About this item
For fifteen years, sports agent Josh Luchs made illegal deals with numerous college athletes, from top-tier, nationally recognized phenoms to late-round draft picks. Flagrantly flaunting NCAA and NFL Players Association rules, he made no-interest loans to players in exchange for the promise of representation on their lucrative pro contracts. After cleaning up his act in 2003, he moved to a new agency, only to be targeted and pushed out of the business for a new violation-one he arguably did not commit. Then, in October 2010, Luchs wrote a confessional article in Sports Illustrated, telling the truth about what he did and didnt do.Since then he has taken on a new role whistle-blowing, truth-telling reformer. And in telling his own story, Luchs pulls back the curtain on the real economy of college football how agents win players legally and otherwise, the staggering sums colleges make from an unpaid workforce, the shortfalls of supposed full-ride scholarships, and the myth of a college education given to scholarship jocks.
About the Author
Josh Luchs began his career as a sports agent at the tender age of nineteen. Young, driven and smart, he had already forged the connections needed to begin his career. Unfortunately in his mid-20's, Luchs lost both his parents within months of each other. The balance between dealing with personal tragedy, losing a potential big client, and catering to the superficial needs of young athletes put him in a position where he began to re-evaluate his life and career decisions. Eight years later, he was involved in a civil dispute that again put Luchs in a situation where he began to doubt his outlook on the industry. Leading up to the present, Luchs recently gave a candid interview to Sports Illustrated (SI). He was not only exposed the questionable relationships between sports agents and college football players, but also showed the world how he struggled with many difficult decisions to achieve his goals. Throughout his career, he faced many ethical dilemmas and gained invaluable life lessons from these experiences. Luchs started out as a determined businessman who would use every resource imaginable to excel. Over time, he learned that working hard to reach goals is admirable, but asks the questions "Do you need to cross the line to succeed?"Although it is a widely unspoken notion that players often get paid and pampered to sign with agents, Luchs was the first and only agent to expose exactly how these relationships formed. His courage to speak out against these illegal interactions gives him the ability to make impressionable lectures, highlighting the struggles that made him who he is today. He aims to help current and future college athletes avoid jeopardizing amateur status by bringing to focus the tricks and methods agents have to secure these young athletes.Despite the controversial topics he discusses, Luchs' SI interview averaged a 10:1 positive to negative sentiment ratio. His revolutionary cover story showcased his courage and drive to share the truth about the industry. His story has blown up with coverage from media such as USA Today¸ The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, New York Post, Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, Boston Globe, and Houston Chronicle. Luch's gave an interview with Bernard Goldberg on the Emmy-winning show Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel on HBO. He was also featured in the NFL Films documentary "The Dotted Line" that was directed by Morgan Spurlock. In addition, television channels such as CNN, Bloomberg, CNBC and Fox Business channel have covered Josh's story, helping TV viewership reach well over 30 million people.Luchs captivated his audiences with his narratives from recruiting and with his details about what occurs during the high stakes competition to land top clients. He not only helps young athletes avoid threatening situations but also encourages a change in the current system with the new generations to come.
