OT- SI Story on Agent Paying Players (No UM)

Submitted by modaddy21 on

Damn, some points

 

"Michigan State's Tony Banks, the first quarterback taken in the '96 draft, was another client. Doc had known Tony since he was a little kid and had represented his uncle, former USC and NFL linebacker Chip Banks. We paid Tony several hundred dollars a month."

"In November 2005, Steve and I flew to Ohio State to talk to receiver Santonio Holmes. We met him outside the football building, and he said, "Listen, I want to save you the time. We don't need to meet. I've been taking money from [an agent] the last couple years, and he's been taking care of my family too."

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/magazine/10/12/agent/index.html?eref=sihp

Farnn

October 12th, 2010 at 3:04 PM ^

Interesting that the statute of limitations is 4 years, so none of those allegations will have any effect on the respective programs.

Michigan Shirt

October 12th, 2010 at 3:30 PM ^

I would have to imagine that there are a lot of pissed of people out there after this story and to his credit they did contact all of the people in the story to get their version of events.

COB

October 12th, 2010 at 3:31 PM ^

is that 4 of the 30 players he mentions are dead, WTF.  I was also surprise to hear that the NCAA statute of limitations is 4 years for all violations. 

 

Neither the schools nor the players in this story are likely to face NCAA scrutiny. The NCAA has a four-year statute of limitations on violations, and the most recent violation alleged by Luchs occurred in 2005. There are exceptions to the statute, but none appear applicable.



Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/magazine/10/12/agent/index.html?eref=sihp#ixzz12At53LU9

COB

October 12th, 2010 at 3:55 PM ^

there were exceptions but not what exactly that those were.  I mean, the Reggie Bush stuff was all handed down after 4 years but the investigation started prior so TIFWIW.  It will be interesting to see what goes down with the players that he supposedly has "money order reciepts" and other evidence against. 

03 Blue 07

October 12th, 2010 at 6:45 PM ^

What got Michigan in trouble wasn't Webber, really; it was Louis Bullock and Marcus Taylor, who also took improper benefits from Ed Martin, thereby restarting the Statute of Limitations. By the time the NCAA found out, if those two hadn't taken illegal loans, the Webber stuff would've been past the SOL. And what makes it worse is that there were pictures of Ed Martin in the locker room saying "do not associate with this man," and the players were talked to about it. They knew it, they knew better, and they did it anyway. FWIW, Webber was on the take since he was 14 from Martin.

KMJ

October 12th, 2010 at 4:01 PM ^

Well done NCAA.  Maybe you should spend more time investigating players being paid -- less time investigating stretching and voluntary practices.

CRex

October 12th, 2010 at 4:19 PM ^

They pretty much half to.  That's the kind of stuff you want to self report and show control over, although really it's impossible to keep an agent from from slipping the kid a few hundred a month.  I doubt tOSU would get in trouble too much if this was a case of Holmes meeting a guy on his own time and taking cash.  UNC is getting hosed because their one coach was setting up the meetings and cash exchanges.  

This entire not paying players is futile due to the millions involved in potential profit (3% of a multimillion dollar contract).  If you lock the players down to the point where they can't take money, the agent will give it to their father, to their brother, to their girlfriend, uncle, whatever.  The agent will always just go one step past the watchers and have that person serve as a middleman for the money.

The only way these regulations ever have any teeth is if the NFL suspends / fines players caught taking cash in college and the NFL has shown it doesn't care.

stankoniaks

October 12th, 2010 at 4:42 PM ^

They don't have to considering the SOL has lapsed, but it's a very smart move on tOSU's end.  Proactive step to combat against a dreaded allegation of a lack of instituional control if one were to arise in the future.  It also puts them in the good graces of the NCAA if any other violations were to arise.

CRex

October 12th, 2010 at 4:09 PM ^

What kind of bothers me is it appears he didn't really both to get any of the player's approval before naming them as clients who took money from him.  I mean it's not like he had to, but doesn't it seem kind of petty to say "Hey this guy $500 a month from me in college a decade ago..."?  The players can't get into trouble, but depending on how hair trigger the NCAA is, he may or may not have gotten a lot of schools in hot water.

bluewave720

October 12th, 2010 at 4:22 PM ^

for putting "(no UM)" at the end of your title.  I wasn't overtly concerned that Michigan would have been implicated in the story.  However, the OCD side of me really appreciates "OT" plus your disclaimer.  

I really wish I was joking.  But, the OCD "dark passenger" pretty much drives the car during football season.

Seth

October 12th, 2010 at 4:28 PM ^

I have to imagine, with all of the NFL prospects Michigan has had through those years, there were probably some big names for us, for whom it would kill me if I ever heard tell of their hands being out.

One thing of note in that article, though, is that he mentions they had Maurice Clarrett, doing their "best work" getting him drafted in the 3rd round. If I'm an NFL GM, and these guys got me to buy Clarrett when they knew he never should have been drafted, well, I'm not doing business with that firm again if I can avoid it.

e.go.blue

October 12th, 2010 at 6:50 PM ^

Fascinating article, definitely recommend it for anyone interested in college or NFL football. This guy and the business is cold and calculating, and while that's not a big surprise, it is slightly revolting when I compare it with my noble view of our Michigan Wolverines. Even though he didn't mention any Michigan players, I can't kid myself into believing there weren't/aren't some that are on the take.

might and main

October 12th, 2010 at 9:14 PM ^

Holy freakin sh*t ... reading that story is like being a fly on the wall in hundreds of places where you'd like to be a fly on the wall.  I can't imagine how many people Luchs has just totally pissed off.  The guy lives large.