Printers' fires agent, wants back with Lions!?

[Balraj]

According to CKNW, Casey has fired his uncle/agent Jason Medlock and apparently wants back with the Lions. Source tsn.ca

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=277507

[Rammer]

According to CKNW, Casey has fired his uncle/agent Jason Medlock and apparently wants back with the Lions. Source tsn.ca

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=277507

Kind of like an alcoholic step program, Casey has taken the initial step to his road back to the CFL. But from the sounds of the article, the return to BC doesn't seem to be included on that step program.

[SammyGreene]

Too bad Printers didn't make this decision sooner or Wally might have opened the door. Won't happen now with Buck and Jarious signed.
Medlock did his nephew no favours and pissed off a lot teams along the way with many bridges burned. A soon-to-be 28-year-old QB with tremendous athleticism shouldn't be out of options.

[zark]

That might open a few doors. That bridge to Momtreal was a big bridge to burn down though. LOL.

[WestCoastJoe]

The plot thickens. Much of the troubles Casey has had I would attribute to bad advice from his uncle. It will be a shame if no doors open up to a player with his talent because of what has gone on in the past.

[Rammer]

The plot thickens. Much of the troubles Casey has had I would attribute to bad advice from his uncle. It will be a shame if no doors open up to a player with his talent because of what has gone on in the past.

I think that CP's largest problem has been associated with the number he wore (#1), it was important to him and that me first attitude came along with it. By contacting BC, don't you think that now the Medlockless CP, thinks that he is better than the current group of Lion QB's, which to me continues this (#1) thinking. Medlock didn't help CP, he may have even contributed to the inflated self worth that CP appears to have of himself, but CP had better take a new approach to his future as a CFL QB.

[Hambone]

All kinds of scorn and criticism has been heaped upon Printers for his relationship with Medlock. If one considers that the prime objective of an agent is to get the best deal for his client then the reality is Medlock did his job and did it well when it comes to Printers. Medlock took Printers' early CFL success and parlayed that into a good NFL free agent contract. When Printers failed to live up to his potential in Kansas City and was released Medlock again did his job and landed his client one of the most lucrative contracts in recent CFL history. Hands up anybody who thought Printers' second kick at the CFL cat would turn out the way it did? Medlock has successfully represented several CFL players including Dante Marsh, Carl Kidd and Kenton Keith with nary a peep of controversy. Many like to dump on him as the cause of Printers' downward career spiral. However, given the situations and opportunities Medlock has provided for CP is it a case of the agent failing the player? Or has the player failed the agent???

[WestCoastJoe]

Rammer and Hambone,

Your points are well taken. And there is no doubt Casey has to take responsibility for his own actions.

And Jason Medlock did secure good money and opportunities for his client, Casey.

However, it would seem to me that an agent (especially an uncle) is also supposed to provide guidance and advice in terms of his public relations, and his ongoing future career prospects. It seemed that Medlock liked to play hardball. That can win in the short term, but does burn bridges. If Casey had been the "best quarterback in football" he could no doubt get away with prima donna behaviour, but his career did not turn out that way. To me it was like a high stakes gamble which has not succeeded in the way they had hoped.

If it is "Like Uncle Like Nephew," then a pox on both of them; there is enough blame to go around. However, Jason is older and more experienced than Casey. I think he served him poorly in the PR aspects of professional sports. The arrogance, the poor communication, the "no looking back" at the CFL, the slippery dealing with Montreal: these were all attitudes and approaches guaranteed to burn bridges and limit opportunities.

They can both take responsibility for how poorly things have turned out. But I think if Casey had been given better guidance by his agent, he would not have come across the way he did, "negotiated" the way they did, joined Hamilton the way he did, and he would have opportunities now. The severance of their professional relationship would seem to show some agreement with this view.

It seemed to me that Wally never had a problem with Casey, liked him as a player and a person (even after the Hamilton fiasco), but had some difficulties with his agent.

All of this, of course, is IMHO.

(This soap opera will probably have more episodes to come.)

[Hambone]

I guess what we don't know WCJ is if Medlock was giving Printers poor guidance or if he was giving him good guidance that Printers, being the head-strong and petulent young rising star, refused to heed. Was Printers' pursuit of the NFL gig something Medlock was pushing on CP or was it something Printers was directing Medlock to pursue? In a player-agent relationship the player is the defacto boss. The agent works for the player, not the other way around.

