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NFL agent offers no apologies
CONTROVERSY: Drew Rosenhaus is out to get deals for his players regardless of the animosity he may cause.
BY CLIFTON BROWN
NEW YORK TIMES
KEY BISCAYNE, FLA. - Dressed in army fatigues and wearing a paintball mask, the NFL's most controversial agent resembled the villain some people portray him to be.
Drew Rosenhaus was in his element, playing paintball at a charity event here with about a dozen clients but ready to play hardball at a moment's notice: a cell phone attached to each hip, the numbers of general managers on speed dial.
No other NFL agent creates the headlines or the emotion that Rosenhaus does. He is a 38-year-old workaholic with a black belt in tae kwon do who pursues deals with no apologies. During this off-season, some prominent Rosenhaus clients have skipped minicamps seeking to renegotiate their contracts, including Philadelphia receiver Terrell Owens, Indianapolis running back Edgerrin James and Green Bay receiver Javon Walker.
And a growing list of players have dumped their agents to hire Rosenhaus, including Giants receiver Plaxico Burress, Cleveland running back Reuben Droughns, Green Bay running back Najeh Davenport, Walker, James and Owens. In the last year alone, Rosenhaus has negotiated deals worth more than a half-billion dollars.
Rosenhaus, an agent for 17 years, has been both admired and resented. Sports fans have sent him irate e-mail messages, calling him Darth Vader or Satan. Competing agents have accused him of stealing clients. Rosenhaus offers no apologies; he is determined to fight for his clients, regardless of the animosity it may cause.
``I worry about the PR hit that my clients take, but I never worry about the PR hit that I take,'' said Rosenhaus, who represents 91 players, the most of any NFL agent. ``I've been hired to do a job. I pride myself on being a dealmaker. Not a tough negotiator, not a hardliner, not someone who pounds the teams. I want to be viewed as a guy who can make a deal. Once I get what's fair, I pull the trigger.''
The situation involving Owens has made Rosenhaus less popular in Philadelphia than a bad cheese steak. Owens signed a seven-year, $49 million contract last year, but after 77 catches and 14 touchdowns, he and Rosenhaus have said that he is no longer being paid fair market value.
Owens fired his friend and longtime agent David Joseph after the season. Getting the Eagles to renegotiate represents one of Rosenhaus' greatest challenges. The Eagles have a history of taking a hard line with veterans' contracts, and their owner, Jeffrey Lurie, said the team would not renegotiate Owens' contract.
``It's very much up in the air,'' Rosenhaus said of the likelihood of Owens' reporting to camp. ``I don't ever get in a situation where I stop communication, or take things personally. I like the Eagles, I respect the owner, I respect the president, I respect the head coach.''
The dissatisfaction of Walker and Owens has already caused friction within their teams. Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre criticized Walker for holding out. The Owens situation could affect the chemistry in the Eagles' locker room, particularly after Owens said a few weeks ago, ``I wasn't the one who got tired during the Super Bowl.'' That was a thinly veiled criticism of quarterback Donovan McNabb.
Rosenhaus says he knows that many fans will never understand players who are making millions asking for more money. But in a league in which contracts are not guaranteed and every game brings potential for serious injury, Rosenhaus sees himself as the underdog, negotiating against owners who have far more security than his clients.
``To unhappy fans, I can understand their emotions, but I wonder if they would feel differently if I represented them,'' he said. ``If a team decides that it no longer needs a player's services, why shouldn't a player who is not being paid equal to his performance be able to ask the team for more money? Why should it be a one-way street?''
Rosenhaus runs a three-man operation, with his brother Jason and Robert Bailey, who is responsible for endorsements.
How do three men handle 91 players?
``I literally work seven days a week, I'm not married, I have no kids, I don't take vacations,'' Rosenhaus said.
Instead of having an office in downtown Miami, Rosenhaus works from an elaborate setup at home. He does not even have a secretary.
``I don't believe in a secretary, because I want the guys to call me directly,'' he said.
Much of his recreation comes from hanging out with his clients, who are clearly amused by having an agent who plays paintball, plays video games and listens to rap music.
``If he messed up one contract, he has so many clients, word would spread quickly,'' said Santana Moss, who signed a six-year, $31 million contact with the Washington Commanders several weeks ago. ``But Drew treats us like family. We know he's loyal.''
Growing up in North Miami, Rosenhaus was introduced to football by his father, a Dolphins' season-ticket holder. Rosenhaus became friendly with several players, and by the time he reached the University of Miami, he knew he wanted to become an agent.
Rosenhaus has been called many things, but he is clearly passionate about his work. He prides himself on being prepared for negotiations, and credits his brother Jason for doing the contract research that gives him an edge. General managers who have sat across the table from Rosenhaus expect an able adversary.
