Ohalete takes Portis to Court!

Skinsfan55 · Post by **Skinsfan55** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 9:38 pm

According to Rotoworld:

"Arizona safety Ifeanyi Ohalete is suing Clinton Portis for failing to pay a promised $40,000 for a jersey number while they were teammates in Washington."

I don't see why Portis wouldn't give the man his money, he's one of the highest paid players in the league.

cvillehog · Post by **cvillehog** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 9:50 pm

Um, maybe because the "man" got cut, and it became a non-issue?

Wonder if they had a signed contract.

Portis will have to pay if they did, and if the contract isn't deemed illegal. If they just had a verbal agreement, then it's not a valid contract, from my understanding of the Uniform Commercial Code.

NikiH · Post by **NikiH** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 10:12 pm

Actually a verbal agreement may hold up with such documentation of it. It was reported repeatedly by the local media. I am sure somewhere there exists a quote of Portis saying how he got the number. And that will be the first piece of evidence Ohalete's lawyer will present I am sure! ;-)

skinsfan1 · Post by **skinsfan1** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 10:58 pm

JH would be the one to ask.

1fan4ramsey · Post by **1fan4ramsey** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 11:30 pm

I thought he bought him a car in exchange for the number.

Justice Hog · Post by **Justice Hog** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 11:33 pm

I'm a criminal attorney, not a contract attorney; however, in my opinion, there would be a valid contract if some sort of "Consideration" was made at the time of the agreement. When the agreement was (allegedly) made, Ohalete was a player. The fact that he left shouldn't come into play. If it was the understanding of both players that C.P. would pay I.O. the money for his jersey, and I.O. gave up his number based on that representation...then I say he's entitled to the $$$, notwithstanding the fact that he left the team.

Just my two cents....

tcwest10 · Post by **tcwest10** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 11:35 pm

Let's get JH's take on this. Should be interesting. Of course, nobody here has seen the document, and Iffy says there IS a document.
My feeling is that, when he got cut, he lost all claim to that number anyway.
Portis has paid more than what he owes Iffy on sock fines alone. It's chump change to him.
He must be standing on principle.

cvillehog · Post by **cvillehog** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 12:16 am

Justice Hog wrote:I'm a criminal attorney, not a contract attorney; however, in my opinion, there would be a valid contract if some sort of "Consideration" was made at the time of the agreement. When the agreement was (allegedly) made, Ohalete was a player. The fact that he left shouldn't come into play. If it was the understanding of both players that C.P. would pay I.O. the money for his jersey, and I.O. gave up his number based on that representation...then I say he's entitled to the $$$, notwithstanding the fact that he left the team.

Just my two cents....

I'm inclinded to believe whatever you say on this subject, but I do believe the UCC states that a written agreement is required for contracts with a dollar value above $200.

curveball · Post by **curveball** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 12:28 am

I'm not an lawyer, but I do watch Judge Judy and "verbal agreements" are indeed enforceable contracts. I've done a few business deals on nothing more than a handshake, assured by my attorney that they are indeed valid.

Legalities aside, it's little things like this that can tear team chemistry apart. Unless he's a first class ***, I'm sure that IO made a few friends during his stay in DC. If I were close to him and someone screwed him over, I would take it personally.

Even if I wasn't close, a person that is privy to the details would have to think twice about trusting the "heel" in this situation.

cvillehog · Post by **cvillehog** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 12:51 am

I would think the question is going to arise as to the matter of consideration. Did Iffy give something of value to Portis? Once he was waived from the team, the jersey number was no longer his to give.

Anyway, I would think (hope) this would just be settled or end up in mediation anyway, rather than actually reach a court room.

curveball · Post by **curveball** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 1:03 am

cvillehog wrote:I would think the question is going to arise as to the matter of consideration. Did Iffy give something of value to Portis? Once he was waived from the team, the jersey number was no longer his to give.

Anyway, I would think (hope) this would just be settled or end up in mediation anyway, rather than actually reach a court room.

