Josh Luchs and the Shadiest Agents of All Time
Former sports agent Josh Luchs is at the center of controversy following a shocking article in the newest edition of Sports Illustrated.
In the article “Confessions of an Agent,” Fuchs comes forward with the admission that he paid college football players early in his career, and goes as far as naming names.
With this not-so-surprising revelation that agents often pay college athletes, it’s a perfect opportunity to examine the most ethically questionable agents of all time.
10. Raymond Savage
1 of 10
Raymond Savage is in some serious hot water.
The agent allegedly sent an employee to visit with former Alabama wide receiver Tyrone Prothro, but failed to show up in court for his hearing.
The judge has issued an arrest warrant for the Virginia-based agent, who broke the law when sending a non-registered agent to speak with the injured receiver.
9. Drew Rosenhaus
2 of 10
If I learned anything from Jerry Maguire, it’s that good agents finish last–you know, except for the Hollywood ending.
In the film, Maguire gets fired for a memo detailing how he would like to be more personal and ethical in his dealings. In fact, Maguire’s boss Bob Sugar is supposedly based on the super agent.
Rosenhaus represents over 100 players, including some of the biggest names in the game. He is well known for his aggressive tactics, and has frequently been accused of contacting players who are represented by other agents.
To this day, many people fault Rosenhaus for his Terrell Owens exodus from the Eagles. In fact, a reporter went to far as to ask what Rosenhaus what he has done for Owens aside from getting him get kicked off the team, to which the agent famously replied, “next question.”
8. Scott Boras
3 of 10
What type of list would this be without the presence of Scott Boras, the man who exemplifies why we hate agents.
Boras may be the most powerful man in sports, with a client roster that includes Mark Teixiera, Manny Ramirez, Carlos Beltran and Stephen Strasburg.
While Boras has never been accused of illegally paying athletes, he certainly has been integral in the ever-rising salaries. He was the first agent to land a $50, $100 and $200-million contract (Greg Maddux, Kevin Brown and Alex Rodriguez, respectively).
Recently, he landed Stephen Strasburg and 2010’s top pick Bryce Harper the largest contracts for a hitter and pitcher in draft history. He has changed the very way the draft functions, by demanding player salaries before the draft and forcing teams to avoid drafting his players.
Just this season, LSU pitcher Anthony Ranaudo dropped into the supplementary round because he wanted top-five money. The Red Sox drafted the hard-throwing righty with the No. 39 overall pick, only to pay him like a top pick.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
7. Josh Luchs
4 of 10
We all know that there is some impropriety behind the scenes throughout college sports.
We’ve seen Chris Webber and Reggie Bush publicly outed, but never like this. Typically, when an agent or athlete admit to past digressions, it is because they were caught doing so.
Just look at the case of Jason Grimsley.
Many people may be asking why Luchs would choose to come forward with this story. According to Deadspin, Luchs had a gripe against the NFLPA ever since they suspended him for taking money years ago.
In this story, Luchs spares no names, and among the biggest names mentioned is former No. 2-overall pick Ryan Leaf. The renowned bust reportedly accepted $10,000 while he was a junior at Washington State.
While Luchs claims he came forward to set an example for his wife and daughter, the fact that he threw others under the bus to do so makes it seem otherwise. So far, eight players have confirmed that they accepted benefits and seven others have declined comment.
6. Joel Segal
5 of 10
Segal has been a highly-successful agent, with clients including Chris Johnson, Randy Moss and DeAngelo Hall.
However, his past is tainted with wrongdoings.
Back in the 1990’s, Segal was suspended after using a pseudonym to pay a Florida State player. He also represents Michael Vick, and maintained silence when Vick was being accused of running a dog-fighting ring.
Perhaps not coincidentally, Segal represents Reggie Bush and Maurkice Poncey, who have both been charged with accepting money from agents.
5. Bill Duffy
6 of 10
Duffy is arguably the biggest agent in basketball.
His laundry list of clients includes Steve Nash, Rajon Rondo and Yao Ming. But in 2008, Duffy was involved in quite the scandal.
In a May 11, 2008, edition of ESPN’s Outside the Lines, it was reported that Memphis Grizzlies guard and O.J. Mayo had received illegal gifts from an agent.
While the offering was presented by Rodney Guillory, it was reported that Guillory had ultimately been given the cash by Bill Duffy. Mayo had left Duffy in favor of Leon Rose only nine days before the story had been broken.
4. John Lounsbury/Wesley Spears
7 of 10
As a Boston College grad and Massachusetts native, I always love to joke with my friends who attended UMass.
I’ll tease them about being in the A-10, and they’ll joke about the minimal fan support we receive in the area.
One thing they can’t brag about is UMass Final Four appearance in 1996. Naismith player of the year Marcus Camby was found to have accepted $28,000 in improper benefits from Lounsbury and Spears in an attempt to lure Camby as a client.
The most shocking aspect of these infractions? Lounsbury and Spears apparently paid for prostitutes for the Blazers center.
The school was ultimately forced to repay over $150,000 that they made while UMass was making their Final Four run, and the school was stripped of their Final Four appearance.
3. Gary Wichard
8 of 10
How much controversy can one man be involved in?
Marvin Austin and two other players were dismissed from the team today based on inappropriate contact between multiple North Carolina players and NFL agent Gary Wichard.
Allegedly, many members of the team met with Wichard after being introduced by UNC assistant coach John Blake. While Wichard denies these allegations, he finds himself at the center of yet another headline-grabbing scandal, this one involving ESPN’s Mel Kiper.
In the new Sports Illustrated article, Luchs accused Kiper of helping Wichard recruit players. Kiper, a longtime friend of Wichard, has been accused in the past of touting Wichard’s clients in an attempt to help their draft stock.
Kiper denies the allegation,s and has explained that part of his job involves speaking with agents, but that his 32-year career speaks for itself.
2. Lloyd Lake
9 of 10
In November 2007, Lloyd Lake sued Reggie Bush and his family over $290,000 in gifts and benefits that Bush had received while a member of the USC Trojans.
While Bush denied any wrongdoings on June 10, 2010, the NCAA came down on USC with major sanctions as a result of these improprieties. The Trojans were forced to forfeit their entire 2005 season–including their Orange Bowl victory.
Currently, USC is in year one of a two-season postseason ban and have been stripped of 30 scholarships.
1. William Black
10 of 10
Billy “Tank” Black was a super agent during the '90s who served 82 months in jail for money laundering charges.
Black’s player pool included Sterling Sharpe, Vince Carter and Jevon Kearse, among others.
In 1999, a rival agent told the NFL that Black was providing cash gifts to college players, and eventually Black pled guilty to money laundering, fraud and obstruction of justice.
Tank may not have been the best business man, despite leading a $100-million empire. In 1999 he hired James Franklin Jr. and subsequently invested both his and his players' money in a Ponzi scheme called Cash 4 Titles.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
