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What Would a Scouting Association Look Like?

19 Friday Jan 2018

Posted by itlneil in Scouts

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NFL, Scouting

Last week in this space, I wondered why there was no society for people in personnel and scouting. There’s no trade association where people can meet and network, and maybe even get job tips. This seemed to spark interest, so I thought I’d flesh out what I’d think such an organization would involve and offer to members.

Here are my thoughts.

  • You can’t start an affinity group without establishing guidelines. I’d want to develop a ‘club’ for people who either (a) currently had jobs in scouting, (b) at one time had held jobs in scouting at the NFL level, or (c) were currently working personnel jobs at FBS schools. This makes for a rather limited group, and perhaps this would be expanded, but to me, the group loses its identity if half of the members are wannabe scouts rather than actual ones. Maybe I’d open it to people working in scouting in indoor leagues and overseas leagues, as well. I’d have to think about it some.
  • Obviously, any kind of serious interest group has its own seminar or convention. Any serious gathering of scouting professionals would have such an event. Choosing a date would be important, so we’d have to schedule it at a time that members of college personnel staff could attend. I’ve been chewing on this schedule and looking at potential times. It looks like the best chance to bring everyone together would be late July or early August, immediately before players return for camp.
  • Seminars would have speakers from the game that could address topics related to scouting and evaluation. We set up the template for that earlier this month with the College Gridiron Showcase Scouting Academy presented by Inside the League. We’re working on getting the film for that event and putting it online. We had four former scouts that spoke about the job of scouting and the life of a scout, and it was outstanding.
  • We already have several interviews with scouts on my site, Inside the League. We’ve interviewed former Cowboys scout Jim Hess, who helped ‘discover’ QB Tony Romo; former 49ers scout Oscar Lofton, who has some good stories about legendary DC Deion Sanders; former Saints scout Barrett Wiley, who describes how Saints Hall of Famer Rickey Jackson had a role with his getting a job in scouting; and several others. These are all quite lengthy, relaxed and conversational. They are a lot to listen to for most general football fans, but I’d think this kind of video (or podcasts) might be a key part of a society for scouting enthusiasts.
  • Every organization worth its salt has to have some kind of awards as a way of bringing its members together. I’ve always wondered why no one honors the team that has the best draft each year. That would seem to be a fun way to unite members and give them something to debate. We’d definitely make that an annual ritual.
  • Naturally, any such organization would also provide some kind of jobs network. I’m the first one to say that finding employment in scouting is not very linear, and quite different from other jobs. Still, to be an honest organization, we’d have to at least give it a try, and we would.
  • There’d be a cost to join, but we’d keep it low. I’d think $75 would be affordable for most anyone.
  • As we moved forward, I’d expand the number of people eligible to join, or maybe start alternative groups for aspiring scouts, students, etc.

What do you think? Do these ideas seem valid? Am I way off base? Is it a good start, but you think I might be missing something? Please let me know on Twitter or even via email. Thanks for reading.

WST: When Fame and Fortune Take a Wrong Turn

05 Thursday Nov 2015

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NFL, Not for Long

This week, I’m part of the 2015 Sports Financial Advisor Association’s Conference at the McCormick Resort in Scottsdale, Ariz. It’s the first event of its kind, and it’s exciting to be in a place filled with energy, ideas and most importantly, the desire to see things done more equitably and ethically. It’s a business where sometimes that’s the exception rather than the rule.

(I should mention that the reason I missed out on War Story Wednesday was my travel getting here. My apologies!)

The event’s run by Jonathan Miller, a CPA in nearby Paradise Valley whose vision it is to educate and prepare athletes to make smart financial decisions and protect them from the leeches that hang around the game.

The event’s moderator/presenter is Nick Lowery, a Hall of Fame placekicker who had a great run with some Kansas City Chiefs teams that weren’t always world-beaters. It was during the Chiefs’ down cycle in the mid-80s when Lowery was having one of his best seasons. At one point during the season, he had hit 22 of 23 kicks. This was something he was quite proud of; he “felt like (he) was doing (his) job,” he said Thursday.

It was during this season that he had to make a quick stop at a convenience store to pick up breakfast food — milk, eggs, etc. It was while the cashier was running up his total when, suddenly, a look of recognition came across her face.

“Hey, I know you!” she said. “You’re that kicker. You’re Nick Lowery.”

He acknowledged that he was who she said he was, expecting the praise that comes from being a pro athlete having an exceptional season.

“You missed that kick,” he got instead. “I remember you. I could have made that kick with my left foot. What’s wrong with you?”

