Agent Policy Aimed At ‘Limiting Distractions’

Forbes Magazine chimed in today regarding the University of Miami’s new policy, aimed at football agents and put in place to limit distractions.

The Hurricanes just saw five underclassmen give up their remaining eligibility for a shot at NFL riches, some of which are represented by Miami-based Drew Rosenhaus.

Weeks back UM sent an email to all registered sports agents, highlighting its new football policy. The purpose; “to facilitate compliance with NCAA rules and limit distractions created by covered individuals who seek contact with University of Miami student-athletes, their families, friends, or associates.”

Forbes points out that this new policy restricts the speech of student-athletes, as this new policy keeps players and their families from not only speaking to agents, but also “Covered Individuals”, who is anyone that serves as an agent, runner, financial planner, sports marketing representative, sports public relations firm, brand manager, and employees of the aforementioned. This rule is in effect from the time a player signs a letter of intent, until he has exhausted all his football eligibility.

The punishment for players breaking this rule is as light as penalties ranging from practice and competition suspensions, to removal from the team.

Rosenhaus chimed in, as well, stated that he’s worried about the other guys more than himself.

“My only fear would be that the University of Miami is going to isolate the players from the good agents,” said Rosenhaus. “Then, all you have are the bad agents doing the communicating.”

Ryan Morgan, President and CEO at Morgan Advisory Group, LLC, states that he will continue to recruit Miami players if he sees a fit.

“We will just do it either with the oversight and approval of the athletic department or after the end of the season,” said Morgan.

The name Nevin Shapiro was mentioned in the piece, but writer Darren Heitner failed to draw the more important correlation between this new rule and it’s purpose; the fact that UM is trying to do yet another thing in good faith, with the hopes the NCAA will show some mercy when sanctions are handed down in the coming months

No new rule on paper will stop a Rosenhaus, Morgan, family member, street agent or player from doing what they want to do. There are already rules in place that get ignored – what is another? If the Hurricanes start churning out first- and second-round talent again, rest assured that those who want to get around this rule will find a way, or they’ll simply be careful in how they do so.

Heitner writes that Associate Director of Athletics for Communications, Chris Freet, had no comment, stating that the policy is cut-and-dry — and it is. What else is there really to say when something like this is so obvious?

Look two months back at the scandal at North Carolina and how the NCAA responded. The Tar Heels got off with a lighter punishment than expected, mostly due to how it handled itself throughout the process.

Sports agents are a world class ‘no-no’ with the NCAA and former UNC assistant John Blake was accused of having a working relationship with the late Gary Wichard and $31,000 worth of payments that went unexplained. Blake claimed it was a loan, while the NCAA believed the money was compensation for funneling top Tar Heel talent toward Wichard and his firm.

Fourteen North Carolina football players each missed at least one game in 2010, while seven were forced to sit out the entire season – four of which were ruled permanently ineligible or were dismissed from the team.

Blake was also hit with “unethical conduct” and earned a three-year show-cause penalty, preventing him from performing any recruiting duties, which essentially makes him unable to coach.

North Carolina was eventually hit with a one-year post-season ban, three years of probation and lost fifteen total scholarships – which could’ve been much worse if not distancing itself from Blake, forcing head coach Butch Davis out the door and athletic director Dick Baddour using this as the year to finally step down, after being in charge since 1998.

Aside from the issues with Blake, as well as allegations against tutor Jennifer Wiley, there were also allegations of academic fraud against student-athletes and tutors, allegations of preferential treatment for student-athletes – including the receiving of impermissible benefits – and a failure by the institution to adequately monitor.

If the University of Miami is actively trying to show good faith to the NCAA, rules like this new one targeted at sports agent it yet another step in the right direction in regards to cleaning house and straightening up.

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