Original subtitles

(dramatic music plays)

Arliss: For most of us,

the dream of becoming a champion,

remains a fantasy...

but for a special few,

it is very much a reality.

We cheer them.

We live through them.

Athletes are our last warriors.

My job is to make their dreams come true.

(water splashes)

My name is Arliss Michaels.

I represent athletes.

These are my stories.

♪ Don't know what it is that makes me love you so ♪

♪ I only know I never wanna let you go ♪

♪ 'Cause you started something, oh, can't you see ♪

♪ That ever since we met you had a hold on me? ♪

♪ It happens to be true ♪

♪ I only wanna be with you ♪

♪ I just wanna be beside you everywhere ♪

♪ As long as we're together, honey, I don't care ♪

♪ 'Cause you started something, oh, can't you see ♪

♪ That ever since we met you had a hold on me? ♪

♪ No matter what you do ♪

♪ I only wanna be with you ♪

♪ It doesn't... ♪

(dramatic music plays)

(Armen Keteyian narrates)

and as the chairman of Arliss Michaels Management,

he's one of the premier sports agents in America.

The media would like to portray myself and all agents

as these Machiavellian characters

that can control... sports.

But the reality is that

we're only as good as our roster of clients,

because not one team owner is paying dollar one

for Arliss Michaels.

They're paying for my clients.

Armen: And what a collection he has.

Jerry Rice, Barry Bonds,

Shaquille O'Neal, Derek Jeter,

and his newest client,

last year's National League MVP, Victor Gonzalez.

It's no wonder Arliss Michaels was the inspiration

for director Cameron Crowe's film

"Jerry Maguire."

It's estimated that his clients are currently signed to contracts

that total approximately a half a billion dollars,

a market base that's not confined to the playing field.

Arliss Michaels has taken his clients

and made the crossover into theatrical motion pictures.

In fact, I've used a number of his clients myself.

Armen: Ron Shelton, filmmaker.

In fact, Arliss is producing for me

a remake of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,"

this time the dwarfs being played by the dream team.

Woman: Excuse me, Ron. Karl Malone, line one.

Oh, there's "Grumpy" now, excuse me.

So what drives Arliss Michaels? Is it fame, money?

Well, all those things are nice, of course,

but I think what gives me the biggest kick

is the opportunity to work with talented young people,

helping them to reach their potential

by giving them good career advice.

(machine gun firing)

I'm telling you, the smart move is to quit high school

and announce you're pro now.

It's just too damn dangerous here these days.

I mean, you're risking injury! Sign, sign!

(boy shouts) Fuck the SAT's! Fuck the SAT's!

Yeah, yeah, congratulations.

- (gunfire continues) - Get down!

What's the secret to your success?

The first time I visited the White House,

there was a sign in the oval office on Reagan's desk

that read "There is no limit to what one can achieve

as long as he is willing to give others the credit."

I try to live by that.

Remember, people, this interview is about me.

- No, shit. - Oh, imagine that.

Now, which suit do you think, the navy or the olive gabardine?

- I look good in the navy. - Are you sure we're gonna be interviewed?

(humphs) Probably not. We're only his minions.

Of course you're gonna be interviewed,

and when you are, you are to speak openly, honestly and sincerely.

Now let's go over it again.

Together: If I needed an agent,

I'd want it to be Arliss Michaels.

I'm very fortunate to work here.

To the best of my knowledge, that never occurred.

Good.

(farting sounds)

If I needed an agent, I'd want it to be Arliss Michaels.

Armen: Kirby Carlisle, Arliss Michaels' top associate

and Arliss' first client.

You were his first client, weren't you?

That's right. You might say I'm the guy who started it all.

In fact, Arliss always refers to me as "patient zero."

(farting sounds)

Armen: Rita Wu, Arliss' executive assistant.

If I needed an agent, I'd want it to be Arliss Michaels.

Rita, what seems to stand out from talking to people here

is the tremendous sense of loyalty.

I'm very fortunate to be working here.

He seems like a generous and giving employer.

To the best of my knowledge, that never occurred.

I pinch myself every morning. I just love what I do.

I work with great people,

and I have the respect and the appreciation of my clients.

All of Michaels' current clients

may respect and appreciate him,

but one former client most certainly does not.

Arliss Michaels lied to me.

Armen: Slugger Donny Thurman

teamed up with Arliss Michaels in 1979.

It was a profitable association for both

and ran nearly 20 years.

But it ended recently with rancor and accusation.

Arliss Michaels is guilty of misrepresentation,

unethical business practices,

and a conflict of interest.

Donny, you and Arliss were much more than client and agent,

you were the best of friends.

Yeah.

He introduced me to my wife.

He's also godfather of my son, Daniel.

Donny and I were friends.

Our relationship went way beyond baseball.

We shared many interests outside the game.

In fact, that's initially what brought us together.

♪ ♪

♪ There's a line... ♪

It's 150 a lid.

150? You're high!

♪ Don't even try to stop me... ♪

Hey, what's the cost if I can get you

two great seats to the Rose Bowl?

150.

I hate sports.

♪ I stood back and looked at the same... ♪

I like that sombrero, though.

Kirby.

(coughs)

Is there a White Castle nearby?

A hundred and the hat.

Deal, dude.

♪ There are rules that someone else made ♪

♪ I'm breaking right now ♪

♪ They don't apply to me, 'cause those fools are... ♪

(whispers) Let's go.

♪ See them wave to the crowd... ♪

- Bonsoir. - ♪ As naked as can be ♪

♪ I saw what was real and what's fake ♪

♪ From a vantage point high... ♪

Arliss, you know Donny Thurman?

Sure, I know Donny. How's it going, man?

♪ I took all the hurt I could take ♪

♪ And I turned it around ♪

Later.

Amigo, como estas?

How much I owe you?

For you...

175 a lid.

Excuse me!

Did you just say 175?

Dude.

He did, didn't he? He just said 175.

- He just charged me a hundred. - Don't forget the hat.

What's going on here? You are being taken advantage of, my brother.

I'm not your brother.

Keep talking.

Dude?

♪ From a vantage point high... ♪

Donny and I bonded the first night we met.

In fact, you could say that it was a joint effort.

Look, I know I don't have that many clients yet,

but I'm getting more all the time,

and a guy like you could really make a difference.

Look...

I don't think I really need an agent.

Sure you do.

Otherwise the man's gonna fuck you.

I'm telling you, the way baseball's going,

the average salary... Soon, the average salary's

gonna be a million dollars a man.

A million dollars a man?

Yeah, the game's changing from a mom-and-pop operation

to a big conglomerate corporate entity.

It's not baseball anymore. It's gonna be programming!

Alright, alright. I just want to ask you a question.

I know what you're gonna ask me.

How many black clients do I have?

Well, together we'll do better.

I know how many black clients you have.

What I want to know is

how many black employees, you got?

♪ Jack told me it wasn't him... ♪

Together we'll do better.

♪ No, no ♪

♪ I ain't got nobody ♪

♪ Lord knows I ain't got myself ♪

I joined AMM about the same time that Donny Thurman did.

Armen: Stanley Babson, Chief Financial Officer of AMM

paints a unique picture.

Sure, Arliss has been lucky, but you know what?

The harder he works, the luckier he gets.

In fact, if I needed an agent,

I'd want it to be Arliss Michaels.

I put everything I had into representing Donny.

In fact, I remember our first negotiation.

I pulled out some tricks that Siegfried and Roy would've been proud of.

Arliss Michaels is a visionary.

He was the first agent to include the concept

of incentive bonuses for the players.

So when Donny had his career year

because of the incentive clauses

that I had the foresight to bring in,

Donny nearly doubled his salary.

Does that sound like a conflict of interest to you?

Does that sound like misrepresentation to you?

I don't think so.

So in the beginning everything was good.

