Confessions of an Agent

[SouthSideRyan]

If you believe that agents paying players only happens at select schools, how is it not a competitive advantage? If I'm a high school athlete and know I can get paid at Kentucky, Memphis, or UMass, but can't get paid at Northwestern, how is that not an advantage?

[NewUserName]

He made a good point about naming names: if he just said "I gave some kids some cash", no one would pay attention to the story. It took laying out all the details in order for SI (or anyone) to take notice of the story

 

I agree with this. I also think the only way that this causes any positive change is bigger name agents will have to be caught or confess. I also think that players from schools that are perceived as clean will have to be named for any real change to happen. Still way to easy for fans from schools that "are above this kind of thing" to point at the WSU, USC, and other schools and say that it is an issue with those renegade programs and not with us.

 

This isn't about schools paying guys to play but agents paying soon-to-be pros in order to get their business when they declare, right? I don't think it's really sports specific.

 

so USC shouldn't have been punished for what happened with Reggie Bush?

[jersey cubs fan]

He made a good point about naming names: if he just said "I gave some kids some cash", no one would pay attention to the story. It took laying out all the details in order for SI (or anyone) to take notice of the story

 

I agree with this. I also think the only way that this causes any positive change is bigger name agents will have to be caught or confess. I also think that players from schools that are perceived as clean will have to be named for any real change to happen. Still way to easy for fans from schools that "are above this kind of thing" to point at the WSU, USC, and other schools and say that it is an issue with those renegade programs and not with us.

 

This isn't about schools paying guys to play but agents paying soon-to-be pros in order to get their business when they declare, right? I don't think it's really sports specific.

 

so USC shouldn't have been punished for what happened with Reggie Bush?

 

That's not what I said. The story is agents are paying players to get their business when drafted. I don't think it matters what schools are involved from a "how do we change it" standpoint.

[SpongeWorthy]

If you believe that agents paying players only happens at select schools, how is it not a competitive advantage? If I'm a high school athlete and know I can get paid at Kentucky, Memphis, or UMass, but can't get paid at Northwestern, how is that not an advantage?

 

I don't think it only happens at select schools. The article seems to indicate otherwise.

 

But besides that, the agent has a clear, vested financial interest in getting established talents to leave school as soon as possible. You're saying that the agent culture becomes attached to the program so they get better talent to begin with...there's some merit to that argument but to me, the fact that the agents WANT these guys to leave school is a bigger factor on balance.

[jersey cubs fan]

If you believe that agents paying players only happens at select schools, how is it not a competitive advantage? If I'm a high school athlete and know I can get paid at Kentucky, Memphis, or UMass, but can't get paid at Northwestern, how is that not an advantage?

 

I don't think it only happens at select schools. The article seems to indicate otherwise.

 

But besides that, the agent has a clear, vested financial interest in getting established talents to leave school as soon as possible. You're saying that the agent culture becomes attached to the program so they get better talent to begin with...there's some merit to that argument but to me, the fact that the agents WANT these guys to leave school is a bigger factor on balance.

 

That's assuming that without their influence those players would otherwise stay in school. I don't buy that.

[SpongeWorthy]

I don't see how an agent talking into the ear of some 20 year old prospect who probably grew up in some hellhole ghetto encourages a player to remain in school. Of course it varies based on every individual player.

 

There's no way agents hanging around college programs is a net positive when it comes to guys staying in school.

[NewUserName]

He made a good point about naming names: if he just said "I gave some kids some cash", no one would pay attention to the story. It took laying out all the details in order for SI (or anyone) to take notice of the story

 

I agree with this. I also think the only way that this causes any positive change is bigger name agents will have to be caught or confess. I also think that players from schools that are perceived as clean will have to be named for any real change to happen. Still way to easy for fans from schools that "are above this kind of thing" to point at the WSU, USC, and other schools and say that it is an issue with those renegade programs and not with us.

 

This isn't about schools paying guys to play but agents paying soon-to-be pros in order to get their business when they declare, right? I don't think it's really sports specific.

 

so USC shouldn't have been punished for what happened with Reggie Bush?

 

That's not what I said. The story is agents are paying players to get their business when drafted. I don't think it matters what schools are involved from a "how do we change it" standpoint.

