azdad1978
Championship!!!!
Sept. 22, 2004 12:00 AM
The Cardinals' desire to extend the contract of receiver Anquan Boldin has created controversy behind the scenes, with his former agent filing a complaint against his current one for allegedly stealing Boldin as a client.
Last year, the Cardinals expressed the desire to re-sign Boldin, a second-round pick in 2003, after his standout rookie season. Coming out of Florida State, Boldin was represented by IMG, but he fired the agency and hired Ken Sarnoff earlier this year.
Sarnoff started negotiating with the Cardinals this summer and met with Rod Graves, the team's vice president for football operations, in Minneapolis before the Cardinals played there on Aug. 15.
Sarnoff was under the impression that the parties were closing in on a deal.
Just days later, however, Sarnoff was informed by fax that he had been fired. Boldin is now represented by Drew Rosenhaus.
Sarnoff now claims Rosenhaus stole Boldin as a client and has filed a complaint with the NFL Players Association.
Sarnoff said he sent Rosenhaus a letter in July, asking him to stop recruiting Boldin. He also sent the NFLPA a copy of that letter.
"Part of me hopes that Drew gets him a good deal, because it makes my case stronger," Sarnoff said.
Rosenhaus did not return phone calls.
Big money is at stake. Agents usually charge a 3 percent commission, so a deal that includes $15 million of guaranteed money is worth $450,000 to an agent. And that doesn't include the player's salary.
The Cardinals' decision to extend Boldin's deal in the first place is curious.
The organization has tried to be progressive in recent years, re-signing several young players. But Boldin has completed just one season of a four-year contract that doesn't expire until the end of the 2006 season, and he's out with a knee injury until next month.
The team could have waited until the end of this season before even broaching the subject. Now the Cardinals are backed into a corner. If they don't sign Boldin this year, they'll be viewed as failures. But their real failure may have been in trying to do a good thing too soon.
No case
Former Cardinals center Pete Kendall and his agent were willing to pursue a grievance over his release by the team, but the NFLPA apparently didn't think it had a strong enough case.
Kendall was released on the eve of training camp, even though coach Dennis Green had reaffirmed Kendall's starting status only the month before. There was speculation that Kendall was cut in retaliation for allegedly complaining to the union about the intensity of Green's off-season practices.
Kendall may have had a case, but he doesn't cut a sympathetic figure. Upon his release, about 18 teams contacted agent Neil Schwartz. Kendall ended up signing with the Jets, who will pay him $6 million in guaranteed money over the next three years.
Oh, and the Jets are 2-0.
Next up
The Cardinals play the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. The St. Louis Rams are no longer the Greatest Show on Turf. That title belongs to Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick. The Falcons, under first-year coach Jim Mora, are 2-0 with victories over San Francisco and St. Louis. Vick rushed 12 times for 109 yards in the 34-17 victory over the Rams last Sunday. The Falcons appear to be much improved defensively. They limited the Rams to 280 total yards, only 30 of which came on the ground.
Key number
7.38 That's the opponents' average gain on first down against the Cardinals.
Three and out
Each Wednesday, we'll pose three questions to a Cardinals player. This week, fullback Obafemi Ayanbadejo (pronounced oh-buh-FEM-me eye-an-buh-DAY-joe).
How many different ways have you heard your name pronounced?
"Oh, wow, too many for me to count. Every person has their own way of messing it up. No one's ever got it right the first time. Here's how I look at it. If I come to work not knowing the plays, I'm going to get cussed out by coaches. I feel people in the media, their homework is to get guys' names right. When I see a guy (media person), especially someone who's been doing it a long time, I feel like it's their job to get everyone's name right, to say it right out of respect."
What kind of music do you listen to?
"I have XM-Satellite and I listen to everything, from hip-hop, to top 20 stations, to alternative stations to reggae. I have ESPN News on there. I get the update on the weather from all over the country on there. XM-Satellite is one of the best investments you can make for your listening pleasure."
And you're not even getting paid for that plug?
