A sports blog by and for Midwest Sports Fans
It’s time for another edition of the Sports Agent Corner, our periodic Q&A with Dallas-based sports agent Gary Glick of Synergy Sports, Inc. Learn more about Gary and see his list of past and present clients at the Synergy Sports website.
In this brief but informative Q&A, Gary breaks down the key issue causing all the strife, explains how undrafted free agents are being affected, and offers his prediction for whether regular season games will ultimately be missed.
Outside of Brett Favre and his penis, no sports story has been more explosive and talked about than the SI article about sports agent Josh Luchs. If you haven’t read the article yet, click here or head out and pick up this week’s issue of Sports Illustrated.
Basically, Luchs details how he paid football players while they were in college. He names 30 players that he specifically gave money to, a few more who he offered money to but who declined to take it, and pinpoints big names in the sports agent game like Gary Wichard (who Luchs worked for) as being unscrupulous in their dealings with college athletes.
On today’s episode of the Friday Football Preview, we welcome back Gary Glick from Synergy Sports Inc (who has authored the Sports Agent Corner column here on MSF) to discuss the article, just how accurate he thinks the claims are, and how big of a problem this really is.
(Editor’s Note: The Sports Agent Corner is our periodic Q&A with Dallas-based sports agent Gary Glick of Synergy Sports, Inc. Learn more about Gary and see his list of past and present clients at the Synergy Sports website.)
MSF: Give us an update on your players currently on NFL rosters.
Gary Glick: Interesting year so far. We had several that were released and several doing well. One of the ones to watch is Mike Adams at Arizona (#27). He is small at 5’8” but has been very effective on special teams and is a very sure tackler.
MSF: How does the beginning of the UFL influence your landscape? Is this a place where you are going to actively direct your clients who cannot make it on an NFL roster right now? Is the UFL immediately on par, better than, worse than the CFL?
Editor’s Note: Welcome to the latest edition of the Sports Agents Corner, our regular feature here at MSF in which we run through a list of hot topics with Dallas-based sports agent Gary Glick of Synergy Sports, Inc. The Sports Agent Corner has been on hiatus for a few weeks (my fault, not Gary’s), but Gary has been nice enough to take a quick breather during draft week to answer a few questions.
Go to the Sports Agent Corner page to view past editions, and feel free to send an email to the Sports Agent Corner if there is a specific question you would like Gary to address in future weeks. You can also respond in the comments section and I’ll be sure that Gary sees your responses.)
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MSF: What players are you representing this year in the 2009 NFL Draft?
Gary Glick: Kirby Freeman (QB); Joe Ganz (QB); Dexton Fields (WR); Aubrey Bell (WR); Thomas White (WR); Braxton Kelly (LB); Andrew Mooney (TE/FB); Jake Ratcliff (DE/LB); Dan Titchener (P); Cory Long (K)
MSF: Describe what the week leading up to the draft is like?
Gary Glick: It’s VERY hectic. There is a great deal of last-minute marketing and maneuvering as well as speaking to the teams about draft day contact information. Also talking to the players to keep up their confidence as well as speaking with the press. The Dallas Morning News (Todd Archer) did a nice article on Thomas White after his workout with the Cowboys and the press from the various cities in the colleges where the players attended have draft questions.
MSF: How will you spend your Saturday and Sunday this weekend?
Gary Glick: Saturday is more laid back than Sunday. I will be manning the phones and watching the draft somewhere other than the office.
On Sunday, I will start with a mass e-mail to all of the teams again reminding them of them of my players. I will be at the office monitoring the draft and making contact with whoever I can with the teams. The “fun†starts IMMEDIATELY after the last pick in the draft. For players who are not drafted, it is the time to try and have them signed as Free Agents. We have a team of people making calls to every contact we have in the league.
MSF: What do you find yourself doing more: managing the expectations of players who think they will be drafted higher than they probably will, or pumping up guys who think they have no chance to get picked — but who might?
Gary Glick: A little of both but probably the focus is on calming nerves and keeping the guys pumped up. Even if they are not immediately signed, there is always the chance.
MSF: For all of the fans who do not understand it, describe a little more about what happens after the last pick of the second day. What is the ensuing scramble to get your undrafted players into camps like?.
Gary Glick: Most of the Undrafted Rookie Free Agents (those players not drafted) are signed within 2-3 hours after the draft. It is imperative that we start calling at the end of the 7th round and make as many calls and as quickly as possible to all of the NFL contacts we have. I usually have 2 phones going at the same time! I have never seen so many calls being made so quickly.
Editor’s Note: Welcome to the third edition of the Sports Agents Corner. Each week, we run through a list of hot topics with Dallas-based sports agent Gary Glick of Synergy Sports, Inc.
Go to the Sports Agent Corner page to view past editions, and feel free to send an email to the Sports Agent Corner if there is a specific question you would like Gary to address in future weeks. You can also respond in the comments section and I’ll be sure that Gary sees your responses.)
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MSF: “Superagent” Leigh Steinberg was arrested last week for public intox. As a fellow sports agent, when you see a story like that about another agent with such a high profile, what is your reaction?
Gary Glick: Honestly, I don’t give much thought to that. All of us have a drink or two at times and it sort of falls into the category of “there but for the grace of God go I.†If it was a more serious charge of DWI, or domestic violence, or a charge relating to drug use it would be a big concern.