I heard another story today that perfectly illustrates why people inside the game say that “NFL” stands for “Not For Long.”

Among the panelists here is Michael Stone, who had a seven-year NFL career as a defensive back with the Texans, Cardinals, Patriots, Rams and, finally, the Giants, the team he “retired” from in 2007. Of course, no one gave him a gold watch or a plaque.

Michael told the story of his abrupt exit from the league. It was during the preseason in ’07, and he was experiencing pain in his hip. He went to the team doctor, who told him he had a torn labrum. Alarmed, he left to seek out a second opinion from an outside doctor, who confirmed the diagnosis. It was during his drive back from the doctor that his agent called to tell him he’d just been cut.

Stories like this are the reason so many people are here to talk about how athletes can make smart choices and don’t wind up in a 30 for 30 episode.

More stories and my thoughts from Scottsdale later.

A league of opportunity

12 Friday Sep 2014

Posted by itlneil in ITL

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ITL, NFL

If you follow the football world closely, you know the NFL isn’t the only league playing games right now. There’s the CFL, of course, but very soon, there will also be the FXFL. It’s a startup league that kicks off Oct. 8, and it’s led by Brian Woods, who’s coached at several FBS schools and also worked in the cap department for the Jets.

At Inside the League, we’ve spent a lot of time detailing the new league as it has slowly put the pieces in place for a short, six-game season with its first four teams (Boston, Brooklyn, Omaha and Florida). We even announced the teams’ head coaches today in advance of an official announcement expected on Monday. We see it as a real chance for post-college players to develop their skills and improve the odds they get a second look in the NFL without having to go to Canada and sign a two-year deal, as is mandated by all CFL rookies.

However, the opportunities don’t end on the field. One thing I harp on with people seeking to climb the football business ladder is that, one time or another, you’ll have to work for free. In fact, in most cases, you’ll have to work not only for free, but probably at some cost. The FXFL, given its skeleton staffs and general low-cost business model, gives you an excellent chance to get real-world experience if you’re a student or young professional in any of the four markets where the league will play.

How many times have I worked for free? My gosh, it’s countless. I’ve driven all over Texas to cover a football clinic or work a combine, all on my own dime; spent $300-plus (a lot for me at the time) on a phone bill generated by my (volunteer) work on my first-ever all-star game (plus burned a week of vacation to help run the game); gotten stiffed on speaking engagements; and flown to New Orleans to interview for a job that provided only a stipend, had I gotten it (I didn’t). These are but a few instances, and I’m sure if I had more time I could fill this blog post with them.

But here’s the point: all of these experiences gave me currency with people. They helped me speak with some level on expertise on some pretty nuanced football-related subjects. They gave me the mentors I’ve used to help me advance in the business and build my service. There’s no way I could ever have done it if not for these sometimes-awkward times in my professional life.

If you’re serious about working in football, the opportunities are there with the FXFL. Reach out to the teams on Twitter or email the FXFL (it’s easy to find an email address if you’re aggressive searching on Google). The opportunity presented by this new league is one you won’t often find. I encourage you to go for it.

 

Breaking into the league

28 Thursday Aug 2014

Posted by itlneil in Scouts

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NFL, NFL Scouting

Today, I thought we’d talk about practical steps for getting into the league from this week’s guest contributor, former Jets West Coast scout Joe Bommarito. When I asked him how someone could increase his chances of becoming an NFL scout, his thoughts echoed those I’ve heard before.

“If I met a young person who wanted to be a scout I would advise them to contact their local NFL team and volunteer to work in their personnel department,” he said. “Also, contact local colleges and volunteer to work in their scouting department. Then make friends with everyone involved in the organization, because you never know who is going to advance into a position where they can make hiring decisions.”

As we’ve discussed already this week, Joe made friends with Herman Edwards during their time around Monterey Peninsula College, and it led directly to more than a decade as a scout.

He also shed light on how to ‘make friends’ with scouts, or anyone else in the league. Though he was speaking specifically about how agents could build bridges to scouts, his advice would work for nearly anyone.

“Go to workouts, introduce (yourself) to scouts, hand out business cards, get their phone (numbers) and email contact information,” he said. “Then . . . follow up with a note regarding “pleased to meet you,” etc. Ask their opinions on prospective players, etc. (It’s) also important to touch base with scouts at (the) Senior Bowl (and) Combine (and) work on building relationships.”

