That's a question Selena Roberts of the New York Times asked this morning about David Frost, the agent for troubled St. Louis Blues winger, Mike Danton:
But whenever someone tried to cut Frost off, he managed to regenerate his tail by convincing folks of his magical powers to produce hockey legends.Many lapped it up, some in positions of power. Bob Goodenow was among them as the executive director of the National Hockey League Players Association. Goodenow provided Frost instant entree into young players' lives and established a line of credibility for the Canadian Yoda. In 2002, the players association approved Frost's application to become a sports agent.
With a record like Frost's, which included assaulting one of his own players during a game, one has to wonder why he got approval in the first place. John Gardner, president of the Gretater Toronto Hockey League, had an answer for Roberts:
If Frost exacerbated Danton's state of mind, consider Goodenow's odd role in perpetuating this troublesome link. "Frost coached Bob Goodenow's son," Gardner said, referring to Joe Goodenow, who once played for Frost in the Canadian junior program.If Goodenow's son prospered under Frost, was Goodenow sending a message to those suspicious of Frost?
Goodenow did not respond to an interview request about Frost, but he did slip behind Ian Penny, the players association's associate counsel, who oversees agent certification. In response to questions about whether Frost received preferential treatment or if his legal brushes were taken into consideration, Penny's e-mailed answer was lame, evasive and canned: "David Frost filed for agent certification in 2002 and met the requirements for certification."
Makes one wonder what you would have to pull not to be approved.
