Roc Nation Sports agent Kim Miale has "until the end of this week to respond" to an NFLPA letter "regarding the signing of" Jets QB Geno Smith, according to sources cited by the N.Y. POST. The NFLPA "reportedly sent Miale the letter asking about Smith’s signing on Monday." The "brouhaha’s over whether Jay-Z had a role in influencing Smith to choose Miale as his agent, because of a so-called 'runner rule' that only an NFLPA-certified agent can recruit a player to sign for representation" (N.Y. POST, 5/30). GRANTLAND's Andrew Sharp wrote, "Maybe there's a point to this investigation that I'm missing, but it sure seems like this is a way for the NFLPA to harp on technicalities and appease rival agents who are upset that Jay-Z is suddenly a threat to steal their clients." In that case, there are "two responses." First of all, having Jay-Z "looming as a threat only ensures that agents will take better care of their stars for fear of losing them, so the NFLPA's doing everyone a disservice by trying to chase him out of football." Second and "more importantly, the NFLPA needs to see the forest for the trees in all this." In the "ongoing cold war" between the union and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, does NFLPA Exec Dir DeMaurice Smith "want Jay-Z on his side or not?" (GRANTLAND.com, 5/29).