``Drew works his butt off,'' said Floyd Reese, the general manager of the Tennessee Titans. ``He knows the market, he knows contracts and he's not afraid to let his players try free agency, because he's confident he can get them a good deal.''
Ernie Accorsi, the Giants' general manager, has reached agreements with Rosenhaus after difficult negotiations involving Jessie Armstead and Jeremy Shockey. ``I actually enjoy working with Drew,'' Accorsi said. ``He doesn't waste time. He knows what he's doing.
``I didn't say he doesn't have an ego. But he doesn't sweat over trying to get the last cent. When it's time to make a deal, he does it. There are some agents who sign a guy, and you know he'll probably hold out, no matter what. But I've never looked at Drew that way. He'd rather make a deal.''
Rosenhaus became an agent at age 22, and he eventually convinced Jason, who is two years younger, to join him.
``This has always been the plan,'' Rosenhaus said. ``This is a job that is no different than what I was doing as a kid: following the NFL, being around players, understanding the business side of it, going to games, going to practices, going to training camp. It's awesome. This is the reason we're so successful. If there was ever anybody who was born to be a sports agent, you're looking at him.''
Asked about other agents being angry about losing clients to him, Rosenhaus said: ``It's sour grapes. These guys are leaving because of my persuasive powers? That's ludicrous. If they were happy, they would not be leaving.''
Many of Rosenhaus' early clients came from the University of Miami, but now his reputation has grown, and so has his list of clients. Not everyone is happy about that. It has been widely reported that Tim Irwin, a longtime agent, stood up at an agents meeting in 1997 and called Rosenhaus a cancer.
``I won't deny that,'' Irwin said by telephone.
Last year, the agent Mark Bloom field a grievance with the NFL players union, claiming that Rosenhaus interfered with Bloom's relationship with Dolphins linebacker Tony Bua, who is one of Rosenhaus' clients. They eventually settled the matter. Reached by telephone, Bloom was surprisingly complimentary toward Rosenhaus.
``I can't say I'd necessarily do things the way he does, but he gets results,'' Bloom said. ``His drive and his work ethic is real. You can't say he hasn't been successful.''
Like him or not, Rosenhaus has no plans to mellow, or to go away, as he looks forward to trying to negotiate some of the NFL's biggest deals.
``I have no plans to retire,'' he said. ``When I go, it will probably be at a game, or working on a contract. I guess to some people, that's bad news. But I'm happy.''
http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/sports/12169254.htm
CONTROVERSY: Drew Rosenhaus is out to get deals for his players regardless of the animosity he may cause.
BY CLIFTON BROWN
NEW YORK TIMES
KEY BISCAYNE, FLA. - Dressed in army fatigues and wearing a paintball mask, the NFL's most controversial agent resembled the villain some people portray him to be.
Drew Rosenhaus was in his element, playing paintball at a charity event here with about a dozen clients but ready to play hardball at a moment's notice: a cell phone attached to each hip, the numbers of general managers on speed dial.
No other NFL agent creates the headlines or the emotion that Rosenhaus does. He is a 38-year-old workaholic with a black belt in tae kwon do who pursues deals with no apologies. During this off-season, some prominent Rosenhaus clients have skipped minicamps seeking to renegotiate their contracts, including Philadelphia receiver Terrell Owens, Indianapolis running back Edgerrin James and Green Bay receiver Javon Walker.
And a growing list of players have dumped their agents to hire Rosenhaus, including Giants receiver Plaxico Burress, Cleveland running back Reuben Droughns, Green Bay running back Najeh Davenport, Walker, James and Owens. In the last year alone, Rosenhaus has negotiated deals worth more than a half-billion dollars.
Rosenhaus, an agent for 17 years, has been both admired and resented. Sports fans have sent him irate e-mail messages, calling him Darth Vader or Satan. Competing agents have accused him of stealing clients. Rosenhaus offers no apologies; he is determined to fight for his clients, regardless of the animosity it may cause.
``I worry about the PR hit that my clients take, but I never worry about the PR hit that I take,'' said Rosenhaus, who represents 91 players, the most of any NFL agent. ``I've been hired to do a job. I pride myself on being a dealmaker. Not a tough negotiator, not a hardliner, not someone who pounds the teams. I want to be viewed as a guy who can make a deal. Once I get what's fair, I pull the trigger.''
The situation involving Owens has made Rosenhaus less popular in Philadelphia than a bad cheese steak. Owens signed a seven-year, $49 million contract last year, but after 77 catches and 14 touchdowns, he and Rosenhaus have said that he is no longer being paid fair market value.
Owens fired his friend and longtime agent David Joseph after the season. Getting the Eagles to renegotiate represents one of Rosenhaus' greatest challenges. The Eagles have a history of taking a hard line with veterans' contracts, and their owner, Jeffrey Lurie, said the team would not renegotiate Owens' contract.