 

it probably shouldnt matter. But like steroids in baseball it took people to realize it was way more then one or two isolated cheaters to realize that there is a problem, even a problem with players who play on my favorite team...oh my!!! I think in this case it will take players from Perceived Squeecky Clean State to get in trouble with this to really cause a large outcry to positive change. I still think it is way to easy for many fans to say things like U$C or its Miami(thug U)

[jersey cubs fan]

I don't see how an agent talking into the ear of some 20 year old prospect who probably grew up in some hellhole ghetto encourages a player to remain in school. Of course it varies based on every individual player.

 

There's no way agents hanging around college programs is a net positive when it comes to guys staying in school.

 

When it comes to that specific point, sure. But the overall point in drawing them to the school in the first place and leaving early is an entirely different matter. Either way, kids are leaving school because there is money available, they don't need agents to tell them that.

[jersey cubs fan]

it probably shouldnt matter. But like steroids in baseball it took people to realize it was way more then one or two isolated cheaters to realize that there is a problem, even a problem with players who play on my favorite team...oh my!!! I think in this case it will take players from Perceived Squeecky Clean State to get in trouble with this to really cause a large outcry to positive change. I still think it is way to easy for many fans to say things like U$C or its Miami(thug U)

 

What are these perceived squeecky clean state schools? Notre Dame? Air Force? I'm not sure anybody with half a brain would be surprised to hear a kid from any school took money from an agent at some point.

[SouthSideRyan]

I would think boosters paying kids is a bigger "issue" than agents. Seems to make a lot more sense for for a booster to be handing out $200,000 to a 17 year old to go to a certain school than for an agent, but I don't doubt similar things can happen with agents. They have their connections to certain coaches the same way AAU coaches do, and everyone along the way gets their kickbacks.

 

That said, I think it's pretty damn cynical to believe every program has agents/boosters paying players. When a kid gets a few bucks here and there for an agent, that's tougher to track, but if a coach sees the kid on the team with no money driving around campus in a hummer, he knows what's going on. Without the liability tied directly to the coach, it's easy for him to turn his head and say he wasn't involved, some choose that route, some don't

[SouthSideRyan]

it probably shouldnt matter. But like steroids in baseball it took people to realize it was way more then one or two isolated cheaters to realize that there is a problem, even a problem with players who play on my favorite team...oh my!!! I think in this case it will take players from Perceived Squeecky Clean State to get in trouble with this to really cause a large outcry to positive change. I still think it is way to easy for many fans to say things like U$C or its Miami(thug U)

 

What are these perceived squeecky clean state schools? Notre Dame? Air Force? I'm not sure anybody with half a brain would be surprised to hear a kid from any school took money from an agent at some point.

 

I bet the average fan would be surprised to hear Duke players took money

[jersey cubs fan]

That said, I think it's pretty damn cynical to believe every program has agents/boosters paying players.

 

The point is this isn't schools having agents pay their players for them. It's agents paying soon-to-be pros in an effort to get their business when they do go pro. It doesn't matter what school he's going to.

 

 

As for the cynicism, I've seen shady things at freaking DII schools. If some of this doesn't happen everywhere, then it's at least pretty damn close.

[SpongeWorthy]

The guy who mentored this Luchs character made it seem pretty clear that handing out wads of cash (thousands of dollars at a time) was a dumb move because the player would just walk away once he's been set up. Better to give him some walking around money every month so there's a dependency created.

 

I don't see the incentive of an agent giving a ton of lump sum money to a player as being as strong as a booster to do the same thing.

[SouthSideRyan]

The guy who mentored this Luchs character made it seem pretty clear that handing out wads of cash (thousands of dollars at a time) was a dumb move because the player would just walk away once he's been set up. Better to give him some walking around money every month so there's a dependency created.

 

I don't see the incentive of an agent giving a ton of lump sum money to a player as being as strong as a booster to do the same thing.

 

Like I said, I think boosters are a much bigger issue, but if you've got "friends of the program" who your coach can steer the kid to in return for you delivering him to the university for a certain fee, I could see it.

[SpongeWorthy]

it probably shouldnt matter. But like steroids in baseball it took people to realize it was way more then one or two isolated cheaters to realize that there is a problem, even a problem with players who play on my favorite team...oh my!!! I think in this case it will take players from Perceived Squeecky Clean State to get in trouble with this to really cause a large outcry to positive change. I still think it is way to easy for many fans to say things like U$C or its Miami(thug U)

 

What are these perceived squeecky clean state schools? Notre Dame? Air Force? I'm not sure anybody with half a brain would be surprised to hear a kid from any school took money from an agent at some point.

 

I bet the average fan would be surprised to hear Duke players took money

 

That's because Shane Battier isn't desperate or dumb enough to take petty cash from an agent. Anecdotally, it seems like most Duke players come from comfortable upper-middle class existences.

[jersey cubs fan]

The guy who mentored this Luchs character made it seem pretty clear that handing out wads of cash (thousands of dollars at a time) was a dumb move because the player would just walk away once he's been set up. Better to give him some walking around money every month so there's a dependency created.

 

I don't see the incentive of an agent giving a ton of lump sum money to a player as being as strong as a booster to do the same thing.

 

Like I said, I think boosters are a much bigger issue, but if you've got "friends of the program" who your coach can steer the kid to in return for you delivering him to the university for a certain fee, I could see it.

 

Yeah, boosters are going to be more of a school specific issue, and it's probably more of a problem as you said. That's actually paying a kid to come to your school. An agent trying to build a business relationship by giving a guy some dough while he's at school so he'll hire his agency when he declares for the draft is very different.

[chuckywang]

Don't forget there are coaches on the agents take as well. John Blake can steer to recruits to UNC by telling (or implying) them that there will be agents there who can take care of them and their family while they are in school.

 

If you don't see how this is an unfair advantage, I don't know what to say.

[SouthSideRyan]

Name me one thing Calipari has done wrong.

 

Were you just trolling everyone before?

[snoodmonger]

Congrats to Dana Stubblefield for turning down the 10K. Tough thing to do when you're in college. Especially when you're saving up for HGH.

[TruffleShuffle]

If you believe that agents paying players only happens at select schools, how is it not a competitive advantage? If I'm a high school athlete and know I can get paid at Kentucky, Memphis, or UMass, but can't get paid at Northwestern, how is that not an advantage?

 

i like your arbitrary choice of these three schools :lol:

[chuckywang]

Name me one thing Calipari has done wrong.

 

Were you just trolling everyone before?

 

What? What does that have to do with this story?

[stuy119]

I would think boosters paying kids is a bigger "issue" than agents. Seems to make a lot more sense for for a booster to be handing out $200,000 to a 17 year old to go to a certain school than for an agent, but I don't doubt similar things can happen with agents. They have their connections to certain coaches the same way AAU coaches do, and everyone along the way gets their kickbacks.

 

A couple of things about this:

 

1. It doesn't take $200K to land a top player. Rumor is that Patrick Peterson accepted $35K and $500/month to go to LSU.

2. I don't know about basketball, but in college football the boosters don't pay the players like the agents do. Instead, they pay the families of the players, where mysterious envelopes full of cash and game tickets pop up on their doorstep the week of a game.

[hawkeyecub]

I would think boosters paying kids is a bigger "issue" than agents. Seems to make a lot more sense for for a booster to be handing out $200,000 to a 17 year old to go to a certain school than for an agent, but I don't doubt similar things can happen with agents. They have their connections to certain coaches the same way AAU coaches do, and everyone along the way gets their kickbacks.

 

A couple of things about this:

 

1. It doesn't take $200K to land a top player. Rumor is that Patrick Peterson accepted $35K and $500/month to go to LSU.

 

Where is this rumored?

[stuy119]

I would think boosters paying kids is a bigger "issue" than agents. Seems to make a lot more sense for for a booster to be handing out $200,000 to a 17 year old to go to a certain school than for an agent, but I don't doubt similar things can happen with agents. They have their connections to certain coaches the same way AAU coaches do, and everyone along the way gets their kickbacks.

 

A couple of things about this:

 

1. It doesn't take $200K to land a top player. Rumor is that Patrick Peterson accepted $35K and $500/month to go to LSU.

 

Where is this rumored?

 

People associated with recruiting in the state of Florida that I know. I know about quite a few skeletons in closets.

[SouthSideRyan]

I would think boosters paying kids is a bigger "issue" than agents. Seems to make a lot more sense for for a booster to be handing out $200,000 to a 17 year old to go to a certain school than for an agent, but I don't doubt similar things can happen with agents. They have their connections to certain coaches the same way AAU coaches do, and everyone along the way gets their kickbacks.

 

A couple of things about this:

 

1. It doesn't take $200K to land a top player. Rumor is that Patrick Peterson accepted $35K and $500/month to go to LSU.

2. I don't know about basketball, but in college football the boosters don't pay the players like the agents do. Instead, they pay the families of the players, where mysterious envelopes full of cash and game tickets pop up on their doorstep the week of a game.

 

I guess we'll have to wait and see the results of Anthony Davis's lawsuit to find out how much it costs.