There's plenty to digest in Luchs' story. It certainly provides a possible answer to the question I posed during the Reggie Bush-Lloyd Lake fiasco of "Is Reggie Bush only guilty of not keeping his financial arrangements quiet?" According to what Luchs has to say, yes. Luchs confirms in vivid detail of what we've long suspected, and that is the Student/Athlete is nothing more than a MYTH. Anyone who still chooses to believe there are student athletes playing big time college sports after reading what Luchs has to say is on par with still continuing to believe the Earth is flat.
That's not what is getting people's attention though. What IS getting attention is Luchs story regarding the odd relationship between Gary Wichard (Luchs former employer) and Mel Kiper Jr. The most damning paragraph being :
"Gary used Mel like that all the time. In the agent business, people know Gary and Mel are close, and some people suspect that Mel ranks players more favorably if they are Gary's clients"
In terms of that little nugget checking out, it would certainly explain why even though all other NFL Draft Publications had Jimmy Clausen ranked as a mid second round pick, Kiper had Clausen ranked in the Top 15 on his draft board. Gary Wichard happens to have been Jimmy Clausen's agent at the time.
All smoke and no fire you say? Well not to ESPN evidently, as there's this report stating they are actually investigating if any of this is true. For his part, Kiper has denied any wrongdoing, or any sort of conflict of interest regarding his relationship with Wichard. That's to be expected I guess since Mel is the same guy who told Merril Hoge he'd see Merril at Mike Williams Hall Of Fame speech.
As we say here in Gucionne-land "Not good man....not good".
Another sign is Wichard use to be Clausen's agent....I hope Clausen saw his agent couldnt move him up in the draft even with a stacked hand. Good for Clausen firing him.
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