Michelle Wie's Agent Quits ... Again

by Mulligan Stu on Oct 15, 2007 11:29 AM EDT Comment 5 comments

As the Associated Press headline writer put it, another loss for Michelle Wie.

Doug Ferguson reports that Greg Nared, Wie's agent for about a year, quit, effective immediately, on Monday:

"After careful consideration for my future, I have resigned effective immediately," Nared said in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press. "I'm very grateful to the William Morris Agency for the opportunity to work with world-class athletes. It has been an invaluable experience and I'll forever cherish (it)."

It surely has been an invaluable experience for Nared, whose had to deal with more in one year than many agents do over the lifespan of a client's career. I don't think I believe the "cherish" part.

Nared is a former Nike official who reportedly had a very good relationship with Wie herself.

You might recall that when Wie turned pro, she eschewed the traditional route of choosing a sports agency (such as IMG) to represent her. Instead, Team Wie chose the William Morris Agency, a Hollywood powerhouse that had not previously repped any golfers (how much input Wie herself, 16 years old at the time, had in choosing her reps is unknown).

The Morris agency hired Ross Berlin, who had previously worked for the PGA Tour, to act as Wie's agent. Berlin quit last year:

Berlin had disagreements with Wie's parents on her schedule, particularly in late 2006 when Wie was taken out of her senior year at Punahou School in Honolulu to play a European Tour men's event in Switzerland, then the following week outside Pittsburgh on the PGA Tour at the 84 Lumber Classic. She finished last in both events. Berlin resigned after the Samsung last year and returned to the (PGA) tour.

Nared was then hired to replace Berlin, and he, like Berlin, lasted only a year.

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it's getting bad with Team Wie

The word pariah is going to be part of the description of Team Wie if they don't get things straightened out.

Step 1 - ma and pa - you gotta go back to Hawaii.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Oct 15, 2007 12:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

take a stand

if theyre quitting because ma and pa are jerks to deal with that's one thing. if theyre quitting because they think damage is being done to michelle then they gotta do more than just quit. they got to speak up in public

by tuffyrhodes on Oct 15, 2007 12:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

lets forget about silly girl michelle

SHE CHEATS(WITHDRAWING FROM A TOURNAMENT AS SHE WAS GOING TO SCORE TOO HIGHLY) SHE'S BEING PUSHED BY HER PARENTS
WHY CAN'T TV AND EVERONE ELSE JUST IGNORE THIS (NOW) 10 HANDICAPPER

by tog on Oct 15, 2007 3:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Not than uncommon

Agents quitting and/or having difficulties with their client's entourages is very common, particularly when dealing with huge stars and extraordinary amounts of money. There's always going to be a tendency to over-dramatize everything associated with Michelle Wie. There was at the beginning when she was being touted as the next Tiger Woods and it's continued through her designation almost a year ago by Time Magazine as one of the "100 People who Changed the World" up to now, when after a lackluster season, her agent quits. Meanwhile she's attending Stanford pretty much like a normal student from what I've read. IMHO, the problem is that so few professional golfers provide any kind of "drama" or "fodder" for a press that's hungry for such.

by golfgirl on Oct 15, 2007 3:37 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

hmmm....

I agree with you that agents leaving or switching clients is a common occurance - but this is twice in a year. Hiring a company with a track record with golfers seems to make good sense, but they didn't do that and there have been problems since day one. (don't forget caddies and other members of Team Wie)

"fodder", yes - but "drama" ? We have a media that is very good at making more things up than actually happen. (not on GGTV, though !) :-D Missing 80 yard wide fairways isn't drama. Missing cuts isn't drama. Finishing DFL isn't drama.

Not too sure about that "normal student" thing. She has already taken 1 week off for the Samsung and has a second week (at least) planned for the Casio over in Japan. This is not behavior that is smiled on by many major colleges or universities - especially one like Stanford. She is taking minimal classes, and none of the usual freshman classes. Sounds to me like she plans to get a semester in, two tops, then bolt to beg for her LPGA Tour card. (which, by the way, Ms Bivens is just dying to hand out)

I would LOVE to hear that she and her roomie snuck out to some frat kegger and she got blasted off her hiney. Now THAT would be fun to hear and maybe a sign that she's getting ready to send ma and pa back to Hawaii.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Oct 15, 2007 4:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs