your thoughts on Clinton Portis..stiffing a guy 20 grand

WASHINGTON -- Big-time sports has come this: Two former NFL teammates are on the verge of going to court to settle a dispute over a jersey number.

<!--------------------------START PLAYER CARD------------------><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=right border=0 hspace="5" vspace="5"><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width=8>[size=-2][/size]</TD><TD width=200 bgColor=#ecece4><!---------------------HEADSHOT TABLE STARTS HERE---------------------><TABLE cellSpacing=6 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD colSpan=2>[size=-1]Clinton Portis[/size]
[size=-2]Running Back
Washington Redskins[/size]</TD><TD width=65 rowSpan=2> </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD width=67>[size=-2]Profile
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A crude, one-paragraph contract has led to Ifeanyi Ohalete, plaintiff, vs. Clinton Portis, defendant, on the docket for civil trial Tuesday in a district court in Maryland. Simply put: Ohalete wants the $20,000 he feels he is owed for giving Portis the jersey No. 26 when both were members of the Washington Redskins a year ago.

"It's certainly what we expect," Ohalete's attorney, John Steren, said Monday. "It's certainly what we're demanding."

Athletes' attachments to certain jersey numbers is ubiquitous on all levels, leading to spats when ordering uniforms for church league softball and deep-pocketed deals between marquee pros.

Eli Manning, for example, had to pay for punter Jeff Feagles' family vacation to Florida to snag the preferred No. 10 after the New York Giants drafted Manning with the No. 1 overall pick in 2004. Feagles also got a new kitchen in his home from Plaxico Burress when he gave Burress his No. 17 after the wide receiver signed with New York.

When Portis signed with the Redskins last year, he immediately honed in on No. 26, which he wore for two seasons with the Denver Broncos. However, the number already belonged to Ohalete, who didn't want to give it up. Protracted negotiations led to a contract signed by Portis, Ohalete and witness Brad Berlin, the Redskins equipment manager.

"The document is being drawn on June 4, 2004, to verify the agreement between Clinton Portis and Ifeanyi Ohalete for the sale of Ifeanyi's jersey number in exchange for monetary compensation," the contract said.

It called for Portis to pay Ohalete $40,000 in three installments: $20,000 immediately, $10,000 by Week 8 of the NFL season, and $10,000 by Christmas Day. Portis paid the $20,000 up front and got his coveted No. 26. Ohalete switched to No. 30.

But then Ohalete was cut by the Redskins during training camp in August and was claimed off waivers by Arizona. Portis apparently felt Ohalete's departure voided the rest of the contract, so he didn't pay the final two installments.

"I think he's crazy," Portis told Sirius NFL Radio after the suit was filed in late December. "How could you request something when you got cut, but I would have had the number anyway. I think he's crazy, so I guess we'll be in court together."

That has been Portis' only substantial comment on the lawsuit. His agents, Drew and Jason Rosenhaus, have said even less.

Ohalete has said the contract speaks for itself. The agreement makes no stipulation that either player has to remain on the Redskins roster.

"It's a simple contract," Steren said. "It's fairly well written, and it's fairly unambiguous. We hope the judge will see it that way, too."

HE MADE THE DEAL, SIGNED THE PAPER, PAY UP YOU MONEY HUNGRY BASTARD!!!

i'd be interested to know if feagles paid income tax on the kitchen and the family vacations.

It seems cut and dry but then again, logically, the jersey would have been available no matter after the cut. The plaintiff should have had the money given upfront, but that is hindsight. Any legal agreement like this can be overturned by a Judge who feels that something unfair has occured along the way to either party. As written though and knowing the money these guys make, I think the judge will rule in favor of the plaintiff and he will get his 20K.

I know and went to school with Ife. So I have hated Portis for a while now.

Portis would get his fcking head beat in if by my boy. Portis wanted to put boxing gloves on and fight over it. Ife didn't want the gloves. :lukesky

It should not matter that he got cut and the # would've been available. They both agreed on price of 40,000 before that happened...Ohalete just let him break it down into some installments. Sounds like they've got it on paper though so shouldn't be a problem getting his 20 Gs.

Portis is a punk, typical behavior.

Were the installments really necessary? I would have made him pay it all up front. He signed a huge contract with Washington with a nice signing bonus. That's where the problem lies. But I agree that he should pay.

Alot of bad press for a measley 20 grand (to a rich guy), but why all the hatred for Portis?

Portis should definately pay. Who F-ing cares what number you where. The agents should work all of this out before the player signs with the team. Have the team pay the 40k so this stuff doesn't happen or just tell the guy to give up the number or look for work elsewhere.

Just another sideshow for the laughingstock of the NFL.
Between their botched draft, the Sean Taylor arrest, the OTA/practice scandal, and this Portis thing, I think they are a prime candidate for a HBO series.

I think 99% of the public would agree that Portis owes the remaining balance of the contract as the contract was negotiated before the guy was cut and the full price of the contract was for the right to wear the jersey number.

What amazes me is how short-sighted Portis is and how worthless his agent must be. By "holding out" and making this situation public, Portis may have cost himself 1000 times in potential endosements and fan goodwill what it would have cost to quitely settle the matter (I bet the other guy would have settled for 10k of the 20k to save himself legal fees and hassles).

Penny-wise and very pound foolish. He should fire his worthless agent. Hell, it would have been worth it for his agent to reach into his own pocket and quietly settled this.

Brutal decision and bad PR for Portis

It isnt anything the typical forum user wouldnt do

I'm sure we all would understand C Portis's view that the guy got cut, but you know what? I say, PAY THE GUY THE MONEY YOU SAID YOU WOULD. Portis loses this in court. tulsa

Is it even prosecutable? where is our resident legal expert Identity when she is actually good for something

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06-06-2005, 08:36 PM <!-- / status icon and date --></TD><TD class=thead style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal" align=right> #15 </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=alt2 width=175>RobFunk<SCRIPT type=text/javascript> vbmenu_register("postmenu_1987428", true); </SCRIPT>
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RUFF,RUFF,RUFF:lolBIG:

thats funny slick, I had your sister saying the same thing for like a good 40 minutes last night.

He made a deal and he should keep it. No discussion needed. Anything less shows he's a piece of sh*t.