APSE Stocks Up on NFLers as Partnership Nears 20 years
Saturday, January 23rd, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Lamont Smith and Peter Schaffer, agents and principals of All Pro Sports & Entertainment, have signed 11 NFL players since the beginning of the year, including Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ashley Lelie and Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Ryan Sims and wide receiver Samie Parker.
Smith and Schaffer also signed Chiefs safety Jarrad Page; Cincinnati Bengals fullback Jeremi Johnson and wide receiver Tab Perry; Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Rodney Bailey and cornerback Deshea Townsend; New Orleans Saints linebacker Tommy Polley; Houston Texans cornerback Dexter McCleon; and Philadelphia Eagles center Jamaal Jackson. They’ve signed several other players who are looking for new roster homes after the latest round of NFL cuts.
All of the players were formerly represented by other agents before signing with Denver-based All Pro, which with more than 70 NFL players is one of the largest football representation firms.?
“We have not gone out there and torturously interfered with anybody,” Schaffer said. “All of these players called us.”
Given all the turmoil and breakups in the agent business, one of the most interesting things about All Pro is that Smith and Schaffer will celebrate 20 years of partnership in November. Both lawyers, Schaffer and Smith started out by doing all sorts of general litigation and legal work to fund their dream sports agency.
“We did insurance defense for [insurance company] AIG; we did criminal defense, DUIs,” Schaffer said. “We really hustled.”
Their first big client was wide receiver Mark Jackson, one of the Broncos’ “Three Amigos,” who they signed in the mid-1980s. Over the years, All Pro has represented such stellar players as Barry Sanders, Jerome Bettis, Eddie George and Willie Roaf.
Smith says the two bring different strengths to their partnership. “Peter can multitask really well. He can keep a lot of balls up in the air. I am very detail-oriented, very methodical in what I do. I am a really good communicator. Peter is a really good numbers cruncher.”
About All Pro Sports & Entertainment, Inc.
All Pro Sports & Entertainment, Inc. is a world-class sports management firm that specializes in the representation of sports professionals. With a valued reputation and commitment to our clients’ careers, APSE has the privilege of representing several of the most respected and celebrated names in sports. Our clients range from athletes, coaches and broadcasters in various sports. The extensive scope accommodates us with an unparalleled awareness of the industry’s pulse, which helps us proactively position our clients to prosper from emerging trends.