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The NFL Players Association faces a potential knotty problem with former
league defensive end and longtime Gene Upshaw buddy Sean Jones, provided a
months-old arbitration decision by the National Association of Securities
Dealers is upheld.
The NASD ruled last September that Jones must pay $500,000 to former NFL
cornerback Cris Dishman, in a case involving allegations of fraud,
negligence and breach of fiduciary duties. According to a recent feature
article in U.S. News and World Report, Dishman charged that Jones, whose
many jobs include being a financial broker, invested his money in a
so-called "hedge fund," but never disclosed the risks inherent to the
investment.
Dishman further charged that Jones had engaged in a number of unauthorized
trades.
A panel of three arbitrators ruled that Jones had to repay Dishman $396,000
and also more than $100,000 in interest. A onetime Pro Bowl defensive end,
Jones is seeking to have the decision overturned and is claiming Dishman was
fully informed of all investments made on his behalf. But several players
who also claim to have lost money to Jones have contacted ESPN.com, and at
least two are prepared to file charges similar to those that Dishman
brought.
The problem for the NFLPA is that Jones' asset management company, Amaroq,
is paid $60,000 annually by the union to help choose money managers with
whom to invest funds. Documents that were filed by the NFLPA with the U.S.
Department of Labor, and which were obtained by ESPN.com, confirm that
amount.
But the longtime friendship with Upshaw and relationship with the union
could be tested if the Dishman ruling isn't reversed, and the NFLPA's
executive director, to his credit, has said there will be disciplinary
action if Jones does not prevail in his appeal.
An articulate man who has used his ties to Upshaw and some general managers
for whom he performed in his standout career, Jones has essentially been a
poster boy for conflicts of interest since his retirement. He is noted as a
"prominent agent" in the magazine article, but rarely represents a player,
instead turning over negotiations to Los Angeles-based agent Marvin Demoff,
one of the pioneers of the business. And his cozy status with the NFLPA has
raised eyebrows over the years.
In addition, Jones has served as an analyst for Fox Sports, a difficult job
at best, given that he represents a number of players and is hardly
objective in games in which they have played. If Jones doesn't succeed in
reversing the Dishman ruling, and should further allegations arise from
other player/clients who invested with him, his future in all of his myriad
NFL-related ventures could be jeopardized.
And certainly the NFLPA, which has protected Jones in the past but would not
have some egg on its face, will have to take him off its payroll.
Around the league
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The new rules don't give us a chance. I understand the
league wants continuity in its coaching staffs, but this isn't working.
We're locked into deals with no chance of moving up in some cases. It's
going to come to a head and, when it does, things won't be pretty. ” |
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— Tampa Bay assistant |
The league's newest anti-tampering rules, aimed at preventing the movement
of assistant coaches and at keeping staffs from dissolving, are not working
well for aides around the NFL and many are miffed at the lack of upward
mobility the guidelines allow. Time was when a team had to allow an
assistant to interview for a job that represented a promotion. A
quarterbacks coach, for example, had to be allowed to interview for an
offensive coordinator post if another club requested to talk to him. But now
there are just two levels of coaches with the new rules, head coaches and
assistants. A team is not compelled to permit an assistant who is under
contract to interview anywhere, unless it is for a head coaching position.
And in places like Tampa Bay, where the team has retained its entire
defensive staff and not permitted aides to explore jobs anywhere else, the
rules border on reprehensible. Defensive line coach Rod Marinelli, who was
offered the coordinator job in Indianapolis by former boss Tony Dungy, is
precluded from even discussing the position. Some assistants are now talking
among themselves about signing only one-year contracts, becoming free agents
every spring, and taking their chances that they will be able to find
employment. "It's a huge issues, a simmering one, but still big," said one
Tampa Bay assistant. "The new rules don't give us a chance. I understand the
league wants continuity in its coaching staffs, but this isn't working.
We're locked into deals with no chance of moving up in some cases. It's
going to come to a head and, when it does, things won't be pretty."
Team sources have told ESPN.com that the belt-tightening in Baltimore,
where the Ravens are $20.5 million over the projected 2002 salary cap limit
of $71.8 million, is going to be far worse than anyone previously imagined.
Certain to be gone are aging safeties Carnell Lake and Rod Woodson, the
latter a lead-pipe lock to be in the Hall of Fame someday. There is also a
chance the team will part ways with the remaining three members of the
defensive line, ends Michael McCrary and Rob Burnett and tackle Sam Adams.
Tight end Shannon Sharpe has a foot out the door already. ESPN.com has
confirmed that Sharpe desperately wants to return to the Denver Broncos,
where he spent the first 10 years of his Hall of Fame career. Vice president
Ozzie Newsome has seen the handwriting on the wall, which is why he was
interested in the general manager job in Atlanta, but owner Art Modell
denied him permission to interview for the post. Funny, but a year ago, the
Ravens were talking about a potential dynasty. Now come training camp in
July, this is a team that figures to be gutted, just another one-year flash
in the pan.
When the Dallas Cowboys awarded former Stanford quarterback and St. Louis
Cardinals relief pitcher Chad Hutchinson a $3.1 million signing bonus two
weeks ago, team officials attempted to downplay the impact the deal would
have on its 2002 draft class. But the facts don't support the rhetoric
emanating from Dallas officials. The prorated share of the signing bonus on
the seven-year contract, or $442,857, will count against the Cowboys' rookie
signing allocation for its '02 draft class. In essence, the rookie
allocation is a cap within a cap, the maximum amount a team can spend on its
draft choices and undrafted free agents. So already the Cowboys have tapped
considerably into the allocation and, the fact is, they will have to make up
the money somewhere. Translation: The players selected by Dallas in April
are going to get squeezed on their contracts. Look for even low-round
choices to be forced to accept long contracts. Even then, the Cowboys will
be hard-pressed to make up the difference. Little wonder some agents are
already hoping that their clients aren't chosen by Dallas in the upcoming
draft. It also appears the Cowboys already have decided to trade down in the
first round from their current No. 6 spot overall. That could be good news,
indeed, for teams in the top 10 who hope to grab University of Texas star
Quentin Jammer, the top cornerback prospect in the lottery.
|  | | Jim Haslett's future with the Saints is an uncertain one. |
There is plenty of offseason and off-field ugliness brewing in New Orleans,
where a former female office worker has retained legal counsel, and is
considering filing a sexual harassment lawsuit against a member of the
coaching staff. This one goes way beyond the innuendo and the rumors that
have marked the offseason in a city that should be renamed The Big Uneasy.
Coach Jim Haslett recently rejected a four-year contract extension that was
worth about $10 million and with a first-year salary of $2 million, so his
future with the franchise is uncertain. The team still must deal with the
Albert Connell situation, with charges still pending against the wide
receiver for allegedly stealing money from teammates. There are some
internal issues revolving around wide receiver Joe Horn and offensive tackle
Willie Roaf that must be settled. In fact, Roaf is telling friends that,
unless he is traded, he will retire. Roaf was to have been on the expansion
list the Saints made available to the Houston Texans, but he failed a
league-mandated exam of his surgically-repaired knee. Finally, a group of
Saints players was called in by the DEA nearly two months ago about a man in
their apartment building who apparently is under investigation by federal
authorities. None of the players are suspects but it's yet one more
uncomfortable element that continues to hang over a team that clearly
underachieved in 2001.
Despite reports to the contrary, the Pittsburgh Steelers aren't writing off
their chances of keeping inside linebacker Earl Holmes just yet. It's true
that, if the Steelers have to make a choice between retaining just one of
their pending unrestricted free agent linebackers, they will make the big
play on Jason Gildon. The strongside star was named to the Pro Bowl this
year, registered 12 sacks, and enjoyed a career season. His natural "edge"
skills make him a priority. Steelers brass, however, points out to ESPN.com
that the new Heinz Field has provided the franchise revenues it never before
enjoyed. And the Steelers last summer paid out big bucks to retain both its
corners, Dewayne Washington and Chad Scott, with long-term deals. Yeah, the
odds are that Holmes will be playing elsewhere in 2002 (Buffalo comes to
mind), but no one in the Pittsburgh front office is willing to yet concede
his departure.
It's obvious the St. Louis Rams want to upgrade at offensive right tackle
and here's the name to watch there: John St. Clair, a third-round draft
choice in 2000, and a lineman who has appeared in zero games during his
first two seasons. St. Louis brass is confident that St. Louis, a center at
the University of Virginia but a blocker being groomed to play tackle, is a
oneday standout in the league. St. Louis, 24, has bulked up to about 320
pounds, comes hard off the ball, and has the kind of power every team covets
on the strong side. The Rams have exposed incumbent starter Ryan Tucker on
their expansion list and, while it doesn't appear the Houston Texans have
any interest in him, his days in St. Louis appear numbered. Rod Jones, the
former Cincinnati player who started all three playoff games for the Rams
because of Tucker's ankle injury, made the key faux pas in Super Bowl XXXVI
and is eligible for unrestricted free agency. It's not likely that the Rams
want him back, especially after his Super Bowl gaffe. In arguably the game's
biggest play, the Patriots bamboozled Jones with a five-man front,
linebacker Mike Vrabel jumping into a three-point stance instead of standing
up. Jones blocked down on the play instead of fanning out, and the result
was a free ticket to Kurt Warner for the unblocked Vrabel. With the pass
rush in his face, Warner threw up an ill-fated prayer that was intercepted
by Patriots cornerback Ty Law and returned 47 yards for a touchdown. So
color Jones gone, Tucker most likely gone, and St. Clair penciled in as the
new starter.
He shelled out a half-billion dollars on the NFL's ultimate fixer-upper
franchise but new Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank is having a tough time
team the locals care little about. So welcome to the NFL, Artie, where all
those new fraternity brothers allegedly giving you counsel are more
interested in their share of that $545 million franchise purchase price than
in helping the new pledge get on his feet. So far, Blank has struck out in
his efforts to hire a general manager, a guy to oversee an operation run for
the past five years by coach Dan Reeves, who will have his responsibilities
reduced under a new front office structure. The Falcons had Tampa Bay
general manager Rich McKay locked up, but that was before Bill Parcells
reneged on the coaching job, and McKay decided to stay put. The Falcons
could luck out now, and still land McKay, since he is likely to resign
following the chaos of Friday afternoon when ownership would not allow him
to hire Marvin Lewis. With the exception of vastly overrated New Orleans
general manager Randy Mueller, who looks a lot like a one-year wonder now
that the Saints are floundering on and off the field, Blank hasn't been able
to secure permission to talk to other candidates. And typical of how things
seem to work in Atlanta no matter who is running the show, Blank hadn't made
contact until Thursday with the guy who is the best fit, Buffalo personnel
chief Tom Modrak. A report in a local paper stated that the Falcons are
taking a "hard look" at Modrak. Until then, Modrak hasn't heard so much as a
peep from Atlanta, which apparently preferred to follow the advice of the
Manhattan-based executive search firm of Russell Reynolds and Associates,
the same group the Chicago Bears used last summer. Fortunately for the
Bears, they made the absolute right choice, hiring Jerry Angelo for the
general manager post. But if the Falcons want a top-notch guy, they should
hire Modrak, who on Thursday got permission from Bills general manager Tom
Donahoe to explore the job. And, please, no excuses about the cardiac bypass
surgery Modrak underwent two months ago. He worked at the Senior Bowl
all-star game last month and is quickly regaining his strength. And let's
not forget that Reeves had similar surgery in 1998, was back on the
sidelines three weeks later, and led the team to its only Super Bowl
appearance. There are plenty of good candidates out there, but settling for
Mueller when Modrak is available wouldn't be the best way for Blank to begin
the rebuilding process. Blank needs to ask himself: If Mueller were so good,
why did Saints owner Tom Benson grant him permission to talk to the Falcons,
a team in his division?
Barring an unexpected change of heart, Houston Texans officials will bypass
all of the veteran quarterbacks made available to them on the expansion
list, and concentrate instead on adding a player through free agency. Look
for the Texans sign a veteran like Gus Frerotte or Trent Dilfer or Jim
Miller to serve as a mentor to David Carr of Fresno State, the franchise's
likely pick with the initial overall choice in the draft. The Texans have
focused in on Carr in recent weeks and, unless some team overwhelms them
with an offer for the No. 1 pick, Carr will be the guy. The new team's top
football people, general manager Charley Casserly and coach Dom Capers, just
decided that it would be counterproductive to have a still-young veteran
like Rob Johnson or Charlie Batch on board. Those players are young enough
to want to start for the long-term. What the Texans prefer is a veteran who
can start for a year or two before turning things over to Carr.
Don't be surprised, now that Wade Phillips has been hired as the Atlanta
defensive coordinator, if the Falcons switch to a 3-4 front in 2002. The
Falcons really like their young linebacker corps and feel it is one of the
club's few areas of strength. Phillips is also hinting to friends that he
will try to pry Buffalo linebacker Sam Cowart, whom he drafted, away from
the Bills in unrestricted free agency. That would provide Atlanta another
solid defender and permit Phillips to gain some measure of revenge against
Bills owner Ralph Wilson, who fired him and tried to withhold his final
year's salary. There is this problem, though, if Phillips does indeed try to
align in a 3-4: The current Atlanta roster doesn't include a pure 3-4 nose
tackle, a 325-pound insider stuffer who could anchor the line. And outside
of Green Bay tackle Gilbert Brown, there aren't a lot of those kinds of
players available in free agency.
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| Boselli |
The Jacksonville Jaguars are preparing for the departure of star offensive
left tackle Tony Boselli, who is expected to be chosen by Houston in the
expansion draft. In fact, Jags officials will be distraught if the Texans
don't take Boselli, and his $8.9 million salary cap charge for '02. Jaguars
coaches have informed right tackle Maurice Williams, the second-round pick
in 2001 who started all 16 games in his rookie season, that he should be
ready to move to the left side. The Jaguars signed former New York Giants
backup Chris Ziemann this week, and he is the kind of power blocker who
could move in at right tackle.
List the Cleveland Browns among the teams now interested in discussing a
trade for Saints tailback Ricky Williams, who definitely is on the market.
General manager Randy Mueller is said to be seeking first- and third-round
draft picks, but that price could come down, and the Saints might accept a
package of draft picks and players. One young veteran in whom New Orleans
may be interested is Miami cornerback Patrick Surtain. The Browns spoke
briefly to the Saints during the 2001 draft about a trade for Williams and
you can bet those talks will be revisited now. For whatever reason, New
Orleans is convinced it can play with Deuce McAllister at tailback in '02,
even though he didn't show much as a rookie.
Former Rams defensive tackle D'Marco Farr, forced to sit out the entire
2001 season because of knee problems, is eyeing a comeback. Farr said at the
Super Bowl his knees felt "much better" and he is seeking a few teams that
might think about bringing him to camp. Farr is one of many players who lost
big money in poor investments with Oxnard, Calif.-based businessman Donald
Lukens and, while hardly destitute, wouldn't mind recouping some of those
losses by getting back into the league.
Punts: Despite speculation the Cincinnati Bengals would be willing to part
with one of two young linebackers, Takeo Spikes or Brian Simmons, to acquire
Drew Bledsoe from the Patriots, such talk is totally unsubstantiated. Yes,
the Bengals are interested in Bledsoe. No, there have been no discussions,
not even cursory ones, about what it will take to acquire him. ... Don't
be too surprised if Denver is a very quiet player in the Bledsoe
Sweepstakes. The salary cap commitment to Brian Grieseprobably would
preclude it. But team officials remain concerened about Griese's recurring
shoulder problems. ... Arizona will focus its draft efforts on rebuilding
the defense, and is looking at several lineman as likely first-round
selections. ... The Rams are toying with the idea of moving safety Nick
Sorensen to wide receiver in camp. And despite reports they might switch
defensive tackle Damione Lewis to end next season, line coach Bill Kollar
insisted to ESPN.com he will remain at tackle. The first-round pick missed
much of the season with a broken leg. "What we'll do is give him a shot to
play on the nose next year," Kollar said. "That might be his best position."
. . . Green Bay may not keep backup quarterback Doug Pederson around in 2002
and is said to be seeking a more experienced No. 2 passer behind Brett
Favre. ... The Bears seem resigned to losing at least a couple starters in
unrestricted free agency, and center Olin Kreutz, safety Tony Parrish and
corner Walt Harris are all possibilities.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.
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