Walters And Bloom

No matter what verdict is reached in the trial of Norby Walters and Lloyd Bloom, it will help clean up the sports agents business, insiders said Monday as jurors deliberated a third day. "I think the business is really starting to change now, and the indictments are a major reason for this," said Steve Zucker, an agent whose clients include Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon. Bob Woolf, a Boston-based sports attorney whose clients include Larry Bird, Joe Montana and Doug Flutie, said he expects the verdict to have "a very positive impact" no matter what it is. A finding of guilty "would certainly be a sobering message to a lot of people out there . . . to a lot of the unscrupulous agents," he said.

A federal judge sentenced sports agents Norby Walters and Lloyd Bloom to prison Monday, saying he hopes their punishment helps bring "the rule of law" to big-time college sports. Walters and Bloom were convicted in April of signing athletes before the athletes' college eligibility had expired, and of threatening some of the athletes with harm if they sought to break the agreements. U.S. District Judge George Marovich said that the involvement of the agents, particularly Walters, with an organized-crime figure weighed heavily in his decision to sentence Walters to five years in prison and Bloom to three years.

Apart from the Jeff Koterba cartoon (April 13) depicting the (Norby) Walters-(Lloyd) Bloom trial as opening the Pandora's box of college sports deceits, the media seems to have missed the point. The trial was exploiting the deeper hypocrisy of college sports. If Walters and Bloom are guilty of fraud in advancing loans, then what about the fraud of the universities? It was really big business college sports that was on trial. RICHARD GUTTMAN Malibu

For the past month, seemingly unrelated stories have dominated the hard news of sports: the legendary Pete Rose facing possible suspension for gambling; the Canadian inquiry into steroid use by track and field athletes, coupled with the sidebar announcement that the NFL would punish players for using steroids; the Chicago trial of sports agents Norby Walters and Lloyd Bloom. In each case the principals might claim that their behavior, by and large, was encouraged by sports and society.

A federal judge sentenced sports agents Norby Walters and Lloyd Bloom to prison Monday, saying he hopes their punishment helps bring "the rule of law" to big-time college sports. Walters and Bloom were convicted in April of signing athletes before the athletes' college eligibility had expired, and of threatening some of the athletes with harm if they sought to break the agreements. U.S. District Judge George Marovich said that the involvement of the agents, particularly Walters, with an organized-crime figure weighed heavily in his decision to sentence Walters to five years in prison and Bloom to three years.

A federal court jury Thursday convicted sports agents Norby Walters and Lloyd Bloom of defrauding two universities by using cash to lure college athletes into signing improper contracts, and of threatening to harm clients at other schools if they tried to renege. The jury deliberated 40 hours over six days before convicting Walters, 58, and Bloom, 29, both based in New York, on charges of racketeering, conspiracy, racketeering conspiracy and mail fraud. They each face up to 55 years in prison and fines of up to $1.25 million.

For the past month, seemingly unrelated stories have dominated the hard news of sports: the legendary Pete Rose facing possible suspension for gambling; the Canadian inquiry into steroid use by track and field athletes, coupled with the sidebar announcement that the NFL would punish players for using steroids; the Chicago trial of sports agents Norby Walters and Lloyd Bloom. In each case the principals might claim that their behavior, by and large, was encouraged by sports and society.

For the past month, seemingly unrelated stories have dominated the hard news of sports: the legendary Pete Rose facing possible suspension for gambling; the Canadian inquiry into steroid use by track and field athletes, coupled with the sidebar announcement that the NFL would punish players for using steroids; the Chicago trial of sports agents Norby Walters and Lloyd Bloom. In each case the principals might claim that their behavior, by and large, was encouraged by sports and society.

Apart from the Jeff Koterba cartoon (April 13) depicting the (Norby) Walters-(Lloyd) Bloom trial as opening the Pandora's box of college sports deceits, the media seems to have missed the point. The trial was exploiting the deeper hypocrisy of college sports. If Walters and Bloom are guilty of fraud in advancing loans, then what about the fraud of the universities? It was really big business college sports that was on trial. RICHARD GUTTMAN Malibu

For the past month, seemingly unrelated stories have dominated the hard news of sports: the legendary Pete Rose facing possible suspension for gambling; the Canadian inquiry into steroid use by track and field athletes, coupled with the sidebar announcement that the NFL would punish players for using steroids; the Chicago trial of sports agents Norby Walters and Lloyd Bloom. In each case the principals might claim that their behavior, by and large, was encouraged by sports and society.

A federal court jury Thursday convicted sports agents Norby Walters and Lloyd Bloom of defrauding two universities by using cash to lure college athletes into signing improper contracts, and of threatening to harm clients at other schools if they tried to renege. The jury deliberated 40 hours over six days before convicting Walters, 58, and Bloom, 29, both based in New York, on charges of racketeering, conspiracy, racketeering conspiracy and mail fraud. They each face up to 55 years in prison and fines of up to $1.25 million.

No matter what verdict is reached in the trial of Norby Walters and Lloyd Bloom, it will help clean up the sports agents business, insiders said Monday as jurors deliberated a third day. "I think the business is really starting to change now, and the indictments are a major reason for this," said Steve Zucker, an agent whose clients include Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon. Bob Woolf, a Boston-based sports attorney whose clients include Larry Bird, Joe Montana and Doug Flutie, said he expects the verdict to have "a very positive impact" no matter what it is. A finding of guilty "would certainly be a sobering message to a lot of people out there . . . to a lot of the unscrupulous agents," he said.