What'd You Say? Argument Gets Heated Between Marketing Agents
By Liz Mullen, Staff Writer, SportsBusiness Journal
Marketing agents MIKE ORNSTEIN and BILL HENKEL acknowledged that they were the agents involved in a heated argument at the NFL Combine over the weekend, which has been the talk of NFL circles. Henkel said the clients they were arguing about were former Illinois WR ARRELIOUS BENN and former Ole Miss QB JEVAN SNEAD -- both of whom are represented by Henkel, Owner of 10 Sports Marketing, for marketing work. ProFootballTalk.com first reported the news of the dust-up that occurred Friday evening at the Pullman's restaurant at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Indianapolis, where many players training at the NFL Combine were staying. ProFootballTalk.com did not have the names of the agents involved or the clients they were arguing over, but reported Saturday, "Two competing marketing agents nearly came to blows at a local bar. They had to be physically restrained and separated." Ornstein, who represents a number of NFL players for marketing work including 49ers WR MICHAEL CRABTREE and free agent WR TERRELL OWENS, said, "It was just a little disagreement; no blows thrown; a few words exchanged." He declined further comment. Henkel, who represents Vikings RB ADRIAN PETERSON and said he won recruiting battles against Ornstein for Benn and Snead, said that he confronted Ornstein in the restaurant. Henkel: "I confronted him on why he is telling people I am recruiting that I am a bad guy." He acknowledged they were both shouting at each other. "It was a very quick, heated deal," he said. "I think I referred to Orny as 'an old man,' truly in a joking manner, like, 'You are not going to take a swing at me.'" Henkel said, and another witness confirmed, that Ornstein took offense at that remark and was restrained by NFL player agent VANN MCELROY. Ornstein had no comment on that. Neither Ornstein and Henkel are certified by the NFLPA to represent NFL players for on the field work and are not subject to the union's agent regulations.
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