"Maybe I will now."
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/0922cards0922.html
The Cardinals' desire to extend the contract of receiver Anquan Boldin has created controversy behind the scenes, with his former agent filing a complaint against his current one for allegedly stealing Boldin as a client.
Last year, the Cardinals expressed the desire to re-sign Boldin, a second-round pick in 2003, after his standout rookie season. Coming out of Florida State, Boldin was represented by IMG, but he fired the agency and hired Ken Sarnoff earlier this year.
Sarnoff started negotiating with the Cardinals this summer and met with Rod Graves, the team's vice president for football operations, in Minneapolis before the Cardinals played there on Aug. 15.
Sarnoff was under the impression that the parties were closing in on a deal.
Just days later, however, Sarnoff was informed by fax that he had been fired. Boldin is now represented by Drew Rosenhaus.
Sarnoff now claims Rosenhaus stole Boldin as a client and has filed a complaint with the NFL Players Association.
Sarnoff said he sent Rosenhaus a letter in July, asking him to stop recruiting Boldin. He also sent the NFLPA a copy of that letter.
"Part of me hopes that Drew gets him a good deal, because it makes my case stronger," Sarnoff said.
Rosenhaus did not return phone calls.
Big money is at stake. Agents usually charge a 3 percent commission, so a deal that includes $15 million of guaranteed money is worth $450,000 to an agent. And that doesn't include the player's salary.
The Cardinals' decision to extend Boldin's deal in the first place is curious.
The organization has tried to be progressive in recent years, re-signing several young players. But Boldin has completed just one season of a four-year contract that doesn't expire until the end of the 2006 season, and he's out with a knee injury until next month.
The team could have waited until the end of this season before even broaching the subject. Now the Cardinals are backed into a corner. If they don't sign Boldin this year, they'll be viewed as failures. But their real failure may have been in trying to do a good thing too soon.
No case
Former Cardinals center Pete Kendall and his agent were willing to pursue a grievance over his release by the team, but the NFLPA apparently didn't think it had a strong enough case.
Kendall was released on the eve of training camp, even though coach Dennis Green had reaffirmed Kendall's starting status only the month before. There was speculation that Kendall was cut in retaliation for allegedly complaining to the union about the intensity of Green's off-season practices.
Kendall may have had a case, but he doesn't cut a sympathetic figure. Upon his release, about 18 teams contacted agent Neil Schwartz. Kendall ended up signing with the Jets, who will pay him $6 million in guaranteed money over the next three years.
Oh, and the Jets are 2-0.
Next up
The Cardinals play the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. The St. Louis Rams are no longer the Greatest Show on Turf. That title belongs to Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick. The Falcons, under first-year coach Jim Mora, are 2-0 with victories over San Francisco and St. Louis. Vick rushed 12 times for 109 yards in the 34-17 victory over the Rams last Sunday. The Falcons appear to be much improved defensively. They limited the Rams to 280 total yards, only 30 of which came on the ground.
Key number
7.38 That's the opponents' average gain on first down against the Cardinals.
Three and out
Each Wednesday, we'll pose three questions to a Cardinals player. This week, fullback Obafemi Ayanbadejo (pronounced oh-buh-FEM-me eye-an-buh-DAY-joe).
How many different ways have you heard your name pronounced?
"Oh, wow, too many for me to count. Every person has their own way of messing it up. No one's ever got it right the first time. Here's how I look at it. If I come to work not knowing the plays, I'm going to get cussed out by coaches. I feel people in the media, their homework is to get guys' names right. When I see a guy (media person), especially someone who's been doing it a long time, I feel like it's their job to get everyone's name right, to say it right out of respect."
What kind of music do you listen to?
"I have XM-Satellite and I listen to everything, from hip-hop, to top 20 stations, to alternative stations to reggae. I have ESPN News on there. I get the update on the weather from all over the country on there. XM-Satellite is one of the best investments you can make for your listening pleasure."
And you're not even getting paid for that plug?
"Maybe I will now."
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/0922cards0922.html