MSF: There is a lot of uncertainty right now regarding the future of the NFL’s relationship with the NFLPA due to the impending expiration of the CBA. Do you foresee an uncapped year? If so, what are the ramifications for the NFL?
Gary Glick: It would be difficult to imagine the NFL allowing things to proceed to the point of an uncapped year. That would have the potential of allowing players to essentially name their price and put football contracts up there with baseball contracts. I really do not foresee an uncapped year.
MSF: How is the NFLPA currently operating without a “true” leader after the passing of Gene Upshaw? Who do you think, or better yet, who do you want to see take over as NFLPA president?
Gary Glick: I had not had any direct dealings with Mr. Upshaw and to date, do not believe there has been the situation in which we have been able to see a positive or negative impact. I have not really noticed a difference yet. I continue to deal with those same individuals with whom I have always dealt. I believe at the time the heat of the CBA negotiations is turned up, we will see the difference. There are so many qualified individuals who would be qualified and who I believe could lead the next generation of the NFLPA. It would need to be an intelligent, former player. I have yet to hear any individuals being mentioned as strong candidates. I always thought Ray Farmer (the current Director of Pro Personnel for the Kansas City Chiefs) would be a perfect fit (I haven’t heard his or any other name being mentioned). But again, I deal with so many individuals directly or indirectly involved in the NFL that would be good for that position.
MSF: What are some recommendations you would give to the next NFLPA president.
Gary Glick: Somewhat consistently, the NFLPA (the NFL players’ union) is considered to be a weak union, at least relative to the other major sports. I believe its important for the next president to somehow quell that perception and to fight for stronger guaranteed contracts for players. Moreover, it would be good to see the union put up a stronger fight for players as well as former players without jeopardizing relations with the owners to the extent the fans are punished.
From an agent’s standpoint, Id like to see the NFLPA create a more equal footing for agents to compete. There is so much unregulated recruiting by agents who give players incentives to sign with that agency and rarely is anything done about it.
MSF: Let’s talk about some of the great football being played in your home state of Texas. UT-Texas Tech: What were your general impressions of the game? How does Graham Harrell compare to Colt McCoy as an NFL prospect? And how amazing is Michael Crabtree? What would you give up for a year to have Crabtree as a client?
Gary Glick: Generally, I can’t think of a college game I enjoyed watching as much as this one. Not only did it live up to the hype, it previewed 2 outstanding teams having outstanding seasons. From the previous seasons of following the Big 12 and watching Graham Harrell, I did not want to believe he was the “real dealâ€; but this year, I think he has proven that he is not only for real, but that he is more than just a “system†QB.
Previous QB’s at Texas Tech have had outstanding statistics, but could not make it in the NFL because their success in college was more of a result of the Texas Tech offensive system than it was because they were actual, legitimate NFL-caliber QB’s. Graham Harrell seems to be different. He makes good reads, has a very good pocket presence, never seems to panic, and picks up blitzes and executes as well as any QB in the country.
I believe Graham Harrell and Colt McCoy will probably be neck and neck in the NFL Draft and it will probably come down to the preference of an NFL team as well as the performance of each at the NFL Combine. Both are top quality QB’s who have really come on in their senior seasons.
As far as Crabtree, I can only say Wow! He has everything an NFL team could want: speed, good hands, strength, and ability to make yards after the catch. More than that, he appears to be a quality person off the field as well. I would definitely make sacrifices to have him as a client…I might even give up beer! He is the type of quality player on and off the field that an agent would be lucky to represent.
[tags]sports agent, nflpa[/tags]
(Admin Note: This is the first in a new periodic series to be featured here at Midwest Sports Fans: the Sports Agent Corner. Gary Glick, President and founder of the Dallas-based sports agency Synergy Sports Inc., will be our regular guest. Mr. Glick has worked recently with former Big 12 standouts Maurice Purify, Marcellus Rivers, and Dwayne Blakely.)
Midwest Sports Fans: One of your players is Maurice Purify of the Cincinnati Bengals, who has found his share of trouble. You have said that too big a deal has been made out of his off-field issues. How so?
Gary Glick: Maurice Purify transferred to Nebraska at a rough time in his life and although I make no excuses for a player’s behavior, Mo had 4 close relatives pass away during that time. He was accosted by a bouncer at a club and got into a fight and was charged with assault. During his probation, he received a DUI and then subsequently during a house party, he and his uncle (a school counselor from Missouri) were watching an ESPN special in the basement of a friend’s house when the police burst in and asked people to leave. The people in the basement (including Mo) did not hear the request and were issued citations (even his uncle). The citation constituted a violation of his probation.
When looked at as a whole, his “offenses†do not appear that egregious and surely do not constitute the seeming “black balling†he received on Draft day.
For those who read this, try to keep in mind that Maurice Purify was a college kid and try to remember the things you did in college, whether you got caught or not.
I have gotten to know him and have seen a humble guy that is incredible with fans and with children. To actually know Maurice Purify is to realize that he is not this player with ridiculous “off the field issues†but a good guy that wants to succeed and has the ability to succeed with the Cincinnati Bengals and in the NFL.
