iamshack

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Oct 14, 2013 -> 01:13 PM) I really enjoyed Captain Phillips. This was the only comment on this? Saw it last night; thought it was fabulous.

QUOTE (bmags @ Nov 11, 2013 -> 07:03 AM) I was fine with letting Cutler start, but as soon as it was clear he was injured he should have been pulled. First things that go with Cutler when injured are mechanics. And he was missing a lot of throws just sidewinding em. Add to that we are playing dirtiest defense in NFL and his injury could have gotten way worse. It was a really poor decision. I agree...and then you look back and realize that starting him in the first place was just stupid to begin with.

QUOTE (MAX @ Nov 10, 2013 -> 09:58 PM) If Jeffrey catches two TD passes that hit his hands, no one is talking about cutler. Pretty sure we would have been talking about Cutler anyways. That was a stupid, stubborn loss that is entirely on the coaching staff. We finally get a goddamned decent performance out of the defense, and they leave in an injured starting quarterback after they've seen that the backup is almost just as capable in this offense as a healthy version of the starter. f***ing morons.

QUOTE (scs787 @ Nov 10, 2013 -> 01:44 PM) Sigh, how do I forget to put in my defense? Arizona had a bye week last week, dumped whoever I had starting and somehow forgot to plug them back in. Howie's Other Son....You're welcome. It's not going to matter, trust me.

Anyone think Hahn would entertain the notion of trading for Matt Kemp?

QUOTE (fathom @ Nov 9, 2013 -> 05:51 PM) LSU completed a very long pass earlier in the quarter, and Verne completely no-sold it. Not sure I agree with you guys, but LSU is going to win this game easily unless they continue to put the ball on the turf.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Nov 8, 2013 -> 09:46 AM) I dont know if Jay Z will do anything. Quite frankly I think hell get bored of it pretty fast and sell it to another agency. That has been his historical model. Make brand, sell it for a lot of money. I see no reason why this wouldnt be similar. Boras couldnt start a record label because he has no access in that industry. Jay Z was able to because he was putting his own records out on the label. Boras has no talent to do that. And Im not predicting Jay Z will beat Boras. I just found the Dr Suess Jay Z thing insulting and I wanted to go to bat for Jay Z. Yeah, but this is one of Jay-Z's largest interests. I think he'll stick with it unless he decides he wants to buy a team again.

QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Nov 8, 2013 -> 08:47 AM) The "they couldn't afford him" line is definitely crap. He's making $13.7 million this year. Kendrick Perkins + Jeremy Lamb + Steven Adams= $12.9 million. Then keep in mind that Harden would have been making slightly less in OKC because they didn't have the "designated player" slot available to give him a 5-year deal at higher annual raises that Houston gave him. Also, they wouldn't have been a tax team last year, so they'd still have a year or two to figure s*** out. They would have had to do some financial gymnastics to avoid being a huge tax team a few years down the line, but they would need less talent to legitimately contend and they're still not adding anything else because of the tax line. And what do they really need right now? Someone else that can score and handle the ball to diversify the offense. If only they had a guy that was super-efficient in a backup role that's one of the best on the drive and can hit 3's... Does anyone think maybe Harden didn't want to play third fiddle?

The ACC blows too, but people are still sucking on FSU's knob. I think Rock made a great point earlier...people get tired of the usual suspects and want to see something new...people aren't excited to cheer on OSU or Alabama, because those teams are there every year. People want to see new blood, exciting new schemes, etc. OSU and Alabama, and Stanford to a lesser degree are just going to beat your ass at what they do best, and it may not be all that exciting. I know I wanted to see an Oregon/FSU final, partially because the brand of football they play is exciting, but also because they haven't won recently (or ever).

QUOTE (Tex @ Nov 8, 2013 -> 09:15 AM) A lot will depend also on the people he hires. You have to admit the world of Rock-A-Fella is different than calling on Rick Hahn, Kenny, and Jr. We'll see that's what you guys are missing...Jay-Z may run into Kenny at some cosmopolitan event or something, and chat him up...lay some groundwork...but Brody Van Wagenen is going to be negotiating with Hahn and JR...

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 8, 2013 -> 09:07 AM) But no where near as much money as the actual contract. Pretty much only the very top guy in a sport can out perform his contract in endorsements. You are talking about Tiger and Michael type players. Well it's not like Brody Van Wagenen is going to be incapable of getting a lucrative contract for Cano...I mean Cano is Cano and any team would like to have him. We're talking a matter of degrees, right? Maybe Boras gets guys an additional 10-15% in their player contract? It's not like Boras clients get $20 million a year and other, similar players with different representation are getting $2 million a year. The question is does the premium Boras gets his clients eclipse possible other benefits that CAA may get for their clients? In the end, I think CAA will get some of the younger, African American and Latin players away from Boras, but otherwise, Boras will still have a very successful agency.