Obviously, going to all-star games or flying to Indianapolis to hang around the combine might be tough for students or young professionals looking to break into player evaluation, but no matter where you live, there’s probably one time each March that scouts — at least a handful — will come to your state. During pro days in the spring (most are in March, but some are in early April), scouts are evaluating schools at every state in the country. Finding out when a school’s pro day is (NFL.com tracks this and it’s usually readily available) and going there that day will get you around scouts. Making contact with them and expressing an interest in the business might be a difference-maker if player evaluation is your interest.

I’d make one more point. If you have a scout’s mailing address, write a handwritten note of thanks for a scout’s time. This would work if you’re an agent trying to make relationships or an aspiring scout looking to make contacts. I know it seems old-fashioned, but a lot of the scouts who have seniority and ‘sway’ within a department are pretty old-fashioned themselves. I’ve heard others talk of the value of a note. In other words, if you’ve got some old stationery around somewhere, it may come in handy.

The payoff

15 Friday Aug 2014

Posted by itlneil in Uncategorized

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NFL

I wanted to wrap our week-long interview with Ari Nissim with a few finishing touches. Let’s start with the downside. I asked the former Jets Director of Football Administration what he learned after his first year on the job. I wanted to know what his biggest misconception had been.

He said he’d had no idea that the job never really ends.

“The all-encompassing nature of the job is the part that is tough. People don’t realize the seven-day-a-week nature of the job, not only from August through January, but from January through May. With the Senior Bowl (late January), the combine (late February), free agency (early March), draft meetings (April), etc., seven days a week, there really isn’t much time off, and many of those days are 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.-type days if not longer.  I remember the first year at the Jets it was 7 a.m.–11 p.m. every day except Sunday. Talk about crazy times.”

It’s the kind of job no one takes for the pay, or the cache of working for an NFL team. It has to be a labor of love. Next, I asked Ari what the biggest payoff for the job was. When did he find himself saying, ‘man, this is fun’?

“There are so many. The job is all-encompassing, but it has so many amazing moments along the way.

“Being at Gillette (Stadium in Foxboro, Mass.) as we beat the Patriots in the divisional round of the playoffs in 2011 was an amazing experience.  Many of the moments are just random.  Being on the field in Lambeau (Field in Green Bay) in 2006 as Brett Favre runs out for warmups was a cool moment, then being part of the night we traded for him two years later was another awesome moment.  Sitting and talking football with (Jets head coach) Rex (Ryan), or (other) coaches, can be surreal if you stop and think, ‘I’m talking football with NFL coaches.'”

So after a week-long interview with Ari, here, as I see it, are the takeaways:

  • Get into position to make as many relationships as you can.
  • Be on the lookout for a mentor (or two) who can advance your career and who is willing to help.
  • No matter how passionate you are about a career choice, there will be times when your passion is tested.
  • If you’re looking for a niche that is gaining in value in the football business, it’s analytics.
  • Getting an NFL internship, or job, or other professional toe-hold is just the start of the hard work. You have to continue to prove yourself and aggressively work to get ahead and/or stay ahead.
  • There will be a payoff, and maybe several, for all your hard work. They may not be headline-grabbing stuff, but they could be the kind of thing that you’ll remember the rest of your life.

 

The Future of Football?

14 Thursday Aug 2014

Posted by itlneil in Uncategorized

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NFL

As former Jets Director of Football Administration Ari Nissim described his job title and duties in Monday’s post, there was one thing he listed that caught my eye: he oversaw football metrics for the team.

We’re seeing a lot more of metrics in football as it spreads from its early beginnings in baseball. I believe people who are interested in a football career can’t pigeon-hole themselves as looking for established NFL jobs only, so I asked Ari where an independent-minded ‘football entrepreneur’ might place his chips. His answer didn’t surprise me.

“I think at this point it’s sports analytics,” he said. “There are many people trying to do it, but that is the avenue that I would look at.”

Also interesting: getting a handle on things such as metrics might be able to get you to a job as general manager, which in the age of fantasy football is most folks’ dream job. Ari has an interesting take on this.

“I think there will be more (Directors of Football Administration) as GMs as they, in many cases, have a better ability to relate to owners and thus come off better in interviews. The role of a football GM has also changed so drastically over time that the ability to multi-task and delegate is paramount, and I believe that many (Directors of Football Administration) have a better base in that from their professional training. With that being said, there are a exponentially more scouts in the NFL, thus sheer numbers and the importance of scouting will always be part of the equation.”

Don’t forget the importance of mentors in the process. I asked Ari who he’d say were the most influential people in his career, and his answer did not surprise me. They were Jimmy Sexton and Mike Tannenbaum.

