
*The first 500 people in line have the best chance to be seen

Saturday, February 7th
DALLAS, TEXAS
Velocity Sports Performance
7830 N. Central Expressway
Highland, TX 77562
10:00am – 4:00pm
* The first 500 people in line have the best chance to be seen

Sunday, February 8th
ORLANDO, FLORIDA
M-PACT Sports
1476 N. Goldenrod Rd.
Orlando, FL 32807
10:00am – 4:00pm
* The first 500 people in line have the best chance to be seen

Thursday, February 12th
LOS ANGELES, CA
Citadel Outlets
100 Citadel Dr.
Commerce, CA 90040
10:00am – 4:00pm
* The first 500 people in line have the best chance to be seen

WHAT TO BRING TO THE OPEN CALL:
*Please bring a non-returnable photo of yourself, your football highlight reel, and coach references to the open call.
*Please note there will be no physical testing done at this open call.
*You must be at least 21 years of age or at least 3 years removed from high school

IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND AN OPEN CALL, FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS BELOW AND SUBMIT A VIDEO AND
APPLICATION BY FEBRUARY 10, 2009.
STEP 1: Download the application at irvin.spike.com or michaelirvin.com and fill it out
STEP 2: Make a 10-Minute videotape*
STEP 3: Mail the application, videotape and a non-returnable photo of yourself by February 10, 2009 to:

MAILING ADDRESS:
3 BALL PRODUCTIONS
FOOTBALL SHOW CASTING
1600 ROSECRANS AVE.
BUILDING 7, 2ND FLOOR
MANHATTAN BEACH, CA 90266

*WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR VIDEOTAPE:
ACCEPTABLE FORMATS: VHS Tape, Mini DV Tape, or DVD

LENGTH: 10-20 minutes max. (include any highlight reels/footage)

CONTENT: You must be featured the entire time. Show us why you should be on “Untitled Football Project”. Be sure to answer questions from the application as a starting point. Make your video as personal as possible. Start the video with your name and hometown. Show us, don’t just tell us, why you would be great for this project. Remember, we want to see your personality. Tell us what prevented you from making it to the pros. Please include any highlight footage you may have. Sell yourself as a candidate for professional football. AND LET’S HEAR YOUR STORY!

LABEL: Please clearly label the tape with your name & phone number

PAPERWORK: Be sure to include your application and pictures of you playing football. Do not send originals as they will not be returned.

All submissions will become the sole property of the producers once submitted,
and will not be returned to you, whether or not you are selected. It is a good idea
to make a copy for yourself in case your package is lost in the mail.

If you are serious about this and want me to put in a word for you with the casting director, email me.

Eh Tu, Joe Torre?

Darren Heitner — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:00:23 -0500

My old man used to have a saying—“Don’t be stupid, ya moron.”

Strikingly obtuse, yet somewhat eloquent in it’s own simplicity.

The motto is actually a stroke of genius that should be etched along side E Plurbius Unum on the Great Seal of the United States. In fact, it is somewhat ironic that the architects of the idea that a new nation would have soul autonomy to govern themselves by instilling power to the people was actually be created by morons. Of course, they need a higher authority telling these morons to not be stupid. Checks and balances at its most absolute, ladies and gentlemen.

Flash-forward a couple centuries, add in some pin stripes, a fresh faced rookie from Kalamazoo, a Steinbrenner (or two or three) and billions of dollars. Then sprinkle on some championships with a side of dynasty, not to mention the helpings of a powerful shortstop turned third baseman and the prodigal intern turned GM and you’ve got yourself the makings of a different kind of superpower. An organization that annually spends more on their players then some nations actually earn through their GDP. This, my friends, is Yankee Nation.

How could we possibly forget the architect himself—Mr. Joe Torre—who, entering his second full season with the Dodgers, has decided to air the dirty laundry of his time with the Yankees? His rants are specifically focusing on the A-Rod Era of 2004 to the present.

As a die hard Yankee fan and someone who would pathetically lie down in front a bus for this team, it pains me to say that if my old man ever met Torre at this point and juncture, I would have him reiterate those immortal words that got me through some of the hardest times of my life.