QUOTE (Tex @ Nov 8, 2013 -> 09:03 AM) Speaking of business success. Boras created the second most valuable sports agency in the world, according to Forbes Magazine. I couldn't find a list that Roc-A-Feller was on. Which you consider a bigger accomplishment is of course, a personal opinion. Clearly, if you are going to pick an agent by facebook likes, the choice is clear. If you want the guy that Obama goes to for help with the black community, there is one choice. If you need a cultural icon, you now have that choice. If you want an agent more popular than you, grab him. If you want what I believe will be solid representation, and one of the best role models for leveraging individual talent into a brand, Jay-Z will be a good choice. If you want a guy that has been involved in the biggest contracts ever. (and that isn't for everyone!) I know who I would sign with. Your points are valid, Tex...I think there is room for both agencies...but give it a month or so, and Jay-Z will have one of the biggest contracts ever, too.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 8, 2013 -> 08:44 AM) Why? Politicians love to exploit minorities for political points. So Barack Obama was exploiting Jay-Z for political points?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 8, 2013 -> 08:43 AM) No one likes Scott Boras, so what. Has it ever stopped him? Look at the contracts the guy has gotten for his guys, despite being reviled. The guy has gotten 3 $200 million contracts. He has gotten 10 $100 million deals. He was the first agent to break the $50 million, $100 million, and $200 million levels. If ARod could have kept his s*** together, he would have been teh first over $300 million already as well. He also own the records for the biggest first professional contracts signed, both from a HS and college player. I'm talking about endorsements, not player contracts. The corporate world looks to people like Jay-Z as "the pulse" of the African American community, and the youth demographic. They realize there is a lot of money to be made there. That's where his influence will bring money for the clients of his agency.

QUOTE (Tex @ Nov 8, 2013 -> 08:33 AM) Seriously, What the f***?! Where did I ever say he was a clueless rapper? How many times do I have to say he's a successful businessman and players would do well to emulate him? How many times do I have to say he will be successful? One area, endorsements, I don't see it being a slam dunk for him. Anything short of Jay-Z is the greatest and will crush all competition gets attacked. I actually took a similar position to you, except for different reasons. I think most people believe the opposite of what you believe...that he won't just attract a ton of clients because of his celebrity; that he'll have to show he can really work his magic on the "non-baseball contract" side of things in order to earn his stripes as someone that can compete with Boras.

QUOTE (Tex @ Nov 8, 2013 -> 08:23 AM) Is there anything that Jay-Z can't do? Hah...of course. But when I see wealthy white democrats fawning over every word the guy says in regards to politics, when he is a black hip hop artist and entrepreneur...well, I know this guy is powerful.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Nov 8, 2013 -> 08:20 AM) Southsider said something similar when he compared Jay Z to Dr. Suess and said hes good at rhyming and that hes never done this before. Oh sorry, I think I confused your post with Caufield's, thinking you had commented on this earlier already and therefore your most recent post was just about the discussion we've been having this morning.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Nov 8, 2013 -> 08:14 AM) You guys have very little knowledge of Jay-Z. Sean Carter (his real name) founded a label called "Roc-A-Fella Records" aka "the Roc". Perhaps youve heard Kayne reference this in his rap. Anyway, Jay-Z founded the roc and then leveraged the Roc label into becoming CEO for Def Jam and having Def Jam purchase the Roc. Jay-Z also has something called proteges, his most famous being Kanye West. So when you compare Boras and Cater, compare them as business men. Boras net worth- approximately $100 mil. Derived almost exclusively from being a sports agent. Jay Z net worth- approximately $500mil. Derived from branding. Roc A Wear, sold for $204 million. Co Brand director of Budweiser select, Def Jam, Roc, etc. So if the question is, who has more experience creating brands for talent, the answer is Jay Z. If the question is, who has more experience negotiating baseball contracts, the answer is Boras. But saying that "Jay Z" is only a rapper is kind of absurd. http://www.celebritynetworth.com/articles/...rs-alive-today/ Not saying that he will beat Boras, but If I was given a choice, Id go with Jay. Jay can open doors that Boras cant. The reason is that Boras just doesnt have cache with anyone. Its not like all of these companies he drafts endorsement deals for have any love for him, they have no loyalty to him and no incentive to give him anything besides for the players he represents. Jay on the other hand is the talent that the companies have been paying for. They like him, they want him to represent their brands. Its kind of hilarious actually. You dont think Jay Z has a stable of lawyers who draft contracts? Thats all Boras is. And even funnier, no one mentioned the Master P/Ricky Williams disaster. It's not "you guys." It's Tex.

QUOTE (Tex @ Nov 8, 2013 -> 08:04 AM) Cultural force = success as a sports agent? Ok, you win. Again, he's hiring like actual sports agents...you know he's not just going to draft the agreements himself, right?