“Mike was definitely the most helpful as he gave me the opportunity as an intern for the Jets. Jimmy Sexton taught me so much, (and) I have so much respect for him, not only in the business but as a person.”

We’ll talk about the fun parts of being in the football business in Friday’s post.

 

 

WSW: What It Takes

13 Wednesday Aug 2014

Posted by itlneil in Uncategorized

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Job, NFL

I’m always looking for crazy stories of pure work ethic that espouses the will, persistence and sheer single-mindedness that characterizes people who succeed in football. Fortunately, in my correspondence with former Jets Director of Football Administration Ari Nissim, I was able to find a great one. He relates a story of a project he worked on during his internship that was probably integral in that internship turning into a paying NFL job.

At this point, I’ll turn it over to Ari.

“It always amazed me the people that got an internship and thought just by getting the internship they made it. Nope, you haven’t made anything; you got your foot in the door. Now, what are you going to do with it?

“I remember during my internship, I was asked to do this study on playtime in the preseason which at that point could only be done by watching every single play of every single preseason game and jotting down every player’s number on each play, and they asked me to do it for the entire league.  It literally wasn’t possible to do in the time frame wanted, but I was like, ‘screw it, we are going to get it done anyway.'”

Now before you say to yourself, ‘I’m a football junkie, and I’d do this for free,’ think about what this job would entail. This would involve accessing the NFL Films film bank for every game played in the preseason (about 130 games) and breaking them down, play by play, to log in numbers for each team. And by the way, you would have only a few weeks to do this.

We return to Ari’s story.

“One night, it was about midnight and in walks Herm Edwards (the Jets HC at the time). He looks at me and was like, ‘What you doing?’ And so I tell him about the study, (and) he looks at me, kind of scratches his head like I’m out of my mind, and turns around and walks out of the room.  So it’s midnight and there are two people in the facility, the head coach and this out-of-his-mind intern.

“That’s the passion I look for in my interns, and  I’m happy to say that two of the people that interned under me at the Jets are currently working for NFL teams, and another works for a sports agency, and it’s because you could tell they loved it.

“There are a lot of smart people in this world. What makes you stand out? Because trust me, when you don’t think we notice, we do.”

I think this story is excellent for two reasons. One, it illustrates what an UNPAID intern is asked to do. Two, it illustrates that the head coach — the guy who gets all the glory (and the $$$$) when the team wins — is also keeping intern hours.

I think this is something to consider if you’re really dedicated to working in the NFL. This is what it takes.

 

Getting and keeping an NFL job

12 Tuesday Aug 2014

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Job, NFL

I think before we go any further, I have to address the one question everyone asks, and that is, ‘how did you get your job?’ In the case of former Jets Director of Football Administration Ari Nissim, it was a case of developing a vision, choosing a school that fit that vision, then aggressively pursuing the opportunities that school brought him.

“I wanted to work in the NFL since I was in high school, which was right about the time the salary cap came into effect.  Having no ‘in’s’ in the industry, I knew I would need to go to law school after college to have a chance, so I focused on going to the law school with the best sports program, and ended up at Tulane. Let’s not kid anyone: if I got into Harvard Law, I would have gone, but Tulane was an amazing experience, where I had the opportunity to meet a lot of people in the industry when they came down to speak.

“One of those people happened to be Mike Tannenbaum, then the Asst. GM for the NY Jets (and now a member of Chicago-based player agency Priority Sports).  There is a fine line between persistence and harassment, and I was able to successfully navigate that line into a one-week internship after my second year of law school.  I turned that one-week internship into a two-week internship, into a six-week internship, and then parlayed that into an internship at the NFL league labor operations department for the 2004 season, then had the opportunity to work with Jimmy Sexton in his sports agency (at the time, Memphis-based Athletic Resource Management, though Sexton is now with CAA), which gave me such a perspective of the agent/player side which I feel helped me working on the team side.  Then in 2006 when Mike Tannenbaum was promoted to GM, Dawn Aponte was leaving to go work at the league office and they had an opening and I got the call to work in the Jets football administration department.”

Ari is a big believer in relationships. I asked him what, besides good grades, would give someone the best shot at success in landing an NFL job?

“Networking. You want to make connections and keep connecting with people.  I am a big believer in relationships.  Sports is such a small group of people (that) the more relationships you build the more doors you have the ability to have opened.  I always tell students in law school to go to the sports lawyers conference every year.  Now you see the sports analytics conferences; those would be good for networking as well.  You never know who knows who.”

