Not too long ago, we had new neighbors move in next door. They're a young couple, a man and a woman, and the man's a big fan of the St. Louis Cardinals. When I told him that I make my living writing about baseball, he said "you must be living the dream!" It's a common response when people find out what I do - they think I must be living the life, writing about baseball all the time. Today I get to write about baseball and porn.
Bibi Jones, Player Bait
Why? Well, this all started when pictures emerged last weekend showing a shirtless Rob Gronkowski (football player) and porn star Bibi Jones wearing his jersey. I don't know why all porn actors and actresses are referred to as stars, since they can't all be stars, but then last winter TMZ referred to "MLB star Adam Kennedy" so it's not like this is unique to the pornography business. It's more unique to the bad writing business.
Because Gronkowski plays for the New England Patriots, and because Boston is Boston, this became a big deal, and Jones was called for an on-air interview. One thing led to another, and in the interview, Jones said she used to know an agent, and:
“He would kind of use me to get baseball players to sign with one of his agents.”
She mentioned that she'd hooked up with Dan Uggla. Soon thereafter she did an interview with Business Insider, because why wouldn't a porn star conduct an interview with Business Insider, and you can read the interview transcript here. Here are the major points:
- Jones served as an agent's arm candy in Arizona for some of 2010
- She was not paid by anybody and was a willing participant
- She was introduced to various baseball players in bars after Diamondbacks games
- She slept with several players
- She is not in contact with the agent anymore
It’s come to be known more recently that the agent here is Terry Bross, of Gaylord Sports Management. Bross hasn’t commented on the story, because there isn’t a lot of upside for him, here, but one notes that Uggla did switch to Bross during the 2010 regular season. What a coincidence!
So here’s the thing. Was anything illegal? No, at least not the way Jones tells it. With no money changing hands, this is just a story about a woman sleeping with men, which is very much not against the law. Jones wasn’t even pressured into anything. She was quite enthusiastic. She loves baseball, and baseball players.
So nothing was illegal. Is this at least a little sketchy? I guess that’s kind of up to each individual’s opinion. Chances are I feel differently about this than you do, and that you feel differently about this than the next reader does. One thing’s for sure - Bross is far from the first agent to use women to lure potential clients. Agents have to stand out somehow, and sex is a powerful draw. Agents can be sketchy people with sketchy tactics, but, personally - strictly personally - I find little to be objectionable here. Jones wanted to do what she did. The players wanted to do what they did. There was no pressure on anybody to do anything. What’s the big deal? Granted, some of the players were married, but their infidelity isn’t Bross’ fault.
This isn’t a big deal. It’s a story about sex. Those things aren’t mutually exclusive.
See More:
