Holdout. That’s the one word you can hear an agent yelling. Specifically Drew Rosenhaus telling his clients to do after a successful season. Rosenhaus’s aggressive tactics have been favorable among athletes, and caused nightmares for general managers. The increased pace of athletes holding out is starting to get to a ridiculous level. An agent’s number one job from the start is to get his athlete the best contract. So once that contract is signed, the player should just abide to it. If the athlete suddenly doesn’t feel he is earning enough money, too bad. Someone didn’t do their job, and that’s why the athlete is stuck in that predicament. Your market value can only reach the level of your ability, that’s the whole purpose of a contract. Sustaining, raising, or dropping your value is what happens during the duration of that contract.

Every athlete is a grown man and needs to make a conscious decision before suddenly listening to their agent. Rosenhaus has had plenty of athletes holdout in the past, and this year alone has Javon Walker, Grady Jackson, and Terrell Owens threatening. It could all just be a clever trick by Rosenhaus to see if the franchises will take the bait. Once August 1st roles around, we’ll see if they all stick to their guns.

One athlete that has chosen to be smart about his current situation is Anquan Boldin. Boldin is in the last year of his rookie contract, and since he was drafted in the second round he isn’t making anywhere near the type of money he should be. It was the main reason why he fired his agent and jumped over to Rosenhaus. Automatically rumors were floating around that Boldin would holdout, and supposedly he was advised by Rosenhaus to do so. Boldin though, decided to do his job like a man and has been attending workouts. Even though his partner Larry Fitzgerald is signed to a mega million dollar contract, Boldin knows his time is just around the corner. If the Cardinals are dumb enough to let Boldin go, then that’s their own fault. The Cardinals loss would be someone else’s gain.

Receivers Terrell Owens and Javon Walker are making themselves look like fools. Walker had one great year, and has let it get to his head. The Packers organization isn’t going to budge on this situation, as they don’t have to. They still have Donald Driver and Robert Ferguson, and will likely please defensive tackle Grady Jackson instead. Walker is only endangering his chances of keeping his slight edge above Driver and Ferguson.

Owens needs to look himself in the mirror and think twice about this outrageous off-season demand. He went from having a miracle Super Bowl performance and talking about coming right back, to then saying he won’t step on the field until he has his contract reconfigured. What kind of picture does that paint from an outsiders perspective?

Just a little over a year ago, Owens knew exactly what his contract stated and was fine with it. It entailed a $10 million signing bonus, and a lengthy deal for seven years. It’s the type of contract that’s a retirement fund times ten.

Switcharoo, as Drew Rosenhaus stepped in and pointed out mistakes that Owens former agent apparently made. Rosenhaus and Owens main concern is the Eagles ultimate control to cut Owens if he gets hurt or production drops in the mid part of his deal. After Owens serious injury last season and being at the age of 33, all of those issues are a job security priority. Still, the risk of injury and being a salary cap casualty were all risks Owens knew of last season. Every person that signs up for military service knows that they have to fulfill their contract and deal with it. They can’t suddenly want out after two years of a four year enlistment.

No other sport has this bad of a problem, and it is going to cast a shadow over the sport soon. The general managers are going to have to come up with a better system to eliminate the alarming misguidance of agents. Look for a new clause of non restructuring to be included, or some sort of non changing agreement. This isn’t Burger King, every great athlete can’t have it their way.