Do agents ruin the game?

I'm not sure if everyone has heard it yet but there's a pretty big rumor floating that Tony Romo's new agent, Tom Condon, has requested a guaranteed $30 million to be included in a new Romo deal. Romo is a free agent after this year and many believe he will be tagged as the franchise player, which means he'll get at least $10.7 million for one year.

If Condon asks for that kind of money, it would put Romo in the same category as Peyton Manning, for whom Condon is also an agent. How ironic. Manning is signed to 2012. His largest salary will be in 2010 at $15.8 million. One league source allegedly said Condon and Romo would have accepted Matt Schaub-range money, which is six years, $48 million with $7 million guaranteed and $20 million over three years if something had gotten done before the season started. But that is impractical to think the Cowboys management would do that.

I am one of the fans who argued against giving Romo a longterm contract after his performance last year, and said the management should wait. It's a dicey proposition and one the Cowboys have failed on too many times over the past 10 years. Quincy Carter, Drew Bledsoe and Drew Henson all stunk it up.

I couldn't imagine losing Romo next year. But these agents are pugnacious and can squeeze blood from turnips. I think they ruin the game. But then again, I think I have been a horrible negotiator for my own pay, and if I had an agent maybe I'd me making a few thousand more (which is millions more in football terms).

So, the question is: How will Romo handle this? How will the Cowboys handles this? A 10-year, $90 million deal? A 7-year, $85 million deal? A five-year, $75 million deal? Will Romo hold out? Will he fight? Will mid-season negotiations screw everything up? Or will we move smoothly and sign him mid-season so that everyone is happy.

After three games, Romo appears to be the real deal. But is he worth $100 million dollars?