IO gave something of value at the time. What happened after the agreement in regards to IO being cut are irrelevant. Suppose I decided to sell you a car and let you pay next tuesday. I'm killed in a car accident on the way home from dropping it off at your home. That doesn't mean you can keep the vehicle for free.

cvillehog · Post by **cvillehog** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 1:06 am

curveball wrote:
cvillehog wrote:I would think the question is going to arise as to the matter of consideration. Did Iffy give something of value to Portis? Once he was waived from the team, the jersey number was no longer his to give.

Anyway, I would think (hope) this would just be settled or end up in mediation anyway, rather than actually reach a court room.

IO gave something of value at the time. What happened after the agreement in regards to IO being cut are irrelevant. Suppose I decided to sell you a car and let you pay next tuesday. I'm killed in a car accident on the way home from dropping it off at your home. That doesn't mean you can keep the vehicle for free.

No, but if your car dealership was foreclosed and ownership was taken away from you, would I still owe YOU the money?

Or, if it turned out that you didn't actually own the car you sold me, would I still have to pay you?

At any rate, consideration has to be exchanged for there to be a contract.

hailskins666 · Post by **hailskins666** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 1:18 am

well, as a general "contractor" here in NC, we are taught nothing is "for sure" without two signatures, a buyer and a seller. if IO had his agent/attourney do the deal up, portis is up schtien creek. if not, i'm sure portis can afford a better lawyer to dispute.

General Failure · Post by **General Failure** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 1:23 am

hailskins666 wrote:if not, i'm sure portis can afford a better lawyer to dispute.

At that point wouldn't it be cheaper just to pay the man what he wants?

hailskins666 · Post by **hailskins666** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 1:26 am

General Failure wrote:
hailskins666 wrote:if not, i'm sure portis can afford a better lawyer to dispute.

At that point wouldn't it be cheaper just to pay the man what he wants?

i don't know. hell, johnnie cochran would probably take the case for less than 40 grand. and as we all know, the chubakka defense is hard to beat. :lol:

SkinsLaVar · Post by **SkinsLaVar** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 6:21 am

They actually did have a contract. Portis is gonna have to pay that mofo.

redskincity · Post by **redskincity** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 9:39 am

That Jersey number wasnt his to begin with. It is property of the Washington Redskin organization.

Why is Olhete holding 'The Cut against Portis??

Redskins Rule · Post by **Redskins Rule** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 10:02 am

I can see Portis challenging Iffy to another boxing match! That dude basically robbed him of the $40,000. I wouldn't give money to nobody that robbed me of it. Whether it was done legally or not.

Personally, I think the judge should order Portis and Iffy into the boxing ring. With the winner getting the $40,000!

NikiH · Post by **NikiH** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 2:29 pm

Ridiculous guys. The rights to that number were Iffy's. If Portis had been smart he would have waited it out to see if it were going to be an issue. He did not. At the time of the agreement "the rights" to that number were Ohalete's. Portis purchased them from him. Plain and simple if the agreement didn't have a stipulation in it saying what happened should Ohalete lose his rights to the number then Portis is going to have to pay. It just seems crazy to me that he doesn't stand by his word in the first damned place.

BringThePain! · Post by **BringThePain!** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 3:01 pm

please..

... Iffy's not even on the team anymore... It should be a non-issue...

Iffy's a grown man acting like a big baby... taking someone to court over a number that you're not even on the team of anymore is the RIDICULOUS thing.... :roll:

What? The 600K+ he's making this year isn't enough? Cry me a river.....

cvillehog · Post by **cvillehog** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 3:19 pm

Obviously, if Portis made a promise, he should fulfill it. On the other hand, Iffy got $20,000 for nothing, and gets paid more in a year than I will probably ever make, so I just don't have any sympathy for him.

tcwest10 · Post by **tcwest10** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 3:48 pm

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?sec ... id=1955807

Portis has responded.

redskincity · Post by **redskincity** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 3:52 pm

I hope the judge tells Iffy to "STFU!"

...Then it will be all over. :idea:

hailskins666 · Post by **hailskins666** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 4:13 pm

that article says it was a signed deal. pay up portis.

Redskins Rule · Post by **Redskins Rule** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 4:13 pm

This is some freakin hilarious stuff!!!

I just checked the schedule and the Redskins WILL play Arizona at Arizona next season!!!

I can't wait to see what happens between these two guys!!!!