Work the Plan

09 Tuesday Dec 2014

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Yesterday, I guess I had too much time on my hands, so I reviewed my Twitter feed and found one of those endless lists that journalists put out this time of year because they’re easy, it’s the Christmas season, and they can churn them out in no time. This one recognized the top 100 or 20 or 50 or whatever people in the football business. No surprise, my name wasn’t among them.

For a minute, this frustrated me. I never measure myself by others’ success, because usually you’re comparing apples and oranges. Inside the League doesn’t fit neatly into any category. We’re not really media; though that’s the easiest label to put on us. We’re not scouting or recruiting, though lots of people put us in that group. We’re not a sports gossip site, though that’s another way we’ve been described. We’re more of a business-to-business consulting service, which is how I describe us. It’s hard to judge our success based on the number of Twitter followers we have, because our relationships are a lot more vertical than they are horizontal. I see us as less a mountain and more as an iceberg.

So here’s the point: don’t make the same mistake I did, even for a minute, by comparing your success to others’ success. All the time, you can see people in the football world getting credit for ‘winning’ when they really aren’t. You see this in the agent business when a lesser agency signs a top prospect, well over its station. Usually, it’s because the agent has paid a boatload in training, signing bonus and/or training, and more often than not, the player fires him well before he has a chance to make his money back. You’ll see another example of this on the last weekend in April when the media ‘grades’ the draft classes of all 32 teams. Those grades are at least three years early, and based on nothing more than the hype the same media has been creating for months.

Work your plan. Talk to everyone you know about the path you want to take, then take it. Figure out what your budget is, what your goals are, and what your time frame is, and stick to it. Don’t stray when you see someone else enjoying fruits that you think you deserve. And if your intention is to be part of the next wave of football professionals and you need a little guidance, we’d love to help.

The Melting Ice Cube

08 Monday Dec 2014

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Last night, I had someone register for Inside the League, but who stopped short of completing the pay page and subscribing. I call these people ‘tire-kickers.’ They aren’t sure if they want to risk $29.95 to find out if ITL can help them. Fair enough. That’s one reason I started Succeed in Football.

By his name, I think he was a member of the 2014 draft class, though I’m not sure it’s the same person. We get once-highly touted players from previous draft classes that ‘tire-kick’ all the time, wondering if we can find them another shot at glory. People often confuse Inside the League with an agency, and when they find out we aren’t an agency, they ask us to give them referrals to an agency. This is one of the saddest parts of the football business, because there’s nothing we can do to help.

I’ve heard players from former draft classes described as melting ice cubes, and it’s a pretty apt description. If a player goes undrafted, that’s bad, but he still might sign an undrafted free agent deal. If he goes undrafted and unsigned, that’s bad, too, but maybe he can at least hang on if he gets a CFL deal, or at least an AFL deal. However, if he gets to June with no deal and no offers, the summer sun really starts to get hot.

I don’t want to turn this into another cliched ‘stay in school’ story, and no one needs to tell you that getting your degree is the most important thing you can do during your college days. Instead, I discuss this as a reminder that this is a business, and decisions are made for coldly logical reasons.

Here’s another illustration. I got an email from a new agent today, and he mentioned that he was overwhelmed this year with working two jobs. I presume he meant working his ‘day job’ and pressing ahead with his sports representation dream. Good for him. I’m glad he wasn’t foolish enough to put all his eggs in the ‘agent’ basket.

Very often, I’ve spoken to people who think being an agent can be an instant career choice for them, an escape from a boring life as a corporate lawyer or a mid-level banker or even a bartender. But it’s really important to understand that this pursuit — almost any pursuit, really — will take time, and because it takes time, it will take money to keep your head above water in the interim.

I remember when I first launched ITL, I considered leaving my ‘day job’ as a low-level copy editor at a major southern newspaper. I thought of my desire for security as an act of cowardice or a failure to truly believe in myself. I’m so glad today that I didn’t cast security to the wind. It took me a lot of tries to figure what would work for ITL and what wouldn’t, how to work smarter and not always just work harder.

If you’re pursuing a place in the world of football, make sure you realize two things. One, a little early success doesn’t guarantee you anything, and you can run out of resources (and time) quickly if you’re not careful. Two, it doesn’t make you a coward if you hedge your bets professionally. After all, it’s not that you don’t believe you’ll be successful; it just means you’re willing to accept that you might not be instantly successful.