``It's very much up in the air,'' Rosenhaus said of the likelihood of Owens' reporting to camp. ``I don't ever get in a situation where I stop communication, or take things personally. I like the Eagles, I respect the owner, I respect the president, I respect the head coach.''
The dissatisfaction of Walker and Owens has already caused friction within their teams. Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre criticized Walker for holding out. The Owens situation could affect the chemistry in the Eagles' locker room, particularly after Owens said a few weeks ago, ``I wasn't the one who got tired during the Super Bowl.'' That was a thinly veiled criticism of quarterback Donovan McNabb.
Rosenhaus says he knows that many fans will never understand players who are making millions asking for more money. But in a league in which contracts are not guaranteed and every game brings potential for serious injury, Rosenhaus sees himself as the underdog, negotiating against owners who have far more security than his clients.
``To unhappy fans, I can understand their emotions, but I wonder if they would feel differently if I represented them,'' he said. ``If a team decides that it no longer needs a player's services, why shouldn't a player who is not being paid equal to his performance be able to ask the team for more money? Why should it be a one-way street?''
Rosenhaus runs a three-man operation, with his brother Jason and Robert Bailey, who is responsible for endorsements.
How do three men handle 91 players?
``I literally work seven days a week, I'm not married, I have no kids, I don't take vacations,'' Rosenhaus said.
Instead of having an office in downtown Miami, Rosenhaus works from an elaborate setup at home. He does not even have a secretary.
``I don't believe in a secretary, because I want the guys to call me directly,'' he said.
Much of his recreation comes from hanging out with his clients, who are clearly amused by having an agent who plays paintball, plays video games and listens to rap music.
``If he messed up one contract, he has so many clients, word would spread quickly,'' said Santana Moss, who signed a six-year, $31 million contact with the Washington Commanders several weeks ago. ``But Drew treats us like family. We know he's loyal.''
Growing up in North Miami, Rosenhaus was introduced to football by his father, a Dolphins' season-ticket holder. Rosenhaus became friendly with several players, and by the time he reached the University of Miami, he knew he wanted to become an agent.
Rosenhaus has been called many things, but he is clearly passionate about his work. He prides himself on being prepared for negotiations, and credits his brother Jason for doing the contract research that gives him an edge. General managers who have sat across the table from Rosenhaus expect an able adversary.
``Drew works his butt off,'' said Floyd Reese, the general manager of the Tennessee Titans. ``He knows the market, he knows contracts and he's not afraid to let his players try free agency, because he's confident he can get them a good deal.''
Ernie Accorsi, the Giants' general manager, has reached agreements with Rosenhaus after difficult negotiations involving Jessie Armstead and Jeremy Shockey. ``I actually enjoy working with Drew,'' Accorsi said. ``He doesn't waste time. He knows what he's doing.
``I didn't say he doesn't have an ego. But he doesn't sweat over trying to get the last cent. When it's time to make a deal, he does it. There are some agents who sign a guy, and you know he'll probably hold out, no matter what. But I've never looked at Drew that way. He'd rather make a deal.''
Rosenhaus became an agent at age 22, and he eventually convinced Jason, who is two years younger, to join him.
``This has always been the plan,'' Rosenhaus said. ``This is a job that is no different than what I was doing as a kid: following the NFL, being around players, understanding the business side of it, going to games, going to practices, going to training camp. It's awesome. This is the reason we're so successful. If there was ever anybody who was born to be a sports agent, you're looking at him.''
Asked about other agents being angry about losing clients to him, Rosenhaus said: ``It's sour grapes. These guys are leaving because of my persuasive powers? That's ludicrous. If they were happy, they would not be leaving.''
Many of Rosenhaus' early clients came from the University of Miami, but now his reputation has grown, and so has his list of clients. Not everyone is happy about that. It has been widely reported that Tim Irwin, a longtime agent, stood up at an agents meeting in 1997 and called Rosenhaus a cancer.
``I won't deny that,'' Irwin said by telephone.
Last year, the agent Mark Bloom field a grievance with the NFL players union, claiming that Rosenhaus interfered with Bloom's relationship with Dolphins linebacker Tony Bua, who is one of Rosenhaus' clients. They eventually settled the matter. Reached by telephone, Bloom was surprisingly complimentary toward Rosenhaus.
``I can't say I'd necessarily do things the way he does, but he gets results,'' Bloom said. ``His drive and his work ethic is real. You can't say he hasn't been successful.''
Like him or not, Rosenhaus has no plans to mellow, or to go away, as he looks forward to trying to negotiate some of the NFL's biggest deals.
``I have no plans to retire,'' he said. ``When I go, it will probably be at a game, or working on a contract. I guess to some people, that's bad news. But I'm happy.''
http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/sports/12169254.htm