Yeah, in the beginning it was good.

So what happened?

How did you go from the best of friends

to suing Arliss for $10 million?

(scoffs) Because, well, for one thing,

I introduced him to a lot of his clients.

Such as?

Ozzie Smith.

(dance music plays)

♪ Oh yeah ♪

Kirby: Oh, yeah! Woo-hoo!

Oh, come on, take it off.

Oh, yeah, oh, yeah, take it off!

Woo-hoo!

Oh, yeah.

So you having... Oh! You having fun at my bachelor party?

I should marry you.

Man, that Kirby is having a good time.

If you think he's having a good time, check out Stanley.

(laughs) Oh my god.

(chuckles nervously) You're in great shape.

(laughs)

Do you work out? Oh! Well.

(laughter)

Hey, Donny, where's Ozzie?

Man, he'll be here in a minute.

Yeah, when he comes, I want you to introduce him to me.

Look, man, if you want to meet Ozzie,

just walk up to him and say hello.

I introduced you to the strippers.

♪ She'll do the same ♪

♪ She's quite a beauty, gotta work it... ♪

Kirby: Where'd you come from?

Whoo! Yeah, take it off.

Come on, come on, take it off. Take it off.

Don't be shy, don't be shy.

Oh yeah, shake it, baby.

(growls)

I'm... I'm sorry. I can't do this.

No, no, no, my fiancée and I, we... we have an understanding.

Hey. What's the problem?

I'm sorry, I can't do this.

I'm not a stripper. I'm an actress.

- Oh, really? - Yes, I studied Meisner.

I've got this industrial...

I got a callback on a national commercial.

Look, look, look, if you an actress,

then act like a stripper. Hmm?

Man: Yeah!

Act like a stripper, huh?

♪ Get it done ♪

♪ Oh yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Get it done ♪

Great job, there's Ozzie.

And once Ozzie got there,

Arliss put his nose so far up Ozzie's ass,

it took about six of us to pull him off.

Armen: We asked former All-Star shortstop Ozzie Smith for his opinion.

Ozzie, did Donny Thurman bring you to Arliss Michaels?

Yeah, sure, probably.

And once an athlete of your stature went with Arliss,

what was the key to all the black athletes who followed?

Man, I don't know. Donny's a friend of mine,

and Arliss did a great job for me.

That's all I gotta say.

By the way, do you vote for the Hall of Fame?

So, Donny, what's the big deal?

A couple of guys you know signed with your agent.

(scoffs) It wasn't just a couple, Armen. It was a lot more.

I opened the door for all the other black clients that followed.

Armen: Before Donny Thurman,

you had no other African-American clients.

Now he's saying you used him

to recruit other black athletes.

No, no, no.

Donny was my first African-American client,

but I never used him to help me recruit.

I mean, that... that's absurd.

Armen: Agent Alvin Epps of the Epps-Brenner Agency.

Arliss Michaels has made a career

out of the exploitation of the black athlete.

I've always known that he sucked the nectar

out of their athletic abilities,

now it seems he's made a considerable profit

on their business contacts.

Why is that whenever there's a dispute

between a person who happens to be black

and a person who happens to be white,

it has to be a racial incident?

Donny Thurman and his attorney are playing the race card.

Race has absolutely nothing to do with this case.

We exploit all our clients equally.

Armen: Donny isn't the only Thurman

who has been involved with Arliss Michaels for 20 years.

Donny's wife, Brenda Thurman,

has known the agent for almost as long.

Look, I have to admit.

If it wasn't for Arliss Michaels,

I wouldn't have met my husband.

Brenda, you were an actress at the time, is that right?

Yes... at the time.

(chuckles)

She blames me for giving up her acting career.

I do not.

I was more than happy to move to Cleveland

to take care of Donny and our kids.

You see?

Marriage has its ups and downs.

Things work out.

Why not here with Arliss and Donny?

I don't see how.

I'm an agent.

My job is to bring two people together,

make sure both sides happy, a win-win situation.