For War Story Wednesday, a story about persistence and doing whatever it takes that Ari tells. See you tomorrow.

A conversation with Ari Nissim

11 Monday Aug 2014

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NFL

This week, we’ll be talking to Ari Nissim, who until 2013 was Director of Football Administration for the Jets. I reached out to him last week, and though he didn’t know me, he was kind enough to agree to an email correspondence. This is true despite the fact he’s quite active on Twitter, a frequent radio guest, a featured writer on National Football Post, and an adjunct faculty member at NYU School of Continuing and Professional Studies. We’ve since found common friends, as well as common ground on a number of issues.

One of those issues is helping young people in the business, and from the start of our correspondence, I knew he’d be perfect for my blog. In one of his emails, he said this (and it was unsolicited): “I’m a big believer in paying it forward and helping others break into the industry.  Always told myself that I would be willing to be accessible.  So I’m happy to do the interview.” Ah yes, a kindred spirit. It’s fair to say not everyone in NFL-related professions has the same philosophy.

Before we go any farther, let’s pin down exactly what a Director of Football Administration does and doesn’t do. Again, in Ari’s own words:

“The (Director of Football Administration) does a variety of jobs. He is the salary cap manager for the club; handles the football cash budget for the club (typically this includes player cash budget for the year, plus other budgets under the football umbrella); assures compliance with all the NFL and CBA rules for the club; negotiates player contracts; drafts contract language; structures contracts; works with the GM and scouts to build the roster; (and) is involved in free agency and draft preparation.  The (Director of Football Administration) is also responsible for daily administration for the club (i.e. signing/releasing players, trade paperwork, and sending transactions in to the league). I also oversaw our football analytics, coaching contracts, and worked with various different departments inside the organization and handled and oversaw grievances that players may file against the team.”

In other words, his position is not the kind of pure scouting/evaluation/coaching position with the sizzle that excites everyone sitting in a sport administration class right now. Still, he got to touch on a lot of different areas, and there’s lots to unpack, and we’ll be doing that this week as he addresses questions I’ve already directed him.

Of course, he’s flexible, and I am, too. If there are questions you would like to ask, or you need more information on a specific topic, or there’s anything at all that you have questions about, either include it in the comments section this week or email me at nstratton@insidetheleague.com, and I’ll pass it along. I want this week to be a real win to everyone interested in the inner workings of an NFL team. It’s going to be a fun week.

Cache vs. cash

04 Monday Aug 2014

Posted by itlneil in Uncategorized

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Job, NFL

I write this blog for people who want to work in the football business. One reason I do this is because working in football was a life goal for me and I’ve been blessed to be able to do it. However, I wanted to take today to talk about a mistake a lot of people make in this business, and that mistake is, forgetting it’s a business.

I was talking to a friend in Houston this weekend who was discussing an employee who regularly works in various football-related promotions. It turns out that none of these promotions are profitable to the company or to the employee. So why do they continue, when they aren’t profitable? Well, two reasons. The company’s owner is too big-hearted and fond of the employee to pull the plug on these promotions (and the time wasted on organizing them). The other reason is that the employee gets a real buzz out of plastering photos of these promotions all over Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

This is not uncommon. I’ve worked on some fairly involved projects that had no clear mission except to gets its participants involved in the football business. I’ve seen people get involved in the business for altruistic reasons — some of them admitted they really had little interest in the football biz — and in the space of 6-8 months they’re throwing thousands of dollars at shady characters while chasing the excitement and glory of representing NFL players. I’ve had new clients come to me the weeks after the draft claiming they’ve spent more than $20,000 training a player who not only didn’t get drafted but who didn’t even sign as an undrafted free agent. I’ve seen people pour a half-million dollars into all-star games — sometimes letting bills go unpaid for and telling lies to win approval of key parties — with no hope of recouping the investment. All of these people spent their money chasing the thrill of being even a small part of professional athletics. They lost sight of the fact that this is a game for grownups, and that lives can be ruined this way. The dollars just have to add up, but often they don’t.

So how do you keep from being pulled into the same deep hole? You’ve got to apply old-fashioned, traditional, maybe even boring principles to your pursuit of a place in the biz. Come up with a budget, not just for money, but time. You have to decide on a reasonable amount of money you are willing to spend and a reasonable amount of time you are willing to spend chasing your dream. Because this business can be so addictive, most of those who fail leave feet first. There’s absolutely no shame in walking out of this business if it’s not happening for you.

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