Confessions of an [NFL] agent (The best piece of sports investigative reporting this year)

Sports Illustrated ^ | 10/18/10 | George Dohrmann

[truthandlife]

I will never forget the first time I paid a player.

There are moments you will always remember, like your first kiss or your first home run or the day you met your wife. For me, the first time I broke an NCAA rule to try to land a client is just as indelible.

It was before the 1990 football season, and I flew from Los Angeles to Denver and drove to the University of Colorado to try to meet with Kanavis McGhee. He was a big, pass-rushing linebacker who was expected to be a high pick in the 1991 NFL draft. I was 20 years old -- the youngest agent ever certified by the NFL Players Association -- and had less than a year's experience, but for whatever reason I convinced myself that I had a shot with him.

I figured out where Kanavis lived, drove to his apartment and knocked on the door. No one answered, so I waited. About four hours later, Kanavis finally came home and I bum-rushed him at the door.

"Hey, Kanavis, my name is Josh Luchs. I'm a sports agent, and I flew here from Los Angeles specifically for you," I said. "You're a great player and I came a long way, and I'd really appreciate it if you would sit down and talk to me for a few minutes."

[wmileo]

"It still doesn't make me want to watch semi-literate thugs and third worlders do those pursuits in my living room."

UPDATE:

The semi-literate thugs and third worlders representing the American league east MLB team from New York just defeated the semi-literate thugs and third worlders from the American League West by a score of 6-5 in 9 inings in the first game of a 7 or less game series. You didn't come up in the discussion on the post game.

What is your reaction? Any thoughts?

[Alberta's Child]

All legitimate points. But then let the IRS deal with it. This has nothing to do with the NFL Players Association.

[truthandlife]

Any team that takes advise from Kiper deserves what they get. I think Kiper will go down for this even though he was on ESPN defending himself.

[triumphant values]

The semi-literate thugs and third worlders representing the American league east MLB team from New York just defeated the semi-literate thugs and third worlders from the American League West by a score of 6-5 in 9 inings in the first game of a 7 or less game series. You didn't come up in the discussion on the post game.

What are you, 12 years old?

[triumphant values]

Yay, go local pro teams, go. Yay, NY’s Dominicans beat Texas’s Venezuelans, yay. Awesome. What a way for a supposedly grown man-to spend his time stuffing his face with potato chips, watching that garbage, growing obese on the couch. Yay team.