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The San Francisco 49ers are back east in Tampa Bay for their Week 15 matchup, but they got in some fun times earlier in the week. Vernon Davis and Frank Gore (and likely others) attended a Jay Z concert earlier this week in San Jose, and Davis got this picture:
I think Matt Barrows wins most original tweet in response to this picture:
A photo to make a sports agent shudder ... @TaylorPrice49 (Pic via @VernonDavis85) pic.twitter.com/BCZrmCe7Lp
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) December 14, 2013
Given that Frank Gore is coming down the home stretch of his career, I'm not sure I see him switching over to Jay Z. But maybe Vernon Davis decides to make a switch? I don't think this necessarily means anything at this point, but things can always get tricky.
The agent business has become all the more complicated with Jay Z entering the mix. As I understand it, he is not a certified NFL agent, but there are concerns about potential recruiting he might do on behalf of agents within his Roc Nation Sports sub-division. There are concerns about the runner rule, which the NFLPA apparently clarified recently:
[Permits an] introductory meeting with potential clients to present the full range of services offered by the agency. The meeting must take place at the agent's place of business and is limited to one per potential client. No further contact may occur between the potential client and the agent's uncertified business associates.
Of course, if Jay Z was operating as a runner, meeting athletes backstage at a concert potentially raises concerns for opposing agents. This particular situation involves a single picture, but getting an opportunity to meet Jay Z backstage could go a lot further than some random pitch meeting. Maybe nothing happens, maybe something happens. I have no idea, but I think there is a kernel of truth to what Barrows tweeted.