I mean, Donny and I go back 20 years.

I mean, from a single office to the ones we're in now.

- Keep them closed? - (hammering)

Open them.

Oh, shit!

(laughs)

Oh, man!

- This is reception here. - Right.

Kirby's office is here.

I got a little cafe area over there.

That's gonna be my office over there.

Over here's the conference room.

Oh, wait until you hear about that.

I got a conference table being designed

in the shape of a basketball court.

(laughs) This is impressive, baby.

- You bet. - Excuse me.

Hey, hey, you need help with that, ma'am?

No, she's fine, aren't you okay?

Sure thing, Mr. Michaels.

Man, who is that?

Oh, that's just some temp I hired

to help me with the filing.

Seems docile enough, might keep her on.

(whispers) Sorry.

Anyway, Donny, I want you to know that

none of this would be possible without you, man.

I mean, you'll always be number one with me.

Oh, Arliss, man.

- (laughs) You the man. - Come on, let me show you my office.

"You'll always be number one with me."

"There'll never be another client higher on my speed dial."

That's what he said.

And how did Arliss thank me?

He screwed me...

when I needed him most.

He feels that you betrayed him.

What do you think brought this on?

The sad fact is that Donny, not unlike...

many ballplayers in a similar situation,

is having trouble coping with the fact

that his playing career is over.

Well, what about Tampa Bay?

I mean, you said it was a lock.

They decided to go another way.

Oh, shit!

Look, alright, alright.

Look, I'll play in Oakland.

Well, Art Howe loves you,

but management's committed to youth.

So you're saying... that's it.

I'm done.

Well, no, no, I've already contacted some teams in Japan.

(scoffs)

Ain't no fucking way!

I'm not going halfway around the world

when I can still play here!

Donny, the fact is the last few seasons

your numbers have really tailed off.

It's because of the knee surgery, Arliss.

(laughs) Look, it's better. I'm all better.

(angrily) It's better!

Look, L.A. is looking for a new third base coach.

It's a great way to stay in the game.

Look, I can still swing the fucking stick, Arliss.

I'm not ready to give it up.

Donny, I've done everything I can.

(scoffs) Have you? Really?

What's that supposed to mean?

Look, I know how you work, man.

Look, my little contract ain't worth your time

now that you got these big clients.

That's not true.

I always do my best for all my clients.

(knocking)

Arliss, excuse me.

Victor Gonzalez is here.

(door closes)

Yeah.

I guess my time is up...

now that you got somebody more important

- to deal with. - Donny, wait, let's talk.

As a nuevo cliente...

Hey, que pasa, Donny?

Oh, Arliss. Victor.

- Hey, what's up? - Hey, Arliss.

(laughs)

He claims you completely sold him out.

What do you say?

Look, I'm not a buyer, I'm a seller.

I can't pick and choose where an athlete's gonna play.

That's absurd. That's up to the team that wants him the most.

Because of Donny's limited mobility,

I couldn't get any of the team owners

even to consider Donny.

Unfortunately that's the nature

of a professional sports career.

It happens.

Nothing with Arliss Michaels just happens.

He's very loyal to his older clients.

He busted his ass to get Donny a job.

It was his top priority.

Arliss assured me when he went to Tampa Bay

he was gonna come back with a deal.

$750,000, one year, best I can do.

Mel, Donny's looking for a two-year deal.

Arliss, Donny's a 39-year-old one-legged DH.

750, one year, final offer.

It's not like we're talking Victor Gonzalez here.

No, we're not.

What if we were talking Victor Gonzalez?

Sorry.

Victor only wants to play for a pennant contender.

Well, any team that has Gonzalez is a pennant contender.

Any team that is willing to meet the sticker price.

What would that be "out the door"?

Tampa Bay wants to sign Victor Gonzalez?

I thought you were pushing Donny Thurman for that job.

I was and suddenly Tampa Bay opens up the bank vault,

offering 40 million for five years.

So what am I supposed to do, tell him not to take it?