Giving the People What They Want

05 Friday Dec 2014

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We focus mostly on the business of football in this space, but I don’t do enough to encourage aspiring grid professionals to find a corner of the industry to make their own. So today, I’m discussing a couple of things that happened Thursday that puzzle me.

These observations might help budding entrepreneurs. Or if you’ve got answers, and you understand what I clearly don’t, please let me know. Here we go.

  • Occasionally, my friend Darren Heitner of SportsAgentBlog.com will Tweet a brief item from one of my Rep Rumblings reports at Inside the League.  On Thursday, he Tweeted a note about Michigan WR Devin Funchess that I had on the site this week. That item is fairly typical of the type of thing we post on a daily basis this time of year, and when my cell beeped about the Tweet, I just kinda shrugged my shoulders. As I’m writing this, about 22 hours after he posted it, that one Tweet had been retweeted 66 times and Favorited 25 times. I’m at a loss on what gave that Tweet such impact. I mean, I get it: the kid’s a junior and projected as a first-rounder, but it can’t be a surprise that he’s considering leaving early from a program that’s had its struggles the last few years. Obviously, Michigan is one of the more storied programs in the nation, and plenty of Big Blue fans have had their knives out on Twitter in a misery-loves-company kind of way. But it still has me scratching my head. One way or another, this one item had an incredible amount of impact. What’s especially odd is that within the last hour, he tweeted a similar item about Mississippi St. LB Bernardrick McKinney, also a junior who could be a first-rounder if he comes out. Here’s an SEC player from a school that’s had a lot of success this season, and after the first 45 minutes, we have one RT and one favorite. To me, that’s odd.
  • I didn’t post Wednesday this week, so I pushed War Story Weds. to Thursday. My story yesterday involved the professional, fair-minded approach one of my long-time clients took in picking a prime ‘plum’ off the Hula Bowl ‘tree’ in 2007. Almost as soon as I posted it, I got a text from him and we messaged back and forth a bit. My immediate response to him was the shock I feel when a major agent that is already an ITL client contacts me about one of my blog posts here. These readers are already paying for an ITL membership to have the high-level football tools and information needed to perform in an ultra-competitive industry. I mean, if you’re reading this, my thoughts are that you’re someone who’s still learning about the business, which is why at times I discuss some pretty elementary topics. However, apparently, you’re joined in reading by some of the people who’ll be doing first-round contracts next summer. I guess the takeaway is that when you’re in a business as fast-moving and information-centric as sports representation, you better always be learning. If that means that at times you find yourself in a Football 101 classroom, so be it. I hope that’s a lesson the aspiring football professionals out there really take to heart. I know I agree, no matter the business.

War Story Thurs: Hula Frustration

04 Thursday Dec 2014

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Since I missed posting yesterday (sorry, it’s just a really, really busy time), and War Story Wednesday has become pretty popular, I decided to share a war story from my past today, even though it’s Thursday. Hopefully, today’s story illustrates not just the intense competition even off the field, but the way things can be handled when there’s controversy.

This one comes from my days running the 2008 Hula Bowl, which was then the No. 3 all-star contest. It turned out to be the last year the game was played, but at the time, it had a great name and substantial reputation. Still, it was just the No. 3 game. Then, as now, the Senior Bowl was No. 1 and the Shrine Game was No. 2. We were trying to change that, but couldn’t. For that reason, I knew going in that everyone that accepted an invite would leave immediately if they got a Senior Bowl or Shrine Game invite. But I couldn’t be bothered with that; I had a job to do and I did most of my own evaluation.

Back then, the practice of scheduling games by mid-major teams on Tuesdays and Wednesdays was still new, so unless you were looking for a game mid-week, you might not find it unless you happened to come across it while channel-surfing. That’s how I found a game featuring Eastern Michigan against another MAC opponent one night, and it’s how I ‘discovered’ DT Jason Jones. For whatever reason, Jones had not gone into his senior season as a highly touted prospect, and he was not on my radar screen. However, by the end of the game, he definitely was. From his interior line spot, he was disruptive the whole game, stacking up the run and getting consistent penetration on passing plays. He looked like the kind of kid with big ability but limited headlines that I could ‘sneak’ onto the Hula Bowl roster. And I did. As I recall, I reached out to him through Eastern Michigan’s pro liaison coach, and in short order we had his info sheet signed and returned.

Unfortunately, these agreements are not binding, so I had to sweat things out, wondering if he’d ever make it to Honolulu. Everything looked good until we got to December, at which point I got a call from Mike McCartney.

At the time, Mike was still a relatively new agent, but an up-and-comer, and he was with one of the bigger and more reputable firms in the business, Priority Sports in Chicago. We’ve always had a great relationship, and I admire the fact that his father, Bill, founded Promise Keepers, an international Christian organization devoted to making men better fathers and husbands. By the way, Bill McCartney also won a national championship as head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes in 1990.

When Mike called in early December, I figured the news wouldn’t be good, and it wasn’t. He had signed Jones, and Jones would be accepting an invitation to the Senior Bowl. I would have been a fool to make the case that he should also play in the Hula Bowl, and I didn’t, but Mike was very gracious in the way he’d handled it, which I appreciated. Today, Mike and I still have a really good relationship.

Someday, maybe next Wednesday, I’ll discuss the way things are more often handled with another story.

Do Big Games Really Improve Draft Status?

02 Tuesday Dec 2014

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With conference championships this weekend and all-star games ahead in January, former NFL scout Ken Moll tackles another question related to the draft process: How much weight does a scout put into “one big game” from a collegiate player? Can one performance really move the needle? And if so, what are the conditions for such a performance?

Every player, coach, parent and agent needs to know that the bigger the stage, the bigger the impact in regards to how a player is viewed during the evaluation process. Ninety percent of all NFL personnel (and I, as well) consider three factors to be extra-special during evaluation. These are: level of competition; how recent the contest was; and the importance of the game. This is true whether you’re evaluating high school players for college or college players for the NFL.

When a scout makes his school visit and is making his film decisions, usually he wants to watch the most recent competition against the best-available competition. Many will go back to the previous season if there is a bowl game or a big rivalry match-up (Alabama-Auburn, Ohio State-Michigan) to scrutinize how well an athlete performs under the most intense circumstances. It matters a lot how well players perform “under the big lights.”

The other huge factor is how well a player performs versus the best competition. Let’s say a defensive end has a ton of sacks and tackles for loss throughout the season, but doesn’t show up in a matchup with a highly regarded offensive tackle who’s an NFL prospect himself. That could really affect his grade. Like him or not, former Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel (who went 1/22 to the Browns last spring) came up big most of the time versus the top competition. For example, he generated a record 516 total yards versus Oklahoma in the 2013 Cotton Bowl. People like to pick apart the couple of games when he was banged up or playing in poor weather and didn’t put up numbers, but he did more than enough versus Alabama and other great teams to warrant a high draft choice. If he doesn’t succeed in the NFL it won’t be because of a lack of talent or moxie.

Obviously, a player’s entire body of work is considered during the evaluation process. Still, when the “brass” (head coach, coordinator, GM, director of college scouting and, in some cases, the owner) wants to take a look at a prospect, games under the brightest lights possible are usually in highest demand.

 

 

Shaking out my phone

01 Monday Dec 2014

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December always brings such a time of elation mixed with despair in this business where there’s no middle ground. I always get the most interesting texts and emails starting now and running through about Jan. 5-6 (later this year due to the date when the BCS Championship will be played). I thought I’d share a couple today and comment on them.

“Regardless of how this recruiting season turns out, I’m done going after rookies after this year. I’ll stick to veterans who are grown men and smart enough to make their own decisions. Disgusting seeing parents and family pimp out their kids to put themselves in the best situation while swearing they just want what’s best for the kid.”

This one didn’t actually come in this weekend; it was maybe a week or so ago, but it’s very indicative of the feelings of agents come November/December. The author of this Facebook post is a particularly hard-charging, passionate second-year agent. He never backs down from a challenge and recruits players based on the ones he thinks he could do the best job for, refusing to settle for iffy players just to sign someone. That’s what makes it so hard when a parent who’s a little too drunk on the recruiting process, the wooing and such, gets involved and steers the kid in another direction.

“I feel so betrayed by (highly regarded draft-eligible player). I should know better. . . I’m too trusting in this business.”

This text came in today from an agent that I think will be one of the biggest names in the agent business within 3-5 years. He’s incredibly genuine and instantly clicks with young athletes. Unfortunately, his strength is his weakness; he expects the same from his potential clients. I’m fighting the urge to just accept that young men under these pressures can’t muster any sense of loyalty or respect. In many cases, these agents have  been building a relationship with a young man for a year or more. When the player signs elsewhere, often it all ends with the abruptness of a head-on collision.

“Lots of money flowing out there.”

I know, I know — in a business perceived to be as crooked as sports representation, this is to be expected. Actually, there’s more to this statement than meets the eye (in fact, I could do a full blog post on this issue alone). In this business, money is oxygen, it’s energy, it’s what keeps the wheels turning. It gives you way more chances to succeed, but also doesn’t guarantee anything.

Most people would take the above statement to mean that players are being paid under the table, and sometimes that’s true. However, it could also mean there’s money going out on the other side of their last game — in the forms of stipends, marketing guarantees, signing bonuses, expensive training and other expenses that are non-reimbursable. To some degree, you can draw a line between the major agencies that regularly represent top players and the ones that don’t by how much ‘ammo’ they have to provide to athletes in the run-up to the draft.

Here come the shoppers

28 Friday Nov 2014

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Today is Black Friday, a big event for retailers. While shoppers are out in droves across the country’s malls and stores today, there will be a different kind of shopping that begins next week.

About half of all FBS schools will wrap their seasons this weekend, bringing careers to an end for hundreds of seniors. Many of those seniors will have NFL dreams, and though not all of them are realistic, it won’t stop plenty of players from seeking representation. Given that the modern player sees hiring an agent as his first step to playing pro football, many athletes will be cold-calling local agents, pushing to be signed and, just maybe, trained on the agent’s dime.

If there’s one thing that comes as a revelation to new agents, it’s this phenomenon. Most newly certified agents, when they get to November, are still trying to figure things out. How do I find good players? How do I reach out to good players? How do I reach out to good players without getting myself in trouble? In the midst of asking themselves all these questions, they start getting phone calls from players, many with semi-impressive resumes and/or well-rehearsed stories. It’s mighty tempting for a new contract advisor to sign such players. After all, it’s exciting to get a player on an SRA. It feels like victory! It’s a landmark and an indication that an exciting new career is under way.

Only, it’s not that simple. Time is a valuable resource, and most of these players are the longest of shots. When you commit to representing (and promoting, and pitching, and maybe even training for a substantial fee) a player, there’s a certain amount of risk involved. It may or may not involve a significant amount of money, but it definitely will involve your blood, sweat and tears. This is why it’s so important, as a new agent, to know what you’re looking for, and to have a detailed plan for the players you train.

If you aspire to be an agent someday, be aware of what’s ahead this week (and the rest of the month, especially) and prepare for its eventuality. If you’re a new agent now, consider giving us a call. We can help you evaluate the players calling this month and help you decide on a plan of attack.

Happy Thanksgiving weekend!

A scout’s take on how to select an agent

27 Thursday Nov 2014

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Today, former NFL scout Ken Moll gives his thoughts on the do’s and don’ts of selecting a contract advisor.

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The sports agent industry is like any other in that you’ll have a wide range of really good and really poor characters that could be representing an athlete. I know agents can be, at times, a pain in the butt to scouts, but a lot of players and their parents will be facing agent decisions in the coming weeks.

It has always been my belief that a player should be very clear-headed when choosing someone to be his agent. First and foremost, consult with people (parents, coaches, friends, etc.) you trust. Lean on people that love you and have your best interest at heart. Block out the noise and research a particular sports agency and a specific agent you might be considering. Some players have more resources (contacts within the industry) but others may be starting from scratch.

I would not necessarily say the highest-profile firm (or agent) is the best choice for every player. The highest-graded players will likely be “slotted” by position within the draft process, but it’s those players that aren’t as highly graded that could benefit most from good representation. If it were my own son, I would want to look for certain qualities when securing an agent’s services. First and foremost, can I trust him (or her) to have my best interest in mind? Can I trust them to represent me with the integrity and professionalism that I expect?

They also must be good with lines of communication. When I need something (information, clarification or just want to get feedback) will they make me a priority? Can I trust them to tell me the good and the bad and be honest about where I fit in regards to possible draft status?

I would also want a person that makes my son feel comfortable. Can my son or I voice concerns with this person? It’s nice to have a good relationship with your agent but it doesn’t necessarily need to be buddy-buddy.

Obviously being able to negotiate contracts effectively is also important. And finally, having contacts within the industry is important if a player isn’t drafted and wants to be considered as a free agent or the possibility of hooking on with a CFL team.

At the end of the day, finding a good agent is almost like finding a good mechanic. You have to start with trust and competency and go from there.

WSW: The Rest of the Story

26 Wednesday Nov 2014

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Our most recent War Story Wednesday involved a classic draft-day tete-a-tete between former NFL scout Ken Moll and a fellow scout in his days in pro football war rooms. Today, more thoughts on the fallout from that near-brawl.

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Last Wednesday, I spoke of a near chest-to-chest dust-up (which didn’t end up happening) over a player’s grade. Again it’s not unusual for tension and feathers being ruffled in pre-draft meetings, but most of the time the organization will come to a consensus on where a player fits on their board.

Now, I really don’t like using the term “being right” on players because most of the time there are so many circumstances (player work ethic, injuries, opportunity, system, scheme, coaching, mental makeup of the player, character, talent of the roster and yes, even a little luck) around each athlete that factor into a player’s chances of NFL success. Without mentioning that particular player’s name, I can say that we (as an organization) slotted him as a mid-second round draft choice and he was selected late in that round.

Does that always happen? Absolutely not, but you better be “right” more often than not. Now, you don’t go back to that particular co-worker and say, ‘you see? I was right!’ That didn’t and shouldn’t happen. To really know if a player has lived up to his draft status, he will need to perform at a particular expectation level for an extended period of time. In this case, most second-round draft choices are expected to start or at least be a big contributor in their rookie seasons. This player did start and was a solid contributor for three seasons before an injury shortened his career. I guess you can say we were “right” in that situation. I will say that when there is such a contentious discussion that was so visible within the organization, your opinion is held in a higher regard (if you happen to be right) in the future.

Oh yeah, I didn’t just let it go. I was able to, in my own subtle way, let him know that you might want to listen to this cagey veteran; my 15 years of college coaching as well as, at the time, four years of NFL personnel draft meetings trumped his somewhat thin resume. Make no mistake about it: you will be “wrong” on players (even personnel types that have tons of experience) but your “hit ratio” is much better if you can draw on your football experiences.

The SIF Interview: Rob Blanchflower Sr.

25 Tuesday Nov 2014

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With college football season wrapping up, there are a lot of questions about the agent selection process. With that in mind, I wanted to step away from our look inside scouting to post an interview with Rob Blanchflower, whose son, Rob Jr., is a tight end with the Steelers after being selected in the seventh round (230 overall) last spring. This piece is far longer than our usual posts here, but Rob has some interesting insights on the process and what tools he did and didn’t have when it was decision time for his son.

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Did it concern you that Rob was going into his senior season with a team that had struggled? Did it worry you that it might impact his draft status?

“I think when you look at what’s out there in the U.S. and the powerhouses that you have, the Stanfords, Michigan, SEC, and coming from an area other than Washington, D.C., not a lot of people are developing programs. It’s always a concern. We were hopeful that being in a Division 1 program might raise some eyebrows, and as a parent, you’re always pulling for your child, but you balance that with being at UMass. Even at Vanderbilt, that’s not a powerhouse, but it’s still a respected school in the SEC.”

What kind of guidance did former UMass head coach Charley Molnar and/or his staff provide regarding agents?

“I think they were OK. Coach Molnar had some challenges and I don’t think he had the connections with the larger programs and with other guys in the NFL that the more established schools could have. But from a standpoint of being encouraging and helpful, they were there. It does nothing but help their program if they have guys like Blanchflower in the league. One feeds the other.”

Going into his senior season, what was your perception of where Rob would go in the draft? Where did you get that information?

