Andre Smith fires Rick Smith

[Kazkal]

Andre Smith Looks For New Agent, Again

Posted by Mike Florio on May 12, 2009, 4:18 p.m. EDT

Jim Trotter of SI.com reports (via Ted Kaczynski’s favorite new toy, Twitter) that tackle Andre Smith has fired his agent.

Again.

This time, the victim is Rick Smith of Priority Sports.

Previously, Andre Smith fired Alvin Keels.

After Keels got the heave-ho, Ian Greengross was presumed to be the candidate to replace him.

Both Keels and Rick Smith will be entitled to compensation for the time they devoted to Andre’s situation, and reimbursement of expenses. The percentage of his rookie contract will go to whoever Andre Smith hires next.

Unless Andre Smith hires him, too.

Andre Smith was the sixth overall pick in the draft, taken by the Bengals.

I wonder if it's because of the whole levi situation

[Bearcat1975]

I wonder if it's because of the whole levi situation

If he hires Rosen-turd I might throw up a little bit in my mouth.

[UF_Gators_15]

Andre Smith Looks For New Agent, Again

Posted by Mike Florio on May 12, 2009, 4:18 p.m. EDT

Jim Trotter of SI.com reports (via Ted Kaczynski’s favorite new toy, Twitter) that tackle Andre Smith has fired his agent.

Again.

This time, the victim is Rick Smith of Priority Sports.

Previously, Andre Smith fired Alvin Keels.

After Keels got the heave-ho, Ian Greengross was presumed to be the candidate to replace him.

Both Keels and Rick Smith will be entitled to compensation for the time they devoted to Andre’s situation, and reimbursement of expenses. The percentage of his rookie contract will go to whoever Andre Smith hires next.

Unless Andre Smith hires him, too.

Andre Smith was the sixth overall pick in the draft, taken by the Bengals.

I wonder if it's because of the whole levi situation

???What whole Levi situation???

[UF_Gators_15]

I wonder if it's because of the whole levi situation

If he hires Rosen-turd I might throw up a little bit in my mouth.

OMG, y would you even suggest that?

[Bearcat1975]

???What whole Levi situation???

The Bengals released Levi already. Basically telegraphing to the world that they intend to make Andre Smith their starting LT sooner rather than later.

Smith is not signed yet. So by releasing Jones before inking Smith, it could be argued that the Bengals just gave the Smith camp a HUGE bargaining chip to hold out for more cash.

[Bearcat1975]

I wonder if it's because of the whole levi situation

If he hires Rosen-turd I might throw up a little bit in my mouth.

OMG, y would you even suggest that?

Because it seems like the only reason Smith would fire his agent at this point is if he had another agent in his ear telling him "how much money he could really make."

The whole situation just sounds like Slimy Drew. Hope I'm wrong.

[BengalByTheBay]

???What whole Levi situation???

The Bengals released Levi already. Basically telegraphing to the world that they intend to make Andre Smith their starting LT sooner rather than later.

Smith is not signed yet. So by releasing Jones before inking Smith, it could be argued that the Bengals just gave the Smith camp a HUGE bargaining chip to hold out for more cash.

Actually, I think the issue was that Levi and Smith had the same agent.

[Bearcat1975]

???What whole Levi situation???

The Bengals released Levi already. Basically telegraphing to the world that they intend to make Andre Smith their starting LT sooner rather than later.

Smith is not signed yet. So by releasing Jones before inking Smith, it could be argued that the Bengals just gave the Smith camp a HUGE bargaining chip to hold out for more cash.

Actually, I think the issue was that Levi and Smith had the same agent.

Why would that be a conflict of interest? If anything it would be less so, since Levi is no longer with the team. The only angle I can see here is that Levi's agent came off pretty poorly this offseason. Maybe that was enough for Smith to fire him?

[HoosierCat]

???What whole Levi situation???

The Bengals released Levi already. Basically telegraphing to the world that they intend to make Andre Smith their starting LT sooner rather than later.

Smith is not signed yet. So by releasing Jones before inking Smith, it could be argued that the Bengals just gave the Smith camp a HUGE bargaining chip to hold out for more cash.

Actually, I think the issue was that Levi and Smith had the same agent.

Yes, they did. Though precisely why that would be a problem now, I'm not sure.

???What whole Levi situation???

The Bengals released Levi already. Basically telegraphing to the world that they intend to make Andre Smith their starting LT sooner rather than later.

Smith is not signed yet. So by releasing Jones before inking Smith, it could be argued that the Bengals just gave the Smith camp a HUGE bargaining chip to hold out for more cash.

For more cash? Not at all. Smith will get slotted in just like every other draft pick.

But it does give them extra leverage in seeking less difficult incentives or easier escalators.

[BengalByTheBay]

???What whole Levi situation???

The Bengals released Levi already. Basically telegraphing to the world that they intend to make Andre Smith their starting LT sooner rather than later.

Smith is not signed yet. So by releasing Jones before inking Smith, it could be argued that the Bengals just gave the Smith camp a HUGE bargaining chip to hold out for more cash.

Actually, I think the issue was that Levi and Smith had the same agent.

Why would that be a conflict of interest? If anything it would be less so, since Levi is no longer with the team. The only angle I can see here is that Levi's agent came off pretty poorly this offseason. Maybe that was enough for Smith to fire him?

I didn't say it was a conflict of interest because, in the world of the NFL, there is no such thing. An agent is not precluded from representing any player as far as I know. Rather, it is a joint representation that has the capacity to work to the advantage of the agent rather than his clients. The joint representation was ongoing before Levi was cut. So, all of the junk leaked about how Levi would be cut by the Bengals was leaked by whom? Perhaps his agent, who just happened to be representing the player that was an odds-on favorite to take Levi's job. So, Levi gets a new contract with AZ (or at least that was likely the plan) and the Bengals look stupid for not having been able to trade him because of............rumors started by his agent. That's all speculation, of course, but lots of strange things can happen with joint representation situations.