Yeah, but Tampa Bay's the only team that's shown any interest in Donny.

And Victor will get other offers,

some better than 40 million.

Maybe he will, and maybe he won't.

And it's not a done deal.

If Victor says no, than maybe they'll go back to Donny.

And if he doesn't say no?

Oh, don't worry. I know exactly what I'm gonna say to Donny.

Donny, we've been friends a long time,

and I've always been straight with you,

so I'm just gonna tell you straight out.

I've come up against the wall.

Well, what about Tampa Bay?

I mean you said it was a lock.

They decided to go another way.

So you're saying that's it?

I'm done.

So what happened with the Tampa Bay job?

As far as Donny not getting the Tampa Bay job goes,

I was very up front with him about that.

Now I'm not gonna say Donny wasn't disappointed,

but eventually he understood,

and... a few days later when we called

the press conference to announce his retirement,

I'm proud to say that I was standing right there next to him.

Armen: And last February 26th,

Donald Albert Thurman ended what is certainly going to be

a Hall of Fame career.

It seemed to be the final chapter

to a storybook relationship.

But it turned out to be the first chapter

in a bitter feud.

I remember that day.

I was in the kitchen when I heard him screaming.

"No! No, no!"

I scared the hell out of my wife, my... my kids,

but I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

Tampa Bay had been looking to add some pop to their lineup,

and they did it by landing

one of the biggest free agent fish on the market,

designated hitter Victor Gonzalez.

He is now in Tampa after signing a five-year deal

worth $40 million.

This was Victor's first and only choice.

When I saw Tampa Bay signed Victor Gonzalez,

I knew Arliss had lied to me.

He backed up Victor instead of me,

and I felt violated.

It was ugly.

Armen: And then it got uglier.

On March 16th,

Donny Thurman filed a $10 million lawsuit

and retained the celebrated Johnny Cochran as his attorney.

There are inherent conflicts of interests

in agent/client relationships.

Through this litigation we expect to show

Mr. Michaels most often resolved those conflicts

in favor of himself.

Arliss represents over a hundred athletes.

Sometimes we have more than one client up for the same job.

That's not conflict of interest.

That's just the nature of our business.

Let's just say we're very excited about the prospects

of examining the way Mr. Michaels does business.

We're planning to pose a number of witnesses...

Clients, owners, and others...

That Mr. Michaels has done business with over the years.

We think it'll be very, very, interesting.

It's not fair.

Arliss, since the first day he met Donny,

fought for the guy.

I've been there since the beginning,

and when Arliss first helped Donny by that pot...

Pontiac... Firebird,

you should've seen Arliss work over the dealer.

(chuckles) He... what...

Let's... let's start again.

Roll that back. (clears throat)

Arliss, you've got a lot of other big name clients,

many of whom are friends of Donny's,

some of them who may be in the same situation

as Donny someday.

What's been their reaction?

Well, first of all I try never to bring other clients

into my legal situations,

but, that said,

I am proud to say that most of them

have offered to testify on my behalf.

Look, Magic, this thing's starting to get ugly.

I might need clients to testify on my behalf.

Will you do it?

Look, come on, Arliss,

now you know I'm friends with Donny too.

Don't make me choose.

Well, I wouldn't make you choose,

but if you have to choose, you'll choose me, right?

- Don't make me choose! - Why not?

The other day you asked me who was better, you or Michael!

Yeah, and you wouldn't choose either.

Well, I'll choose if you choose.

Look, I'm not gonna choose between you and Donny.

Then I'm not gonna choose between you and Michael.

Oh, that's how it's gonna be, huh?

You're just gonna walk off on me, huh?

Not to mention Larry.

Oh, okay, that's how it's gonna be?

Larry in it now too.

So, Donny, what are the other athletes saying to you right now?

"Go get him."

Armen: All-star guard, Gary Payton.

Well, you know, it's not just Arliss Michaels.

I think all agents are scum.