QUOTE (Tex @ Nov 8, 2013 -> 07:58 AM) Let's use an example from sports, Michael Jordan. Ten years after retiring he's still raking it in with endorsements out earning most of the active athletes. Will Jordan help you get an endorsement with Nike (his brand) or Adidas? Gatorade or All Sport? Hanes or Jockey? In one he's saying hey, use me also, in another he's working against one of his endorsements and with a company that possibly would prefer to have him endorse their product. I just see the endorsement side being much murkier and much less a slam dunk win for Jay-Z. Again, I am certain he would be successful for his clients, but it won't be as easy as was written way back in that first post I quoted. Comparing Jordan and Jay-Z isn't a correct analogy. You're thinking about Jay-Z in the wrong context...he's not someone that is going to be competing with these guys for endorsements. Jay-Z doesn't have endorsements himself. Jay-Z is not the guy who takes a product someone else made and tells other people to like it. Jay-Z is the guy who makes the product what it is in the first place. Jay-Z is the product.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Nov 8, 2013 -> 07:51 AM) That broadcast team was horrible. Oregon wasnt smart for having "we want bama" shirts on but the ESPN talking heads went out and said outrageous things during and after the game last night. Most of those commentators couldnt name more than 2 players on any of the teams. The radio team was saying Thomas was a guy they wouldnt want on their team because he was smiling instead of crying. It made no sense to me. The tv guys alluded to that too. "Why are you smiling when it's 23-0? What is there to smile about???" Look, I think Oregon came off as entitled last night too. It wasn't a particularly proud night to be a Ducks fan...but yeah, I just thought these guys were saying some uncalled for s***...

QUOTE (Tex @ Nov 8, 2013 -> 07:48 AM) Agreed. Now how does Jay-Z sign his client to do that instead of him? Does Jay-Z shut up and offer a player for the Mets for that endorsement? And will conservative companies listen to Jay-Z? He sells the client as a product, just as Scott Boras does! Except people actually like Jay-Z.

QUOTE (Tex @ Nov 8, 2013 -> 07:46 AM) Let me try it this way. Jay-Z's advantage will be on the client side. I think a number of players will listen to his pitch and he will sign clients. He is an excellent example of someone who leveraged their individual talents into multiple income streams, and his clients would do well by emulating his example. He will also generate a lot of buzz and I believe the smaller firms initially will be hurt by him opening up this venture. Based on his track record in business, from what I see, he will be successful. Sports is after all an entertainment business, and he knows entertainment. On the endorsement side, I'm not convinced, as one poster initially posted, that Jay-Z easily wins. That side is much different and his celebrity will not open as many doors. He isn't the one doing the commercials. If he was the best choice for a commercial, he would be doing it and competing with his own client. Instead, he has to find opportunities for his clients. That is a much different job. I'm not saying he can't do that for clients, I'm saying it isn't a slam dunk certainty across the board. Overall. Established agents have track records negotiating with teams, which will be the vast majority of the earnings for 90% or more of the players. The debate in front of us is Boras or Jay-Z. If you go with Boras, or most other firms, you will be signing with someone who spends 100% of their business time on representing athletes. With Jay-Z he has other companies he also runs. his companies are bigger and more successful than Boras'. Do you want a full time agent or one who is balancing multiple companies? Each player will have to make that decision. I believe most athletes sign with Boras for the money and he does exactly what they want. There are very few players that do not sign with the high bidder if given a chance. And I don't blame them. Players can be traded to other teams, not offered contracts, released, etc. Look at Thomas, he could have been one of those rare players who play for the same team all his career. Whose choice was it for him to leave? Konerko may want to stay, but does he have that choice? And Boras' clients can have it both ways. Unlike other agents, when a Boras' represented client signs for huge dollars, Boras,as much if not more than the player, is blamed. You don't need to try it a different way. I don't think you understand the cultural force that this guy is.

All I know is they were making fun of Oregon for saying they'd score 40 on Stanford, specifically DeAnthony Thomas...I thought that was pretty inappropriate for them to be saying on-air.

QUOTE (Tex @ Nov 8, 2013 -> 07:23 AM) I agree. It doesn't matter who they want to hang out with. Which is why I reject Jay-Z's celebrity helping his clients earn endorsements. I also reject, whose call will that accept based on popularity. I reject that because Jay-Z's singing talent got him endorsements it will translate to endorsements for his clients. Nope, their marketing, research, and advertising agency is telling them what a given demographic wants and which celeb endorsement could achieve that goal, not Jay-Z or Boras. Ok, case in point...the Democratic Party heavily leans on Jay-Z to drive the black/youth vote...Bill Mahr brings him on his show and rich liberal white people fawn over him...I mean Barack f***ing Obama uses this guy's connections.