Freelancers a main source of college corruption

[NUance]

John Blake

Under-the-radar 'freelancers' a main source of college corruption

 

Imagine you are an investigator in the NCAA's Agent, Gambling and Amateurism division and you stumble upon O-D Life, a company based in Myrtle Beach, S.C., that claims on its Web site to offer "exclusive client management" to athletes.

 

...

 

The Reggie Bush scandal at USC is often erroneously referred to as an example of a player and his family taking money from agents. But the three individuals whom the NCAA found to have provided Bush with improper benefits -- Lloyd Lake, Michael Michaels and Mike Ornstein -- were actually marketing reps. Lloyd and Michaels were attempting to start a marketing company with Bush as their first client, and Ornstein is a longtime marketing executive who still operates today.

 

Investigators have found that financial advisors are particularly creative recruiters. One tactic gaining popularity of late in recruiting hotbeds like Miami, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas and Atlanta is for the financial advisor to reach out to people who were at one time close with current college stars, such as a former high school teammate. The advisor encourages that person to reconnect with his old friends and also reach out to other college stars from the same city. That person essentially becomes a runner for the financial advisor, and begins taking care of the college athletes. When they are back home, he shows them a good time, taking them to clubs, dinners, etc., all financed by the advisor. In a hotbed like Miami, there might be three or more runners for financial advisors and/or agents competing for the favor of the same college athletes when they are in town.

 

With agents, there is a barrier for entry into the market: NFLPA certification, which includes having a graduate degree and passing a certification test. But there is nothing stopping any average Joe from waking up one day and calling himself a marketing rep or money manager and beginning to contact athletes. linky

 

Pretty good article on the topic of corrupt agents and marketing reps. Explains quite a bit that is left out of the front page fluff articles.

 

Oh, and it looks like John Blake has gained a few lbs. That North Carolina barbecue is tasty!!