[ziggy]

A good agent should also be capable of giving his client the odd reality check and I'm guessing that may not have happened. While it is common practise for agents to inflate their clients value when shopping them around, they have also be able to accurately assess the true value of their client and make sure he understands the difference between the hype and reality. I can only assume, because I wan't there, that maybe an uncle would be a little more biased than an outsider and perhaps failed to explain some of the bargaining tactics to his impressionable young nephew or perhaps even believed Casey was better than he turned out to be. At any rate if the problem was his agent we should see a shift in attitude.

[Big Time]

We also don't know the entire reason as to why Medlock was fired. It's easy based on media reports to see Medlock as an almost Don King-like bad influence on Casey. It's also easy to see how Casey's career has turned over the last few years and not conclude Medlock had something to do with it. What we don't know is how much Medlock made off of Casey. I'm guessing that as a family member he probably made more off of Casey than a regular agent would. In addition, if Medlock is the one who advised Casey to start his motivational speaker career, not to mention encouraged Casey to become a "pending" author, then that tells you all you need to know about the level of professionalism coming out of this guy. When it comes to business, you never ever want your family members acting as your agent. Look how it worked out for Eric Lindros when his dad was his agent. You need someone who can be impartial, who can give you that reality check when you need it, who can properly read the market place and assess where you fit it. Medlock really didn't have to show too much savvy in negotiations when Casey was on top. The true test of his abilities comes from when Casey is at the bottom. Considering how Casey currently has no job anywhere, I think this speaks volumes about Medlock's abilities as an agent.

As for Casey approaching Buono, I don't read anything more into this than someone trying to return to the environment where he first had success. I do not see it as a slight on the current Lions qb's, as someone earlier suggested. Truthfully, I wish Casey the best as I truly believe he has the ability to be a top level QB in the CFL. He played on an absolutely atrocious Ticats team, and he's still currently better than every QB on the Rider's roster. Good for Wally for not wanting to rock his current steady ship, and good luck to Casey wherever he ends up.

[zark]

The only thing I'll agree with here is WestCoastJoe's "This soap opera will probably have more episodes to come".
Too much speculation and innuendo. lol casey, but not here if you please.

[WestCoastJoe]

I guess what we don't know WCJ is if Medlock was giving Printers poor guidance or if he was giving him good guidance that Printers, being the head-strong and petulent young rising star, refused to heed.

Without being privy to the working relationship of Printers and Medlock, I would venture to guess that they both brought less than ideal attitudes to the situation.

One more thing ... I have a hunch Wally still likes Casey, both as a player and as a person (from his media comments). The CFL being what it is, and quarterback being the bullseye position that it is, let's say either Buck or Jarious gets dinged this year. I would not be surprised if Wally gave serious consideration to bringing Casey in as a backup, for appropriate backup dollars. Wally might decide there is too much history and too much risk, but I expect he would consider it.

[Yank In BC]

By contacting BC, don't you think that now the Medlockless CP, thinks that he is better than the current group of Lion QB's, which to me continues this (#1) thinking.

How is him contacting Wally give you the impression he thinks he is better? Wouldn't you guess he has contacted most of the league outside of Hamilton/Montreal as well as Calgary (since DD is now coaching there).

Does him showing up at a camp in FLA make you think he is better then all the Qpg QB's or is he a guy maybe grasping at straws and trying to get a JOB anywhere

[Hambone]

I guess what we don't know WCJ is if Medlock was giving Printers poor guidance or if he was giving him good guidance that Printers, being the head-strong and petulent young rising star, refused to heed.

Without being privy to the working relationship of Printers and Medlock, I would venture to guess that they both brought less than ideal attitudes to the situation.

One more thing ... I have a hunch Wally still likes Casey, both as a player and as a person (from his media comments). The CFL being what it is, and quarterback being the bullseye position that it is, let's say either Buck or Jarious gets dinged this year. I would not be surprised if Wally gave serious consideration to bringing Casey in as a backup, for appropriate backup dollars. Wally might decide there is too much history and too much risk, but I expect he would consider it.

I think you're correct in some ways. I'm not 100% sure about giving serious consideration to bringing him in as a backup at backup money. However one of Buono's biggest strengths is that he always likes to keep his options open and doesn't burn bridges. He has worked with Printers for 3 years. If CP was the cancer everybody thinks he is then I think Buono would've already told him the door was closed. I don't think Buono will be interested in adding CP to the mix right now. However he's been around long enough to know that a team's QB situation can change literally overnight. It only takes 2 hits for Zac Champion to be the BC starter. As long as Printers is a free-agent and Buono doesn't subscribe to the cancer theories as so many others do then there is no reason for WB to not keep an open dialogue going. Wally may not have a need for Printers today but if something unexpected changes on his QB depth chart tomorrow I don't think he'd hesitate to make CP one of his first calls.