NFL Preseason Betting Tips & Shannon Sharpe Stories with Sports Agent Jamie Fritz

It’s episode 107 of Wise Kracks and we have NFL fever! Joining us this week is a superstar sports agent with superstar clients. We also discuss the Cleveland Browns’ troubles, the Dallas Cowboys, NFL preseason betting, and Little League Baseball drama. Let’s get it!

Your hosts Bill Krackomberger and Jon Orlando discuss the potentially rocky season ahead for the Cleveland Browns amidst some roster issues. Will the Kareem Hunt trade request and the possibility of a suspension extension for Deshaun Watson negatively impact the Browns’ season?

The guys also ask what’s on every football fan’s mind, but especially Jon’s: How many wins will the Dallas Cowboys get this season?

With the NFL preseason underway, Bill shares some key tips for successful preseason betting.

Joining Bill and Jon this week is sports agent Jamie Fritz of Fritz Martin Management based out of Las Vegas. Working with the likes of Eddie George, Jerry Rice, and  Shannon Sharpe, Jamie has repped Hall-of-Famers for years.

Jamie talks about the evolution of football contracts, rookie brand management 101, and the eccentricities that come with working alongside NFL Hall-of-Famer Shannon Sharpe. All this and more on this week’s Wise Kracks!

Don’t Underestimate NFL Preseason Betting

The Krackman is here to set the record straight: there is nothing about betting on the NFL preseason that makes you a degenerate.

Preseason football has been one of the most profitable sports for me over the years, states Bill.

For Bill, he finds that the lines move so much with the preseason games that it’s “unbelievable.” He notes that it all comes down to coaches and teams announcing things seemingly on the fly, and this can be as much as a team announcing they’re going to play their starters.

Bill wants bettors to get into the excitement of preseason betting as much as he does, and with his insider’s edge, he shares three insightful tips for NFL preseason betting success.

1. You have to be aware of looser lines, “Preseason lines are set with limited information, they’re more subject to movements.”
2.  Study the coaches, “What are the motivational factors behind the coaches?” asks Bill, which can range from wanting to set a tone early, to a first-year coach wanting to prove he belongs in the league.
3. Study the quarterback depth chart, “Is he a veteran going against second and third stringers, or is he a rookie looking to make a great first impression?” The QB has the potential to make or break your cash out.

With Bill laying it all out for bettors, Jon looks on with admiration for Bill’s love of the game, “It’s betting with emotion, there are levels to this stuff, it’s not just blind betting.”

The Trials and Tribulations of Being a Sports Agent

Joining the guys in the WSN studio is sports agent Jamie Fritz of Fritz Martin Management based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. He’s had a prolific career as a rep for legendary athletes, including Hines Ward, Shannon Sharpe, and one of the most decorated NFL players of all time, Marcus Allen.

Jon begins by talking up Jamie’s impressive list of clients, “You rep nothing but Hall-of-Famers!”

“Not all of them,” says Jamie, “Joe Theismann is not a Hall-of-Famer.” This is a fact that comes as a surprise to Jon and Bill with a resounding, “Really?!”

As famous as his clients are, Jamie likes to stay out of the spotlight, “I don’t want to be famous… it’s not about me, it’s about my clients.” Staying out of the spotlight hasn’t taken away from a lavish lifestyle, as Jamie fills the guys in on a party he attended recently where none other than Diana Ross made a rare appearance!

With Jamie embedded in the administrative side of the sports world, Bill lobs a question at him that he wants some clarification on.

A guy like Aaron Judge, how can the (New York) Yankees not sign that guy… is it him, his agent, or the Yankees? Jamie acknowledges that it is likely his camp.

After that detour, the guys veer back into football territory. Jon sheds light on the fact that more and more football contracts are becoming guaranteed and explains how it “seems unfair that it’s evolved to that,” where older players may have missed the boat. Jamie goes into detail about how it comes down to media contracts and salary cap increases, amongst other things.

Rookies coming in had monstrous contracts before they could prove themselves… veterans have more opportunities for bigger contracts, says Jamie.

Speaking of rookies, Jamie dives into working with up-and-comers in terms of brand management, along with the proliferation of NIL in the NCAA. “Universities got caught with their pants down, they didn’t think it was going to go through,” Jamie explains.

In Jamie’s experience, he’s seen how prospects get excited and jump the gun on branding without looking at the process strategically, “If they take free chicken from Raising Cane’s and $5,000, no other restaurant is going to touch them.” However, he also understands that not everyone turns pro so they should, “go get the money while they can.”

He also notes how athletes’ social media presence can impede their career if they make a wrong move, which he dissects with the mantra, “what is there to gain, what is there to lose.” Bill chimes in, “It takes common sense and street smarts.”

One of Jamie’s most universally loved clients, former NFL tight end and co-host of ‘Skip and Shannon: Undisputed’ Shannon Sharpe, provides the agent with plenty of stories to share, and he goes in-depth on the launch of Sharpe’s cognac ‘Shay by Le Portier’.

It began in 2018 when Sharpe posted a picture with a Hennessy product that garnered 10 million impressions, which led to a meeting with Hennessy to possibly work out a branding deal. Sometime later after back and forth, Jamie and Sharpe discovered that Hennessy had two parties that neither of them was invited to.

With that, Sharpe unapologetically burned a bridge by posting a picture of an empty Hennessy bottle next to a dead rat.

Another of Jamie’s mantras, “if you don’t want to work with us, we’re going to go to your competition,” can be applied to this scenario, when Sharpe decided to make his own competition by creating his ‘Shay by La Portier’ cognac.

When Sharpe isn’t igniting a competitive flame, he’s a “homebody,” according to Jamie, “He loves his dogs and exercise.”

Before Jamie parts, Jon wants one more piece of insight from the super agent, “Do my Dallas Cowboys have a shot at winning the Super Bowl?” Without hesitation, Jamie drops a swift “No,” only further diminishing poor Jon’s faith in his favorite team.

Catch Wise Kracks Thursday on YouTube

Welcome to Wise Kracks, the show you can count on to fill you in on all things betting, pop culture, tips & more. Your hosts Jon Orlando and Bill Krackomberger have got you covered for the most popular sports events, while never missing an opportunity to share a laugh.

With each new guest comes a unique perspective from the world of sports and entertainment. Wise Kracks is here to turn you into a betting pro, and no one is better suited to guide you than Bill himself. Tune into the WSN YouTube channel every Thursday for a new episode of Wise Kracks!