It makes me want to scream.

“Oh my dear Mr. Torre! Wherefore art thou, Mr. Torre. Eh Tu, Mr. Torre? Where have you gone, Mr. Torre?” I can only add many other literary clichés to add to my disappointment and betrayal.

The class and indispensable dignity in which Torre veraciously carries himself has all but gone out the window with the telling of this tell-all tall-tale. The man who awoken a sleeping giant befuddled with 18 years of pennant-less baseball and turned himself into a demigod in New York has let Tom Verducci cheapen his accomplishments with the writing of the Yankee years.

He recanted how teammates do not trust Alex Rodriguez and call him “A-Fraud”, painting A-Rod as a jealous younger sibling in his relationship with Derek Jeter and ultimately suggesting how Brian Cashman publicly aligned with Torre to stay on as manager and then secretly plotted against him in back room dealings to keep his own job safe. These stories and accusations should have been kept in the clubhouse of the Old Yankee Stadium—at least for a while.

Where there’s money to be made, one should make it. Especially in this economy, you cannot blame Torre for putting out this book. For us here in New York, this is looked upon as the same treachery as Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. Even though I am not calling for the electric chair, I believe it was irresponsible for him to print these stories while many of the main characters are still playing. Let the memories of the dynasty fade away before the turmoil spills over. It’s just too early.

So while Torre soaks up the sun while riding around in his new convertible, which coincidentally is insured by State Farm, I would like to leave him with some other words of wisdom from my old man:

“Shut up and sit down!”

Dynasty 2009 NFL Prospect: Kevin Grant

Darren Heitner — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:00:06 -0500

Kevin Grant No. 30 Akron University

Dynasty Football 2009 NFL Draft Prospect

Kevin Grant is a 6'2" 250-pound senior inside linebacker for the Akron Zips. He led the Zips’ in tackles this past season and possesses an uncanny ability to find the football. Kevin’s extreme dedication and leadership allowed him to play and start in ALL 49 Akron football games over the past four years.

Kevin truly is half man, half machine.

Growing up in Herndon, VA, Kevin attended Herndon High School, where he was a two-sport athlete playing football and basketball. As a senior, Grant earned first-team all-district, all-region and All-State.

He was also named to the 2003 George Michael “Golden 11″and honored as the Defensive Player of the Year for his district and region. Upon leaving high school, Grant broke the Herndon single-season tackle record with 139 stops in 2003.

He decided to take his studies and athletics to the University of Akron Zips. While Virginia Tech and many other great institutions were looking at Kevin’s talents, he ultimately chose Akron.

He took a redshirt the 2004 season, until his redshirt freshman season in 2005, when he started in all 13 games at the bandit position in the Zips tough defense. By the end of the season Kevin was fourth on the team in tackles with 73 and ranked third in sacks with 4.5.

He recorded a season-high seven solo tackles at Middle Tennessee State, and finished with eight total stops on the night.

He was honored as a third team CollegeFootballNews.com Freshman All-American and The Sporting News Honorable Mention Freshman All-American team and ended the season earning the Harry “Doc” Smith Award as the top freshman on the Zips squad.

After an impressive redshirt freshman season, Kevin The Machine Grant did only better in his 2006 sophomore campaign.

He started all 12 games at middle linebacker and ranked second on the team with 87 tackles overall, one shy of team leader John Mackey’s 88. He was tied for second on the team with eight tackles for losses. The Machine continued his consistency in tackling and ranked 22nd in the MAC with an average of 7.2 tackles per game.

He had an impressive day at Kent State, earning a career high 15 tackles, including career-high eight solo stops. KG ended the season as the defense’s Most Valuable Back (Linebackers and Secondary) by the Akron coaching staff for the 2006 season.

The following season Kevin showed his toughness and dedication all year long, leading the team on defense starting and playing in all 12 games. He ranked third on the team with 74 stops.

