2009.04.26
UVa's Appleby to Patriots
Agent Sunny Shah said Sunday night that Virginia inside linebacker Antonio Appleby from Virginia Beach has accepted a free-agent deal with the New England Patriots.
"We were in dialogue the whole time," said Shah, who also represents UVa offensive tackle Eugene Monroe, a first-round pick.
"He was one of the first [free agents] they signed. He was a priority."
-- Doug Doughty
Should have came back for one more year.
Comment by Dan — April 26, 2009 @ 11:34 pm
Woops!! I meant Ogletree should have came back one more year. LOL! But I wish both Appleby and Ogletree nothing but the best of luck making their respective teams.
Comment by Dan — April 26, 2009 @ 11:35 pm
I'm appalled by the agent's lack of accountability in the Ogletree developments. You have to believe this guy was in his ear before the January announcement.
Comment by Doug Doughty — April 27, 2009 @ 10:27 am
It seems pretty clear that Ogletree wasn't happy at UVa for a variety of reasons. I've read he was close to Lalich, and I can certainly understand his frustration about not being utilized properly, battling injuries, two losing seasons, and having so many different QBs during his tenure. I can also understand him leaving healthy rather than risking another injury. Though, with the combination of this draft being so deep with WRs and UVa adopting the spread offense, he should've seen it was a sound "business decision" to go back for his 5th year. It wouldn't have surprised me for him to have been 1st team All-ACC next season a 2nd or 3rd rounder in next year's draft.
Comment by KevinL — April 27, 2009 @ 11:11 am
Taking a look at some of the WRs taken in the draft, you would have to believe that Ogletree is probably a better prospect than half of them. He was a good receiver with good speed on a very bad team. I would have loved to see what he could have done with a QB that could throw the ball accurately over 15 yards. I had him pegged as a third or fourth rounder (and I consider myself as much of an expert as the next pundit). Something is definitely awry here. Not sure whether it is the agent or some issue with Kevin. Hopefully, he will be given the chance to prove all of us wrong re the returning for a fifth year thing.
Comment by Spencer — April 27, 2009 @ 12:51 pm
Well, I won't discount that agents get greedy and want their cut sooner than later, no matter the impact to longevity of career (witness VT's Shyrone Stith a few years back, and I think Jimmy Willaims a year early as well). But as Spencer points out, he needs a QB who can throw to him, and with signs that Hall may be QB, looks to be more of a running attack than passing, so maybe that factored in. Plus, Cavs were 5-7 - maybe he figured next year would be no better.
Comment by Okie Hokie — April 27, 2009 @ 5:43 pm
Let's not forget that Ogletree caught 58 balls last year and would have been similarly featured this year.
I don't think anybody would have predicted at the time of Ogletree's decision in early January that Hall would be the No. 1 quarterback in 2009.
Has an "advisor" ever recommended that a player stay in school if that advisor is the would-be agent?
Comment by Doug Doughty — April 30, 2009 @ 3:22 pm