[Bearcat1975]

I didn't say it was a conflict of interest because, in the world of the NFL, there is no such thing. An agent is not precluded from representing any player as far as I know. Rather, it is a joint representation that has the capacity to work to the advantage of the agent rather than his clients. The joint representation was ongoing before Levi was cut. So, all of the junk leaked about how Levi would be cut by the Bengals was leaked by whom? Perhaps his agent, who just happened to be representing the player that was an odds-on favorite to take Levi's job. So, Levi gets a new contract with AZ (or at least that was likely the plan) and the Bengals look stupid for not having been able to trade him because of............rumors started by his agent. That's all speculation, of course, but lots of strange things can happen with joint representation situations.

Interesting and it makes perfect sense too. I had not considered this angle. You may very well be spot on here.

[HairOnFire]

Interesting and it makes perfect sense too. I had not considered this angle.

Yeah, about that.

You and perfect sense don't seem to be on speaking terms.

[Bearcat1975]

Interesting and it makes perfect sense too. I had not considered this angle.

Yeah, about that.

You and perfect sense don't seem to be on speaking terms.

Man you are running on fumes.

[HairOnFire]

Man you are running on fumes.

And yet it's you who "stands corrected" yet again.

[Kazkal]

???What whole Levi situation???

The Bengals released Levi already. Basically telegraphing to the world that they intend to make Andre Smith their starting LT sooner rather than later.

Smith is not signed yet. So by releasing Jones before inking Smith, it could be argued that the Bengals just gave the Smith camp a HUGE bargaining chip to hold out for more cash.

Actually, I think the issue was that Levi and Smith had the same agent.

Why would that be a conflict of interest? If anything it would be less so, since Levi is no longer with the team. The only angle I can see here is that Levi's agent came off pretty poorly this offseason. Maybe that was enough for Smith to fire him?

Bengals maybe telling Andre they don't want to deal with the douchebag after all the leaked information ?

[HoosierCat]

Apparently Andre is re-hiring the guy who was blamed for his botched combine.

[ArmyBengal]

Smith can hire anyone under the sun and I won't give it much thought at all, as long as that agent isn't Drew Rosenwhore.

I won't just throw up a little, I will f*cking projectile vomit all over everything in my office. Hell my head may even spin around as well !!!

[Kazkal]

Apparently Andre is re-hiring the guy who was blamed for his botched combine.

Fine by me he let Andre Smith fall in our lap Ouch!

[HoosierCat]

The latest from Florio.

Allegation is that the whole thing was planned pre-draft: Smith "fired" Keels and signed with Priority in order to burnish his battered image, and that dumping them and going back to Keels was always in the cards.

Who knows but it makes the most sense of any theory I've heard so far.

[ArmyBengal]

I'm still not concerned. No Rosenwhore right ?? Yeah, not concerned...

[Baraka]

Interesting and it makes perfect sense too. I had not considered this angle.

Yeah, about that.

You and perfect sense don't seem to be on speaking terms.

Man you are running on fumes.

i couldn't help but laugh at that. perfect sense . . . speaking terms bravo hair

[blueridge]

Gosh, I'm trying real hard to pretend I care about who Andre Smith's agent is. The fact that Mike Florio or Joe Reedy would jump all over this as proof of "questionable behaviour" is too pathetic. You don't want to see a change of agent in July-that could portend a holdout. But now, the important thing is that Smith settle on an agent he (and his parents) trust. The most significant part of this story,for me, is that Big Andre is still in Atlanta, where he has been seriously working out this spring.

[HoosierCat]

Gosh, I'm trying real hard to pretend I care about who Andre Smith's agent is. The fact that Mike Florio or Joe Reedy would jump all over this as proof of "questionable behaviour" is too pathetic.

Well, I hate to break it to ya, but apparently the Bengals viewed his switch to Priority before the draft as a sign that his "questionable behavior" was ending, and are not happy about the proposed change, which may or may not happen. Here's Hobs:

AGENT TALK: Bengals first-round pick Andre Smith still may retain agent Rick Smith even though he fired him on Friday, a league source not connected with the team said Tuesday night.

Andre Smith fired Alvin Keels and hired Rick Smith the week before last month's draft, but Keels said in an e-mail to Bengals.com, "I have not yet been rehired. I would think I'm in consideration, but nothing has been finalized."

The source indicated the Bengals have concerns with the decision to fire Rick Smith, a member of the Priority Sports agency that has represented a variety of former Bengals such as Levi Jones, Bryan Robinson and Tory James. After it drafted Andre Smith, the club indicated that Smith's decision to hire Priority had been part of the decision-making process.

That the Bengals would rather deal with Priority and Smith would, apparently, rather have Keels can't bode well.

[HoTbOy]

I read the article this morning, and wondered why would you leave an agent who has already dealt with the Bengals in the past, to an agent that has Jets RB LWashington already holding out from OTA's, this may or may not be a problem for us but it doesn't look good...

[HairOnFire]

That the Bengals would rather deal with Priority and Smith would, apparently, rather have Keels can't bode well.

I'm guessing it's simply a matter of Keel's never having represented a 1st round pick before, and as a result of his own inexperience there's concern he'll be in no position to negotiate proactively. Rather, the scuttlebutt assumes Keels will attempt to avoid a mistake by waiting until Smith's contract has been firmly slotted by other deals.

Frankly, I see no reason to begin wringing my hands over this now.