The machine recorded 11 tackles at Indiana, and had double digit stops with 10 at Bowling Green, leading all Zips. Kevin anchored the defense and had at least six tackles in a game eight times and at least one tackle for loss in four of Akron’s last six games, including two each at Buffalo, at Bowling Green and at Miami.

After the end of the 2007 season he was rewarded for his hard work and leadership by earning third team All-MAC from the league’s coaches.

Prior to the Zips 2008 season Kevin was tabbed preseason second team All-Mid-American Conference by Athlon and was nominated as a captain on defense.

When the season got underway the true terminator came out in Kevin as he continued to lead the team playing and starting in every game and recorded a team leading 85 tackles including 50 solo stops.

Kevin additionally led the squad with 8.5 tackles for loss and with 4.0 sacks. Grant amassed 319 tackles in his career, making him 18th-best among active NCAA players. He earned 36.0 career tackles for losses putting him 21st among active NCAA players.

The Machine ranks in the Top 25 in tackles and tackles for loss in the NCAA.

The Machine amazingly started and played in ALL 49 games during his collegiate career and was donned captain during his senior season. This shows that he has a lot of leadership abilities and is mentally tough enough to play throughout the entire year. At the NFL level, the seasons are longer and the games are much tougher.

Kevin’s stats show that he has what it takes to stay healthy for an entire season, physically and mentally; something that many amazing college players cannot claim (Knowshon Moreno, Chris Wells, Percy Harvin). With the assets he already has along with his continued drive to improve his speed and overall abilities, Grant has tremendous upside.

Kevin’s consistency and determination on and off the field will make him an asset to any NFL team.

We are extremely excited about the addition of Kevin to the Dynasty family. Go ahead and check out his new Web site.

Please direct all media/interview inquiries to: press@dynastyreps.com

MLB Arbitration Update

Darren Heitner — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:00:59 -0500

Yesterday, Dominic Perilli put together an excellent piece highlighting the decision by Prince Fielder to avoid salary arbitration and what Ryan Howard has to look forward to in the coming month. What about a Florida Marlin looking forward to some fun final-offer arbitration?

Dan Uggla is asking for $5.35 million. The Marlins offering $4.4 million. He received $417,000 last season.

Uggla’s teammates, Jorge Cantu and Jeremy Hermida, were able to avoid the arbitration panel. Cantu signed a $3.5 million deal. He received $600,000 last year. Hermida signed a $2.25 million deal.

Another Florida team, the Tampa Bay Rays, have a couple of arbitration cases pending.

Willy Aybar is asking for $1.05 million. The Rays are offering $900,000. He received $401,200 last season.

Dioner Navarro is asking for $2.5 million. The Rays are offering $2.1 million. He received $422,500 last season.

Here are what players outside of Florida are asking for compared to what their teams are looking to hand over:

Garrett Atkins: $7.95MM. Rockies: $6.65MM. Diff: $1.3MM.
Jayson Werth: $4MM. Phillies: $3MM. Diff: $1MM.
Justin Duchscherer: $4.6MM. A’s: $3MM. Diff: $1.6MM.
David Weathers: $4.6MM. Reds: $3MM. Diff: $1.6MM.
Zack Greinke: $4.4MM. Royals $3.4MM. Diff: $1MM.
Ryan Ludwick: $4.35MM. Cardinals: $2.8MM. Diff: 1.55MM.
Justin Verlander: $4.15MM. Tigers: $3.2MM. Diff: $950K.
Jeff Francoeur: $3.95MM. Braves: $2.8MM. Diff: $1.15MM.
Ryan Zimmerman: $3.9MM. Nationals: $2.75MM. Diff: $1.15MM.
Mark Teahen: $3.85MM. Royals: $3.05MM. Diff: $800K.
Corey Hart: $3.8MM. Brewers: $2.7MM. Diff: $1.1MM.
Mike Jacobs: $3.8MM. Royals: $2.75MM. Diff: $1.05MM.
Paul Maholm: $3.8MM. Pirates: $2.65MM. Diff: $1.15MM.
Nate McLouth: $3.8MM. Pirates: $2.75MM. Diff: $1.05MM.
Andre Ethier: $3.75MM. Dodgers: $2.65MM. Diff: $1.1MM.
Edwin Encarnacion: $3.7MM. Reds: $2.55MM. Diff: $1.15MM.
Conor Jackson: $3.65MM. D’Backs: $2.45MM. Diff: $1.2MM.
Josh Willingham: $3.6MM. Nationals: $2.55MM. Diff: $1.05MM.
Scott Olsen: $3.5MM. Nationals: $2.5MM. Diff: $1MM.
George Sherrill: $3.4MM. Orioles: $2.2MM. Diff: $1.2MM.
Rick Ankiel: $3.3MM. Cardinals: $2.35MM. Diff: $950K.
Kelly Johnson: $3.3MM. Braves: $2.35MM. Diff: $950K.
Casey Kotchman: $3.25MM. Braves: $2.475MM. Diff: $775K.
John Maine: $3MM. Mets: $2.2MM. Diff: $800K.
Wandy Rodriguez: $3MM. Astros: $2.25MM. Diff: $750K.
Rickie Weeks: $2.8MM. Brewers: $2MM. Diff: $800K.
Geoff Geary: $2.1MM. Astros: $1.425MM. Diff: $675K.
Brian Bannister: $2.025MM. Royals: $1.45MM. Diff: $575K.
Chad Durbin: $1.95MM. Phillies: $1.35MM. Diff: $600K.
Pedro Feliciano: $1.95MM. Mets: $1.35MM. Diff: $600K.
Matt Guerrier: $1.75MM. Twins: $1.2MM. Diff: $550K.
Brian Bruney: $1.55MM. Yankees: $1.1MM. Diff: $450K.
Brian Tallet: $1.3MM. Jays: $950K. Diff: $350K.
Shawn Camp: $950K. Jays: $700K. Diff: $250K.
Shawn Hill: $775K. Nationals: $500K. Diff: $275K.

Mark Sanchez Selects Brother To Be His Agent

Darren Heitner — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 11:00:46 -0500

I am biased, but I believe the small percentage that one pays an agent is often times more than worth it. There are many benefits to having representation, rather than doing it on your own. Writers at SportsAgentBlog.com, as well as myself, have also been critical of people acting in a sports-agent-capacity for family members. This leads me to the story.

Mark Sanchez, the former QB for USC, is being represented by his older brother Nick Sanchez. Nick is a business litigator with Theodora Oringher Miller and Richman in Costa Mesa. Not only is Nick a family member, but he has no experience in representing professional athletes in contractual negotiations.

Do you really want to jump into that role with a family member, who some believe could be the No. 1 overall pick, before you have any experience in the industry? To Nick’s credit, he has a lot under his belt in a variety of other legal practice areas, and seems to have a strong educational background. I still have an issue with a sports agent being a family member.

Peter Forsberg Bored with Retirement?

Darren Heitner — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 10:00:29 -0500

Everyone loves a good comeback.

Michael Jordan, Dion Sanders, and Mario Lemieux each made noteworthy comebacks after a measurable period of retirement.

For the second year in a row, future Hall of Fame hockey player Peter Forsberg is thinking about another comeback.

Forsberg’s return to the NHL last year did not go so well for him. After waiting until there were 18 games left in the season to return to Colorado, he managed to play in only nine regular-season games. He also missed three out of four games in the second round of the playoffs.

Forsberg’s style of play is gritty; he’s known for his finesse and scoring, but he loves to muck it up in the corners.

Making a comeback in professional sports is extremely difficult. Very few players try, and very few players see much success in their comeback. Forsberg’s physical style of play, which led to his injury-laden career, will make another comeback even harder.

So what does this mean for Forsberg’s agent, Don Baizley? He’ll have a hard time finding Forsberg a roster spot, even though he’s done so before.

First, Baizley is limited to legitimate playoff contenders and can probably rule out the front runners (San Jose, Detroit, Boston, etc.). So out of 30 teams, rule out at least 10 of them.