They get mad at us because we take 95 percent

and give them five percent, and I do all the work.

I just think agents are just bad, terrible scum people.

That's all.

Armen: Are you happy with your agent, Gary?

I'm very happy with my agent.

Armen: All pro wide receiver, Andre Rison.

I've known Donny for several years like a brother,

and he's never lied to me.

But as far as Arliss, he's a lying motherfucker.

Can I say "motherfucker"?

I know you and Donny no longer speak,

but if you could talk to him, what would you tell him?

I would tell him that I always gave him my best effort, always.

And that... I never lied to him.

Is there any chance of you settling this thing?

I would like to think yes,

but I'm afraid now a line has been crossed.

Too many things have been said,

and the only way to clear my name

is to have my day in court.

In fact, I demand it.

I want to settle.

What do you think is a fair price?

Well, after hearing what Donny has to say, I don't know.

Your head on a stick?

Shit!

♪ ♪

Maybe we haven't explored all the options.

♪ Oh yeah ♪

You know what, Brenda?

I'm gonna put some leave-on conditioner

- and I'll be back to rinse it for you. - Okay, thanks.

I'm gonna do something really different.

Why do you want to do anything different?

- You look gorgeous. - Arliss?

What are you doing here?

- Brenda, just hear me out, okay? - I don't want to talk about it.

Brenda, we go back 20 years, together. That's 20 years.

I remember when you were acting.

Cut the bullshit, Arliss.

Why are you talking to me?

Why aren't you talking to Donny?

Because I know your husband listens to you.

Look, I am not going to play the role of peacemaker.

Actually that's not the role I had in mind.

I'm a good agent.

I've done nothing wrong.

The case of Donny Thurman versus Arliss Michaels is complex,

far reaching and now, over.

What could've been a landmark decision in the sports world

will merely now become a footnote,

for late last night a settlement was reached

between the two seemingly intractable parties.

That's right, they made a deal.

Terms were not disclosed,

but both sides shook hands and walked away smiling.

I guess that's what being a good agent is all about.

Man: Come on, Dream Team. Picture's up!

Camera's ready! Let's move!

Where's Grumpy? Come on, guys.

Come on, Brenda, be ready for you in a sec.

- Gotta move. - Excuse you?

You don't tell me when I'm ready!

I tell you when I'm ready!

Who's the star of this show?

I'm going to my dressing room.

I'm telling you, Donny, this is just the beginning

of Michaels-Thurman Productions.

No more of this $90-million bullshit.

- Let's make a big movie. - You bet.

- By the way, do you know Denzel? - Oh yeah,

- Could you introduce me to Denzel? - You got it.

- Do you know Ving? - Ahh!

- Together: Ving! - (laughs)

- What about Chris Rock? - Yeah, you got him.

Who plays the gay guy on "Spin City"?

Ah, Boatman, Jimmy Boatman.

Armen: His name is Arliss Michaels.

He represents athletes.

This is his story.

♪ Don't know what it is that makes me love you so ♪

♪ I only know I never wanna let you go ♪

♪ 'Cause you started something, oh, can't you see ♪

♪ That ever since we met you had a hold on me ♪

♪ It happens to be true ♪

♪ I only wanna be with you ♪

♪ It doesn't matter where you go or what you do ♪

♪ I want to spend each moment of the day with you ♪

♪ Oh, look what has happened with just one kiss ♪

♪ I never knew that I could be in love like this ♪

♪ It's crazy, but it's true ♪

♪ I only wanna be with you ♪

♪ You stopped and smiled at me ♪

♪ Asked if I cared to dance ♪

♪ I fell into your open arms ♪

And I didn't stand a chance, now listen, honey ♪

♪ I just wanna be beside you everywhere ♪

♪ As long as we're together, honey, I don't care ♪

♪ 'Cause you started something, oh, can't you see ♪

♪ That ever since we met ♪

♪ You had a hold on me ♪

♪ No matter what you do ♪

♪ I only wanna be with you ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh, you stopped ♪