By Mike Kahn
CBS SportsLine Executive Editor
Aug. 18, 1998

As the media explosion of sports has accelerated over the past 25 years, the consummate reaction by most is love it or loathe it.

Among those who fit into the former category, most discover at a very young age a future as a professional athlete is out of the question. Others, present company included, are fortunate enough to land in the sports media.

Having an agent can land you in all sorts of trouble ... just ask Karl Malone. (AP)

But there is a third category that is growing too fast, where they make way more money than the media, and somehow have managed their way into the fiber of the athletes.

The sports agent.

IN CASE YOU AREN'T REALLY FAMILIAR WITH them, many are lawyers (which isn't necessarily a bad thing because it proves they are at least educated). Plenty are not (which isn't necessarily a bad thing because they are less educated). But we can guarantee you most are not Jerry Maguire, let alone Tom Cruise.

Let's face it, Drew Rosenhaus tried mightily to prove himself the focus of Cruise's character. Yeah, right. Rosenhaus is identical to Cruise. (By the way, people often mistake me for Robert Redford, only to realize I'm too young). In fact, Cruise was far too pleasant and forgiving on a personal basis to ever be compared to Rosenhaus. He also had only one client whose career was on the edge -- Rosenhaus now is playing both sides of the media, even participating, and, well, enough said.

However, he is a very competent representative ... earning his clients (as well as himself), millions of dollars. Again, he isn't the rule. Let's just take a couple of cases here this past week.

There is Chicago Bears rookie Curtis Enis, the fifth pick of the 1998 NFL Draft. Weeks ago, he turned down a six-year, $13.2 million contract that included a $7.2 million signing bonus. Monday, he agreed to a $3.6 million signing bonus on a contract that totaled $9.2 million over three years.

Let me put it to you this way ... would you agree to half the original signing bonus as a rookie NFL running back -- average career expectancy 20 minutes? Some call it confidence. We call it ignorance.

The only more obvious rookie in the deal is his agent, Greg Feste. Rule of thumb -- rookies never turn down guaranteed bonus money.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, FESTE ISN'T THE MOST foolish agent in appearance on this banner agent day in early August. Consider the wisdom of Fallasha Erwin, who represents the frequently wayward NBA star Chris Webber.

Webber's latest escapade was on the way to Barbados for a tour representing his sponsor Fila. One of Webber's bags, according to customs officials, included clothes, size 16 shoes, and socks -- one pair of which reportedly held 11 grams of marijuana. Originally thought to belong to Jerry Stackhouse, Webber reportedly conceded it was his, paid a $500 fine and was done with it.

Now Erwin is contending the bag wasn't Webber's and that it belonged to a lady friend of his. Uh-huh. She always carries a bag with men's clothes, size 16 sneakers and socks. Know many professional athletes who date women with size 16 shoes? All of this comes at a time when Webber is awaiting trial back in Maryland, where he was arrested in January for speeding, allegedly had a marijuana cigarette in his ash tray and battled with the cop who stopped him.

Great timing? This very well could cost him his Fila contract, as they are cutting short his trip to review the entire scenario. No doubt, had Erwin stayed out of it, this might have been handled in a more quiet manner and be handled below the surface. Now, there will be bloodshed, so to speak.

And finally, we have the case of one Karl Malone. After 13 years of handling his own negotiations with the Utah Jazz -- never once playing to free agency because of continual extensions -- Malone signed Dwight Manley to be his agent. Also the representative for Dennis Rodman, Manley arranged a wrestling deal between Rodman and Malone over the summer. He also wants Malone to begin discussing a contract worth at least $20 million a year after his current contract expires next summer.

First Rodzilla, now the Mailman. More important, there's no way Malone will ever get that large of a contract considering the collective bargaining negotiations that are transpiring right now. But with Manley and Rodman at his side, he'll make plenty of money marketing himself outside of basketball performing in drag, if he follows the high heels that graced the path before him.

You want money, get an agent. You want dignity? Just do it . . . yourself.

Today's other columns

Charles Bricker on Tennis
Patrick Rafter spent most of '98 hardly resembling last year's U.S. Open champion. But with this year's Open nearing, Rafter appears to be finding his 'A' game.

Ian Browne on College Football
After a summer of fending off speculation of its imminent demise, the Big East turns to standouts Amos Zereoue and Donovan McNabb in hopes of carrying the conference into national prominence.

Dennis Dodd on College Football
In the Big 12, nobody is hyping Bobby Newcombe as the conference's star quarterback. And that's perfect for Newcombe. The sophomore might be considered the third-best signal-caller in the conference -- at best -- but he's the undisputed No. 1 for the defending national co-champions.

Dave Joseph on Horse Racing
Change is good for the Daily Racing Form. A new owner with new ideas are pumping new life into the struggling publication.