Second, Baizley will have to convince teams that Forsberg’s potential to contribute makes up for the strong possibility he will get injured again.

Third, Baizley will have to dispel the assumption that a late-season addition to a team will shake up a team’s chemistry on and off the ice. Therefore, Forsberg’s former teams—Colorado, Philadelphia, and Nashville—will be the best bet.

Last year, Forsberg’s agent said in February that a return would be unlikely. Right now, any chatter Baizley can create regarding Forsberg is good. Get him in the news. See how fans and teams react. He’ll sell tickets, that’s for sure.

But most persuasive is the fact that Forsberg averages over a point per game in the playoffs. Teams that still have a shot at the playoffs and need to sell more tickets will show interest in Forsberg and a successful comeback would be another boost for the NHL.

Jan. 26, 2009 News & Notes

Darren Heitner — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:00:45 -0500

Jan. 23, 2009

Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Clay Moser) (10-15) vs. Austin

The Vipers snuck past the Toros 109-104 on Friday night. The Vipers were led by Trent Strickland, who had 27 points and 7 rebounds. Alpha Bangura also contributed 23 points and 7 rebounds in the victory.

Jan. 24, 2009

No. 10 Marquette (Scott Monarch) (17-2) vs. Depaul

Jerel McNeal had 21 points and six rebounds and Lazar Hayward added 16 points and 17 rebounds in a 79-70 victory over the Blue Demons on Saturday that kept the Golden Eagles undefeated in the Big East.

McNeal’s defense has been one of the biggest reasons Marquette (17-2, 6-0) is off to its best start ever in conference play, topping a 5-0 mark 16 years ago when the Golden Eagles were known as the Warriors and played in the Great Midwest.

Tennessee Tech (Steve Payne) (10-9) vs. Tennessee State

Alex Davis scored 21 points to lead Tennessee Tech to an 86-78 win over Tennessee State on Saturday night. Daniel Northern added 16 points for the Golden Eagles (10-9, 4-5 Ohio Valley Conference). Davis also went 5-for-8 from beyond the arc.

The Golden Eagles led by three points at the break and outscored the Tigers 49-44 in the second half. Tennessee Tech won the battle of the boards, outrebounding the Tigers 37-29. The Golden Eagles lead the all-time series between the schools 25-20.

Louisiana-Lafayette (Robert Lee) (7-12) vs. South Alabama

Randell Daigle hit a 3-pointer as time expired to lift Lousiana-Lafayette to a 67-65 win over South Alabama on Saturday night. Travis Bureau led the Ragin’ Cajuns (7-12, 4-4 Sun Belt Conference) with 18 points. Chris Gradnigo scored 13 and Daigle chipped in with eight.

With 20 seconds left, Bureau made one of two attempts to give Louisiana-Lafayette a 64-62 lead. Following a team timeout, South Alabama sank a three-pointer with two seconds left to put them up by one. Then Daigle responded with a three-pointer to win the game.

Southeast Missouri State (Rodney Hamilton) (3-18) vs. Murray State

Murray State had four players in double figures in an 80-55 rout of Southeast Missouri State on Saturday night. Jaycen Herring and Calvin Williams scored 16 points apiece to lead the Redhawks (3-18, 0-10), who have dropped 10 straight games. The Racers hit 12 of 18 free throw attempts, while the Redhawks went just 8-of-17 from the line.

Murray State also hit eight shots from beyond the arc compared to one for the Redhawks. Holloway hit five of those three-pointers. Murray State led by eight points at the break, and went on a 16-0 run during a four-minute span midway through the second half to pull away.

Arkansas State (Elwyn McRoy) (13-7) vs. Florida Atlantic

Yima Chia-Kur scored 26 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as Arkansas State headed off an upset by Florida Atlantic in a 62-60 victory Saturday. Donald Boone added 13 points for ASU (13-7, 5-4 Sun Belt Conference). The Red Wolves had a comfortable 10-point lead going into the half with 35-25 on the scoreboard.