“To be honest, as a parent, you always want to try to balance your child’s expectations, and this was always a dream, and as he went through his senior year I became more respectful of his drive and focus, and his talent started to unwind. He broke a 40-year-old record for receptions that was held by Milt Morin, who happened to be from his hometown, and (Morin) was a Pro Bowler for three years, I think, so those things come along and you don’t want them to be disappointed, but as the season began going, it became more of a (possibility), and we didn’t have the resources you would normally have, and that’s about the time (ITL) reached out to us, and (its) program and (its) services provided were very strong and a very good influence on what’s happening and how the process works, and understanding the mindset of the agents, and what to do and what to talk about and what to think about, and as it gets closer, you have to be prepared for that step.

“I didn’t really focus on it too much because we just wanted to get him through the program, but we had no idea of the qualities they were looking for in each round. It’s seven rounds, and then you see the 1st, 2nd and third rounds, and then his agent said he might go anywhere from fourth through seventh, and at that point I would say probably 2-3 games into the season when Rob started to put up numbers and I started doing some pretty exhaustive and intensive research and tracking every tight end in the country on a weekly basis, and seeing where they stood, and at that point all the soothsayers come out, and I probably had 25-30 guys on my spreadsheet what we were tracking, and it distilled out to a dozen or 15 or so, and you start to weigh where they might go. I was hopeful he could go as early as the fourth round, but that was pretty high expectations, and it would be a great thing to go as high as someone from the SEC or California. I was always hopeful he would go somewhere in the fifth or above. And if a team had a hole maybe they would jump on it, probably late in the fifth or maybe the sixth. Until draft day, I thought maybe sixth round. And the other thing that’s been a phenomenon for me, is the number of insane people out there (who follow) fantasy football. It’s like these people don’t have a life. You can get all kinds of (research), and somebody’s done (the research) somewhere, with Bleacher Report and a lot of them you told me about, and then it kind of rolls out. You go there, find another one, and it’s amazing. You’re not going to get the kid from Maine, who was also pretty good, but you do get the big names. You can see them, and the harsh reality is that you have 250 or thereabouts picks, and any given year you might have seven tight ends go and some years two. (With all the research I did), my wife was starting to wonder about me.”

When did agents really start reaching out?

“I think we had 1-2 guys really reach out to Rob even in the late spring/early summer, and we started getting some promotional materials in the mail. Nobody would directly reach out but you’d get an email or something in the mail and congratulations on a great career, and maybe one or two in June, and then we had three or four in late July/August, and then probably 3-4 guys again in August or September, and the frenzy probably was really, well, what happened was that the former GM from Dallas, Gil Brandt, ranked Rob as one of the top five tight ends in the country on NFL.com, and that was an unbelievable surprise for us, and once that hit the (web), we started getting people calling, and that, I think, was probably the first week in October, and then it started to build, then it quieted down a bit, and then we went through the selection.”

Did you have any resources or friends or ex-teammates or attorneys who helped you vet people in the process?

“A local attorney . . . was a very big help, and he knew a couple of agents, and when it came time to look over (the SRA) he helped, but that’s pretty boilerplate. He was probably the best resource there, and when you start talking to people, everyone knows somebody who’s an agent, and you have to be kind of careful there. You want someone who’s a full-time agent and not someone who’s selling cars on the side. But some of the coaches were very helpful, and his old coach was very helpful with Robert, and (ex-UMass teammate) Emil Igwenagu was a big help, as well as (ex-UMass teammate) Michael Cox he talked to, even some of the other guys around the league were out there. . . There was not really anyone who pushed a certain guy. We had a few guys who were runners who pushed and some who were trying to get in with agents, and I was relatively surprised. It was a pretty clean process. Everybody wants you to believe they’re Jerry Maguire.”

What’s the one thing you wish you had (resource, website, advisor, anything else) that you would have found helpful?

“I will tell you that until my son became a junior in football, I was always a fair-weather fan. I always taught my children that sports are something you do and shouldn’t be a spectacle, so I never got into the minutiae. If I’d had a crystal ball, I would have tried to learn more early on the process. It’s hard to try to absorb in a six-month period of time, and (agents) would tell you of signing bonuses and who got what and where they went, and from that standpoint, I wish I had been more enthusiastic and had taken a detailed interest in the game prior to having a dog in the hunt. I thought (the ITL newsletter) was very helpful for me, and those are the sort of resources you can really use. They helped me tremendously. The Internet is a tremendous resource. I do think the schools could do a better job, and maybe the schools that have a better hit ratio do. If they had someone you could call and say, ‘what’s this all about,’ that would be very helpful.”