But the Owls (4-17, 0-9) pushed ahead with superior shooting in 3-pointers in the second half making 42.9 percent to ASU’s 33.3 percent. Arkansas State was 0-0 in free throws in the final period.

UIC (Tracy Dildy) (10-9) vs. Wright State

Wright State got a 57-31 victory on Saturday night. Scott Vandermeer had 10 points for the Flames (10-9, 3-6), who hit just 11-of-42 shots from the field for 26 percent. The Flames trailed just 34-25 at the 13:26 mark of the second half but the Raiders scored 23 of the game’s final 29 points.

NCCU (Henry Dickerson) (2-21) vs. Chicago State

Chicago State routed North Carolina Central 103-63 on Saturday night. Chicago State dominated the boards, with 62 points in the paint, compared with just 20 by North Carolina Central (2-21). The Cougars led 59-31 at the half.

Chicago State made 17-of-33 field goal attempts, or 56 percent, compared with 11-of-34, or nearly 36 percent, for the Eagles. Philip Branch had 15 points and Vincent Davis added 13 for North Carolina Central.

Savannah State (Horace Broadnax) (9-11) vs. Utah Valley

Utah Valley turned in a collective effort and beat Savannah State 55-39 Saturday afternoon. Utah Valley (9-8) took a 24-19 lead into the half and never looked back as they cruised to the 16-point victory.

A quick Wolverine run extended the lead to 10 early in the second half and the Tigers would come no closer as they dropped to 9-11 on the season. Raye Bailey, Anthony Jones and Rashad Hassan led the Tigers in scoring with eight points apiece while Jones also chipped in with eight rebounds.

MLB Teams Cashing In Without Arbitration

Darren Heitner — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 13:00:03 -0500

In just about 16 days, pitchers and catchers will be reporting in the MLB. However, with all of the excitement of a new season coming to a head, many players are cashing in with their respective ball clubs. Sometimes, though, the clubs get away with a bargain.

In the MLB, if you are a scout and have a great eye for young talent then you are equivalent to a nugget of gold in the 1840's. The reason for this is that there are many young and excellent players in the majors who are, for the most part, getting paid the league minimum.

Prince Fielder, a four-season veteran in the majors just signed a contract worth $18 million with the Milwaukee Brewers; he also avoided salary arbitration. The contract will give him the following:

-2009 = $6.5 million

-2010 = $10.5 million

-$1 million signing bonus

-$250,000 in performance bonuses each year with 500+ plate appearances

Another player I would like to bring into the picture is Philadelphia Phillies first-baseman Ryan Howard. Howard is a five-year major league veteran. Last year, Howard made $10 million after winning his arbitration hearing.

In 2006, Fielder and Howard made $329,500, $355,000, respectively. Their key statistics in that year are as follows:

Case in point, it is easy to notice each season that Howard and Fielder’s statistics are very similar. The first year Ryan Howard was eligible for salary arbitration, he was awarded $10 million. By not going to arbitration, clubs are able to sometimes get away with not paying the player a large sum of money. This is evident with Prince Fielder’s current contract. Just as a bit of brain food, Howard asked $18 million for his arbitration award; the result is not yet known.

Scott Helfand of ProAthletesOnly.com Arrested

Darren Heitner — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 12:00:40 -0500

Scott Helfand, founder of ProAthletesOnly.com former Publisher and Editor-In-Chief of Moves Magazine has been booked into jail on a felony arrest warrant for violating the terms of his probation in Florida.

Helfand, a resident of Florida and former athlete agent, was apparently soliciting potential clients in Arizona and not mentioning his former illegal acts (which the terms of his probation required Mr. Helfand to do).

In the past, Helfand stole $150,000 from an NFL player in 2001 and has an active lien of $115,000 that another former player filed against him.

I have stated before that I am a fan of ProAthletesOnly.com. I also like Helfand’s former publication, Moves Magazine. It seems as though Scott Helfand is very well connected within the industry, but has had a few mishaps here and there and cannot seem to get past his former issues.

Helfand was sent to Florida after the arrest. Perhaps he will be released in time to make it to Tampa this week for the Moves Magazine party?